Synopsis:
01. Glories Of Ancient Chang An
Begin your journey through China at the Great Wall and from there
witness such sights as the incredible Clay Army, the amazing World's
Largest Tomb and the fantastic Underground Murals of the Most Beautiful
Princess Who Ever Lived.
02. A Thousand Kilometers Beyond The Yellow River
Leave Xi-an and cross the Yellow River on a goat-skin raft. Visit the
giant Buddha at Bing-li-si, traverse the forbidding He-xi Corridor,
stroll the streets of the citadel town of Zhang-ye, and visit the
Nie-pan Buddha, already 200 years old when Marco Polo lived there in the
fourteenth century.
03. The Art Gallery in the Desert
The Art Gallery in the Desert. Focuses on the famous Mogao caves at
Dunhuang, which are indeed an art gallery of Buddhist art spanning
centuries. Excellent closeups and sufficient analysis in a clear fashion
to give some appreciation for the imagery and the changes in artistic
style, reflecting the cultural exchange that took place on the Silk
Road. It would have been valuable to have had more information on the
treasure trove of manuscripts that the famous explorer Aurel Stein
acquired at Dunhuang early in this century and took off to the British
Library, although in several places the series shows photographs of what
he discovered and items from other museum collections.
04. The Dark Castle
The Dark Castle. Includes a good sequence illustrating facets of travel
via camel caravan along the Silk Road. Focus is on the ruins of the
fortress-city of Karakhoto (one of the centers of the Xixia or Tangut
state that flourished in the region just prior to the Mongol invasion of
the thirteenth century), where the modern archaeological/film crew
finds various artifacts including pieces of silk and written texts. This
film would be quite appealing for younger students because it includes
some dramatization of the semi-legendary events surrounding the conquest
and destruction of Karakhoto by the armies of Chingis Khan.
05. In Search of the Kingdom of Lou-Lan
In Search of the Kingdom of Lou-Lan. Introduces the region just east of
the Taklamakan Desert--with striking shots of the terrain. Has an
interesting segment on the way in which Lake Lop Nor has "moved"
historically and the explanations why. Various archaeological
objects--coins, Roman beads, written texts--showing the international
connections of the kingdom that flourished here nearly 2000 years ago.
One of most interesting segments shows the excavation of some tombs,
with the uncovering of mummified bodies.
06. Across The Taklamakan Desert
Across the Taklamakan Desert. Again a good sense of the varied
geography, both physical and human, including a tour of a provincial
oasis town and its market. Information on the main population of the
area, the Uighurs, with interesting filming of such things as the making
of the characteristic flat bread that is a staple of their diet. Then
follows along the route of the famous explorer Stein to visit the ruins
of Miran and Niya, now well out in desert, but at one time located on
rivers and centers of sophisticated administration, economic and
religious life. One sees, among other things, the wooden beams of a
large "palace." Some of pictures taken from the artifacts removed to
museums by Stein and others, including the mummified bodies of a couple,
the silk robe that one of them was wrapped in, and the various objects
of daily life that had been buried with them. [On these mummies, see the
March 1996 National Geographic.] Clear evidence of the international
ties of the Silk Road cities, with both western and Chinese artistic
influences
07. Khotan-Oasis of Silk and Jade
Khotan: Oasis of Silk and Jade. A camel caravan brings big chunks of
jade down from the Kun-Lun Mountains south of the Taklamakan Desert.
Comments on religious significance of jade in China; picture of
spectacular suit of jade armor from a tomb. People searching for jade in
a river; then the jade market in town. The silk industry--weaving and
spinning. The famous tale of the "Silk Princess" who smuggled silkworms
out of China and is depicted in one of paintings discovered by the
archaeologist Aurel Stein. Expedition searches for that site in the
desert (Dandan Oilik) but fails to locate it. Scenes of typical Uighur
market day in Khotan, but Japanese film crew play the foolish tourists. A
silk dance, with the female dancers carrying plates of cocoons. Visit
to the local ice house in the heat of mid-summer. Some rather silly
dialogue (When did you get the ice? In January? Oh, you mean in winter!)
and a remarkable assertion that Uighurs have little furniture in their
houses today because once (hundreds of years ago!) they were nomads.
Other somewhat demeaning comments on Uighurs. Mosque scene with some
5000 worshippers on Friday--China as a bastion of freedom of religion
today. A little about history of Khotan as a Buddhist center before the
arrival of Islam in tenth century. Visits there by Xuanzang, the 7th
century pilgrim, and by Marco Polo in the thirteenth century.
08. A Heat Wave Called Turfan
A Heat Wave Called Turfan. Mud lake below sea level, excessive heat in
summer with people sleeping in open air on roofs. Spectacular ruins of
city of Gaochang (Kocho) with a fair amount on history and culture and
some pictures of important artifacts including Manichaean and Nestorian
paintings. Emphasis on cosmopolitan nature of the town. Impressive T'ang
era fortress of Jiaohe (Yarkhoto) on a large plateau, but minimal
comment on its history. Importance of grape harvest and raisins to the
local economy; shows process of drying the raisins. The important
Bezeklik Buddhist caves in nearby mountains, but talks as much about
destruction by locals and foreign archaeologists as it does about
content of paintings. One painting shows supposedly foreign ambassadors
from more than a millenium ago. Interesting footage of the karez
underground irrigation system including a walk through the channels.
Overall, a lot of useful material in this film.
09. Through the Tian Shan Mountains by Rail
Through the Tian Shan Mountains by Rail. The 470 km. trip from Turfan to
Korla, starting in the Gobi region, crossing the eastern Tien Shan and
down into the northern Tarim Basin oases. Travel was at time railroad
just completed (ca. 1980); much of footage and narrative is a paean to
the benefits the railroad would bring to the indigenous peoples. Apart
from lots of photos of the steam locomotive passing through sometimes
stark landscape, also some good camel shots, since several taken along
for the expedition to test how difficult camel travel over the mountain
passes would have been for historic Silk Road travelers. Some
interesting shots of T'ang era fortifications, especially at Iargo (?).
Construction technique not packed earth layering but layering of rounded
boulders with reed mats. Brief section on some 2500-year-old burials of
nomads, with some elegant gold animal-style artifacts. Notes that even
in 400 B.C. area had active E-W exchange. Brief music/dance performance
in front of yurt of local Torft (? Oirot?) nomads. Tragedy of their
Kalmuck ancestors in 18th century alluded to but not properly explained.
At Yanqi (Karashahr) oasis on Kaigdu River, notes population is Hui
Muslims, but when Xuanzang passed through in 7th century it had been
Buddhist. Brief glimpse of Shi Koshing Buddhist cave complex in ruins; a
few of sculpted artifacts.
10. Journey Into Music:South Through the Tian Shan Mountains
Journey Into Music: South Through the Tian Shan Mountains. From marshy
800 sq. mile lake through what film calls the most formidable pass in
the southern Tien-Shan and on to Kucha, some 300 km. west of the pass.
Some discussion of how important and cosmopolitan it had been in earlier
centuries. Donkey cart "busses." Flourishing market today ("abundance
of consumer goods in recent years" with nylon blouses the rage, not
silk). Emphasizes fame of Kucha for its fruit and its music. Music theme
throughout this film is one of its strengths: Harvest and threshing
scenes and their songs, a cradle song, harvest festival with mashrab
music and various traditional instruments such as dop, dotar, asatar. A
tray dance, a performance of a traditional love song by an elderly woman
accompanying herself on the long-necked lute, a wedding scene and its
music. Interspersed is effort of Expedition to determine whether any of
the instruments today are similar to ones that had come to Japan in
earlier centuries via Silk Road and Kucha. Historic artifacts and
paintings brought to bear--a painted box showing an "orchestra" which
had been excavated in Buddhist ruins of Subashi Castle in 1903;
paintings in Qumtura and Kizyl caves. In former find a 4-stringed
instrument depicted which is like the Japanese lute (biwa), Tocharian
inscriptions and images with Western features. In Kizyl Caves, largest
such complex after Mogao in Dunhuang, the "Music Cave" (no. 38) with
many images of angels (apsaras) playing instruments. One has a 5-string
lute, the unique example of which in Japan being one in the 8th-century
collection of the Sho-so-in. It seems to have traveled from India, via
the Tarim Basin, and then East. Xuanzang quoted about the superiority of
the instrumental music of Kucha. This film has a great deal of
interest.
11. Where Horses Fly Like the Wind
Where Horses Fly Like the Wind. On the Kazakhs of the Northern Tien Shan
(the narration notwithstanding, not to be confused with the Cossacks).
Views of horses and sheep in mountain pastures. The oasis city of Hami,
famous from early times for its melons. Interesting scene of salt
production. At Hami, the "Silk Road" branches, one route going south of
the Tien Shan to Turfan, Korla and Kucha; the other north to Lake
Barkol. Han armies pursued Huns as far as Barkol. Interesting views of
hospitality in a yurt, including ceremony of serving a sheep's head.
Shows milking a mare, and discusses the importance of mare's milk in
diet, but does not explain adequately processing of milk products.
Interspersed with views of current nomadic life are historical
references and quotations regarding the nomads from the early Chinese
histories. Even in this region Han-era signal towers, which were manned
by thousands of soldiers. Stress on fact that it was here the Han
emperor sought the "heavenly horses" for his armies. Script errs in
saying Chingis Khan led "Golden Horde" through here (Golden Horde is the
common designation for the western part of the Mongol empire which came
into being only after his death). Legend of Prince Mu meeting the Queen
Mother of the West (Xi Wang Mu) in Tienshi Lake. Interesting footage of
Kazakh wedding; several scenes with music. September market at L.
Tsaidam when nomads begin to descend from their summer pastures. Stress
on new prosperity, availability of manufactured goods, and ethnic
diversity ("races"). Ends with problematic assertion that sedentary
agriculturalists change, but way of life of nomads never does (=part of
the "romance" of the Silk Road). The expedition unable to cross border
into USSR near where Ili River enters Kazakhstan.
12. Two Roads to the Pamirs
Two Roads to the Pamirs. 3700 km. from Chang-an to Kashgar--in old days a
full year's journey. Kashgar's main mosque and celebration of end of
Ramadan with thousands in square; music and dancing (for men only)."Tomb
of the Fragrant Concubine" (Abakh Khoja Mausoleum), burial place of
17th and 18th century Naqshbandi Sufi rulers; legend of the Kashgari
woman Xiangfei, who met tragic fate as emperor's concubine. School for
non-Chinese--cute kids identify their ethnic groups in rogues' gallery
lineup. Bazaar and craftsmen--lathe run by hand bow; beaten copper pots,
making jewelry, musical instruments--continuation of tradition of
Kashgar as commercial center. Marco Polo quoted on city. Modern truck
caravan trade over Karakorum Highway to Gilgit in Pakistan--barter
exchange with silk, ceramics, tea, tools, thermoses from China in
exchange for dried fruit, nuts, nylon scarves, medicines. Dancing
entertainment. 1300-yr.-old Buddhist caves on outskirts of city, the
oldest in Xinjiang (narrator mis-speaks--200-300 BCE), but all despoiled
now. Drive toward Pakistan with scenic views, nomadic herders; scene of
yak caravan crossing glacier to illustrate difficulty of mountain
travel. Old fort at Tashkurgan; Ptolemy cited for report from Greek
merchants about "Stone Tower" (the film does not mention it likely was
not the one here...). Xuanzang passed through here. Tajiks of region; an
interesting Tajik village wedding with dancing. Ends on Khunjerab Pass,
4943 m.
