CGTN Documentary

Sable, also known as the snow elf, is much loved for its cuteness and ingenuity. But there’s another side to these animals as revealed by the secret eyes of Heilongjiang Youhao National Nature Reserve in northeast China. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

Dhole, known as the rarest canid in Asia, is rare and normally very hard to see. Now all that’s changed thanks to a bank of infrared cameras in Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve in Yunnan, bringing up fresh insights into the lives of the dhole population every day. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

The leopard - an apex predator that only rarely reveals itself to the human eye. But thanks to infrared cameras set up in Ningxia Liupan Mountain National Nature Reserve, we’re now privileged to get up close with a leopard family. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

When a male dwarf musk deer starts foaming at the mouth, what exactly does it mean? The answer to that question is revealed by secret eyes installed in Henan Baotianman National Nature Reserve. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

From marking its territory to striking the trademark postures that make the Giant Panda the most adorable creature in the world, infrared cameras hidden deep in the forest of China’s Giant Panda National Park reveal all. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

The "囍" character, since ancient times, has symbolized double joy and happiness. But when exactly did this character begin to weave itself into the rich tapestry of Chinese culture? And under what circumstances was it created? Join us on a sweet journey through time to unveil the story behind it. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changyi...

Collecting objects with the character "囍" is a journey to treasure happiness and joy," says Wang Yanping. Once a prima ballerina with the National Ballet of China, in 1999, a serendipitous encounter she had with "囍" started a love affair with the character. Since then, she has been acquiring items adorned with it, as conduits to carry forward her artistic journey. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu...

On the day of Dragon Boat Festival, a stately river parade is held in Hong Kong’s Tai O. Among the stilt houses of this tranquil fishing village, traces of a traditional but vanishing way of life can still be found. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

Built on the ruins of three Qing Dynasty imperial gardens, Beijing's Yuanmingyuan Park (The Old Summer Palace) has been open to residents and tourists for more than three decades. On this episode of Park Life in China, we explore the grounds during the Lotus Flower Festival, and see why millions of people still visit this ancient wonder each year. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li...

Beijing is world famous for the monuments and landscaping of its parks. Lesser known, however, is the rich community life that thrives in them. Every morning, elderly folks from surrounding neighborhoods gather in these public places for a wide range of leisure activities. Join us for this first episode in a series looking at park life in the Chinese capital. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi P...

The alleyways of old Beijing are home to all sorts of hidden gems where past and present meet. There’s one place in particular, an oasis of calm in the midst of a bustling city. That is Guozijian, the old imperial academy, focus of youthful ambitions in ancient times. There age-old Chinese traditions are kept going strong thanks of Z- generation youths. What a great place to mark May 4th, Chinese...

China's first National Botanical Garden is an urban oasis, offering a calm change of scenery in a place where nature, science and history all come together. Visitors, who arrive in large numbers throughout the year, can use its grounds to take a relaxing stroll, marvel at the live specimens in its huge greenhouse, immerse themselves in its historical sites, or absorb information in its plant museu...

From Qipao catwalking to stand-up Paddling, in Chaoyang Park, a multitude of lively leisure activities are always taking place, participated in by both the old and young. As the biggest park in central Beijing, the so-called “Sun Park” is much more than just a place where people come to cut out from the urban noise and enjoy peace and quiet. Join us in this episode of Park Life in China to find ou...

Beijing’s Olympic Forest Park is a Mecca for runners. Built as a supporting project for the 2008 Summer Olympics, its 680 hectares of nature gardens include landscaped hills, forests, lakes, and many kilometers of running track. That makes it an ideal location for residents of the capital to exercise; escaping the stress of city life in beautiful surroundings. In this episode we meet some of the m...

Tibet boasts many specialty agricultural products; pine mushrooms and potato orchids to name but two. But local farmers often find it challenging to market them to the outside world. To remedy this, e-commerce expert Wang Lei has been applying digital technology to agricultural product manufacturing, sales and transportation, with impressive results. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer:...

At New Year, on the big screen in Times Square, New York, a Tibetan-style New Year greeting grabbed the attention of passersby. Behind it was a dynamic young team whose members are using innovative ways of presenting traditional Tibetan culture to the world. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

Returning pastureland to grassland is an integral part of ecological restoration efforts in Tibet Autonomous Region. To provide recovery projects with enough plants to cover areas of restoration, a group of young scientists are working tirelessly at high altitude, searching for and cultivating suitable plants on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. They are staunch protectors of the plateau environment. Edi...

Located in the Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province, Lake Baiyangdian is the largest freshwater lake in north China. Years of pollution and drought had nearly dried it up. But thanks to the ecological restoration that was part of the new area’s development, older locals are happy to see that the clear and lucid waters they remember from their youth have now returned. Editor: Luo Wen O...

Cage culture fish farming used to bring decent incomes for local villagers in Panzhihua of southwest China's Sichuan Province. But the rising scale of the practice also harmed the environment of the Yangtze River's upper reaches. Encouraged by the local government, some villagers have switched to growing mangoes, making use of well-suited local conditions. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Prod...

The paper industry on the banks of the Fuchun River in Zhejiang was closed down to develop the local green economy. Zhu Meijuan from Huanggongwang Village made use of a tourism boom in the area and opened the village's first guesthouse. Today, the beautiful natural environment there is providing locals with a sustainable development opportunity. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xi...

In 2003, Changxing County in the coastal province of Zhejiang took the lead in implementing China’s “river chief system”, for which a single official is assigned responsibility for his or her own section of river or lake. Today, Qin Weijuan is among the many river chiefs across the country whose task is to protect its clean waters. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor...

The last episode shows how Cao Xueqin, a man who’d witnessed the country’s best days and endured its worst hardships, managed to sublimate his experience into a plaintive yet beautiful elegy to a bygone era and its lost ideals. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

Wang Xifeng is another vividly-portrayed female character in A Dream of Red Mansions. Though victimized in a patriarchal family for not bearing a son, she also, ironically, serves as a defender of the decadent feudal society. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

Lin Daiyu, the heroine of A Dream of Red Mansions, is regarded as the most prominent female protagonist in classic Chinese literature. The mutual affection between her and the principal male character Jia Baoyu, both immortals in their previous lives, has become iconic in Chinese culture. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Liu Changying

The Prospect Garden, a picturesque paradise, is the setting for much of the story in A Dream of Red Mansions. Mainly inhabited by bright, vivacious, intelligent and passionate girls, it’s a beautiful dream-like place. But just beneath the idyllic surface lurk the conflicts and vengeances of the real world. Editor: Luo Wen Operation: Qiu Ruiqi Producer: Li Xin Chief Editor: Zhang Wan Supervisor: Li...