Original subtitles

♪

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

AND HURTLING FORWARD \h\h\hTO THE FUTURE.

IN THIS AERIAL JOURNEY,

\h\h\h\hWE’LL SEE THE SPRAWLING NATION FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

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

AND MONUMENTS TO THE SPIRITS STILL STAND.

\hHERE THE LANDSCAPES ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE PEOPLE,

WHERE CITIES FEATURE MAGNIFICENT SKYLINES,

\h\hAND INDUSTRIES HAVE TRANSFORMED THE COUNTRY

INTO A GLOBAL 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.

(FIREWORKS EXPLODING)

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

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

THAT LIE AHEAD IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

THIS IS CHINA FROM ABOVE.

♪

DEEP WITHIN CHINA’S \hWESTERN MOUNTAINS

ARE THE HEADWATERS OF ASIA’S LONGEST RIVERS,

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

THE YELLOW AND YANGTZE.

FROM THERE, THEY FLOW THROUGH \h\h\hCHINA’S VAST INTERIOR,

\h\hALL THE WAY TO THE EASTERN COAST.

\h\h\hTHESE RIVERS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF CENTRAL CHINA,

THE NATION’S TRADITIONAL AND CULTURAL HEARTLAND,

WHERE MILLIONS OF CITIZENS MAINTAIN

\hA STRONG CONNECTION TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

♪

IN THE PAST, THE COUNTRY’S \h\h\hAGRICULTURAL REGIONS

EXISTED APART FROM THE INDUSTRIALIZED COAST,

\hBUT TODAY THEY’RE NOW MORE CONNECTED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hEVEN THE REMOTE INDEPENDENT REGION OF TIBET

\h\h\h\hNOW HAS A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING CAPITAL CITY.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

\h\h\hLHASA, MEANING "PLACE OF THE GODS,"

\h\hHAS BEEN THE CENTER OF THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST WORLD

FOR OVER A MILLENNIUM.

♪

BUILT ON THE CITY’S MARPORI MOUNTAIN IS POTALA PALACE.

(BIRD SCREECHING)

\h\hRESTORED IN 1645, IT’S 13 STORIES HIGH,

WITH OVER A THOUSAND ROOMS.

\h\h\h\h\hIT IS STILL AN IMPORTANT BUDDHIST SITE,

\h\h\hWITH CLOSE TO A MILLION PILGRIMS VISITING EACH YEAR.

TODAY, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER \hTHE REGION ARE PREPARING

\h\h\h\hFOR ONE OF THEIR MOST IMPORTANT BUDDHIST FESTIVALS.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

♪

IN THE VILLAGE OF LA MU, A FEW MILES FROM LHASA,

DAWA AND HIS FAMILY ARE GETTING \hREADY FOR TOMORROW’S EVENTS.

(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(ANIMAL BLEATING)

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S THE CELEBRATION COMMEMORATING BUDDHA’S DESCENT

FROM HEAVEN BACK TO EARTH.

THE FESTIVAL KICKS OFF WITH TIBETANS

\h\hPAINTING THEIR HOMES WITH A UNIQUE WHITEWASH.

\h\h\hNarrator: THE PAINT TURNS WHITE AS IT DRIES,

SIGNIFYING PURITY AND KINDNESS.

(PAINT SPLASHING AND DRIPPING)

AT OVER 1,300 FEET \hABOVE SEA LEVEL,

IT’S ALSO THE MOST \hPRACTICAL CHOICE

\hFOR RESISTING THE HARSH UV RADIATION.

PAINTING HOMES AND TEMPLES IS INTENDED TO DRAW BUDDHA

FROM HEAVEN BACK TO EARTH.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(ROOSTER CROWING)

THE NEXT MORNING, DAWA’S GRANDMOTHER IS UP EARLY.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE VILLAGERS THEN GO ON A SHORT PILGRIMAGE.

INCENSE WAS ONCE BURNED \hTO WARD OFF BAD LUCK

AFTER A HUNT OR A BATTLE.

IT’S NOW USED AS AN OFFERING TO BUDDHA.

(VILLAGERS CHANTING)

CHANTING AND PRAYING \h\hDOMINATE THE DAY.

Narrator: THE PROCESSION \h\hTAKES THEM OVER HILLS

\h\hAND AROUND TEMPLES, BEFORE ENDING AT THE LOCAL MONASTERY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: NEW INFRASTRUCTURE MEANS THAT LHASA

IS NO LONGER THE ISOLATED \h\h\h\hCITY IT ONCE WAS.

A 4.2 BILLION DOLLAR RAILWAY NOW CONNECTS

TIBET TO THE REST OF CHINA,

CROSSING 1,200 MILES OF HIGH ALTITUDE PLATEAU,

OVER A QUARTER OF IT BUILT ON PERMAFROST.

\h\hONE CITY ON THE UPPER YANGTZE RIVER

IS GROWING AT BREAKNECK SPEED,

AND IS PRACTICALLY UNKNOWN TO THE WESTERN WORLD, CHONGQING.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

\h\hLOCATED IN THE CENTRAL SOUTHWEST,

THIS CITY IS THE LARGEST \hMUNICIPALITY IN CHINA.

AND IT’S STILL GROWING, ADDING \h\h\h45 ACRES OF LIVING SPACE

EACH DAY TO HOUSE OVER \h\h34 MILLION PEOPLE.

♪

\h\hTHIS ANCIENT CITY HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME

BY ADAPTING TO ITS CHALLENGING \h\h\h\h\hGEOGRAPHICAL SETTING.

\hITS MOUNTAINOUS LOCATION REQUIRES

AN ARRAY OF VERTICAL \h\hTRANSPORT OPTIONS

TO MOVE EVERYONE AROUND THE CITY.

\h\h\hROADS HAD TO BE ELEVATED TO ALLEVIATE

TRAFFIC CONGESTION \hAT GROUND LEVEL.

AND IT’S NOT ONLY ROADS THAT HAVE GONE SKYWARD.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

WANG NIAN HAS BEEN A DRIVER \h\hFOR THE PAST SIX YEARS

ON THE WORLD’S LARGEST \h\h\hMONORAIL SYSTEM.

Narrator: ITS 61-MILE STRETCH OF SINGLE RAIL

WEAVES AROUND THE CITY,

EVEN THREADING THROUGH \h\h\h\hSOME BUILDINGS.

\hNIAN DRIVES ROUTE TWO, KNOWN AS THE SCENIC LINE.

\h\hNarrator: CHONGQING IS A MAJOR MANUFACTURING CITY

AND TRANSPORT HUB.

MANY GLOBAL BRANDS ARE MOVING HERE, WHERE HIGH SPEED RAIL

\hMAKES THEM JUST AS EFFICIENT AS THEIR COASTAL COUNTERPARTS.

THE CITY IS NOW CONNECTED \h\h\hDIRECTLY TO GERMANY

BY CHINA RAILWAY EXPRESS.

IT’S A 7,000-MILE JOURNEY \hTHROUGH FIVE COUNTRIES,

BUT IT’S TWICE AS FAST \h\hAS SHIPPING BY SEA

\h\h\hAND A QUARTER THE COST OF AIR TRANSPORT.

CHONGQING’S PORT IS STILL VITAL

TO THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS WITHIN CHINA.

\h\hIT’S LINKED TO THE EAST COAST BY THE YANGTZE RIVER,

A ROUTE THAT PASSES \h\hTHROUGH ANOTHER

RAPIDLY DEVELOPING RIVER CITY, WUHAN.

♪

\hHERE, ONE DAY A YEAR, SHIP TRAFFIC IS HALTED,

AS THE CITY CELEBRATES \h\hITS RIVER HERITAGE

WITH A SPECTACULAR EVENT.

WUHAN IS AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC \h\h\hHUB OF CHINA’S INTERIOR,

AND ITS 10 MILLION PEOPLE \h\hARE TIED TO THE RIVER

THAT RUNS THROUGH IT.

IT’S BEEN POPULAR WITH SWIMMERS \h\h\h\hSINCE THE SONG DYNASTY,

A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.

THE ANNUAL WUHAN RIVER CROSSING \hFESTIVAL IS A SWIMMING EVENT

THAT DRAWS IN CROWDS FROM ALL OVER CHINA AND BEYOND.

(CROWD BUZZING)

♪

\h\h\hFORMER CHINESE LEADER, CHAIRMAN MAO,

SWAM HERE IN 1966 AT THE AGE OF 73.

THIS UNIQUE FESTIVAL IS HELD IN HIS HONOR.

(CROWD CHEERING)

THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE EVENT \h\h\hIS THE TEAM CROSSING,

WHERE GROUPS OF UP TO 100 PEOPLE NAVIGATE THE SWIFT CURRENT.

\hTHIS YEAR THERE ARE OVER 5,000 ENTRIES AND 51 TEAMS.

(CROWD BUZZING)

61-YEAR-OLD DING AIZHEN FIRST TOOK PART IN 1977

AND HAS COMPETED SEVEN \h\h\hTIMES SINCE THEN.

\h\h\hNarrator: THIS YEAR IS SIGNIFICANT,

AS IT’S THE FIRST TIME \h\hTHAT SHE’LL COMPETE

WITH HER HUSBAND, BO.

\h\h\hNarrator: THERE ARE NO WINNERS IN THIS EVENT.

THE GOAL IS FOR SWIMMERS \h\h\h\hLIKE DING AND BO

\h\hTO COMPLETE THE CROSSING TOGETHER.

\hBUT SWIMMING ON A RIVER THIS POWERFUL IS NOT EASY.

IT’S A NEARLY FOUR-MILE ROUTE,

MADE HARDER AND LONGER BY THE STRONG CURRENTS.

♪

(WATER SPLASHING)

EVENTUALLY DING AND BO FINISH TOGETHER.

\h\hNarrator: THE ANNUAL WUHAN SPORTING CHALLENGE

\h\hDATES BACK OVER 80 YEARS, TO 1934.

IN ONE TIBETAN VILLAGE, A FAR OLDER SPORTING EVENT

\hIS STILL CENTRAL TO COMMUNITY LIFE,

(ARROW SCREAMING)

ARCHERY.

♪

THE EVENT TAKES PLACE IN THE VALLEY OF THE GONGBO PEOPLE

\h\h\h\h\hNEAR THE LARGEST PRIMITIVE FOREST IN CHINA.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

\h\h\h\hTHE GONGBO PEOPLE DIFFER FROM THOSE LIVING

\hIN OTHER PARTS OF THE TIBETAN REGION.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DIALECT, \h\hTRADITIONS AND PASTIMES.

\hAS AUTUMN SETS IN, THE GONGBO COMMUNITY

PREPARES TO CELEBRATE WITH A FAVORITE SPORT.

♪

\hKICKAK HAS BEEN AN ARCHER FOR 36 YEARS.

TODAY HIS VILLAGE TEAM IS TAKING PART IN A LOCAL TOURNAMENT.

(VILLAGERS SINGING AND LAUGHING)

\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT’S BOTH A SOCIAL OCCASION

\h\hAND A CHANCE TO SHOW OFF SOME ARCHERY SKILLS.

\h\h\hTHE MEN COME WELL PREPARED FOR THE EVENT.

THIS ANCIENT SPORT HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR MODERN TIMES.

THE COMPETITION HAS ITS OWN \hUNIQUE GONGBO EQUIPMENT,

OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE SCREAMING ARROW.

(ARROW SCREAMING)

THE ARROW IS A WOODEN SHAFT WITH FOUR SMALL HOLES IN IT,

(ARROW SCREAMING)

WHICH CREATES A WHISTLING SOUND AS IT FLIES THROUGH THE AIR.

♪

A TRADITIONAL FABRIC BULL’S \hEYE HANGS 100 FEET AWAY.

\h(ARROWS SCREAMING) (VILLAGERS CHEERING)

\hKICKAK’S VILLAGE IS PERFORMING WELL.

(ARROW SCREAMING)

(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(VILLAGERS SINGING)

EVENTUALLY, THE COMPETITION \h\hCOMES DOWN TO THE WIRE.

♪

(ARROW SCREAMING)

IN THIS CENTURIES-OLD SPORT,

MANY ARCHERS HAVE FACED TENSION-FILLED MOMENTS

WHERE EVERYTHING IS ON THE LINE.

(ARROW SCREAMING)

KICKAK’S FINAL SHOT \h\hSEALS THE DEAL.

HIS TEAM WINS THE COMPETITION.

(VILLAGERS CHEERING)

(VILLAGERS SINGING)

\h\hNarrator: 500 MILES SOUTHEAST,

ON CHINA’S SOUTHERN BORDER,

LIES THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS PEAK, EVEREST,

\hWHERE A MORE EXTREME SPORT, MOUNTAINEERING,

ATTRACTS PEOPLE FROM \h\hACROSS THE GLOBE.

♪

THE HIMALAYAS IS A SYSTEM \h\hOF OVER 110 MOUNTAINS

CROSSING FIVE COUNTRIES, \h\h\h\hINCLUDING CHINA.

CLIMBERS FROM ALL OVER THE \h\hWORLD ATTEMPT TO SUMMIT

ITS HIGHEST POINT, \h\hAT 29,000 FEET.

(BIRD SCREECHING)

IT’S NEAR THE ALTITUDE \hOF A CRUISING JETLINER,

WHERE THE OXYGEN IS ONLY A THIRD

OF WHAT WE BREATHE AT SEA LEVEL.

HISTORICALLY, MOST \h\hCLIMBERS ASCEND

VIA THE SOUTH FACE \h\hROUTE IN NEPAL.

BUT LATELY, MORE ARE \hCHOOSING TO TACKLE

THE NORTH FACE OF EVEREST,

\hAS CHINA OPENS UP THIS TIBETAN ROUTE.

IT’S NOW POSSIBLE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO BASE CAMP.

\h\hTHIS YEAR’S MAIN CLIMBING SEASON IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE,

BUT A SELECT GROUP REMAINS AT \hTIBET’S NORTHERN BASE CAMP.

PEMA TINLEY IS AN EVEREST VETERAN.

\hHE’S PREPARING FOR ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT CLIMBS

\h\hOF THE SEASON, OPERATION CLEAN UP.

\h\h\hNarrator: BUT THE JOB IS TOO BIG TO MANAGE ALONE.

\h\h\hTHE TEAM NEEDS SOME EXTRA MUSCLE POWER FROM LOCAL SHERPAS

\hAND THEIR MOST REVERED BEAST OF BURDEN, THE YAK.

♪

THE YAK’S RED BLOOD CELLS HAVE EVOLVED

TO EXTRACT MORE OXYGEN FROM THE DEPLETED AIR.

TOGETHER THE MEN AND THEIR ANIMALS

WILL FOLLOW THE ROUTE TO ADVANCED BASE CAMP,

COLLECTING RUBBISH AND EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND.

AS THE NORTH FACE GAINS POPULARITY,

\h\h\h\h\hMORE ITEMS ARE DISCARDED ALONG THE WAY.

EVEN DISCARDED FOOD CAN’T BREAK DOWN IN TEMPERATURES

THAT REACH AS LOW AS MINUS 31 FAHRENHEIT.

\h\h\hNarrator: THIS ANNUAL CLEAN-UP EVENT

IS ON A LARGER SCALE \h\hTHAN EVER BEFORE,

WITH A TEAM OF 150 YAKS, EACH CARRYING 100 POUNDS.

\h\hOVER SEVERAL DAYS, FIVE TONS OF WASTE IS COLLECTED,

MORE THAN ANY OTHER YEAR.

Narrator: THE CLEAN-UP \h\hIS IN KEEPING WITH

\h\h\hTHE TIBETAN PHILOSOPHY OF LIVING IN HARMONY WITH NATURE.

AT FAR LOWER ALTITUDES,

A CHINESE TEAM IS EXPLORING \h\hA VERY DIFFERENT WORLD,

\h\hAN ANCIENT CITY HIDDEN UNDER WATER,

CHINA’S ATLANTIS. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h♪

IN THE EASTERN REACHES \hOF ZHEJIANG PROVINCE

\h\hIS A LAKE CONTAINING OVER A THOUSAND ISLANDS.

BUT THIS IS A MAN-MADE WONDER.

THE LAKE IS ONLY 60 YEARS OLD

\h\hAND WAS CREATED DURING CONSTRUCTION

OF ONE OF CHINA’S EARLY \h\hHYDROPOWER PLANTS.

IT REPRESENTED A VITAL FIRST STEP

IN THE COUNTRY’S RAPID ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTHESE ISLANDS ARE ACTUALLY THE TOP OF HILLS,

A CLUE TO WHAT LIES \hSUBMERGED BELOW.

LOU SHANLIANG WAS ONE \hOF THE FIRST PEOPLE

\h\hTO VENTURE INTO THIS UNIQUE UNDERWATER WORLD.

Narrator: TODAY HE HAS TEAMED \hUP WITH CAMERAMAN WU LIXIN

TO USE 3D SCANNING TECHNOLOGY TO RESURRECT AN ANCIENT CITY.

(ENGINE CHUGGING)

♪

DIVING TO THE DEPTHS OF THIS LAKE COMES WITH CHALLENGES.

Narrator: AT LAST, AFTER DESCENDING OVER 130 FEET,

THEY FIND WHAT THEY’VE \h\hBEEN SEARCHING FOR,

THE 1,000-YEAR-OLD SHI \h\hCHENG OR LION CITY.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME

\hIT’S BEEN CAPTURED THREE DIMENSIONALLY.

(CAMERA FLASH ZAPPING)

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: COMPUTER SOFTWARE CONVERTS THESE PHOTOS

INTO A 3D IMAGE.

♪

ONCE AN OPULENT CITY

AND THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC \h\h\h\hHUB FOR EASTERN CHINA,

IT NOW LAYS REMARKABLY \h\h\h\hWELL-PRESERVED IN

THE FRESH WATER.

♪

\h\hNarrator: CHINA HAS A LONG HISTORY

OF HARNESSING ITS WATERWAYS.

FURTHER TO THE NORTH,

SOME UNUSUAL METHODS ARE USED TO MONITOR

\h\h\hONE OF THE PLANET’S MOST VOLATILE AND DANGEROUS RIVERS.

(WATER CRASHING)

♪

\hTHE YELLOW RIVER IS VITAL FOR LIFE IN THE ARID NORTH.

ONE OF THE CRADLES OF CHINA’S \h\h\hEARLIEST CIVILIZATION,

IT NOW PROVIDES WATER TO 155 MILLION PEOPLE.

\h\h\hIT IRRIGATES OVER 50 MILLION ACRES OF FARMLAND.

BUT THIS IS A RIVER WITH A REPUTATION,

AND PRONE TO DEVASTATING FLOODS.

NEW ARRIVAL JIN JINGPO IS LEARNING THE ROPES

\hAT THIS ISOLATED YELLOW RIVER MONITORING STATION.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

THE HYDROLOGIST’S ROLE HERE

IS TO PROVIDE DAILY UPDATES TO \hHYDROPOWER STATIONS AND DAMS

FURTHER DOWN THE YELLOW RIVER,

\h\hNAMED FOR THE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF GOLDEN SEDIMENT

CARRIED IN ITS FLOW.

BUT COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION \h\h\hREQUIRES NERVES OF STEEL,

AND A TIME-TESTED CABLE CAR.

♪

ONE OF JINGPO’S MAIN TASKS IS TO DETERMINE

\hHOW MUCH SAND AND SILT IS CARRIED IN THE RIVER.

Narrator: THIS METHOD \hOF DATA COLLECTION

SOMETIMES MUST TAKE \h\hPLACE AT NIGHT,

OR DURING SEVERE WEATHER,

\h\hPOSING A STEEP LEARNING CURVE FOR THE NEW RECRUIT.

THE RESEARCH FACILITIES \h\hAND LIVING QUARTERS

ARE PERCHED ON A CLIFF.

THEIR CABLE CAR IS THE ONLY LINK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,

\hSOMETHING JINGPO IS COMING TO TERMS WITH.

\hNarrator: THIS RIVER MAKES LIFE

IN NORTHERN CHINA POSSIBLE,

ALLOWING ITS PEOPLE TO GROW CROPS IN A PLACE

THAT RECEIVES LITTLE RAIN.

♪

ON THE FRINGES OF THE GOBI DESERT,

\h\h\h\hA GREEN OASIS STRETCHES FOR MILES,

PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR GRAPE GROWING.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

CHINA’S NINGXIA PROVINCE IS NOW

\h\h\h\hTHE SECOND LARGEST WINE PRODUCING REGION IN THE WORLD.

\h\h100,000 ACRES OF VINES ARE TAKING OVER

THE ONCE DRY LANDSCAPE. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h♪

\hSILVER HEIGHTS WINERY IS ONE OF THE CHINESE PIONEERS

IN A REGION NOW MAKING A NAME \hFOR ITSELF INTERNATIONALLY.

HARVESTING IS UNDERWAY,

A CRUCIAL TIME FOR CHINESE \h\h\h\hWINEMAKER EMMA GAO.

\h\h\hNarrator: AFTER STUDYING WINEMAKING IN BORDEAUX, FRANCE,

\hSHE PLANTED HER FIRST WINERY IN YINCHUAN CITY

WITH THE HELP OF HER FAMILY.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: HER BELIEF IN THESE DESERT SOILS WAS INSPIRED

\h\h\hBY HER FATHER WHO GREW TABLE GRAPES IN THIS REGION.

\hNarrator: 10 YEARS LATER, EMMA’S WINERY

HAS EXPANDED FROM ITS CITY BASE

AND IS NOW PRODUCING 63,000 \h\hBOTTLES OF WINE A YEAR.

\hWINEMAKING IS STILL AN EMERGING INDUSTRY,

\h\hBUT FARMING ARID LAND IN CHINA’S NORTH IS NOTHING NEW.

REMINDERS OF THE REGION’S \h\hANCIENT CIVILIZATION

ARE EVIDENT BY 110,000 \h\h\hBUDDHIST STATUES.

♪

\hALONG BOTH SIDES OF CHINA’S YI RIVER

ARE LIMESTONE CAVES, \h\hCALLED GROTTOES,

\h\h\hCONTAINING MANY THOUSANDS OF STATUES

CARVED OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

THESE ARE SOME OF CHINA’S EARLIEST BUDDHIST TEMPLES,

\hLOCATED JUST SOUTH OF THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF LUOYANG.

WITHIN THE 2,345 CAVES ARE \h\hALMOST 110,000 STATUES,

\h\h\hRANGING FROM UNDER AN INCH TO 56 FEET IN HEIGHT.

\hHOU YUKE IS PART OF THE RESTORATION TEAM.

\h\h\hNarrator: YUKE’S TEAM IS WORKING ON ONE

\h\hOF THE MANY STATUES THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED,

\h\hAND 21ST CENTURY DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS

BEING USED TO HELP.

♪

USING A DIGITAL SCANNER,

\h\hTHEY WILL CREATE A THREE-DIMENSIONAL COPY.

\h\hNarrator: THIS TECHNIQUE CAN PINPOINT VULNERABLE AREAS

IN NEED OF RESTORATION,

AND IT CAN EVEN HELP TO FILL IN MISSING PIECES.

\h\h\h\h\hMODERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY BRINGS TO LIFE

A UNIQUE PIECE OF \hCHINA’S HISTORY

FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY.

MANY OF THE STATUES WOULD BE DESTROYED,

AND A PORTION OF THE PAST WOULD BE LOST.

IN CHINA’S SUBTROPICAL SOUTH,

THERE ARE REMAINS BEING RESTORED

THAT PRE-DATE CHINA’S ANCIENT CIVILIZATION.

♪

YUNNAN PROVINCE IN CHINA’S SOUTHWEST

IS HOME TO MORE TYPES OF FORESTS THAN ANY OTHER,

INCLUDING ONE WITHOUT ANY TREES.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

\hYUANMOU EARTH FOREST IS MADE UP OF SPIRES OF CLAY

SCULPTED FROM SANDSTONE OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS.

PERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT \hTHING ABOUT THE ROCKS HERE

IS WHAT THEY CONTAIN,

\h\hCLUES ABOUT THE PREHISTORIC CREATURES THAT ONCE LIVED HERE.

\h\h\hAND YUNNAN PROVINCE IS LOADED WITH DINOSAUR REMAINS.

IT’S ONE OF CHINA’S, \h\hAND THE WORLD’S,

\h\hHOTTEST LOCATIONS FOR JURASSIC ERA DISCOVERIES.

ESPECIALLY HERE, IN LUFENG COUNTY,

THE LOCATION OF CHINA’S \h\h\hDINOSAUR GEOPARK.

MR. WANG HAS BEEN WORKING WITH FOSSILS FOR 30 YEARS.

\h\h\hHE’S BEEN BUSY, AS DISCOVERIES ARE UNEARTHED

EVERY FEW WEEKS.

Narrator: THIS FOSSIL BELONGS

TO THE APPROPRIATELY NAMED LUFENGOSAURUS,

\h\hFIRST FOUND IN THE LUFENG REGION.

\hTHERE ARE NOW 76 COMPLETE SPECIMENS

OF THIS PLANT-EATING SPECIES.

♪

\h\h\hNarrator: LUFENG IS ALSO HOME TO ITS OWN JURASSIC PARK,

WHERE DISCOVERIES ARE PUT ON DISPLAY FOR CHINESE TOURISTS.

BUILT IN 2008, THIS 110,000-SQUARE-FOOT

EXHIBITION CENTER

RESTORES THE BONES ON SITE.

IT’S NOW ONE OF THE \hLARGEST DISPLAYS

OF FOSSILS IN THE WORLD,

WITH 70 SETS OF RESTORED AND MOUNTED DINOSAUR SKELETONS.

(TOOLS BUZZING)

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: SINCE 1938, RESEARCHERS IN THE LUFENG REGION

HAVE UNEARTHED MORE THAN A THOUSAND DINOSAUR FOSSILS,

WITH SURELY MORE TO COME.

YUNNAN’S HILLS ARE DISSECTED \h\h\h\hBY THE YANGTZE RIVER,

THE LONGEST IN ASIA.

IT FLOWS EASTWARD THROUGH \h\hCHONGQING AND WUHAN,

EMPTYING INTO THE \hEAST CHINA SEA,

OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY.

THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER \hIS ALSO THE LOCATION

\h\h\h\h\hOF CHINA’S MOST POPULATED CITY, SHANGHAI.

HERE, SHIPS ARRIVE \hFROM DEEP INLAND

AND FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

\hNAVIGATING THE HARBOR CAN SOMETIMES BE RISKY,

BUT SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR,

\h\h\h\h\hA DEDICATED EMERGENCY RESCUE TEAM

IS READY TO SPRING INTO ACTION.

♪

SHANGHAI IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S \h\h\hBUSIEST INLAND WATERWAYS

\h\hAND THE LARGEST PORT ON THE PLANET.

GIVEN THE VOLUME OF \hMARITIME TRAFFIC,

SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY.

TO HELP IN EMERGENCIES,

\h\hHELICOPTER RESCUE TEAMS ARE ON CALL 24 HOURS A DAY.

♪

THERE ARE ABOUT 90 TRAINED \hINDIVIDUALS IN THE UNIT.

AMONG THEM ARE 22 PILOTS, \h\hINCLUDING WAN QIUWEN,

\hONE OF TWO FEMALES IN THIS CRUCIAL ROLE.

Narrator: TODAY’S A TRAINING DRILL FOR THIS TEAM OF FOUR,

WHO PREPARE TO FLY OUT TO THE MOUTH OF THE YANGTZE.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: CREW MEMBERS DEVOTE MANY HOURS

TO THESE TRAINING EXERCISES,

SO THAT IF AN EMERGENCY OCCURS, \h\hEVERYONE IS WELL-PREPARED.

(HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING)

\h\hNarrator: TRAINING CAN’T PREPARE RESCUERS

FOR EVERY POSSIBILITY,

\hAND CONDITIONS HERE HAVE A HABIT OF BEING UNPREDICTABLE.

♪

\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT WILL TAKE 20 MINUTES TO REACH

\h\h\hTHE SAFETY BOAT WITH TODAY’S VICTIM.

(WATER SPLASHING)

\h\h\hALTHOUGH HE’S MADE ENTIRELY OUT OF PLASTIC,

THE PRESSURE IS STILL ON.

THE TWO CREWMEN IN THE \hBACK OF THE AIRCRAFT

MUST PERFORM AS IF THEY’RE \h\hRESCUING A HUMAN BEING.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: WAN QIUWEN NEEDS TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER

IN A STEADY HOVER.

\h\h\hTHE LIFEGUARD IS LOWERED ALMOST 100 FEET

ONTO THE RESCUE CRAFT, WHERE THE VICTIM LIES.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: EACH COMPLETED TRAINING EXERCISE

BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND PREPARES CREW MEMBERS

TO RESPOND TO THE UNEXPECTED, \h\hQUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

\h\hBACK AT THE BASE, THERE’S ALWAYS PLENTY OF WORK TO DO,

WHILE NEARBY, SHIPS PLY

ONE OF THE WORLD’S BUSIEST WATERWAYS.

CONTAINER SHIPS DOMINATE \h\h\hTHE SHIPPING LANES,

(SHIP HORN BELLOWS)

AND THE LARGEST OF ALL ARE BUILT RIGHT HERE.

(ELECTRONIC SOUNDSCAPE)

COVERING AN AREA OF 54 MILLION \hSQUARE FEET IS WAI GAO QIAO,

\h\h\h\hONE OF THE BIGGEST SHIPBUILDERS IN THE WORLD.

♪

\h\hTHIS CHINESE COMPANY, EMPLOYING 8,000 WORKERS,

DESIGNS AND BUILDS A VARIETY OF SHIPS.

THEY’RE NOW FULFILLING ONE OF \hITS LARGEST ORDERS TO DATE,

11 OF THE BIGGEST CONTAINER \h\h\h\hSHIPS IN THE WORLD.

XU JIAN IS ON A TEAM OF OVER 70 DESIGNERS.

\h\h\hNarrator: HU KANGYI IS THE HOISTING MANAGER,

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POSITIONING \h\h\h\hOF HUGE PIECES OF STEEL

WEIGHING UP TO 860 TONS.

\h\hNarrator: TO COMPLETE THE FOUR-MONTH BUILDING SCHEDULE,

THE SHIP IS DESIGNED TO BE ASSEMBLED

LIKE GIANT LEGO BLOCKS.

TWO 600-TON GANTRY CRANES \hARE USED OVER 500 TIMES

\h\h\hTO HOIST THESE SECTIONS INTO PLACE.

♪

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE FIRST FINISHED VESSEL

IS ALMOST 1,300 FEET LONG, 100 FEET TALL

AND IS CAPABLE OF CARRYING \h20,000 STEEL CONTAINERS.

♪

\h\h\hNarrator: IT’S TIME TO MOVE THE SHIP

OUT OF THE DOCK FOR TESTING.

\h\hIT TAKES SIX TUGS THREE HOURS TO TRAVEL

HALF A MILE INTO THE MAIN CHANNEL.

HERE IT WILL REMAIN \h\hFOR SIX MONTHS,

WHILE ENGINEERS CHECK ALL OF ITS MECHANICAL

AND ELECTRICAL FITTINGS,

\hBEFORE IT JOINS THE REST OF CHINA’S FLEET

OF OVER 300 CONTAINER SHIPS.

\hTOGETHER THEY CARRY OVER A MILLION AND A HALF CONTAINERS

ON THE WORLD’S OCEANS,

\h\h\hFUELING THE FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY ON EARTH.

♪

CHINA, A NATION OF ENORMOUS CONTRAST.

A COUNTRY OVERCOMING GEOGRAPHIC \h\h\h\hAND CLIMATIC BARRIERS.

FROM ITS FAR FLUNG WESTERN \hMOUNTAINOUS BORDERLANDS,

TO ITS URBANIZED COASTLINE,

HOME TO ITS MOST POPULOUS CITIES.

IN BETWEEN ARE THE GREAT RIVERS

AND HEARTLANDS OF CENTRAL CHINA,

A REGION OF ANCIENT TRADITIONS

AND EXPLOSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

\h\hULTIMATELY, CHINA’S GREAT CENTER IS A PLACE

WHERE URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

FACE THE CHALLENGES OF A CHANGING WORLD

IN THE 21ST CENTURY.