Just Released 12 Episodes, Chinese Drama Swords into Plowshares Has Heated Up the iQIYI & Tencent Index

Kapanlagi.com - The Chinese drama Swords into Plowshares officially premiered on January 23 and immediately sparked widespread discussion. Although its opening was relatively slow, its data movement actually shows a consistent and promising trend.

In just four days of airing, the Chinese drama Swords into Plowshares managed to overturn initial expectations. The growth of the cross-platform index, the surge in public discussions, and the positive audience response create an intriguing narrative of resurgence to follow.

1. A Slow but Steady Premiere

On the first day of airing, the Chinese drama Swords into Plowshares recorded a peak popularity index on Tencent Video at 19.902. This figure is slightly below the threshold for popular series, raising some doubts about its initial appeal.

However, this trend did not last long. By the second day, the index surged past 22.500 and continued to rise to 23.275 on the third day, January 25.

A new peak was reached on January 26 with an index of 23.282, marking sustained growth for four consecutive days. This pattern indicates the strength of word of mouth and the organically growing interest from viewers.

2. Platform Performance: Tencent Excels, iQIYI Lags Behind

Swords into Plowshares - copyright: weibo.com

From the platform perspective, the Chinese drama Swords into Plowshares performs strongest on Tencent Video. Its popularity consistently stays above 20,000 after the second day, making it a major contributor to the total viewership spike.

In contrast, iQIYI's performance is relatively slower with a popularity index of around 7,100 during the same period. The opening score on this platform was even recorded low, reflecting the challenges of serious themes in the digital entertainment market.

Mango TV did not release official data, but its contribution is deemed minimal. This difference emphasizes that the main audience for this drama is more concentrated on specific platforms.

3. High Ratings and Academic Appreciation

Swords into Plowshares - copyright: weibo.com

Apart from the popularity figures, the Chinese drama Swords into Plowshares has received praise for its quality. The series achieved a high rating of up to 9.7 on Douban, a feat that reflects strong appreciation from viewers and critics.

Academics have also highlighted the accuracy and depth of history presented in the story. The serious narrative approach is considered an added value amid the dominance of light dramas.

However, this quality has not fully aligned with the initial performance on certain streaming platforms. This shows a gap between critical appreciation and mass market consumption.

4. Viewers Switching to Traditional Television

Swords into Plowshares - copyright: weibo.com

Interestingly, the rise of the Chinese drama Swords into Plowshares is also reflected in television ratings. The prime-time rating of CCTV increased from 1.082 percent on the first day to a peak of 1.1764 percent within a few days.

Data from CVB even recorded a rating of 2.658 percent with a market share of 11.379 percent. These figures confirm a shift of some viewers to traditional television.

This phenomenon shows that serious and historical themes still have a strong audience base on TV screens. For this drama, television has become a significant growth space.

5. Weibo Index Explodes and Public Opinion Shifts

Swords into Plowshares - copyright: weibo.com

The biggest surge came from social media. On January 25, 2026, the Weibo index for the Chinese drama Swords into Plowshares officially surpassed 90 million, just three days after its premiere.

The day before, the index had just broken through 80 million, indicating a rapid increase within 48 hours. Viewer discussions, a stronger storyline, and fan interactions were the triggers.

From an initially doubted start, the drama transformed into a widespread conversation across platforms. This transformation reinforced its positive image as a drama that grows through quality and consistency.

(kpl/chn)