The new Chinese mystery and adventure drama Time Raiders (Wu Xie’s Private Notes) officially premiered this week, led by Francis Ng and Xu Zhen Xuan. The show is adapted from The Grave Robbers Chronicles, written by Kennedy Xu, a name closely tied to the popular “tomb-raiding” genre. (This same genre also produced Tianxia Bachang’s The Ghost Blows Out the Light series and Nanpai Sanshu’s The Grave Robbers Chronicles).
Unlike the Candle in the Tomb franchise, which found stability with the “Iron Triangle” team — Pan Yueming, Zhang Yuqi, and Jiang Chao — The Grave Robbers Chronicles adaptations have often disappointed fans due to frequent cast changes. This time, however, the production is fronted by Nanpai Sanshu as chief producer and directed by Pan An zi, aiming to regain viewers’ trust.
The cast includes Francis Ng, Cao Lei, Xu Zhen Xuan, Daisy Li, and Cheng Xiang. early results suggest strong reception: within two hours of its release, the show surpassed 22k views.
Time Raiders – Chinese Drama, 2025
- Title: Time Raiders
- Native Title: 吴邪私家笔记
- Original: The Grave Robbers Chronicles
- Also Known As: Wu Xie’s Private Notes
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Supernatural, Mystery
- Director: Pan An Zi
- Aired On: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
- Number of Episodes: 18
- Release date: Sep 20, 2025
- Country: China
- Running time: 45 min.
- Watch on: Tencent Video, WeTV
The series opens with Wu Xie recalling his grandfather and early tomb-raiding memories. Within the first eight minutes, a tense mood is established. The young and naive Wu Xie is approached by a stranger carrying a rubbing of an ancient silk manuscript—inside lies a hidden map. After photographing it, Wu Xie tries to contact his uncle Wu San Xing but can’t reach him. By the next day, a cryptic message arrives, leading to his first encounter with the silent man in black, Zhang Qiling.
As the plot unfolds, Wu San Xing learns that the manuscript points to King Lu’s Palace. He assembles a five-person team: himself, Zhang Qiling, Da Kui, Wu Xie, and a local guide. The adventure takes them to a wet cave where entry is said to require a certain scent. Midway, the guide and boatman vanish mysteriously—leaving eerie echoes behind. Wu San Xing quickly realizes they were set up in a swindle.
The backstory also involves Old Ma, the man who first tried to decipher the manuscript but disappeared while following it. His wife continues to spend her fortune searching for him. Meanwhile, Wu Xie, protected all his life by family, finally steps into real danger for the first time.
With mystery, tomb raiding, and survival at its core, Time Raiders joins a long list of Chinese drama adaptations of The Grave Robbers Chronicles, but with a production that hopes to avoid the pitfalls of its predecessors.
Source (news.china)
