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Documentary Series by CCTV International

For 5,000 years, from the Bronze Age, up until the height of the Qing Dynasty, China’s people created a unique and splendid civilization. In a major documentary series, we investigate the archaeological discoveries, historical sites and cultural relics that record 5,000 years of remarkable cultural achievement. Only on CCTV International

Program Video

The Dawn of Civilization (Part 1)

Five thousand years ago, the Yellow River gave birth to Yandi, the Yan Emperor and Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor. They are the two greatest heroes of Chinese antiquity, and with their appearance the people of this land started to call themselves “Chinese”.

The Dawn of Civilization (Part 2)

With the seeds of civilization planted ten thousand years ago sprouting, growing and blossoming on the Central Plains, the development of Chinese culture was gathering momentum. A great nation was about to emerge.

The The Bronze Age (Part 1)

The emergence of bronze smelting and bronze vessels marked China’s entry into a great Bronze Age that was to last for more than 1,500 years, through the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties.

The Bronze Age (Part 2)

The bronze vessels discovered in China are regarded as the finest in the world of their time, in terms of their craftsmanship. Something else that appeared in the Bronze Age were the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty.

The Origins of Rites and Music (Part 1)

Unlike other parts of the world where the rise of bronze culture can be seen in the development of weapons and tools, the bronze culture in ancient China was centred on religion.

The Origins of Rites and Music (Part 2)

The rulers of the Western Zhou Dynasty during the 11th Century BC devised strict rules concerning the use of ritual bronze objects, the purpose being to enhance their own power.

The Light of Reason (Part 1)

More than two thousand years ago, a group of highly-learned Chinese scholars would have an impact on Chinese culture that is still being felt today. They examined the society, politics, economics and culture of their time and developed theories and practices designed to create an ideal society.

The Light of Reason (Part 2)

The intellectual movement they launched - a milestone in human culture - initiated a Chinese Age of Reason during which the intellectual and cultural current of Chinese civilization developed into a stream that has flowed without interruption until the present day.

In the North and South of the Great Wall (Part 1)

When Qinshihuang unified China in the year 221 BC, he became China’s first emperor. By the time of Han Dynasty emperor Wudi (who reigned from 141 BC to 86 BC), a multi-ethnic nation dominated by the Han people was firmly established.

In the North and South of the Great Wall (Part 2)

Within this unified country, all ethnic groups were able to give full expression to their creativity, and together they created the Qin-Han culture, the achievements of which have been a source of East Asian pride ever since.

The Golden Age of the Arts (Part 1)

The second great wave of social change after the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, took place at the time when China was under the rule of the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

The Golden Age of the Arts (Part 2)

At this time, there was a large-scale merger among the ethnic groups of North China, and the culture of the Central Plains was carried south by migrants.

China during the Tang Dynasty (Part 1)

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, China went through a particularly dynamic period of development. The country’s increasing integration generated numerous innovations in the arts and sciences.

China during the Tang Dynasty (Part 2)

There was unity among the nation’s various ethnic groups, there was great stability throughout the country, and there was peace between China and her neighbours.

The Song Dynasty (Part 1)

After the glories of the Han and Tang Dynasties, China entered the Song Dynasty, which lasted from 960 to 1279. The Song Dynasty is considered a high point in Chinese history, a time when China led the world in science and technology.

The Song Dynasty (Part 2)

The Song Dynasty saw the emergence of numerous scholars in many fields, and through their efforts science and technology reached a level that still makes Chinese people today, feel proud.

The Ming Dynasty (Part 1)

Today, nearly five hundred years after the end of the Ming Dynasty, its wonders continue to fascinate. There is the colossal Yongle Bell, which tolled at the start of the year 2000 to celebrate the new millennium.

The Ming Dynasty (Part 2)

During the Ming Dynasty, great new achievements were made in architecture, ship-building, porcelain-production and textile-making. Products made in China were famous throughout the known world for their high quality and supreme craftsmanship.

The Qing Dynasty (Part 1)

This was an era in which different ethnic groups in China merged on a scale hitherto unknown, and one in which China’s territory was larger than at any other time in her history.

The Qing Dynasty (Part 2)

China was by this time the most populous country and the greatest economic power in the East. It had already produced numerous immortal cultural classics, among which was the longest book in the world.

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