Popular TV series takes ax to tax

The Source of the River, a TV series about nine cases of tax fraud, recently aired on China Central Television's CCTV-8.

Adapted from real-life cases, the 36-episode drama follows Zheng Hao, played by actor Nie Yuan, the head of the risk control department at the tax bureau in the fictional city of Xindong. Tasked with uncovering a major tax evasion network, Zheng embarks on a challenging mission to expose the corruption and deception hidden beneath the city's facade. With the help of his former girlfriend and an old friend, a finance professor, he navigates a complex web of crime.

Also being streamed overseas on iQiyi's international platform, the show has gained 8.3 points out of 10 on MyDramaList, an Asian program-specialized review aggregator.

Some Chinese critics have praised the drama for its compelling portrayal of the tax system, and seamless integration of tax collectors, service staff, and financial concepts in an engaging storyline.