If you have a chance to talk with a historical figure, who would you like it to be? What would you like to know about the past or share from today? China in the Classics, a new TV show based on Chinese classics started by China Central Television (CCTV) in February, is exploring such possibilities.
In the first episode (集), the host of the show, Sa Beining, meets ancient Confucian scholar Fu Sheng, who interpreted Shangshu — The Book of Documents. Regarded as one of the five classics of ancient Chinese Confucianism masterpieces, the book records many firsts in the country. Even the expression zhongguo (China) is used there first.
The episode ends with the host bringing Fu to today's modern society, where the scholar is happy to find children learning the same things he had learned in his childhood. It increased the rating of the series with viewers giving it 9 out of 10 on Douban, a film and TV show reviewing website popular among young people.
The success of China in the Classics doesn't surprise Shen Haixiong, head of the China Media Group. Shen said in an article in the journal Qiushi, "We are happy to see the program is popular among the public, but we are more proud to find that innovative interpretation of Chinese classics are arousing young people's interest in Chinese culture."
Therefore, TV channels have been making bold attempts in recent years to attract today's younger generations. The Nation's Greatest Treasures, CCTV's cultural show in 2017, showcased China's history and culture through antiques in the top-class museums, and fired up the audience. The treasures include the 3,300-year-old Yinxu Ruins in Henan Province and the 1,300-year-old Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.
CCTV should make a variety of programs showcasing classics and cultural traditions to appeal to the young generation's aesthetics (美学), said Zhou, a professor at the School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University.
