As William Brown, an American professor, strolls through a hutong alley steeped in antiquity in Beijing, he catches a glimpse of skyscrapers towering not far off. He realizes that in this Eastern country, the boundary between the ancient and the modern is becoming increasingly blurred.
From south to north, from the hinterlands to the coast, the essence of Chinese culture resonates with diversity. In all corners of China, the notion of coordinated development is emerging.
There exists a simple vision of ancient Chinese thinkers: being well provided for in the granary, knowing the proprieties and etiquette, being well clothed and well fed and knowing honor and disgrace. For many centuries, the Chinese people have been striving for harmony between material wealth and spiritual fulfillment.
Let's follow Brown and delve into the stories of an inheritor of Qiang embroidery, a "Village Super League" for local soccer teams and a project aimed at bringing lost Chinese paintings home from overseas, to discover how material progress and cultural-ethical advancement are balanced and mutually promoted in China's pursuit of modernization.
Click for documentary: Incredible transformation: Chinese modernization through the eyes of an American -- Ep. 3 Far, far was the journey
