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China With Ben Fogle S01E01 Episode 1 Engsub
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00:00:28Transcription by ESO. Translation by —
00:00:43Oh my goodness, this has been an ambition of mine all my life, to come here, the Great
00:00:54Wall of China, one of the great wonders of the world.
00:01:00Stretching for more than 13,000 miles, the Great Wall is a staggering testament to human
00:01:06ambition.
00:01:08Started two and a half thousand years ago to safeguard an ancient empire, it now reflects
00:01:14China's enduring legacy.
00:01:17But how has this symbol of China's past helped forge the country we see today?
00:01:24The Wall was built as a show of strength to keep the enemies out, but also to keep the
00:01:29empire and its people within.
00:01:31For some, it's created a boundary that's left an enigma, a mysterious country that many
00:01:41people still struggle to understand.
00:01:44As a traveller, I want to get to know the real China.
00:01:53China, a land of natural wonders and an economic superpower.
00:01:59We are the innovation capital of the world.
00:02:02I'm embarking on an amazing 5,000-mile journey across this magnificent country.
00:02:08I mean, look at that!
00:02:11Experiencing its breathtaking landscapes.
00:02:13If you saw this in a film, you'd think it was CGI.
00:02:17Its rich and historic culture.
00:02:19I want a big fish.
00:02:21Like this size?
00:02:22Size!
00:02:23And its explosive drive for world-changing innovation.
00:02:27The city of the future.
00:02:30I'm on a mission to look beyond the stereotypes.
00:02:33Of all the things I expected to find, this is one of the most unlikely.
00:02:38Discover the role of China in our fast-changing world.
00:02:42Is this a little glimpse of the future?
00:02:44Yes!
00:02:44Because Trump started a trade war, you guys all have to work.
00:02:49And learn what its rise means for us all.
00:02:52There's a lot of people that are fearful that we will be replaced.
00:02:57In this first part of my journey, I travelled to Beijing and Shanghai,
00:03:02two of China's vast, vibrant cities.
00:03:05This is a city where dreams are made.
00:03:08I immerse myself in the rhythms of daily life.
00:03:12The older generation doing Tai Chi, and there's a really happy feel here.
00:03:17And confront the legacy of China's recent controversial history.
00:03:21That's Tiananmen Square back.
00:03:23Yeah.
00:03:23There's hundreds of police.
00:03:25That is the first time I felt really on edge.
00:03:29And I ask how the past...
00:03:31You're saying that the sociability here is because of communism.
00:03:36...is shaping China...
00:03:39Are you ready for the changes?
00:03:41...in the 21st century.
00:03:45What a way to get to see a city, eh?
00:04:02I'm starting my journey here at the Great Wall.
00:04:07For millennia, it's been a powerful symbol of China's civilisation and unity.
00:04:16This section was built around the 16th century and has fallen into ruin.
00:04:27It's strictly off-limits to tourists, but I've been granted access to a project restoring this part
00:04:34of the wall to its former glory.
00:04:39Mr Chung leads a team of skilled artisans employed by the Chinese government.
00:04:49This is an absolutely spectacular landscape.
00:04:54What part of the wall are you responsible for?
00:05:19The Great Wall was a military installation built by a succession of China's imperial rulers.
00:05:26To keep out nomadic invaders from the north.
00:05:43So what are you working on today?
00:05:52Mr Chung has invited me to join his team for the day.
00:05:56I need to put this on.
00:05:59Oh yes, love a hard hat.
00:06:02As a foreigner...
00:06:03Yeah, good.
00:06:04...this is a rare privilege.
00:06:09Wow, look at this.
00:06:14Mr Chung, good?
00:06:15Yeah.
00:06:15Walk across, yeah?
00:06:17Don't want to leave my footprints on the Great Wall of China.
00:06:21Maybe I do.
00:06:31Of course, if you trust me.
00:06:37Reusing original 500-year-old bricks and traditional building techniques,
00:06:43Mr Chung's painstaking reconstruction is faithful to the wall's original design.
00:06:50Have you done this work?
00:06:53No, I've done a few bricks in my garden.
00:06:55I've never fixed a 13,000-mile wall.
00:07:01Okay.
00:07:05I think it's straight.
00:07:07What do you think?
00:07:08Oh, that's wrong.
00:07:12Take it out.
00:07:13Take it out.
00:07:14Take it out.
00:07:15So, put it back.
00:07:17This back?
00:07:17Yes, put it back.
00:07:18Yeah.
00:07:19You're a hard taskmaster.
00:07:26Yes, sir.
00:07:30I'll work harder.
00:07:37So like that, yes?
00:07:38You're happy?
00:07:47That looks pretty good.
00:07:50What does it mean to the wider population?
00:07:53What does the wall mean to the Chinese?
00:08:13I feel incredibly privileged to be working on the Great Wall, but also with someone who has such a deep
00:08:22connection to the wall.
00:08:23It feels like a real honour.
00:08:27See ya, see ya.
00:08:30The Great Wall once kept the world at a distance.
00:08:34Now, as China gradually opens up to the west, I'm setting out across this immense country to explore how its
00:08:42history continues to influence its present.
00:08:47See you in the city.
00:08:53I'm leaving Mr. Chung and his team behind and heading 60 miles south to the capital, Beijing.
00:09:04For more than eight centuries, Beijing has been the heart of power in China.
00:09:10The seat of emperors, revolutionaries, and modern leaders alike.
00:09:14And what a city.
00:09:16I mean, the central business district, so there's huge buildings, people everywhere.
00:09:23To truly understand the modern face of this ancient country, I'm going to need some insider knowledge.
00:09:31Chang?
00:09:31Hey!
00:09:32Hey!
00:09:33How are you?
00:09:34How are you?
00:09:35How do we say hello?
00:09:36Is it formal?
00:09:36Shoko.
00:09:37With no kiss on the cheek?
00:09:38No, no, no.
00:09:39Very conservative here.
00:09:40Yeah, no.
00:09:41I have a husband.
00:09:43Well, thank you for showing me around Beijing.
00:09:46You're very welcome.
00:09:47Welcome to my city.
00:09:52Chen Chang was born and raised here in Beijing.
00:09:56I'm wondering what distinctive characteristics Beijingers have.
00:10:01You know, Beijingers are very famous in China.
00:10:03We're very warm, we're funny, we want to make friends with anyone.
00:10:08Hello.
00:10:12In the 21st century, Beijing has been transformed.
00:10:17Many of its ancient streets replaced by soaring skyscrapers.
00:10:23But amid the high rises, the city's parks still play a vital role as places to congregate.
00:10:30There's nowhere better to understand the real Beijing.
00:10:34It's a real hive of activity here, isn't it?
00:10:37Everyone seems to be doing something.
00:10:40You know, in Beijing, park life is very important in our life.
00:10:45What's going on down here?
00:10:47Look how colorful that is.
00:11:03I always think parks are a good way to get to know a city.
00:11:08I'm traveling across China to discover how its ancient culture coexists with its fast-moving modern economy.
00:11:17I've come to the capital, Beijing.
00:11:20Chang, born and bred here, has taken me to one of the city's many parks.
00:11:24What's going on down here?
00:11:26Look how colorful that is.
00:11:32That's a lovely sight.
00:11:34Yes.
00:11:44Are these professionals?
00:11:46No, they just retire old grandmas.
00:11:49They come to here, you know, do the morning excise, meet with all their friends, dancing their favorite song.
00:11:59These women are part of a remarkable social phenomenon, a vast army of so-called dancing grannies,
00:12:07who gather in parks and public squares across China.
00:12:14That's beautiful.
00:12:18What's she saying?
00:12:18She said, do you want to come to China?
00:12:20You want me to come to China?
00:12:22Of course.
00:12:22Let's go.
00:12:23Yeah.
00:12:23I'm just going to try and copy.
00:12:25I think I'm a bit out of my depth here.
00:12:30Communal dancing has been a part of Chinese life for centuries.
00:12:36But the communist government has long used the culture of group exercise
00:12:39to reinforce ideals of unity and discipline.
00:12:52I can't believe that you can't do this.
00:12:56You must learn this dance in the UK.
00:13:00Oh, thank you.
00:13:02Oh, my God.
00:13:05Can I ask, do they do it for happiness, for health, for fitness,
00:13:09for friendship?
00:13:20Many elderly people back in the UK and actually feel very lonely.
00:13:24There's a loneliness epidemic.
00:13:26I'm wondering whether they ever feel lonely.
00:13:31That's emphatic.
00:13:32You understand what they say.
00:13:34Thank you so much.
00:13:40The legacy of the communist era lives on in the generation
00:13:44who grew up in the aftermath of Mao Zedong's 1949 revolution.
00:13:53China became a single-party communist state,
00:13:56with life organised along collective principles.
00:14:08Everywhere I look, something's happening.
00:14:10Are they ballroom dancing?
00:14:11Yeah, very popular.
00:14:13It feels like there isn't a great deal of shyness here.
00:14:18Chinese people, especially this generation, they're not shy at all,
00:14:22because they all grown up during communism.
00:14:26They do everything like a big group together.
00:14:30So you're saying that perhaps the sociability here
00:14:35is because of that very intense period of communism,
00:14:39they had something that would bond them together?
00:14:42Yeah.
00:14:48That's so interesting.
00:14:49Do you think that's beginning to change a little bit?
00:14:51Yeah, definitely change.
00:14:52Like, my daughter's generation, in school, they study, study, study.
00:14:58Then come home, have lots, lots of homework.
00:15:01They don't have time to play, you know, so they don't have time to make a friend.
00:15:09Over the past 50 years, sweeping economic reforms have transformed China.
00:15:17Some worry the old spirit of community is under threat.
00:15:21But here in the park, at least, it's alive and well.
00:15:27And the gym over here?
00:15:28Yes.
00:15:36Very good.
00:15:37This is great.
00:15:38You want me to get on here?
00:15:39Shall I come on here?
00:15:42You know, this is one of the things that we don't really do very well in the UK,
00:15:49community, but here it seems to be everywhere.
00:15:53And the fact that 81-year-olds are coming out, using gym equipment, playing games, dancing,
00:16:00singing, there's something really beautiful about that.
00:16:07The communist revolution touched the lives of everyone in China, including Chang's family.
00:16:14They lived in Beijing when she was born in the early 1970s.
00:16:20This is our old taxi 80 years ago.
00:16:23Look, I can even keep myself, oh, that's nice.
00:16:34So many tourists.
00:16:38So is this quieter in your childhood around here?
00:16:41Yes, because the whole China, no one travels, no one can afford to travel, so no tourists.
00:16:47Everyone earned the same salary?
00:16:49Yes, three pounds per month.
00:16:52So it really wasn't much, but was there much to buy?
00:16:55Apart from food, no, because the house is all free, government gifts here.
00:17:01So interesting, because for a lot of people, that sounds like a great hardship to have such limited options,
00:17:08and yet the way you speak about it is quite nostalgic. It's almost like you miss it.
00:17:12Yeah, because I think people have a lot of stress back to them, because, you know, competition,
00:17:18you don't think anyone else richer than you, anyone go holiday, you can't afford it, right?
00:17:22Just them.
00:17:32In the aftermath of the communist revolution,
00:17:35the estates of the former aristocracy were broken up for use by ordinary workers.
00:17:44I want to show you this is my old house.
00:17:47So Han, just explain in more detail. This says, welcome to Prince Kung's palace.
00:17:54This is the emperor's brother's house.
00:17:57All the Chinese government, they use this palace as office.
00:18:02So my dad working for the government, so they give us one room.
00:18:08This is me, in fact, Kung Palace.
00:18:11We have a beautiful garden, bamboo, and so beautiful.
00:18:175,000 people all move in.
00:18:205,000 people lived in here with you.
00:18:22Probably more.
00:18:26It's astonishing to think that this former palace
00:18:29was divided up into homes for hundreds of families.
00:18:34That would be a little like in the UK if we had a socialist communist government in
00:18:40wanting to turn over all our palaces, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace to social housing,
00:18:45and hundreds of people move in and they each get a room.
00:18:48Yeah, I think that's fair.
00:18:52And then in the 1980s, Chang's world changed forever.
00:19:00China's economy began to open up and the country experienced Western pop culture for the first time.
00:19:11I have this photo I want to show you.
00:19:14This is me, 15 years old. This show you China opened.
00:19:18But you've got posters of Western women on the wall.
00:19:22Yeah, Brooke Shields.
00:19:23Brooke Shields!
00:19:24I just think she's so beautiful.
00:19:26So I think, okay, I'm going to write her letter.
00:19:29So with my book in English, I said, hello, Brooke Shields.
00:19:33My name's Chang. I'm from Beijing. So I like you so much.
00:19:38Like, yeah.
00:19:39Three months later, she's sending me a letter back.
00:19:41No!
00:19:42Yes!
00:19:44See, that's the photograph.
00:19:46She said, dear Chang, hope you have good luck in school.
00:19:51Love you, Brooke Shields.
00:19:53You know, no one said love me in my whole entire life.
00:19:56Because of our culture, we don't say love to each other.
00:19:59So I literally cried for three days.
00:20:01Oh, my goodness. That is an amazing story.
00:20:07Chang's life mirrors China's transformation,
00:20:11from the restrictions of communism to its opening up to the West.
00:20:16But democratic freedoms remain tightly controlled,
00:20:20and human rights face constant pressure.
00:20:29The Communist Party's authority is reinforced by its vast military.
00:20:43In September 2025, a huge parade was held in Beijing,
00:20:47to mark 80 years since victory over Japan in World War II.
00:20:52A striking display of national pride and power.
00:21:01I picked up this paper from a few days ago.
00:21:04The whole place was in lockdown.
00:21:06My trip got postponed.
00:21:08But this, that is what was happening here.
00:21:14I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the scale.
00:21:17This is China. They do things large.
00:21:20But it is astonishing.
00:21:22The show of strength and power.
00:21:26And all this happened not far from here in Tiananmen Square,
00:21:28in a place of huge significance.
00:21:32In 1949, Mao Zedong declared the foundation of the People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Square.
00:21:4140 years later, it was occupied by hundreds of thousands of student protesters,
00:21:46calling for greater political freedoms.
00:21:52When the army moved in to disperse them, troops opened fire.
00:21:57With hundreds, even thousands reported killed.
00:22:06Ever since, security in Tiananmen Square has been strictly enforced.
00:22:11As a journalist, you're not allowed to go and visit officially.
00:22:15So if I want to see this really, really important part of China's history,
00:22:24I have to be creative.
00:22:32Shall we go now?
00:22:33Yep, we're good to go now.
00:22:35And I am heading out.
00:22:38As foreign journalists, wherever we travel in China,
00:22:42we can only film with the approval of our government minders.
00:22:46So we're renting tourist bikes and recording ourselves on our phones.
00:22:52We can ride.
00:22:54Okay.
00:22:58So we're heading down towards Tiananmen Square.
00:23:02Lots of police, lots of cameras.
00:23:26One member of our crew arouses suspicion.
00:23:30Hey, they want to check your bag.
00:23:32As they search his bag, I worry about the microphone clipped to my shirt.
00:23:38If they find this microphone on me, I mean, holy shit, we're out, we're, that's it.
00:23:54We've been stopped at the entrance to Tiananmen Square,
00:23:57one of the most heavily policed places in China.
00:24:05One of our crew is being searched by police officers at a checkpoint.
00:24:09Was he not allowed in?
00:24:11Everyone else is fine, right?
00:24:13They didn't check the visa.
00:24:14Mm-hmm.
00:24:16I'm worried the guards could find the microphone on my shirt.
00:24:19I think we keep going because too many of us wait.
00:24:24Yeah, yeah, I agree.
00:24:26He got stopped at the entrance.
00:24:30Dozens, hundreds of police.
00:24:33It definitely feels edgier here, I think is the best way to describe it.
00:24:40Another police stop coming, so I'm going to put you away as we go through.
00:24:54God, this is so intense.
00:24:57I never experienced this.
00:25:04I've got images of Chairman Mao coming up.
00:25:09Inside is a forbidden city.
00:25:13That's Tiananmen Square there?
00:25:14Yeah.
00:25:15Yeah, so Tiananmen Square.
00:25:16Let's see it all done.
00:25:18Flags flying.
00:25:20Now we're close to the heart of the square.
00:25:24Security's even tighter.
00:25:27Remnants of the parade just a few days ago are still visible.
00:25:33So here we are, Chang and me.
00:25:37OK, let's go on.
00:25:46I think we should try and get away from here.
00:25:49Just get out of here.
00:26:01That is the first time I felt really on edge.
00:26:06Hundreds of police, thousands of cameras, multiple checkpoints.
00:26:12I think there's two sides to China.
00:26:15And I've just seen one that they don't really want anyone to see.
00:26:23The government's tight control on Tiananmen Square,
00:26:26and how its story is told, reaches into almost every corner of Chinese life.
00:26:36So I'm going to do a little experiment now.
00:26:39I'm testing out the Chinese equivalent of ChatGPT.
00:26:43Tell me a little bit about Tiananmen Square.
00:26:51I wouldn't ask anyone on the street that.
00:26:53Send.
00:26:55OK, it's thinking.
00:26:59OK, instant result.
00:27:02Sorry, that's beyond my current scope.
00:27:05Let's talk about something else.
00:27:10The thing you must remember is that the app that I've just used
00:27:14has been produced for worldwide consumption.
00:27:19I suppose in some ways it is AI with built-in ideology.
00:27:27China's system of government control is highly visible here in Beijing.
00:27:33But to understand the country's changing identity,
00:27:36I need to look beyond the capital.
00:27:46Here we are in Beijing Station.
00:27:48There's all our crew, all our luggage.
00:27:57Right, the train to Shanghai.
00:27:591,200 kilometres, high-speed train, one of the fastest in the world.
00:28:05Shanghai, here we come.
00:28:12From Beijing, it's a five-hour journey south to Shanghai.
00:28:23This is one of their bullet trains.
00:28:25The high-speed rail network has exploded in this country.
00:28:29There's actually a saying here in China to jump on the train,
00:28:32which is sort of a metaphor for jumping on the economy,
00:28:37jumping on the prosperity train.
00:28:40People have flocked from rural areas all across China to these megacities.
00:28:59The high-speed rail network has exploded in this country.
00:28:59Welcome to Shanghai.
00:29:01That has to be up there with some of the most iconic skylines in the world.
00:29:07This is a city of nearly 25 million and a real melting pot of different cultures.
00:29:15There's British influence, there's French influence, German influence, American influence.
00:29:19And for many years, Shanghai really was the city of dreams.
00:29:33A former colonial trading post, Shanghai has long been China's gateway to the world.
00:29:42What kind of dog have you got?
00:29:43I don't know, it's like a street dog.
00:29:45I'm being shown around by Shanghai local John.
00:29:51I think the perception that the Western world has of China is of conformity,
00:29:59that everyone kind of is almost a cookie-cutter shape.
00:30:02But I'm wondering whether you can be your unique self.
00:30:08I think it's okay to be yourself in the city.
00:30:13And people don't even care about who you are.
00:30:15Like, they don't have time to bother who you are, because they have their own life.
00:30:20Everyone wants to be themselves, so they have a clear boundary.
00:30:24Like, this is my thing, this is your thing.
00:30:26I can not like you that way, but I'm not judging you.
00:30:30So I think it's quite free to be who you are.
00:30:34This city is built by everyone in the city.
00:30:37We are all the contributors of this culture.
00:30:43Where are we going now?
00:30:45Somewhere maybe unexpected.
00:30:47Yes, I think so.
00:30:48Okay.
00:30:50John's brought me to a backstreet club, popular with Shanghai's Gen Zs.
00:30:57Thumping music.
00:31:01Here, freedom of expression and Western influence collide in dramatic fashion.
00:31:13This is voguing.
00:31:20Originating in the queer ballrooms of New York, the dance style gained global fame in 1990,
00:31:26with Madonna's hit, Vogue.
00:31:30Today, it's gained a new following here in Shanghai's LGBTQ plus community.
00:31:38I'm feeling very uncool.
00:31:43It's loud, proud, and a world apart from the traditional dancers I saw in Beijing.
00:31:50Wow.
00:31:51Wow.
00:31:52That was cool.
00:31:53Yeah.
00:31:54Hi, Shirley.
00:31:55That was amazing.
00:31:56Thank you, thank you.
00:31:57So I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like that.
00:32:01You just let the music get inside you, and you just let go whatever you want to do.
00:32:07Everybody, like, just have fun.
00:32:10Yeah.
00:32:11Everyone has the different types of dancing there, and the energy is different.
00:32:16Someone's soft, someone's really sassy.
00:32:19Yes.
00:32:20You can see, like, everyone's character, like, so individual.
00:32:23Just, it felt really joyous. I'm wondering how you feel just having watched that.
00:32:27I feel so, like, new energy coming to me, and I see the individualism is bringing out on the stage.
00:32:34It's all about being fully happy about who you are, and being fully confident of who you are.
00:32:42And so living in a city like Shanghai, you are free to do whatever you want.
00:32:48Getting on the street wearing like this, going out, nothing will ever happen to me.
00:32:53Like, nobody even glanced me at twice.
00:32:56They probably glanced me because I look good.
00:33:03For these young people, voguing is more than a dance.
00:33:07It's a safe space to celebrate individuality in a country often defined by rules and restraint.
00:33:15Their bravery has even inspired me to forget my inhibitions.
00:33:20Everybody, go!
00:33:23Strike a pose and give voguing a go.
00:33:50Shanghai's liberal values and booming economy have made it a magnet for the young and ambitious.
00:33:57But has this rush for progress come at a price?
00:34:00The loss of the country's old ways and traditions?
00:34:07I've left the city centre and come to one of Shanghai's less glamorous neighbourhoods.
00:34:15This is very different to the glitzier side of Shanghai.
00:34:19This is very much a blue-collar working neighbourhood.
00:34:23I'm meeting a woman who's fighting to preserve an ancient Chinese art form cherished by the older generation.
00:34:30This is her.
00:34:31Ni hao. Miss Jo?
00:34:34I'm Ben. How are you?
00:34:37Very nice to meet you.
00:34:38Miss Jo is an opera singer.
00:34:42Like many in the neighbourhood, she's originally from Jiangsu province,
00:34:46300 miles north.
00:34:48So what kind of opera is this?
00:35:14Even in this neighbourhood, the city's rapid modernisation is being felt.
00:35:20It's up to you.
00:35:21The troupe's beloved opera house was recently demolished to make way for new development.
00:35:28Okay, is this us?
00:35:30So now, they rent a space on the sixth floor of an office block.
00:35:34If you want to see a big open-whole, there is a lot of people.
00:35:39If you want to see a big open-minded area, there are a lot of people.
00:35:40We also have a huge open-minded area.
00:35:40We have a large square where we have 1,000 viewers.
00:35:43We have 1,000 viewers.
00:35:431,000 viewers.
00:35:45There are many people who can't stand outside.
00:35:49There are many people who have a seat behind in the outside.
00:35:51Now, we have a large square area.
00:35:57Hello, Ni hao, Ni hao, Ni hao, Ni hao, how are you, you're very smiley.
00:36:0680 years old.
00:36:08Can I come in?
00:36:11Look at this, this is cool.
00:36:16Hello, Ni hao, Ni hao.
00:36:20Oh, wow.
00:36:22I'm about to get a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of China's most revered ancient art forms,
00:36:29and meet the last generation keeping it alive.
00:36:43Look at this.
00:36:45Hello.
00:36:45Hello, Ni hao, Ni hao.
00:36:50Here in Shanghai, I'm stepping behind the curtain with an opera troupe fighting to keep one of China's oldest art
00:36:57forms alive.
00:36:59Is this the theatre?
00:37:12Ni hao.
00:37:1490 years old.
00:37:17Who's the youngest in the room?
00:37:20The youngest actor, who's the youngest?
00:37:23Hello.
00:37:2550 years?
00:37:25The youngest actor, who's the youngest?
00:37:27The youngest actor, who's the youngest?
00:37:45wide audience?
00:37:48Oh, wow.
00:37:49This is a proper backstage.
00:37:52Who does the makeup?
00:37:57Yeah, I'm going to leave you to put your make-up on.
00:37:59I'll go and set up some chairs.
00:38:03There's not much space here.
00:38:11It's so much more than just the performing.
00:38:13It's about the community.
00:38:16The people, the shared cigarettes.
00:38:20There's a lot of that.
00:38:22And I think they take great pride in kind of carrying on the legacy.
00:38:34What a transformation.
00:38:36Miss Jo.
00:38:36Oh, look!
00:38:38Amazing.
00:38:39It looks to me like you love acting.
00:38:42What does opera mean to you?
00:38:49Can you ever imagine a life without acting?
00:39:10Well, Miss Jo, you look beautiful, and I can't wait to watch the opera. Good luck. Good luck. Good luck.
00:39:18Good luck. Good luck.
00:39:20This evening, Miss Jo and her troupe will be performing a farce in which a humble cobbler seeks a wife.
00:39:30It's an old favourite of theirs, but tonight the cast might outnumber the audience.
00:39:55If this traditional opera is to survive, it needs to pay the rent, so the audience are encouraged to tip
00:40:02the actors.
00:40:05It's not always, but in the meantime, she's very well done.
00:40:17Woo!
00:40:17Woo!
00:40:19Woo!
00:40:21Woo!
00:40:23Woo!
00:40:23Woo!
00:40:27Woo!
00:40:48Wow, that was really beautiful.
00:40:52There's something very magical about an opera
00:40:56in such a tiny, intimate space.
00:40:59And for me, it was symbolic of so many things.
00:41:02Dying arts, lost traditions, aging populations.
00:41:07Things have changed beyond all recognition
00:41:09for the older generation.
00:41:12But there was a period where they worked together,
00:41:15where they lived together, and that's being lost.
00:41:19Albeit to ambition and opportunity,
00:41:22because the China dream is very much alive.
00:41:28But it comes at a cost.
00:41:39Shanghai's rapid development
00:41:41means poorer migrant communities like Miss Zhou's
00:41:44are in danger of being pushed out of the city.
00:41:49However, some traditional rituals are finding a new, younger audience.
00:41:54I'm meeting John again.
00:41:57So is this a favourite of yours?
00:41:58Thank you very much.
00:42:00Well, my favorite in the town.
00:42:02He wants to show me how an ancient tradition
00:42:04is gaining popularity with the young hipsters of Shanghai.
00:42:12It's amazing.
00:42:14Wow!
00:42:15It's like a magic trick.
00:42:17That's nice.
00:42:18It's nice.
00:42:18The explosive drinks are not this bar's main attraction.
00:42:23It's a fortune-telling bar.
00:42:25A fortune-telling bar?
00:42:26So do people come here specifically,
00:42:29drink and tell the future?
00:42:31How accurate is the fortune-telling in here?
00:42:33I think 99% rise.
00:42:37So why is fortune-telling coming back here in China?
00:42:39Fortune-telling is telling you the certainty
00:42:42in the uncertain world, and Gen Z is so rebellious.
00:42:46So they are not listening to anyone,
00:42:48but the universe tells them,
00:42:50OK, I'll take a note.
00:42:53In China, fortune-telling is traditionally used
00:42:56to guide major life decisions.
00:43:06My fortune-teller uses bamboo sticks
00:43:08to help answer a burning question
00:43:10that's been on my mind since I arrived in the country.
00:43:15Stop. Pick one.
00:43:19So what's the question again?
00:43:21I want to know if I'm going to be a big deal here in China.
00:43:25Let's see.
00:43:28OK.
00:43:34You are at your turning point
00:43:36from bad luck to good luck.
00:43:39The success is measured by your reputation,
00:43:51your adorableness, by the audience.
00:43:56So you are popular in your life, man.
00:44:00I'll take that.
00:44:01I'll take that.
00:44:02Whether I believe in it or not, it's made my evening,
00:44:04and that's what a bar should do, shouldn't it?
00:44:06Cheers to your success in China.
00:44:08Yeah, thank you.
00:44:16As young Chinese turn to ancient customs
00:44:19in search of answers to modern dilemmas,
00:44:22these age-old beliefs continue to hold meaning,
00:44:25even as the country undergoes a remarkable transformation
00:44:29into a 21st-century consumer economy.
00:44:37I've come to the high-tech, automated nerve center
00:44:40of one of China's largest delivery companies.
00:44:42Oh, my goodness.
00:44:45This is like mission control.
00:44:48Online shopping is one of the main engines
00:44:51of China's economic miracle.
00:44:53A little bit quiet right now, but this is, like...
00:44:57This is just extraordinary.
00:45:00And the most amazing figure is up in the corner there.
00:45:03I can see the number of parcels this single company has.
00:45:07It's currently at 83 million parcels for today.
00:45:12And it's going up 1,000 per second.
00:45:19China's parcel delivery market is the largest in the world.
00:45:24Astonishingly, around half a billion parcels
00:45:27are dispatched every day.
00:45:31The scale of this place is absolutely astonishing.
00:45:40China's delivery industry relies on a huge army of workers,
00:45:44mostly young men, who've migrated to the city.
00:45:52I'm meeting delivery rider, A-Chung.
00:45:55So what's going on in here?
00:45:56It looks pretty busy.
00:46:03So I'm going to be your apprentice today.
00:46:05I'm going to help you.
00:46:06You can eat a lot?
00:46:07Yeah?
00:46:08Shall we go?
00:46:09I'll follow you.
00:46:10For A-Chung, every day starts at the warehouse,
00:46:13where he loads up his consignment of parcels.
00:46:17It's a lot of parcels, A-Chung.
00:46:22Okay.
00:46:24Better watch out.
00:46:26Yeah, just twist that.
00:46:27Woo!
00:46:28Oh, yeah.
00:46:29So this is my driving test, is it?
00:46:35Knees up like this?
00:46:36What do you think?
00:46:37I'm not quite sure.
00:46:38I don't know if this was built for a six-foot-tall Brit.
00:46:44Yeah, you're happy?
00:46:45I get two thumbs up.
00:46:48Okay.
00:46:49This is for me.
00:46:52How many parcels will you deliver on an average day?
00:47:05Okay, we're racing against the clock now.
00:47:09Wish me luck.
00:47:18I must remember to drive on the right.
00:47:25As a member of China's vast gig economy,
00:47:29A-Chung has to work flat out to hit his targets.
00:47:33If he doesn't deliver all his 300 parcels,
00:47:36he won't get his full day's pay.
00:47:38First house.
00:47:41In here.
00:47:43I'm a delivery man.
00:47:46Okay, more here.
00:48:04I haven't asked him what happens if it pours with rain.
00:48:09We're going to sit out the rain here.
00:48:16So we need to waterproof everything.
00:48:20Okay.
00:48:21I have no protection, but the parcels need protection,
00:48:25because they're all in cardboard boxes and will disintegrate.
00:48:27But I don't think we can wait out the rain.
00:48:30I think we're on a strict clock.
00:48:36Of all the things I was anticipating today,
00:48:38I brace myself for traffic, for trucks, fellow drivers,
00:48:43but not for a possible lightning strike.
00:48:46I'm looking for a few things.
00:48:49I think we need to be a little bit.
00:48:50Yeah.
00:48:58Scary!
00:49:01It's treacherous work made worse by the wet roads.
00:49:07in shanghai alone dozens of delivery drivers are killed or injured in road traffic accidents every
00:49:13year it's hot ah chung works for a reputable company but the pressure to meet their targets
00:49:28means that Chinese employees often rack up long hours seven oh one despite government crackdowns
00:49:40on some employers the long hours culture remains widespread oh my goodness you work hard that's
00:49:52for sure okay well it looks like the rain stopped the sun's come out more parcels to deliver crazy dog
00:50:08this is a man just in his underpants got to stay there with spring onions in his hand it's quite
00:50:14random okay it's another apartment done we've finally earned a break
00:50:30I'm curious to know what first drew our chung to leave home and move to shanghai
00:50:36where were you born so would you say that there are good opportunities here in shanghai
00:51:16what do you see as your future
00:51:26what is I wish you all the luck in the future
00:51:32sunshine
00:51:36a chung story reflects a nation on the move some 350 million people a quarter of China's population
00:51:44have migrated to the cities chasing a better life the largest migration in human history
00:52:04I'm leaving shanghai and traveling further south to zhejiang province
00:52:11for many years the slogan from the top was for the citizens of China to follow the China dream that
00:52:18anything was achievable I don't think anything embodies that quite as well as the entertainment industry where
00:52:26dreams are made
00:52:32this is amazing
00:52:38I could be in the forbidden city of Beijing
00:52:41but I'm not sprawling across a huge area of what just 30 years ago was open farmland
00:52:52Hongdian world studios is China's answer to Hollywood
00:52:59this is the largest open-air film studio in the world and this is all one giant set
00:53:21I'm at Hongdian the world's largest open-air film studio with dozens of imposing sets it produces epic blockbusters that
00:53:32don't just entertain
00:53:33They celebrate China's vision of itself,
00:53:37its history, and its culture,
00:53:39whilst challenging Hollywood's global dominance.
00:53:46This is a little bit exciting.
00:53:49Ni hao.
00:53:51Been invited to see behind the scenes.
00:53:54How close can we go?
00:53:56Don't want to crash the scene.
00:53:583, 2, 1, start.
00:54:04I think they're all a bit confused about why I'm here.
00:54:08There's lots of smiling faces, like, who the hell is he?
00:54:13Every year, thousands of aspiring actors flock to Hongdien.
00:54:17Most only get work as extras, earning around £10 a day.
00:54:27Right.
00:54:28Had my behind-the-scenes.
00:54:29Now I'm going to go to Hongdien.
00:54:29I'm off to meet a show insider.
00:54:32I've arranged to meet someone who's defied the odds
00:54:35and made it as a professional actor.
00:54:37Daniel.
00:54:38Yeah. Hey, I'm Ben.
00:54:39Yeah, Ben.
00:54:40How are you?
00:54:42So tell me about this place.
00:54:43I mean, this is astonishing.
00:54:44I've just been watching a production.
00:54:46Do you know anything about this one?
00:54:47They are making a TV drama.
00:54:49This is big production values, though.
00:54:51There's a huge crew.
00:54:52Right.
00:54:53I know everyone always compares things to Hollywood, for example.
00:54:57Hollywood of East.
00:54:58Is that what it is?
00:54:59Exactly, yes.
00:55:00They got a lot of studios here.
00:55:02And you're an actor?
00:55:03I am an actor.
00:55:04Are you a big, famous actor, should I know you?
00:55:06Sorry.
00:55:06Kind of. No, no, no, no, no.
00:55:08You're kind of a big deal is what you're supposed to say.
00:55:10How long have you been an actor for?
00:55:1112 years, I think, yeah.
00:55:13And do you perform in...?
00:55:14The same thing.
00:55:14Yeah. Costume and makeup.
00:55:16Can you show me around a little bit, yeah?
00:55:18Okay, let's go.
00:55:22What's all this?
00:55:23That's the star in this film.
00:55:24His face is on every single drink, every single bun.
00:55:27Right.
00:55:29Today marks the start of shooting on a new film,
00:55:32starring one of China's hottest young actors, Li Lu.
00:55:36His fans are here in force.
00:55:39Have they all bought flowers?
00:55:41Exactly, yeah.
00:55:41All for him.
00:55:43Look, they're queuing up over there as well.
00:55:45Right.
00:55:46Everyone's got cameras set up.
00:55:48Exactly.
00:55:48This must be a pretty exciting moment for everyone.
00:55:50And they're crazy for their hero.
00:55:53The female actor, Li Lu.
00:55:59Hello, everyone.
00:56:00I'm Li Lu.
00:56:01I'm so happy to join with so many young actors.
00:56:05And I hope that this film can be a big fan.
00:56:09This is for all the films.
00:56:13You know, that's a Chinese tradition.
00:56:15It's an opening ceremony.
00:56:17Wow, so I think of most films as having a sort of closing ceremony,
00:56:23which is the film launch,
00:56:24and everyone walks along the red carpet and fans come along,
00:56:27but it sounds like it's flipped here.
00:56:31This traditional good luck ritual
00:56:33marks the start of every major production.
00:56:38It has its roots in an ancient Chinese custom,
00:56:41offering prayers and gifts to the gods
00:56:43before embarking on any important venture.
00:56:46They're now planting incense.
00:56:48This is all about good luck.
00:56:52I managed to get some incense.
00:56:54I feel like I'm gate-crashing their party though.
00:56:57Friends, love, love, have a great day!
00:57:04Two, one...
00:57:05I'm sorry.
00:57:07I'm sorry.
00:57:16Traditional cinema and TV dramas
00:57:18have long dominated the Chinese entertainment industry.
00:57:22But, increasingly, the younger generation
00:57:25are turning to their phones for entertainment.
00:57:32I assume we have to keep our voices down.
00:57:34Yeah, a little bit.
00:57:35They are shooting up there. OK, let me show you.
00:57:41Daniel's introducing me to a new kind of drama
00:57:44that's changing the future of entertainment in China
00:57:46and taking the world by storm.
00:57:50So what are they filming here?
00:57:52That's micro-drama.
00:57:54And what is a micro-drama?
00:57:55It's, like, kind of vertical stuff.
00:57:57And you just watch on the phone.
00:57:59Upright, like that? Right.
00:58:02Micro-dramas are bite-sized soap operas
00:58:05for the TikTok generation to watch on their phones.
00:58:08And there's a very hot app.
00:58:11Episodes are very short, packed with incident,
00:58:14and usually end on a cliffhanger
00:58:16to entice paying subscribers back for more.
00:58:20How long does a micro-drama last?
00:58:22It's about one minute to two minutes, one episode.
00:58:25And how many? 60 to 100.
00:58:2760 to 100 episodes in a whole series.
00:58:30Right. It's crazy, popular, hot stuff now.
00:58:33So how many people have watched one of these?
00:58:36Maybe five, six billions?
00:58:38Billions?
00:58:38Billions.
00:58:39Wow. So this is a huge industry.
00:58:41Yes. There are six floors.
00:58:44So it's a different set per floor.
00:58:46Per floor, right. You want to see?
00:58:48Yeah, I'd love to.
00:58:48OK, let's go second floor.
00:58:52Rather than on huge film sets,
00:58:54it's in this six-storey block
00:58:57that China's reinventing global entertainment.
00:59:01Micro-dramas are cheap to make,
00:59:03but they're earning their creators huge profits.
00:59:08This way.
00:59:09In 2024, revenue from micro-dramas
00:59:12overtook box office takings at China's cinemas
00:59:15for the first time.
00:59:17This is a smaller apartment.
00:59:19Right.
00:59:20It's like a bag time.
00:59:21Going back in time now.
00:59:26While the vertical format of micro-dramas
00:59:29is designed to appeal to the young,
00:59:31the storylines reflect traditional Chinese melodramas.
00:59:35In this scene, a young bride has got cold feet
00:59:38on the morning of her wedding.
00:59:44What makes a great classical drama?
00:59:46What kind of theme?
00:59:49Oh, like the theme.
00:59:50No, we like the boss.
00:59:52You know, the handsome boss.
00:59:54Are there themes
00:59:55that you can't make dramas about here in China?
00:59:59So you would never touch on politics?
01:00:01Oh.
01:00:03Like other forms of entertainment,
01:00:06micro-dramas are expected
01:00:08to reflect Communist Party values.
01:00:11Thousands of episodes have been taken down
01:00:13by the state censors
01:00:14because their content is considered
01:00:16too low-brow or vulgar.
01:00:20The boy's crying.
01:00:24The acting was so good,
01:00:25it made the child cry.
01:00:27Shall we go?
01:00:28Yeah.
01:00:28Before we get stuck here.
01:00:30I don't want to be made to cry.
01:00:32The scary man.
01:00:37This looks like an English...
01:00:38Yeah, it's British.
01:00:41You don't want me to drink coffee?
01:00:43You're a fool!
01:00:47You're a fool!
01:00:50Mom, how are you doing this?
01:00:53You're a fool!
01:00:55You're a fool!
01:00:55You're a fool!
01:00:56You're a fool!
01:00:59Micro-dramas may have been born right here in China,
01:01:02but they're the hottest new trend in online viewing,
01:01:06giving Hollywood a run for its money.
01:01:08Before long, one could be streaming straight to your phone.
01:01:13Modern tastes in how you consume media is changing all around the world.
01:01:17People don't have the concentration, including me.
01:01:20So that was like a single little film you'll watch on your phone,
01:01:23on the tube, on the bus.
01:01:25Suddenly you're in another world with great drama going on around you,
01:01:30and then the next one will drop later in the day or the next day.
01:01:34Very clever way on capitalising on the changing concentration spans.
01:01:39And this is the future.
01:01:40If I want a future in TV, I'm going to have to embrace this.
01:01:57I'm at Hung Dien World Studios, China's answer to Hollywood.
01:02:02This sprawling complex turns out hundreds of films and TV dramas every year,
01:02:08many steeped in traditional Chinese history and culture.
01:02:16So there's a scene, and you're going to play something.
01:02:20You're going to get me acting?
01:02:21Right.
01:02:22Here at Hung Dien, film fans can pay to be a movie star for the day.
01:02:27But for a foreigner like me, getting into character could be a real challenge.
01:02:33Hello.
01:02:34He looks like a director.
01:02:35That's a director.
01:02:36Hello.
01:02:39What's going to happen then?
01:02:40What do I need to do?
01:02:49Is he going to be a hero?
01:02:50This is kind of cool.
01:02:52Ni hao.
01:02:55We got a good shape.
01:02:59What do you think?
01:03:00It's cool.
01:03:01Yeah.
01:03:02Two minutes ago, I was just walking through in my cities.
01:03:05Look at me.
01:03:09Yeah.
01:03:11So, Daniel, what part are you playing?
01:03:14I'm baddie.
01:03:15You're the baddie?
01:03:16Right.
01:03:17I'm a dancer.
01:03:19My mother is actually an actress, and I did kind of want to be an actor,
01:03:24so maybe this is the fulfillment of my childhood dream.
01:03:30I'm really worried that he's super-gluing this to my head.
01:03:35Being called on set.
01:03:36They're waiting for us.
01:03:37Okay.
01:03:40From what I can make out, my role is to foil Daniel's baddie and emerge the hero.
01:03:48You've got the girl at this stage.
01:03:50Oh, yeah.
01:03:50I, I, I, I was robbing the girl right?
01:03:53You were robbing it.
01:03:54So what am I going to do Daniel now?
01:03:55I fight.
01:03:56You stay first.
01:03:57You're saved of the girl.
01:03:59I saved the girl.
01:04:04Leave the girl alone.
01:04:06It's not your business!
01:04:08I said, leave the girl alone.
01:04:11All right.
01:04:12Let's do it!
01:04:12Ah, yuck!
01:04:14No!
01:04:17No!
01:04:21No!
01:04:21No!
01:04:23No!
01:04:24No!
01:04:26So, Ra, how do you think I did?
01:04:28I think it's great.
01:04:30Do you think I have a future as an actor here in China?
01:04:33For sure.
01:04:33If it doesn't work out for me in the UK.
01:04:35OK.
01:04:36Well done.
01:04:37Well done.
01:04:38I think I might stick to the day job.
01:04:47I think it's fair to say with acting here,
01:04:50you go big or go home.
01:04:53If I went big, then I think I'm being sent home.
01:04:56I'm not going to be getting an Oscar for that.
01:04:59But for countless millions here, the China dream remains alive
01:05:04and fame and fortune beckons for those who really want it.
01:05:20On this first part of my travels through China,
01:05:23I've seen how this endlessly fascinating nation continues to draw inspiration from its rich culture.
01:05:31How its communist revolution still shapes daily life.
01:05:36And how innovation and creativity are combining to define China's vision of its future.
01:05:45Now, I'm leaving Hongdian and embarking on the next leg of my journey,
01:05:51deep into the heart of rural China.
01:05:56Next time, I looked the part to visit China's ancient bamboo forests.
01:06:03Up that way.
01:06:05In search of the nation's most elusive creature.
01:06:08Up that way.
01:06:10That's amazing.
01:06:11I feel incredibly privileged.
01:06:13From soaring mountains,
01:06:16to shimmering river valleys.
01:06:21Go get it!
01:06:24I explore the country's most cherished rural traditions.
01:06:28Where's our fish?
01:06:31Oh, you go well!
01:06:32And ask whether the timeless ways of the past can endure as China races towards the future.
01:06:44All that with Ben tomorrow and Wednesday at 9 here on 5.
01:06:48Next Monday on 5, a teen on a trip to France suddenly stops answering her messages
01:06:53in a brand new original drama, Missed Call, starting next Monday at 9.
01:06:57What part of the world has Ben Fogel not explored?
01:07:00There's a wealth of new lives in the wild and countries to discover with Ben.
01:07:05Stream now on 5.
01:07:05Next, Police Night Shift 999.
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