Zhao Liying suffered a defeat, deliberately cornering Yang Zi, putting her in a difficult situation.

The record-breaking drop in ratings for veteran actress Zhao Liying on CCTV is inadvertently putting Yang Zi's new project in a difficult position right before its premiere in prime time.

According to the latest reports from Chinese media, the drama series "The Tree of Life," starring Yang Zi, has been scheduled to air during prime time on CCTV8. However, instead of benefiting from the solid foundation of the national television station, Yang Zi is facing a rather bleak "legacy" from her predecessor, Zhao Liying.

"The 'pocket' of ratings from Little City, Big Event"

Historically, CCTV8's prime time slot has always been a "golden opportunity" guaranteeing viewership ratings above 2%. At the end of 2025, the channel maintained its extremely high performance, averaging 2.5%. However, the situation changed dramatically at the beginning of 2026 with the airing of Zhao Liying's drama, "Xiao Cheng Da Shi."

Zhao Liying's drama has seen a significant drop in ratings, with average ratings hovering around 1.7% - 1.8%. Even more alarming, opening weekend ratings sometimes fell below 1% – a record low for a major broadcasting station. This exodus of mainstream viewers has disrupted their prime-time viewing habits, directly leaving a weak foundation for the next drama, *The Tree of Life*.

Tree of Life: A challenge from content to timing.

Besides the pressure from her senior colleagues, Yang Zi's project itself also faces significant barriers in terms of accessibility:

A niche subject matter: Unlike typical romantic or historical dramas that easily become hits, The Tree of Life explores the fight against illegal logging in the Tibetan plateau. The journey of female police officer Bai Ju (Yang Zi) and Captain Da Jie (Hu Ge) is considered meaningful but also heavily philosophical.

Documentary style: Preview viewers noted that the film has high artistic quality but its storytelling leans towards documentary style. This is a "double-edged sword" that could make it difficult for the film to appeal to the general entertainment tastes of the masses.

Sensitive timing: The film is scheduled to air during the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year) – a time when people are busy shopping and traveling back to their hometowns. This is a period when television ratings often fluctuate significantly and are difficult to maintain stability.

The new generation's "Queen of Ratings" has a chance for revenge.

Although she is at risk of becoming "the second Zhao Liying" in terms of viewership numbers, Yang Zi's current position is somewhat more secure thanks to her abundant portfolio of works.

While Zhao Liying is facing a "serious setback" with no new projects in sight after the failure of "Xiao Cheng Da Shi," Yang Zi has achieved a "hat-trick" on CCTV. Following "Tree of Life," she still has two major projects, "Family Business" (from "The Legend of Zhen Niang") and "The Magnolia Blossoms and the Returning Lover," both ready to air on central television.

This series of consecutive projects serves as "insurance," giving Yang Zi more opportunities to regain her popularity if "The Tree of Life" unfortunately fails to meet expectations. However, the pressure of bringing viewers back to CCTV8 right now remains a challenging task for the actress.

Yang Zi and Dilraba Dilmurat go head-to-head, causing a stir in the Chinese entertainment industry as the two female stars challenge each other to a showdown. An Thảo15:01:47 15/01/2026The direct confrontation between "The Legend of Zhen Niang" (Yang Zi) and "Mu Si Ci" (Dilraba Dilmurat) is not only a competition for ratings but also a test of talent between two top-tier actresses of the 90s generation.