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Popular strategy： China Stories told by non-Chinese TV HostsIt has been a common strategy of Chinese business to hire western faces to promote their brand but it is not the case with “Mundane Glory”, when it is aiming to tell the real stories in China from a global perspective.
Following the footsteps of two international TV personalities - Anthony Morse and Eunice Olsen, “ the video show explores contemporary China and shares the stories with global audience on its YouTube channel “I’m in China”. The two hosts traveled from China’s developed cities of Shanghai to remote rural regions of Guizhou, aiming at telling the extraordinary stories of ordinary people from China.
"We want to tell the real stories about strivers living in our country, “ said Hu Rong, director of the show from Mango TV, one of the most popular video platforms in China.
“So that people around the world could get a sense of what today’s China is really like, and how the people are like, without any bias or political agenda,” she said.
The show was born in an era whereas the western media often put an unfavorable spotlight on China. The concept of “China Threat” is popular in media and publications, as seen in books including “The China Threat: How the People's Republic Targets America” by Bill Gertz, or documentary “The Coming War on China” by John Pilger. Viewers can easily sense the sentiment in Netflix’s 2020 TV comedy “Space Force” when China replaced Russia as the number 1 enemy of the United States in outer space.
For the creators of “Mundane Glory”, it is a smart move to have two non-Chinese storytellers telling the “real Chinese stories” on the ground, because both of them have added a global perspective to the show, as well as provided a better understanding about China as they shared Asian roots - both of the hosts are half Asian.
Extraordinary Stories from Ordinary People
The show features ordinary people from all walks of life, especially highlights how technologies are changing people’s lives from first-tier cities to remote rural areas across China.
For example, viewers could see the stories of a girl in the remote southwestern village, selling fruits and vegetables to the whole country instead of just within the village, using the live-streaming platform by Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and have a better idea as how lives are changed in the advent of popular tech tools millions of people favor.
It reflects the common theme that happens in many farming counties and villages across China, and is seen as part of the broader efforts by the Chinese local governments to combat poverty and drive growth in the rural areas. According to China’s Statistics Bureau, the population living in poverty has reduced to 5.5 million by the end of 2019, from nearly 10 million seven years ago, partly thanks to the implementation of internet and e-commerce.
The show also puts human faces to the country’s science and innovation space, with the hope of changing the rigid images often seen in the western popular culture. In stead of the “China threat” story portraying Chinese technology taking over the world, viewers can see the real stories of how the scientists and engineers live and work and understand they are as humane and real like their counterparts in any other countries.
For instance, viewers could have a peak into the lives of a group of Chinese scientists and engineers who’ve devoted their lives in the deep space project up in the mountains of Guizhou. The show also gives spotlight to the female engineers who told the TV host how proud they are for being in the project to explore the secrets of the universe.
“I admire their dedication to their work, as it’s not easy being away from their families. It was particularly inspiring meeting the female members of the FAST team, as their representation is significant to the development of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in China, and they are also role models for younger women in China to enter the field of STEM,” said Eunice Olsen after interviewed the engineers.
The creators of the show have hoped that global viewers could understand better what the real Chinese people are like and feel the sense of shared common humanity in many causes and challenges facing mankind, such as environment issues.
The cute little story on panda breeders have gained a lot of attention on youtube, as viewers are provided a rare window to see what China is doing on the ground to preserve its national treasure, one of the most endangered species in the world.
“(When the COVID-19 is over), I would recommend global tourists who visit China spending a day at the Chengdu Panda Base to learn about all the efforts that are taking place to preserve this incredible species”, said Anthony Morse, after he interviewed the panda breeders.
Summary
Like “The Hero with a thousand faces”, Mundane Glory”, consisting of 15 episodes, unveils the stories of unsung heroes in each episode.
It is not the ordinary routine of having some western faces telling the story, but people with global perspective yet good understanding about China, traveling inside the country, meeting the people there and telling the real stories.
Contact Info:
Name: Tianshu Zhao
Email: Send Email
Organization: FAB World Culture & Comms Ltd.
Address: B16,3F, BuildingA, Yishawenxin Square, Sihui Bridge South, Chaoyang
Website: http://iaminchina.cn/
Release ID: 88971222
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