At the outset I wish to point out how pleasantly surprised I was with this series of videos. Though only a little dated--things are moving fast in China these days--this is a very objective view of recent history and important internal developments in this huge country. The films are critical where they need to be and hopeful where hope seems reasonable.
The narration by Ms. Joan Chen is superb. Ms. Chen has direct experience of the myriad changes taking place in her home country over these recent years, thus lending a great deal of credibility to the series overall.
History is integrated quite well into the series, so that it presents a lay viewer with enough information to come to some understanding of the issues involved. This is accomplished through use of documentary footage as well as through interviews with participants in major events.
One comes away from this series of videos with a deep feeling of familiarity with the Chinese people who are interviewed throughout. The fears, frustrations, and anxieties of "jumping into the sea" (that is, leaving the old and familiar and venturing into a new style of life) are made palpable in each of the four videos.
The "great experiment" that began in China in the late 1970s has obviously gone through many twists and turns--crisis follows crisis. And yet, the experiment continues. The films show the plusses and minuses without flinching.
The question of China's ultimate direction is wisely left open at the end of the series. Who would dare attempt to predict China's future course after the heady experiences, the ups and downs, of the past twenty years?
This series will help bring the realities of today's China to anyone who views it. It will remain useful to educators for some time, because the issues contained therein are not likely to be resolved soon.
One final note, on a somewhat serious error found in Episode 4 "Hong Kong & the Boom Towns." Viewers are told that Chris Patten was appointed the last Governor of Hong Kong in 1989, when in reality, he was not appointed until 1992. One wonders how different the Hong Kong situation might have been if Patten had been Governor for eight years as opposed to five.
