Season 1 of Tian Dao premiered on June 1, 2008.

Ding Yuanying, a business eccentric working for a private equity firm in Germany, uses extraordinary means to invest funds raised from Germany into the Chinese stock market. He exploits "cultural codes" to aggressively plunder wealth from China. Eventually, a crisis of conscience leads him to leave the company, but his departure comes at a heavy cost. All his dividends are frozen, and he becomes so poor that he lives on instant noodles. Returning to the ancient city to live in seclusion, he meets Rui Xiaodan, a female criminal police officer who grew up in Frankfurt and now works in the ancient city. Their relationship evolves from audio enthusiasts to passionate lovers, creating a thrilling, romantic, and legendary love story like one from heaven...