National treasures come to life on TV show

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A 7,800-year-old bone flute found in Jiahu relics is the earliest discovered Chinese musical instrument. [Photo provided to China Daily]


"If people are bored, there is something wrong with our methods," she said.


In a segment on A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, a well-known Chinese painting now housed in the Palace Museum, actor Li Chen plays Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).


Historical records show Wang Ximeng, the man behind the painting, was a student at the royal painting academy who failed to produce satisfactory work. But his potential was discovered by Huizong. Under the emperor's tutelage, the 18-year-old budding genius completed this milestone in Chinese fine art history within half a year.


Yu described the episodes as similar to docudramas, with elements such as dialogue that are fictionalized while the storylines are based on historical information. "These cultural relics are like aged people. They have so much to tell us."


Sometimes, comedy is also employed.


When Wang Kai plays Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in a section about a porcelain vase commonly called the "mother of porcelains", he has a dream in which he is roundly rebuked for his taste by artists and his father. The taunts sound like those used recently by Chinese netizens.


Still, the show corrects misperceptions about Qianlong and uses the vase as an example of inclusiveness.


Choosing the right performer for each item is itself a fine art, Yu said. They are called the "guardians of the relics".


Duan Yihong, an actor known for his portrayals of subtle emotion, was chosen to play a sword spirit who has a long monologue. The sword belonged to Goujian, a king in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), who suffered humiliation before defeating his adversary.


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