Documentary to tell Silk Road's modern stories

A new documentary by the director of "A Bite of China" will focus on stories of modern travellers on the ancient Silk Road.

The eight-episode documentary "Silk Road: Journey Goes On," directed by Chen Xiaoqing and his team, will broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) from Sept. 2.

Known for producing "A Bite of China," a successful 2012 documentary on Chinese food culture,Chen said his team abandoned the historical approach but instead concentrated on modern travellers on the Eurasia land passage.

The documentary presents the stories of 56 ordinary people from China and other countries along the Silk Road, Chen said.

Their longing for a better life, curiosity about unfamiliar lands and faithfulness to their beliefs are all reasons behind the millennium-long prosperity of the trade routes, he said.

"The Silk Road was not created by a hero, but the determination of its numerous travellers," said Li Wenju, executive director of the documentary.

Opened in the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-25 AD), the Silk Road consists of interlinking trade routes that wind through west China, central and western Asia, before reaching the Mediterranean region.