Text/Yangcheng Evening News all-media reporter Gong Weifeng Intern Zhang Xilong
In 1921, Anderson, Yuan Fuli and others excavated the Neolithic ruins of Yangshao Village in Shichi County, Henan Province, which was recognized by the academic community as the starting point of the development of Chinese archaeology.
2021 marks the centenary of Chinese archaeology. At the end of 2021, the Central Radio and Television Corporation launched an archaeological program "China Archaeological Conference", which received good ratings.
How to make the ruins and cultural relics scattered on the land of China "alive"? How did the stereotype of "boring and serious archaeological work" come about, and how to break it? Through the stage form of combining virtual and real, the thick history becomes vivid, can the audience accept it? Paying tribute to the centenary of Chinese archaeology, how did you think of combining it with variety elements? With many questions, the Yangcheng Evening News reporter exclusively interviewed Gao Dashan and Zhong Baohua, executive directors of the "Chinese Archaeological Conference".
For details, see the A14 edition of the Yangcheng Evening News on January 11
Audition: Only 12 of the 106 candidate sites "debuted"
When you think of "archaeology", what comes to mind?
Is it a vast sea of historical documents, is it the arduous excavation work of archaeologists in the documentary, or is it the thrilling tomb exploration film? Whether in the real world or virtual space, the work of archaeology is shrouded in a veil of mystery. The "China Archaeological Congress" decided to unveil this level for the audience - the program focused on 12 sites such as Liangzhu, Jiahu and Zhoukoudian, gathering more than 30 archaeological experts, cultural scholars, and 12 archaeologists to lead the audience into the "exploration space" of the site created by the studio to experience the whole process of excavating cultural relics and protecting cultural heritage. Executive Director Zhong Baohua introduced: "We planned and produced the "Chinese Archaeological Congress" in the hope of bringing to life the heritage displayed on the vast land. ”
Talking about the naming of the program, executive director Gao Dashan said: "Before, there has never been a variety show that presents archaeological work, coupled with the "Conference" series of brands created by CCTV with programs such as "Chinese Poetry Conference", "Chinese Idiom Conference", "China Geographical Names Conference" and so on, this new program was named "China Archaeological Conference". ”
The program team initially thought of continuing the classic answering mode of the "Conference" series, but after a meeting with experts from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, they gave up this idea. Gao Dashan said: "The nature of archaeology is special, we are not clear about which aspect of the knowledge of the contestants, we can not test the contestants how to excavate different tombs, right? ”
In November 2020, the planning of the "Chinese Archaeological Congress" began. Gao Dashan mentioned that the expert group initially selected 106 archaeological sites from all over the country, and planned to introduce 60 of them in 12 programs, with 5 explanations in each session. As the planning progressed, the number of alternative sites continued to decrease, and experts voted to reduce the number of sites from 106 to 60 and finally to 36, "We decided to use about 90 minutes of each episode to explain a site thoroughly." After layers of screening, 12 sites were finally left, balancing the time and space of Chinese history. Zhong Baohua interpreted: "In terms of time selection, according to the time vein of the entire archaeological generation, it also takes into account the main root vein of Chinese civilization; in terms of regional choice, there are yellow river basins and Yangtze River basins. ”
Zhong Baohua revealed that although the 12 phases of the site have a large pattern of Chinese history, the core of the story behind each site is different, "the first issue of 'Liangzhu' shows the history of Chinese civilization for more than 5,000 years, the second issue of 'Jia Lake' shows the cultural history of 10,000 years, and the third issue of 'Zhoukoudian' shows the history of mankind for millions of years." In addition, although the theme is 12 major sites, there are many horizontal connections in the content, "talking about the Zhoukoudian site will also talk about other ancient human sites such as the Yuanmou people; when it comes to the rice at the JiaHu site, it will also be connected to the Shangshan site in Zhejiang."
Innovation: immersive archaeological experience, escape room atmosphere
With cultural relics and classics programs such as "National Treasures" and "China in Classics" in front of them, how can the "Chinese Archaeological Congress" take its own unique path and make its own characteristics?
Zhong Baohua said that heritage programs are more difficult to do than cultural relics and classics programs. "After discovery, excavation and extraction of cultural relics, most of the sites have been backfilled. If we want to turn the archaeology of the site into a tv-based variety show, we need to adopt many new ways. ”
Is the audience interested in archaeology? Can the rhythm of introducing a site in one issue attract the audience? During the execution phase, the director team was under tremendous pressure.
Gao Dashan admitted that he did not finish the first episode of the festival and did not have a score in his heart: "The recording time of the first two programs was very long, each episode reached 13 hours, and the plan had about 70 pages. We groped through the production of the program, recording and improving at the same time, and gradually became clear what we really needed. At the beginning of the third phase, the program 'slimming down' to less than 28 pages. ”
The dust settling on the site selection is only the starting point of a huge workload, and there is a series of work behind it: program decomposition, written material collation, field research, communication with experts... Zhong Baohua said that the program team has investigated all 12 sites, and he himself has participated in the investigation of Liangzhu, Jiahu and Yungang Grottoes. Gao Dashan pointed out that the process of archaeological work is the dark line of each program - how each site is discovered and excavated, how to identify, clean and protect the excavated cultural relics, and the value and significance behind the cultural relics are condensed in 90 minutes, "Each program is a site reveal, we are based on the discovery, excavation, sorting, interpretation, protection, inheritance of the entire archaeology, these six processes to do."
In the program, the exploration space is the biggest innovation point of the program: the archaeologist enters the immersive environment created with XR technology (extended reality) and realistic props to experience the whole process of excavation of the site. Gao Dashan said: "Archaeologists enter the exploration space from the perspective of the audience, trace the process of site discovery and excavation, and experience the difficulties encountered in excavation. The oracle bone identification of the first phase of 'Yin Ruins', the dangling operation method of the first phase of 'Liangzhu'... The most unique elements of each site have been designed into the quest to explore the space, making it even more tangible. ”
The cultural relics of the exploration space must be realistic, but also can not use real cultural relics, what to do? Gao Dashan said: "The program team came to the museum, and without touching the cultural relics, did three-dimensional scanning modeling, and made a replica of the cultural relics 1:1. He pointed out that when the director team created the exploration space, it deliberately created a sense of room escape urgency to increase the effect of the variety show, but it also prevented excessive entertainment." The exploration space is similar to a reality show, this type of program is rare in CCTV, and we are also feeling the stones to cross the river. ”
The Chinese Archaeological Congress also recreates the picture of ancient life through dance and performance. The first phase of "Zhoukoudian" broadcast a live-action dance reflecting the life of the cave people on the top of the mountain; the first phase of "Liangzhu" showed the carving process of ancient jade; and the first phase of "Hai Di Hou" presented the scene of the palace women preparing for the night feast with the help of dance based on the scenes reproduced in the Hai Di Hou Museum. After the dance, the two hosts sat on the floor with the guests, looked at each other and drank, and opened the prelude to the introduction of the life scene of the Western Han Dynasty. Zhong Baohua explained that this corresponds to the collation and interpretation of archaeology, bringing the corresponding living scenes of the site to the program and enhancing archaeological visualization. "The addition of performances, dances and other forms to the program is to popularize the relatively unpopular archaeology and make obscure knowledge more popular and interesting."
Tribute: Generations of archaeologists search for the ultimate answer
Zhong Baohua said that the "Chinese Archaeological Conference" contains three meanings: "This is a conference where archaeological achievements and historical research results are displayed in a concentrated way; a conference where archaeologists from all over the country gather together to participate in the grand event; and a conference where the whole people share archaeological achievements and understand archaeological culture." These three meanings point to a tribute to archaeological work.
Each episode features a "Tribute to Archaeologists" section. Shi Xingen, the first discoverer of the Liangzhu ruins, Wang Mingda, the excavator of the Liangzhu Noble Tomb, Jia Lanpo and Pei Wenzhong, the excavators of Zhoukoudian, and Zhang Juzhong, who dedicated his life to the Jia Lake ruins... Each tribute adds a sense of solemnity and heaviness to the show.
Looking back at the figures of those archaeologists in the process of program research and planning, Zhong Baohua still remembers: "Archaeologists have been with the site for a long time, facing the loess with their backs to the sky. They may have rooted themselves in an archaeological site after graduating from high school and only do this one thing for the rest of their lives. What kind of fate and ups and downs has a cultural relic experienced in a neat and bright museum? How many people have worked hard for it to see the light of day? We hope that through the "China Archaeological Congress", the audience will know about this group of unknown devotees. Zhong Baohua also hopes that while appreciating cultural relics, every audience should not forget the efforts of the grassroots workers behind them, "traditional culture is not only in cultural relics and classics, but also in the humble and obscure efforts of archaeologists."
"The significance of making this show is to pay tribute to the century of Chinese archaeology, but it is not only to pay tribute to the century of archaeology." Zhong Baohua mentioned that in the traceability of civilization, allowing Chinese people to find cultural self-confidence is the core meaning of the program, "Although modern Chinese archaeology only has a history of one hundred years, what we are exploring behind is nearly one million years of human history, ten thousand years of cultural history, and more than 5,000 years of civilization history."
In the first phase of "Zhoukoudian", Zheng Xiaoning, an archaeologist, asked a lot of Chinese voices: "Where did our grandfather's grandfather come from?" Gao Dashan believes that the exploration of national ancestors and cultural origins is the appeal of the Chinese people, "The exploration of the source of civilization is not only the topic of archaeologists, but also the ultimate topic of every Chinese." We're also trying to find the answer on the show: Who were our ancestors? Where did our culture originate? Where did our civilization go from here? Why is that? ”
Gao Dashan believes that the figuration of abstract concepts is an important significance for archaeology and site bearing. China's five-thousand-year civilization is not a conceptual slogan, it exists in a down-to-earth manner. For example, the Liangzhu site just meets the world's recognized civilization standards. "At the Liangzhu site, we can see primitive symbols, jade carving craftsmanship, water conservancy systems, and also see a high-level social division of labor. Its excavation proves that five thousand years ago, the land of China already had a considerable height of civilization. ”
"From the ear cups of the Han Dynasty to today's wine glasses, from bronze goose and fish lamps to all kinds of table lamps... Walking into every site and every dynasty, we can sort out a lot of things that are related to the present, and not only artifacts and ways of living. "The square character Chinese s used today can be found in the original symbols of the 'JiaHu' phase and the oracle bones of the 'Yin Ruins' phase; the "Shiji", "Shijing" and "Analects" found in the tomb of Marquis Haixia are still held in our hands and read today. ”
Spread: Professional archaeology with pyrotechnic gas has successfully "out of the circle"
"Through this show, we want to convey to the audience what is the archaeological 'examination'? What artifacts to see at archaeological sites and museums? What can we get behind these artifacts? The context of each episode of the program is like a story told to children, simple but incomplete - what year and day, who found what kind of thing, what is it, what can be found after excavation, who is the original owner..." In Gao Dashan's view, the "Chinese Archaeological Conference" needs to play a role in leading the audience to understand archaeology and appreciate cultural relics, step by step, in order to guide the audience to obtain relevant information, so that the highly professional archaeology is attached to the fireworks.
How to bring archaeology into the public eye? In order to let the audience watch the program at the same time, there is a sense of participation and interaction, the "Chinese Archaeological Conference" has also made efforts at the level of publicity. The deprecated answering mode in the main film was adopted by the CCTV media terminal. Zhong Baohua introduced that with the broadcast of each program, it is also innovative to carry out synchronous answering questions on the account of the CCTV "China Archaeological Conference": "Each program has 10 to 20 questions for netizens to answer online on the CCTV platform, as well as behind-the-scenes footage. However, to attract the audience from the big screen to the small screen, it also puts forward higher requirements for incentive mechanisms and interaction methods. "The story points, knowledge points, and golden sentences of experts in each episode of the program will also be disseminated in the form of tweets, posters, etc. on the media side."
Gao Dashan admitted that when he first started making the show, his expectations for ratings were not high. However, after a few episodes of the show, the ratings and audience feedback received greatly exceeded expectations. Zhong Baohua also revealed that as of the seventh issue, the number of people reached by the TV end reached 376 million, and the number of people reached by the media end reached 6.2 billion. Among them, "the TV viewership data shows that many fans of the program are young viewers, young audiences aged 15 to 20 have increased greatly, and many primary and secondary school students are watching the program."
"We let the archaeological knowledge and popular science content break the concept of the audience's relatively fixed age group, and successfully achieved the circle." The director team continued to collect feedback information during the broadcast stage of the program, and many feedback left a deep impression on Zhong Baohua, "There are three generations of a family watching the program in front of the TV; there are parents who incarnate to teach teachers and instruct Mengwa to take notes; some first-grade students tell their mothers that this is much more interesting than online classes; and parents ask 'will there be matching books, so that we don't have to take notes'. "In addition to the student body and the general audience, the program has also attracted many professionals engaged in cultural work, and they also have a good evaluation of the program."
After doing the "Chinese Archaeological Conference", the biggest impression brought to Zhong Baohua is that doing solid content is the most important thing. "Although the archaeological work is relatively niche, when we do the project, we do not deliberately please the audience or crowd of people of a specific age group. Solidly do a good job in the content of the program, rely on the cultural temperament of archaeology itself, coupled with the assistance of novel forms, it can go out of the circle. (For more news, please pay attention to Yangcheng Pie pai.ycwb.com)
Source | Yangcheng Evening News Yangcheng Pie
Image | Infographic
Editor-in-charge | Zhu Fan