Mysterious Lotus Casebook

Li Lianhua works as a country doctor, moving from village to village with a heavy lotus tower in tow. When a chance incident turns him into an object of public attention, unwanted fame drags him toward the pugilistic circles he had long tried to leave behind. Rumors and expectations spread, and he has to weigh the simple ethics of healing against a violent world that still recognizes his name. Along the way he meets allies and rivals, and small mysteries about patients and past fights keep arising. The series follows his attempts to keep a low profile while outside forces complicate the quiet life he prefers. Rumors about his past continue to follow him.

Released in 2023, Mysterious Lotus Casebook was directed by Guo Hu and Ren Haitao, created by Teng Ping, Liu Fang and Li Huimin, and stars Cheng Yi, Joseph Zeng, Xiao Shunyao, Chen Duling, and Wang Herun, primarily on domestic networks.

As of its release there were no widely reported major awards for the series. It has received praise from niche genre outlets and festival chatter, but no prominent national wins or Emmy or Golden Globe nominations have been recorded. Smaller awards circuits and fan polls noted Cheng Yi's performance.

The show's imagery, especially the recurring lotus tower and Cheng Yi's dual credit as Li Lianhua and Li Xiangyi, sparked online discussion. Viewers praised its mood and period detail, and the visual motif of a traveling healer with a martial past became a frequent topic among fans, and costume work.

Critics and audiences gave it mixed to positive feedback, reflected in a 7.844/10 user score from 32 votes. Reviews highlighted its slow-burning mystery, moral tensions between medicine and martial honor, and a focus on identity, reputation, and how past actions shape a present that the protagonist wants to escape quietly.