In recent years, a number of archaeological documentaries such as "Why China", "See Sanxingdui Again" and "Liangzhu" have emerged, recording the landscape of archaeological excavations from different perspectives, and enriching the profound connotation of "Why China" with images.
Discover the origins of civilization
Archaeological documentaries take cultural relics as a starting point to explore the hidden historical memories behind cultural relics. The popular "Why China" crosses time and space with a grand vision, comprehensively and deeply tells the millions of years of human history, 10,000 years of cultural history and more than 5,000 years of civilization history in the land of China, and clarifies the basic context of the pluralistic and integrated development of Chinese civilization. "Liangzhu" leads the audience to immerse themselves in exploring the past and the present, providing evidence and preservation for the inheritance of Liangzhu culture. According to Chen Liqiang, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at Tianjin Normal University, "From the perspective of empirical evidence that Chinese civilization has lasted for 5,000 years, these documentaries have very important cultural anthropological value. ”
The study of archaeology should "see people through things", and documentaries use film and television narratives to depict a more specific and warm social outlook of the times in which their ancestors lived. In these documentaries, documentary narratives and archaeological evidence echo each other, allowing the audience to understand the macro rhythm of civilization development. Gan Chao, the chief director of "Why China", said: "There will be more and more audiences who will understand archaeology and Chinese civilization through documentaries, and get inexhaustible motivation to forge ahead. ”
Show the spirit of struggle
Over the past 100 years, generations of archaeologists have seen greatness in the subtleties, taking root in the field, forging ahead, and gradually piecing together an ancient world from the field. With the image of people, archaeological documentaries use the storytelling of life to show the fighting spirit of archaeologists in the exploration of history and cultural inheritance.
In the fields, in the midst of exploration, archaeological excavations are rigorous and long. Archaeological documentaries not only tell the audience about the historical scene, but also present the wonderful stories behind the archaeologists, adding bright colors to this type of documentary. "Dawenkou" tells the story of the discovery and excavation of the Dawenkou site by archaeologists, as well as the story of today's research and protection of Dawenkou culture, showing the historical context of the origin and development of Chinese civilization. "See Sanxingdui Again" focuses on the highlights, mysteries, and difficulties in the excavation process, showing the humanistic spirit of generations of Chinese archaeologists who have searched up and down and sought the truth from the roots.
Liang Junjian, an associate professor at Tsinghua University's School of Journalism, said: "More and more documentaries are focusing on the archaeologists behind the excavations, exploring the contemporary value and significance of archaeological work with vivid stories and real details. ”
Continuing the Chinese context
It lasted 3 years, traveled more than 4,230 kilometers in total, and arrived at more than <> sites, museums, archaeological sites, etc., presenting the audience with an archaeological feast of Chinese civilization - "Why China" is the specific practice of documentarians using the lens to continue the Chinese context and interpret "why China".
Let the ruins awaken and let the relics speak. Archaeological documentaries continue to explore the soul of memory and the roots of Chinese civilization. Documentaries such as "Searching for Ancient China", "Song of the Grand Canal" and "Seeing Ji Nan City" dig deep into the archaeological achievements of the past century, and they either know the subtleties and explore the cultural heritage of cultural relics, or they are diversified and integrated, systematically showing the changes of the times and the picture of civilization. Qin Ling, the academic chief producer of "Why China" and associate professor of the School of Archaeology and Museums of Peking University, believes that the novel and rich content and ingenious expression interweave the rich narrative longitude and latitude of archaeological documentaries, injecting new vitality into the continuation of Chinese culture.
Jin Ruiguo, Director General of the Department of Policies and Regulations of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said: "What we want to explore is the characteristics of Chinese civilization and the spirit of the Chinese nation, and find the cultural genes that make us Chinese, which is the origin of Chinese civilization and the source of cultural self-confidence." The archaeologists in "In Search of Ancient China" lead the audience into the archaeological site to "ask the roots and ask where they came from", showing the great process of continuous development and progress of the Chinese nation; "Song of the Grand Canal" deeply excavates the profound cultural values and spiritual connotations carried by the Grand Canal, presenting the endless Chinese cultural outlook; "Seeing the City of Jinan" deconstructs the historical mystery and cultural characteristics of the city from multiple perspectives such as archaeological discoveries and the background of the times, and presents the continuous development path and brilliant territory of Chinese civilization...... As a mirror image of historical development and cultural heritage, the documentary highlights the continuity of Chinese civilization through tracing and interrogation, and lays out an all-encompassing picture of Chinese civilization.
(Reporter Niu Mengdi, correspondent Sun Xiaoxue)
Source: Guangming Daily