Born to Be Alive (生命树) – director, screenwriters, producer, cast, plot and streaming details

Chinese Title: 生命树 (Shēng Mìng Shù)
English Title: Born to Be Alive (aka Life Tree)
Genre: Life, Drama, Environmental, Police
Episodes: 40
Episode Duration: 45 minutes
Original Network: iQIYI & CCTV
Production Company: Daylight Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Filming Period: May 3rd, 2025 – October 31st, 2025

Synopsis

Born to Be Alive follows the inspiring journey of Bai Ju, a young woman found lost as a child and raised by a loving family on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Growing up surrounded by the harsh yet breathtaking landscape, she becomes deeply connected to her homeland.

After becoming a police officer, Bai Ju joins a mountain patrol team dedicated to protecting the plateau’s natural resources from poaching and illegal mining.

Alongside her comrades — including the team leader Duo Jie — she confronts environmental challenges, personal sacrifices, and the grit required to safeguard her community and environment.

Director & Production Team

• Director: Li Xue (Nirvana in Fire 1 & 2, The Disguiser, Like a Flowing River Season 2)
• Screenwriters: Gao Man Tang (The Long Way Back)
• Producer: Hou Hongliang (Daylight Entertainment)
• Production Company: Daylight Entertainment Co., Ltd.
• Filming Locations: Qinghai Province

Main Cast & Characters

• Yang Zi as Bai Ju
• Hu Ge as Duo Jie
• Li Guang Jie plays Lin Pei Sheng
• Zhang Zhe Hua as Shao Yun Fei
• Mei Ting is Zhang Qin Qin
• Yuan Hong
• Yang Shuo as Li Yong Qiang
• Zhou You
• Jin Ba
• Feng Bing as Han Xue Chao
• Geng Dan
• Su Xin is He Qing Yuan
• Song Chu Yan as Feng Ke Qing
• Zhou Fang
• Liu Pei
• Sonam Wangmo

Production Notes & Filming Facts

• Yang Zi reportedly trained extensively for the role, gaining weight, learning yak riding, Tibetan language elements, and enduring high-altitude conditions without body doubles for strenuous scenes.
• Filming wrapped on October 31, 2025, with teasers and behind-the-scenes content highlighting the rugged plateau setting and dramatic cinematography.
• The drama is expected to blend emotional narrative with social themes such as environmental protection, rural development, and personal sacrifice.

Where to Watch

• iQIYI
• CCTV: Broadcasting in China upon release

Articles about Born to Be Alive

‘Born to be Alive’ gets a slew of cool looking character visuals C-Drama begins filming in Tibet

Hu Ge and Yang Zi’s ‘Born to Be Alive’ wraps filming – drops a massive number of photos of main, supporting and guest actors

Born to Be Alive exceeds 1 million reservations – official premiere date announced as January 30th

A huge number of Born to Be Alive billboards have gone up around Beijing as the C-drama gets ready to premiere

About the Author

Michelle Topham

Editor

British-American journalist obsessed with C-dramas, a subject I have been writing about for more than two decades. How many C-dramas have I watched? Many many hundreds. How many are still in my backlog? Hundreds more.

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