TV series takes high road to depict Guizhou's 'museum of bridges'

Known as "the museum of bridges", Guizhou, a mountainous province in southwestern China, is home to around 30,000 bridges built since the late 1970s, among them nearly 100 of the tallest in the world.

A four-episode documentary shot by two teams, one from Shanghai Media Group and the other from Guizhou Satellite TV, ventured deep into the mountains. They dedicated nearly three months to interviewing residents and capturing footage, and exploring how the bridges have paved the way for the province's development.

A symposium about the series, Wanqiao Feijia — Shanshuijian De Renlei Qiji (Bridge of Myriad Connections: The Human Marvel Amid Landscapes), was held in Beijing on Nov 10.

Liu Meiru, deputy director of the publicity department of the National Radio and Television Administration, said that with its storytelling perspective, in-depth portrayal of the spirit of craftsmanship, and collaborative teamwork, the documentary depicts the panorama of Chinese modernization in a distinctive way.

Yin Hong, vice-chairman of the China Literature and Art Critics Association, said the documentary uses bridges as a way to narrate the story of Guizhou's transformation, reflecting the changes to the province's economic growth and environment.