Documenting a grand journey

Two expats venture 20,000 kilometers across China to share the nation's rich cultural heritage with the world, Wang Xin reports in Shanghai.

Daniel Newham from the United Kingdom and Cleo Luden from France are two expats who embarked on an exciting and immersive journey to discover Chinese culture last summer. They are featured in the documentary China's Culture Journey, which began airing every Tuesday since March 4 on Dragon TV.

Produced by Aoxue Studio of Docu-China Co owned by Shanghai Media Group, the four-episode English documentary provides global audiences with a first-person perspective of China's profound culture and modern vibe.

The documentary sheds light on the preservation of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the innovative development of traditional culture, the inheritance and protection of Chinese intangible cultural heritages, and the exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations.

During their 20,000-kilometer journey, the explorers visited 16 landmarks across China, including nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Hangzhou's Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City in Zhejiang province, the Grand Canal Yangzhou section in Jiangsu province and the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong province. Along the way, they experienced the daily lives of people from various regions and local cultures.

Having lived in China for over 25 years, Newham, 45, is no doubt an "expert". Still, he described the journey as "eye-opening, all-inspiring and heartwarming". The Green Cloud Corridor, a landmark in Sichuan province, particularly impressed him.

At about 151 kilometers in length, it is an ancient pathway built during the reign of China's first emperor Ying Zheng (259-210 BC) and was cared for by dynasty after dynasty. The corridor's name comes from the region's over 7,700 ancient cypress trees, with an average age of 1,050 years, planted on both sides, making it the largest man-made cypress forest in the world.

"It is beautiful walking among the trees and knowing that some big names in ancient Chinese history like the first emperor and great poets, such as Du Fu and Li Bai, have walked the same path and seen the same scenery unchanged over thousands of years," he says.

Newham shares with China Daily that there were many memorable moments, people and stories during the journey. He is impressed by an archaeological team member born after 1995 at the Sanxingdui archaeological site in Sichuan, who broke the stereotype for people of such a young age. He was also intrigued by the oracle bone script calisthenics in Anyang, Henan province, which combines the mysterious ancient Chinese writing with dance exercises.

Eyeing new personal goals of introducing Chinese calligraphy to the world, Newham describes how he felt about the journey, inviting more global visitors to come, see, and experience China firsthand.

The other explorer, 29-year-old Luden, is pursuing her master's degree at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. She began learning Chinese at age 10 and came to China on vacation in 2008. She has lived in China on and off for about four years.

Similar to Newham, she was awestruck by the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City in Hangzhou, saying it was "indescribable and magic" when she stood in the same place as people from ancient times.

Highlighting "discovery" and "history" as keywords for the cultural journey, Luden learned a lot of specific details on the journey, knowledge she wouldn't have gotten from everyday life or reading books. She was particularly touched by her visit to Dunhuang, Gansu province, a place she always wanted to visit.

"I am fascinated by the language, especially the writing. I'm passionate about the ancient writing system; and beautiful art in Dunhuang that has been passed down by generations to continue drawing and preserving it. I think art is also more than pretty paintings. It shows you a way of life and how people think about it. I was impressed by the beauty and whole culture that it carries," she says.

This echoes the production team's expectations. Ao Xue, director in chief of the documentary, tells China Daily: "With this documentary, I would like to show overseas audiences a culturally prosperous China. Chinese people value their culture, protect heritages, respect traditions, and have a love for education.

"Taking culture as the carrier, we hope to show the spiritual world of the Chinese people and make audiences understand China better. It will be exciting if they gain interest in the country through this documentary and visit to see it with their own eyes," Ao says.

Having explored many Chinese cities, Luden is inviting global audiences to visit the nation, saying: "If you're not familiar with Chinese culture, it is such a different world and is so fun to discover. You will always be welcome.

"You don't have to fear anything. If you have any trouble, everybody will help you. If you are worried about the language barrier, I know Chinese people always find a way. Just go."

Contact the writer at wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn