If you're new to Danmei, the best novels to start with depend on what you already enjoy. For fantasy and adventure, start with Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (5 volumes, Seven Seas) or Lie Huo Jiao Chou (174 chapters, free at LotusScribe). For a realistic, emotional coming-of-age story, try SAYE (141 chapters, free at LotusScribe). For lighthearted school romance, I've Liked Your Boyfriend For a Long Time (34 chapters, free at LotusScribe) is short and sweet. For comedy, The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System (4 volumes, Seven Seas) is short and hilarious. All of these are fully translated in English and widely considered the best entry points into the genre.
Danmei is a genre of Chinese fiction centered on romantic relationships between male characters. It's similar to Japanese BL (Boys' Love) but originates from Chinese web fiction platforms. Most Danmei novels start as serialized web fiction on sites like Jinjiang Literature City (JJWXC) before being adapted into print editions, audio dramas, manhua (comics), donghua (animation), and live-action dramas.
The genre spans an enormous range of settings and tones: ancient Chinese court politics, modern school life, xianxia cultivation worlds with immortals and demons, sci-fi space operas, horror survival games, and everyday contemporary romance. Some novels are lighthearted comedies; others are dark, complex, and emotionally demanding. The one constant is a central romantic relationship between two men.
Start with Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (Mo Dao Zu Shi) by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. This is the most famous Danmei novel worldwide and the source material for the drama The Untamed. It follows a controversial cultivator resurrected after death who teams up with a stoic warrior to solve supernatural mysteries. The worldbuilding is rich, the mystery is compelling, and the romance unfolds slowly alongside the plot. 5 volumes, fully published by Seven Seas Entertainment.
Then try Lie Huo Jiao Chou by Priest — a modern xuanhuan where ancient demon clans live hidden among humans. A jaded government agent and a powerful demon prince are forced to work together when a sealed evil resurfaces. If you want fantasy with a contemporary setting rather than ancient cultivation, this is the perfect bridge.
Read at: LotusScribe — 174 chapters, free
Start with SAYE (Run Freely) by Wu Zhe. Set in a real Chinese industrial town rather than a fantasy world, SAYE follows two high school boys supporting each other through difficult family situations and the pressures of adolescence. It's raw, honest, and widely considered one of the best-written Danmei novels in any genre. There's no magic, no cultivation — just two well-drawn characters learning to be brave for each other.
Read at: LotusScribe — 141 chapters, free
For something more mature, try What Lies Within by Bei Nan. A contemporary story that explores emotional depth and complicated adult relationships. If SAYE is the best coming-of-age Danmei, What Lies Within is its grown-up counterpart.
Read at: LotusScribe — 70 chapters, free
Start with The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. A modern reader transmigrates into a terrible cultivation novel as the villain. He must avoid being killed by the protagonist while trying to fix the terrible plot. It's funny, self-aware, and only 4 volumes long — the shortest of the MXTX novels and a perfect entry point for readers who want to see what Danmei is about before committing to a longer series.
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment.
Start with Kaleidoscope of Death by Xi Zi Xu. Twelve mysterious iron doors lead to different nightmare worlds where you must solve puzzles to survive. It reads like a horror movie with a slow-burn romance running underneath the terror. The "unlimited flow" (survival game) genre is one of Danmei's most unique contributions to fiction.
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment.
Start with I've Liked Your Boyfriend For a Long Time by Jiang Zi Bei. A short, sweet campus romance about tangled feelings and the awkwardness of liking someone you shouldn't. At just 34 chapters, it's the perfect low-commitment entry into school life Danmei — you can finish it in a day.
Read at: LotusScribe — 34 chapters, free
Start with Rebirth of the Tyrant by Man Man He Qi Duo. A nobleman reborn with memories of his past life navigates deadly court intrigue. Danmei excels at political fiction, and this is a gripping introduction to the subgenre. For a longer commitment, Royal Descendants by the same author (99 chapters) dives even deeper into dynastic power struggles.
Read at: LotusScribe — 67 chapters, free
Start with Deep Sea Drifter Diary by Mu Su Li. Set in a submerged world of strange creatures and ancient underwater ruins, this novel offers one of the most imaginative settings in all of Danmei. If you want something that feels genuinely different from every other recommendation on this page, this is it.
Read at: LotusScribe — 99 chapters, free
If you want a structured path through the genre, this order introduces you to the major subgenres while building from more accessible to more complex:
After this, you'll have a feel for what you enjoy and can explore more:
Last updated: March 2026. This page is updated regularly as new translations and platforms become available.