gǔzhuāng jù
Also written: guzhuang drama; costume drama; ancient-costume drama; historical costume drama
A Chinese screen category defined by premodern clothing, settings, and visual design. A guzhuang drama may be historically grounded, loosely inspired by history, completely fictional, romantic, martial, political, or fantastical.
Literal meaning
ancient-costume drama
Cultural context
Chinese usage distinguishes a broad costume drama from a serious historical drama that aims for greater factual and political accuracy. The costumes and palace sets establish the period look, but they do not prove that the story follows real history.
How dramas use it
The label covers palace romances, fictional dynasties, wuxia stories, xianxia worlds, transmigration plots, and dramatizations of historical figures. Viewers often need a second genre label to understand what kind of story it is.
Usage & formality
English-language fandom often says “historical drama” for nearly every Chinese costume production. “Costume drama” is usually more precise when the history is fictionalized or secondary.