A portrait of a nation: a BBC documentary from the makers of the award-winning The Story of India. Home to over a billion people, China is the new superpower, a country we all want to understand now – and Michael Wood argues that to do so we have to look at its history. Travelling across the country, he explores the landscapes, peoples, wild stories and cultures that have helped create China’s distinctive character and genius over more than four thousand years. He meets people from all walks of life, explores ancient cities and traces some of the great moments in Chinese history – from their extraordinary voyages of exploration to their amazing scientific inventions. Full of big ideas and surprises, the series shows how the Chinese created their own distinctive vision of the world: a vision that is still alive in the 21st century and, Wood argues, is the real motor behind the incredible and growing success of China today.
