Original subtitles

\h\h\hNarrator: CHINA, IT’S A COUNTRY STEEPED

IN TRADITION AND HURTLING \hFORWARD TO THE FUTURE.

\h\hIN THIS AERIAL JOURNEY, WE’LL SEE

\hTHE SPRAWLING NATION FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

\h\hTHIS IS A PLACE WHERE PIONEERS BRAVE THE UNKNOWN

AND MONUMENTS TO THE SPIRIT STILL STAND.

\hHERE THE LANDSCAPES ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE PEOPLE.

WHERE CITIES FEATURE MAGNIFICENT SKYLINES

AND INDUSTRIES HAVE TRANSFORMED

THE COUNTRY INTO A \h\hGLOBAL LEADER.

AFTER CENTURIES IN SECLUSION, \h\h\h\h\hCREATIVITY THRIVES.

\hIN A GENERATION, CHINA HAS SPRUNG FROM ITS ANCIENT PAST,

\hINSPIRED BY BOLD IDEAS AND RISEN TO NEW HEIGHTS.

IT’S BLENDED INNOVATION \h\h\h\hWITH TRADITION,

\h\h\h\h\hTAKING AIM AT THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

THAT LIE AHEAD IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

THIS IS CHINA FROM ABOVE.

CHINA’S 11,000 MILE COASTLINE

FEATURES INCREDIBLY DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS.

FROM THE FRIGID BOHAI \h\hBAY IN THE NORTH,

\h\hTO HAINAN ISLAND IN THE FAR TROPICAL SOUTH.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE EASTERN PROVINCES HAVE BECOME

THE PRODUCT OF CHINA’S DRAMATIC URBANIZATION,

ATTRACTING MILLIONS \h\hOF PEOPLE FROM

THE RURAL AREAS IN JUST FOUR DECADES.

NEARLY HALF THE POPULATION, OVER 600 MILLION, LIVE HERE.

THEY’RE NOW THE ECONOMIC GATEWAY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

AND INCREASED PROSPERITY HAS LED TO NEW CULTURAL, LEISURE,

\hAND ENVIRONMENTAL INTERESTS, UNTHINKABLE A FEW DECADES AGO.

AT THE HEART OF CHINA’S RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION

\h\hARE BILLION-DOLLAR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

CONNECTING CITIES AND REGIONS

WITH EXTENSIVE ROAD AND RAIL NETWORKS.

\h\hON THE SOUTHEAST COAST IS ONE OF CHINA’S MOST AMBITIOUS

\hENGINEERING PROJECTS, THE LONGEST SEA BRIDGE ON EARTH.

IT CONNECTS THREE MAJOR CITIES ACROSS THE VAST

31 MILE PEARL DELTA,

A SEA INLET BATTERED \h\h\h\hBY TYPHOONS,

\h\hAND HOME TO ONE OF THE BUSIEST PORTS IN THE WORLD.

\hHONG KONG, MACAU, AND ZHUHAI, ARE NOW

\h\hCONNECTED TO CHINA’S MANUFACTURING HEARTLAND,

GUANGDONG, HOME TO 100 MILLION PEOPLE.

\h\h\hTHE BRIDGE CONTAINS ENOUGH STEEL TO BUILD 60 EIFFEL TOWERS,

\hENOUGH CONCRETE TO FILL 400 OLYMPIC-SIZED SWIMMING POOLS,

AND IS NOW NEAR COMPLETION, DUE TO OPEN TO ROAD TRAFFIC.

SURVEYORS LI SHULIANG \h\hAND XIONG JINHAI

ARE HELPING TO OVERSEE \h\h\hTHE COMPLETION.

\h\hNarrator: THIS 24 MILE LONG TRIPLE SPAN STRUCTURE,

\h\h20 TIMES LONGER THAN THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, HAS TO BE

\h\hSTRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE A HIT FROM A 300,000 TON VESSEL,

\h\h\hA MAGNITUDE EIGHT EARTHQUAKE, OR TYPHOON.

\hNarrator: THIS IS CHINA’S FIRST MAJOR

COMBINED BRIDGE AND TUNNEL \h\hSEA-CROSSING PROJECT.

SMALLER SHIPS CAN SAIL \h\hUNDER BUT TO ALLOW

GIANT CONTAINER SHIPS PASSAGE \h\h\hTO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA,

THE ENGINEERS CAME UP WITH \hAN IMAGINATIVE SOLUTION,

AN UNDERWATER ROAD \hTRAFFIC TUNNEL.

BUT THE ONLY WAY TO CONNECT THE TRAFFIC

FROM A ROAD BRIDGE TO A SUBMERGED TUNNEL WAS

TO BUILD TWO ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS AT EITHER END.

THESE ARE PROPPED UP BY 120 \h18 STORY STEEL CYLINDERS.

IN-BETWEEN IS A FOUR MILE \hTUNNEL COMPRISED OF 33

\h\hGIANT TUBES CONNECTED TOGETHER ON THE SEA FLOOR.

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HOPES THAT THIS BRIDGE

\hWILL DRAW TOGETHER NINE SOUTHERN CITIES

\h\hINTO ONE GIANT MANUFACTURING HUB.

BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THIS

$17 BILLION BET WILL PAY OFF.

BUT NOT ALL OF CHINA IS MARCHING

TO THE BEAT OF RAPID \hINDUSTRIALIZATION.

IN THE NORTH-EASTERN \hPROVINCE OF JILIN

LIES CHAGAN LAKE, WHERE \hSOME ANCIENT METHODS

OF PRODUCTION ARE SO EFFECTIVE \h\h\h\hTHEY REMAIN UNCHANGED.

THE FRESHWATER LAKE IS 200 SQUARE MILES,

THE LARGEST IN THE PROVINCE.

HERE, WINTER’S DEEP FREEZE MAKES

AGRICULTURE AND FISHING \h\hALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

\hTEMPERATURES GET AS LOW AS MINUS 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

TURNING RIVERS AND LAKES INTO FROZEN WILDERNESS.

BUT THE LOCAL PEOPLE HERE \hARE STILL ABLE TO CATCH

THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FISH \hIN THE DEPTHS OF WINTER.

BY USING A THOUSAND YEAR \h\hOLD ETHNIC MONGOLIAN

TECHNIQUE, THEY ARE ABLE \h\hTO CATCH THE FISH ON

\hAN INDUSTRIAL SCALE WITH JUST HORSE AND HUMAN POWER.

ZHANG WEN IS THE FISHING MASTER.

50 MEN WILL SPEND THE WHOLE MORNING LAYING

THE NET UNDER TWO FEET OF THICK ICE.

Narrator: THEY START BY CUTTING A SERIES

\h\hOF HOLES THEY CAN FEED THE NET THROUGH.

\hNarrator: THEY STILL USE HORSE POWER TO TURN

\hA WOODEN WINCH, GRADUALLY HAULING THE NET INTO PLACE.

Narrator: IN PAST YEARS, \hTHEY HAVE CAUGHT OVER

\h175 TONS OF FISH FROM BELOW THE ICE IN THE WINTER SEASON.

AND EACH YEAR THEY HOPE TO DO BETTER.

\h\hAS DUSK APPROACHES, THE SPINDLE MAKES ITS FINAL TURN

AND THE NET IS DRAWN BACK \hUP THROUGH AN ICE HOLE.

IT’S BRIMMING WITH CARP AND \hOTHER FRESHWATER SPECIES.

Narrator: THE FISHERMEN \hWILL BE BACK TOMORROW

AND WILL CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER MONTH.

CHINA HAS ALWAYS RELIED ON ITS NATURAL RESOURCES

TO HELP PROVIDE FOR ITS VAST POPULATION.

IN FACT, IT IS A WORLD LEADER WHEN

IT COMES TO HARNESSING \h\h\h\hTHE ELEMENTS.

\h\h\hCHINA NOW HAS HIGHER POWER DEMANDS

THAN ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH.

AND MORE AND MORE OF ITS ENERGY IS COMING

FROM AN INFINITE COASTAL \hRESOURCE, WIND POWER.

CHINA’S COASTAL WATERS HAVE SOME

\hOF THE HIGHEST AVERAGE WIND SPEEDS IN THE WORLD.

JUST NORTH OF SHANGHAI \h\hIS CHINA’S LARGEST

OFFSHORE WIND FARM, RUDONG.

IT HAS ALMOST 100 TURBINES OPERATING

\hIN SHALLOW WATER, JUST FIVE MILES FROM THE SHORE

\hWITH 16 MORE TURBINES READY FOR INSTALLATION.

THE PROCESS BEGINS WITH \h\hBARGES TRANSPORTING

INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS TO SEABED LOCATIONS.

20 SPECIALLY ADAPTED VESSELS ARE USED IN

THE OPERATION, WHEN THE TIDE AND WEATHER ALLOW.

\hTHE FIRST PHASE IS TO PLACE PILLARS ONTO

\hA FOUNDATION PLATFORM THAT SITS ON THE SEABED,

ONLY 16 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE.

THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 241 \hTON, 230 FEET LONG PILLAR,

IS LOWERED SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY BY THE CRANE OPERATOR.

BUT THEN IT HAS TO BE GUIDED ONTO SCREW THREADS BY HAND.

THE TOP HALF OF THE STRUCTURE \h\h\h\hIS USHERED INTO PLACE

WITH THE HELP OF THE ENGINEERS \h\hINSIDE THE PILLAR ITSELF.

\hTHE MEN WILL BE ENCLOSED HERE, BUT THEY HAVE ACCESS

TO INTERNAL LADDERS TO EXIT THE STRUCTURE AT ITS BASE.

THE NEXT PHASE CONNECTS THE THREE 260 FEET LONG TURBINE

BLADES ONTO THE ROTATING HUB CALLED THE IMPELLER.

\hBY DAWN, IT’S TIME FOR THE FINAL STAGE,

ATTACHING THE 26 TON BLADES \h\hTO A 150 TON WHEEL HUB.

DESPITE ALL THE COMPUTER-AIDED \h\hTECHNOLOGY, HUMAN GUIDANCE

\h\h\hIS STILL CRUCIAL IN JOINING THESE COMPONENTS.

\h\h\hAFTER THREE DAYS OF WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK,

THE TURBINE IS COMPLETE.

\hNOW THE CREW WILL MOVE ON TO A NEW INSTALLATION

\h\h\hAND THE PROCESS STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.

AS CHINA’S ECONOMY CONTINUES \h\h\h\hTO GROW, SO DOES ITS

\hURBAN POPULATIONS, WITH MANY PEOPLE LEAVING BEHIND

\hRURAL VILLAGE LIFE FOR THE LURE OF THE BIG CITY.

AND IN ONE CASE, AN ABANDONED VILLAGE IS RETURNED TO NATURE.

HOUTOUWAN WAS ONCE HOME TO A COMMUNITY

OF 2,000 FISHERMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

\hSHENGSHAN ISLAND LIES JUST 50 MILES OFF SHANGHAI’S COAST

AND IS ONE OF 400 THAT MAKE UP THE SHENGSI ARCHIPELAGO.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN \hLIFE IN SUCH A REMOTE PLACE

AND 20 YEARS AGO, THE LAST OF THE RESIDENTS DEPARTED.

IT WAS ALMOST UNKNOWN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,

UNTIL ZHOU JIE, A 36 YEAR OLD DOCTOR FROM SHANGHAI,

\h\hSTUMBLED UPON THIS CHINESE GARDEN OF EDEN.

\h\h\hNarrator: ZHOU JIE IS AN AVID PHOTOGRAPHER.

\h\h\hNarrator: HER PHOTOGRAPHS WENT VIRAL, SHOWING HOW QUICKLY

\h\h\h\hHUMAN ECOSYSTEMS CAN BE RECLAIMED BY THE NATURAL WORLD.

CROWDS FROM SHANGHAI NOW MAKE THE JOURNEY

\h\h\h\hTO EXPERIENCE THIS VILLAGE’S RETURN TO NATURE.

\hNarrator: ENCOURAGED BY THIS TOURISM, SOME FORMER

\hRESIDENTS HAVE NOW RETURNED AND CREATED A NEW OPPORTUNITY.

Narrator: THIS FAMILY \hWAS AMONG THE LAST

\h\hVILLAGERS TO LEAVE AND RECENTLY RETURNED TO START

A SMALL RESTAURANT FOR VISITORS.

\h\hNarrator: FOR THE BUSY HOSPITAL DOCTOR,

\h\h\hPHOTOGRAPHY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ESCAPE.

Narrator: YET DESPITE MASS MIGRATIONS TO THE CITIES,

\hIT’S NOT A ONE-WAY ROAD FROM RURAL TO URBAN CHINA.

HAINAN PROVINCE OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST

IS A TROPICAL ISLAND \hWITH A FIERY PAST.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE ISLAND’S \h\hHAIKOU VOLCANO CLUSTERS,

LOCAL YONGXING FARMERS \hHAVE STRUGGLED WITH

\hTHE ROCKY VOLCANIC SOIL FOR GENERATIONS.

\hTHE ONLY THING THAT GREW HERE WAS THE LYCHEE FRUIT.

AND MAKING A LIVING \h\hWAS DIFFICULT.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

CHEN TONGKUI’S FAMILY \hFARMED LYCHEE HERE

\h\hFOR GENERATIONS WHICH THEY SOLD CHEAPLY TO LOCAL MARKETS.

\h\hAFTER WORKING AS A JOURNALIST IN SHANGHAI,

HE RETURNED TO HIS HOME VILLAGE WITH A PLAN, TO GO ORGANIC

AND MARKET THE LYCHEE TO CITY DWELLERS AT A PREMIUM PRICE.

\h\hNarrator: AND TONGKUI’S BROTHER WAS ON HAND TO HELP.

Narrator: FIRST, HE UPGRADED \hTHE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

\h\h\hNarrator: THE MARKETING PAID OFF.

\hTHE LYCHEES SOLD AT THREE TIMES THE PRICE

IN SHANGHAI, TRANSFORMING THE VILLAGERS’ FORTUNES.

\h\hMANY LEFT BEHIND THEIR BASIC HOUSING,

CONSTRUCTED FROM VOLCANIC \h\hROCK, FOR NEW HOMES.

\h\hNOW TONGKUI HAS A NEW VENTURE, TO GROW SOMETHING

NEVER TRIED IN THEIR VOLCANIC \h\h\h\hFIELDS, DRAGON FRUIT.

\h\hNarrator: HIS BROTHER SPENT A YEAR CONSTRUCTING

\h\hTRELLIS WALLS FROM THE OLD VOLCANIC ROCK.

Narrator: HAINAN’S VOLCANOES HAVEN’T

ERUPTED FOR 84 YEARS.

BUT ONE COASTAL INLET IS HOME \hTO ANOTHER ONE OF NATURE’S

\hMOST IMPRESSIVE, AND DESTRUCTIVE, PHENOMENA.

HANGZHOU BAY, AN INLET OF THE EAST CHINA SEA,

\hIS THE SITE OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST TIDAL BORES.

\h\h\hTHIS TIDAL PHENOMENON OCCURS WHEN THE LEADING EDGE

OF THE INCOMING TIDE FORMS \h\hA WAVE THAT TRAVELS UP

A NARROW RIVER OR BAY AGAINST THE DIRECTION OF THE CURRENT.

KNOWN AS THE SILVER DRAGON IN FOLKLORE,

IT’S STRONGEST IN THE FALL, \h\hWHEN THE GRAVITATIONAL

\h\hFORCES OF THE MOON, SUN, AND EARTH COMBINE.

\hSOME YEARS THE TIDE REACHES 30 FEET HIGH.

IT HAS CAUSED DEATH \h\hAND DESTRUCTION

IN THE PAST, ESPECIALLY \h\h\hDURING TYPHOONS.

BARRIERS NOW HELP PROTECT THE PUBLIC

\hDURING THE BORE WATCHING FESTIVAL.

XING YUN IS A QIANTANG \h\hRIVER HYDROLOGIST.

\h\hNarrator: THE BORE IS CAUSED BY THE STRONG

AUTUMNAL INCOMING TIDE \hBEING FUNNELED FROM

THE WIDE BAY INTO THE NARROW NECK OF THE QIANTANG RIVER.

THE OUT FLOWING RIVER CURRENT THEN PUSHES UP

\hTHE BIGGER INCOMING WAVE CREATING THE POWERFUL BORE.

\hA WALL OF WATER THAT RUNS DOWN THE RIVER FOR 60 MILES

ATTRACTS SOME OF THE BEST BIG \hWAVE SURFERS ON THE PLANET.

\h\h- THE TIDAL BORE IS REALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE NORMAL WAVE,

IT’S AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE YOU KNOW, IT’S TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

- WE KNOW THE WAVE’S COMING,

IT GOES FOR AN HOUR \h\hAND 40 MINUTES.

YOU GET 20 GOES OF IT.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

\h\hNarrator: TODAY IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY,

THE TIDE-WATCHING FESTIVAL.

IT ATTRACTS UP 170,000 PEOPLE.

SCIENTISTS ARE ALSO KEEPING \h\h\hAN ELECTRONIC EYE ON

THE BORE FROM MULTIPLE CAMERAS \h\hINSTALLED ALONG THE ROUTE.

Narrator: YUN IS GOING TO GET MUCH CLOSER AND TAKE A

\hSAMPLE OF THE SEDIMENTS JUST AFTER THE BORE PASSES THROUGH.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Narrator: THE ROAR OF THE TIDE ALERTS

THE THOUSANDS GATHERED \h\hTO WATCH THE GIANT

\h\h\hWALL OF WATER COLLIDE WITH A DAM.

\hWHEN IT BOUNCES BACK FROM THE WALL, A CHAIN OF CHINESE

LANTERNS TRADITIONALLY ACT AS THE BORE’S HEIGHT YARDSTICK.

Narrator: THE SCIENTISTS \h\hHOPE THAT THEIR DATA

WILL HELP THEM TO PREDICT \h\hWHICH YEARS THE BORE

\hCOULD BE AT ITS MOST DESTRUCTIVE.

UP THE COAST, MORE BENIGN \h\h\hTIDAL FORCES HELPED

CREATE AN INDUSTRY THAT WAS THE ENVY OF THE WEST

\h\h\hFOR CENTURIES, AND IS STILL CRITICAL TO THIS DAY.

\h\hIN A LANDSCAPE AS LARGE AND DIVERSE AS CHINA’S, THE NATURAL

\hPROCESSES OF WEATHERING CAN BRING GREAT ECONOMIC BENEFITS.

CHINA’S SALT LAKES AND COASTAL SALT FARMS ARE

A RESOURCE THAT HAS LONG BEEN \hTHE ENVY OF OTHER NATIONS.

YUNCHENG LAKE, KNOWN AS THE DEAD SEA OF CHINA,

IS THE THIRD LARGEST SALT SULFATE LAKE IN THE WORLD.

FAMED FOR ITS SKIN-HEALING \hPROPERTIES, SULFATE SALT

ALSO COMBINES WITH ALGAE TO PRODUCE VIVID COLORS.

ON THE COAST, SEA SALT FARMS \hAREN’T QUITE AS COLORFUL,

\hBUT THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCE FOR CHINA,

THE WORLD’S LEADING PRODUCER \h\h\hAND CONSUMER OF SALT.

BOHAI BAY, ON THE NORTHEAST COAST.

\h\h\hHERE, THE ANCIENT PRACTICE OF SALT FARMING

HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR MODERN TIMES.

\h\hCHANGLU TANGGU SALT WORKS, WHICH DATES BACK

\hOVER 1000 YEARS, IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER IN CHINA.

\h\hNarrator: WANG HONGQING IS PART OF A NEW GENERATION

WHO BRINGS MODERN SKILLS TO AN ANCIENT PRACTICE.

\h\h\hNarrator: SALT USED TO BE HARVESTED

ONCE A YEAR, IN AUTUMN.

\hNarrator: THE HIGH SALT LEVELS OF THE NORTHEASTERN

\h\h\hCOASTLINE PRODUCE A STUNNING VISUAL PHENOMENON

IN SEPTEMBER, THE RED \hBEACHES OF PANJIN.

IT’S NOT THE SALT \hTHAT TURNS RED,

BUT A FLOWERING PLANT, \hCALLED A SEEP WEED.

IT THRIVES ON THE HIGH CONCENTRATION

OF SALTY WATER IN THE BAY.

PART OF THE SHUANGTAI ESTUARY \hNATIONAL RESERVE, IT’S ALSO

\hTHE MOST EXTENSIVE BIRD SANCTUARY IN ALL OF CHINA.

\h\hTHE BRACKISH MUDFLATS ATTRACT ONE OF ASIA’S MOST

\h\h\hENDANGERED AND ICONIC BIRD SPECIES,

THE FIVE FOOT TALL RED-CROWNED CRANE.

A TEAM OF CHINESE CONSERVATIONISTS

ARE TRYING TO HALT \h\hTHEIR DECLINE.

ZHAO SHIWEI IS REARING \h\h\hCRANES FROM EGGS

TO RELEASE BACK TO THE WILD.

\h\hNarrator: SHIWEI TENDS SEVERAL FLOCKS

AT DIFFERENT STAGES \h\hOF DEVELOPMENT.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE YOUNGEST FLOCK, AT NEARLY

\hTHREE MONTHS, IS ON THE THRESHOLD OF THEIR

MOST IMPORTANT STAGE, \h\hLEARNING TO FLY.

\h\hAFTER FEEDING, SHIWEI RELEASES THEM TO PRACTICE.

\h\hNarrator: SOME CRANES CAN ACHIEVE

SPECTACULAR FEATS OF FLIGHT,

MIGRATING NEARLY 10,000 MILES

AND REACHING HEIGHTS \h\hOVER 5,000 FEET.

A MORE MATURE FLOCK CAN FLY FOR SHORT DISTANCES.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

\h\hUNLIKE MANY OTHER BIRDS, THESE CRANES ARE BORN WITHOUT

THE INSTINCT TO MIGRATE AND WILL RETURN TO THEIR PENS.

\hBUT ONE DAY SOME OF THESE BIRDS WILL

FOLLOW WILD CRANES AND VENTURE FURTHER AFIELD.

75 MILES SOUTH, ACROSS THE BAY,

IS THE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL CENTER FOR

A CHINESE PASTIME THAT TOOK \h\hTO THE AIR AND MIGRATED

TO THE REST OF THE WORLD \hOVER A MILLENNIUM AGO.

\h\hWEIFANG IS OFTEN CALLED THE WORLD CAPITAL OF KITES.

IT IS LOCATED ON THE WINDSWEPT

\h\h\h\hNORTHEASTERN PROVINCE OF SHANDONG.

NINE MILLION PEOPLE LIVE HERE.

BUT IT’S BEST KNOWN FOR ITS \hKITE DISTRICT, YANGJIAPU.

AMONG THE 87 KITE FACTORIES \h\hHERE IS WANG YONGXUN’S.

\h\hHE HAS HAD A PASSION FOR KITES SINCE HE CAN REMEMBER.

\h\hNarrator: WHAT STARTED AS A HOBBY

\hHAS DEVELOPED INTO A THRIVING BUSINESS.

Narrator: THEY PRODUCE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT

STYLES FOR MARKETS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

NEARLY 100 PEOPLE ARE \hIN FULL PREPARATION

FOR THE BIG EVENT OF THEIR YEAR,

THE INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL SET FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY.

Narrator: THIS IS THE 34TH TIME THAT

THIS COMPETITION HAS BEEN HELD.

\hIT ATTRACTS 40 TEAMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

\hTHE EVENT ALSO COMBINES THE 13TH WORLD KITE CHAMPIONSHIPS

WHERE MANY COME TO UNVEIL THEIR MOST CREATIVE KITE DESIGNS.

\h\h\h\hAFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY, THE COMPETITORS

\h\h\h\h\hLAUNCH THEIR CUTTING-EDGE CREATIONS.

YONGXUN HAS SEVERAL KITES IN COMPETITION THIS YEAR,

BUT NOW IT’S TIME TO FLY \hHIS SHOWPIECE DESIGN,

A GIANT OCTOPUS.

\hIT TAKES A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO HOLD IT DOWN.

\hIT’S NOT JUST FLYING ABILITY THAT’S JUDGED.

\h\hOVERALL DESIGN AND INNOVATION ARE CRUCIAL

FACTORS IN WINNING \hTHE COMPETITION.

\h\h\hNarrator: BUT THIS YEAR, HIS PASSION, AND HIS EXPERTISE,

ARE REWARDED, AND HE WINS THE COMPETITION.

YONGSHUN ALSO LAUNCHES A RETRO WOOD FRAMED KITE,

INSPIRED BY AN ANCIENT DESIGN.

\h\h\h\h\hA HOME GROWN INVENTION THAT SPREAD,

\h\hLIKE A LOT OF CHINESE INNOVATIONS AND PASTIMES,

\hALONG THE SILK ROAD TO REST OF THE WORLD.

\h\hA SHORT DISTANCE FROM WEIFANG LIES A PLACE THAT

\hTAKES FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE WIND THAT SHAPES THIS REGION.

\h\h\h\h\hQINGDAO IS CHINA’S COMPETITIVE SAILING CAPITAL.

AFTER HOSTING THE OLYMPICS IN 2008,

IT’S NOW A VENUE FOR MANY \h\hOTHER SAILING EVENTS,

INCLUDING ONE SECOND ONLY \h\hTO THE AMERICA’S CUP.

Narrator: EVERY YEAR, TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS

FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD \h\hMEET HERE FOR A LEG

OF THE EXTREME SAILING SERIES, \h\hTHE GRAND PRIX OF SAILING.

THIS YEAR PROFESSIONAL \hLOCAL SAILOR LIU XIE

IS COMPETING IN THE EXTREME SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME.

UNLIKE MANY OTHER SAILING \hRACES, THIS COMPETITION

HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE A SPECTATOR SPORT.

Narrator: THE EXTREME SERIES BEGAN IN 2007,

FEATURING THE FASTEST CRAFTS IN THE WORLD.

THESE DOUBLE-HULLED \hFOILED CATAMARANS

ARE SHIPPED TO EACH \hGRAND PRIX EVENT.

THIS YEAR, 24 YEAR OLD LIU \hHAS AN EXTRA CHALLENGE,

HE’S PART OF A WILD CARD TEAM.

\h\h\hNarrator: LIU IS ALSO HOPING TO INSPIRE

\hTHE NEXT GENERATION OF CHINESE SAILORS WHO

ARE HOLDING THEIR OWN SMALL REGATTA.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: 15 YEAR OLD NIU QINGHUA

IS ONE OF CHINA’S UP AND COMING SAILING HOPEFULS.

\h\hNarrator: IT’S THE FINAL RACE OF THE DAY.

\h\hBEING ON BOARD AN EXTREME SAILING VESSEL

TAKES SKILL, MUSCLE, \hAND DETERMINATION.

IT’S A WORKOUT.

THESE BOATS CAN REACH SPEEDS

OF UP TO 45 MILES PER HOUR.

Narrator: CAPSIZING IS ALWAYS A DANGER

\h\hAS THE SAILORS PUSH THEMSELVES TO THE LIMIT.

IT SOON BECOMES A BATTLE \h\hBETWEEN THREE TEAMS,

THE LEAD CHANGING SEVERAL TIMES.

LIU’S TEAM STRUGGLES AT THE BACK OF THE FLEET.

\hAND EVEN THOUGH THE WILD CARD TEAM

FINISHES LAST, LIU IS PHILOSOPHICAL.

Narrator: IN ONE SHORT GENERATION,

\hCHINA HAS CHANGED FASTER THAN ANY NATION IN HISTORY,

THROUGH MAJOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

THAT HAVE HELPED GROW ITS ECONOMY AND SECURE

\hTHE COUNTRY’S STATUS AS A GLOBAL POWERHOUSE.

CHINA IS BROADENING \hITS OUTLOOK, TOO,

\h\h\hFROM CONSERVATION AND CELEBRATION OF OLD PASTIMES,

TO EMBRACING NEW SPORTS AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES,

ALL WHILE RACING TO \hADAPT TO THE 21ST

CENTURY CHALLENGES \hTHAT LIE AHEAD.