Witnessing the Historical Process of Qin's Unification: The Broadcast of "Searching for Ancient China: Cloud Dream"
The large-scale documentary series "In Search of Ancient China, A Dream of Clouds", jointly produced by China Central Radio and Television and the National Cutural Heritage Administration, will be broadcast at 22:30 on CCTV's comprehensive channel from September 11.
The 5-episode documentary witnesses the historical process of the rise of the Chu State and the end of the long-term feudal separatism of the Qin State, achieving unity through numerous archaeological discoveries and the latest research results in ancient Yunmengze, Hubei Yunmeng Sleeping Tiger Land, and Zhengjiahu Cemetery. It showcases the historical picture of the convergence of brilliant cultures from different regions into the long river of Chinese civilization in the era of ethnic and cultural integration, as well as its profound influence.
The Cloud Dream of Ancient China first reveals multiple archaeological research results. For example, by analyzing the phytoliths in sediments and obtaining climate and hydrological data from thousands of years ago, the first complete restoration of the formation and evolution of the ancient Yunmengze can be achieved; For the first time, the appearance of the sleeping tiger land Han bamboo slips was presented in a video, and the Han Dynasty's inheritance of Qin's laws was verified; The latest archaeological excavations and interdisciplinary research results from the Zhengjiahu Cemetery reveal the real picture of population migration and interaction during the critical period of the formation of a unified multi-ethnic country in China.
Where did Yunmeng, this real and illusory name, come from?
Why is it difficult to find a trace of the magnificent scene of "steaming clouds and dreamland" depicted in ancient poetry thousands of years ago today?
Technological archaeology has revealed the answer to the tremendous changes that have occurred in the ancient Yunmengze area of the Jianghan Plain.
Tracing back to Yunmeng, through the dusty ruins of the ancient capital of Chu, Jinancheng and Tonglvshan, one can glimpse into the past glory and rise of Chu? Restoring the history of two thousand years ago, it was discovered that the State of Chu integrated numerous ethnic groups in the southern region of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, ultimately creating conditions for the unification of the Qin and Han dynasties.
A water conservancy project accidentally uncovered the mysterious veil of the ancient tomb of Shuihudi in Yunmeng County, Hubei Province. The first batch of Qin Dynasty bamboo slips in Chinese archaeological history - Shuihudi Qin slips - were later unveiled, making Yunmeng famous both domestically and internationally. Little people witness big history! The Qin bamboo slips record the life of a small official in the Qin state and major events in the process of Qin unification, providing a rare and unique perspective for modern people to understand the history of Qin unification. The earliest wooden slips and family letters discovered in China to date are also empirical evidence of the irreplaceable historical process of Qin's unification.
Why can Qin achieve unity, how can it be achieved, and what is the social landscape after Qin's unification? Hubei Yunmeng Sleeping Tiger Qin Bamboo Slips hide little-known puzzle codes and answers. More than half of the Sleeping Tiger Qin Bamboo Slips are legal documents, which can be regarded as an encyclopedia reflecting the social life and national governance of Qin. The half liang coins, pottery quantity and other cultural relics unearthed from Yunmeng also proved that Qin unified the system of writing, currency, and measurement. With the interpretation of authoritative experts and the reappearance of historical scenes empowered by technology, people can deeply feel Qin's path to becoming a strong country and the social and livelihood conditions.
Over two thousand years ago, during the process of Qin unification, how did the Qin people integrate into the Chu region? What is the interaction between the Qin people and the Chu people, and what are the similarities and differences in life and cultural customs? Archaeologists solved puzzles by exploring the Zhengjiahu Tomb Group in Yunmeng, Hubei, which includes Qin culture tombs and Chu culture tombs. Multidisciplinary experts use different methods to uncover the migration experiences and living experiences of the ancestors in the Zhengjiahu Tomb Group. Each vivid detail provides authentic and credible annotations for ethnic and cultural integration in the process of unification.
From the lying deer and standing birds standing on the streets of Yunmeng County to the unique shape of deer antlers standing proudly on the animal body commonly seen in Chu tombs in the central area of Chu culture, it highlights the romantic style and characteristics of Chu culture. What kind of outlook on life and universe does the phoenix bird embody among the Chu people, and what historical stories are it linked to? The exquisite bronze artifacts of the Chu people demonstrate how Chu culture merged into the long river of Chinese civilization? What kind of Chu cultural value do Chu cultural relics and Chu Ci and other cultural relics demonstrate? What is the profound influence of Chu culture in the diverse and integrated Chinese civilization? The program will lead the audience to find the answer.
The filming team conducted interviews and filming in multiple cultural and museum institutions, including Hubei Provincial Museum, Yunmeng County Museum, Xiaogan City Museum, Jingzhou Museum, and China National Museum, as well as more than 10 universities and research institutes, including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, Wuhan University, China University of Political Science and Law, and China University of Science and Technology, to ensure accurate and authoritative interpretation of the Chinese civilization created by the ancient Yunmeng land and witness the historical process of Qin University's unification.
The Cloud Dream of Ancient China continues to deepen the creative concept of "ideology+art+technology", with more than 30 cultural relics such as wooden slips and family letters, crouching deer and standing bird lacquered wood carvings, garlic pots, seals, etc. empowered by new technologies. The scenes of the Qin Chu War, Heifu and Jingshu Family Letters, Qu Yuan's "Ai Ying" and "Tian Wen" were reconstructed using XR+augmented reality technology to achieve the historical context of surreal scenes. During the live shooting of the Yunmeng shooting site, which is rich in original ecological landscapes, the host saw the emergence of a "mirror of civilization" created by innovative new technologies on site. Cultural relics, historical scenes, etc. were recreated from ancient times, providing a more suspenseful and immersive narrative.
Starting from September 11th, "Searching for Ancient China: Cloud Dreams" will premiere on the flagship new media platform of China Central Television, CCTV Video, and other new media platforms of China Central Television will be simultaneously broadcasted with CCTV Comprehensive Channel.
