Hu Ge and Yang Zi just two of the Born to Be Alive cast whose filming wrap photos were released
We just got a huge drop of cast photos from the upcoming Chinese crime/police-themed drama Born to Be Alive (aka 生命树), which officially wrapped its filming today.
Born to Be Alive began filming on May 3rd in Tibet, and also released its first character posters at that time. (Update, January 27th, 2026 — and the drama has already announced its premiere this week. Shockingly fast, eh?)
After its 188-day filming schedule ended today, we got photos from the Born to Be Alive wrap of 16 of the Cdrama’s main, supporting and guest actors.
From the looks of the actors, who obviously recently finished filming their final scenes, it appears this drama will be one of the more down-to-earth gritty ones, rather than the overly-made up, overly-filtered Chinese dramas we usually get.
Yep, I am all in for that. Aren’t you?
Cast photos from Hu Ge to Zhou You
In the first set of Born to Be Alive photos of the cast members clutching their celebratory flowers then, we got Hu Ge, Yang Zi, Li Guang Jie, Zhang Zhehua, Mei Ting, Yuan Hong, Yang Shuo, and Zhou You.
Born to Be Alive cast photos – from Jinpa to director Li Xue
The second set of photos from the completion of Born to Be Alive‘s filming schedule featured Jinpa, Feng Bing, Geng Dan, Su Xin, Song Chuyan, Zhou Fang, Zhou Si Yu, and Sonam Wangmo .
Director Li Xue (Nirvana in Fire) also got a look in.
The Born to Be Alive plot
Now that the filming of the Tibet-focused drama has ended, its plot synopsis has also been fleshed out quite markedly by iQIYI, who will be streaming the drama when it releases, along with CCTV.
That latest plot synopsis now says:
In the 1990s, Maqi County on the Qinghai Plateau (aka the Tibetan Plateau) relies heavily on agriculture and animal husbandry. The surrounding uninhabited area, Bolamula, is rich in mineral and wildlife resources, attracting large numbers of illegal hunters and miners who ruthlessly exploit and kill for huge profits.
With the support of County Governor Lin Peisheng, Deputy County Governor Dorje establishes a mountain patrol team. Initially focused on exploring minerals in the uninhabited area to alleviate poverty. Dorje then shifts his entire focus to environmental protection after witnessing the tragic slaughter of Tibetan antelopes.
Bai Ju, a young female officer in the patrol team, becomes a destined variable in Dorje’s life.
Bai Ju is an orphan adopted by Zhang Qinqin, a doctor aiding Tibet, and is the daring and determined youngest daughter of the Bai family. She gets along well with the patrol team members and falls in love with Shao Yunfei, a newspaper reporter.
Together, they unite to establish a nature reserve. However, on the eve of their success, they experience the disappearance of their leader, Dorje, and the dissolution of the patrol team.
Over a decade later, Bolamula regains its tranquility, but illegal coal mining disrupts the balance between development and environmental protection once again. Bai Ju reunites with her former lover, old friends, and siblings, and together they investigate the truth behind Dorje’s disappearance.
The filming of Born to Be Alive was a longer than usual one (six months), as the Chinese drama is scheduled to run for 40 episodes.
It was also filmed in the much more harsh environment of the Tibetan Plateau, where weather can adversely affect filming, more than is usual for many dramas.
Altitude sickness can also cause severe health problems for both actors and crew, if they are not acclimatized to it properly. All of which explains the long and, probably-grueling-for-the-actors-and-crew, schedule.
I must say, though, with the previously released character posters and trailer (both were released in May — see link above), and now this cache of cast photos, this environmental crime-themed drama more than piques my interest just a little bit.
Doesn’t it you?
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