0:00:03 > 0:00:06'I'm going on a series of astonishing adventures...'
0:00:08 > 0:00:09Whoa!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11It's absolutely stunning.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14'..travelling along three of the mightiest rivers on the planet.
0:00:18 > 0:00:19'These rivers have given rise to some
0:00:19 > 0:00:22'of the world's greatest civilisations.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30'For centuries, we've worshipped their life-giving waters...
0:00:33 > 0:00:36'..and feared their awesome, destructive powers.'
0:00:36 > 0:00:37The current is a killer!
0:00:40 > 0:00:44'On these epic journeys I'll meet some extraordinary characters...'
0:00:44 > 0:00:45THEY GREET EACH OTHER
0:00:51 > 0:00:53'..and experience the very different cultures,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57'religions and countries that have emerged along our sacred rivers.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05'In this episode, I'll be travelling 2,000 miles along the legendary
0:01:05 > 0:01:10'Yangtze, Asia's longest river, from the far west of China,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13'to Shanghai where it flows into the sea.'
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Yay! We're over the Yangtze.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24'For decades, China's communist leaders tried to eradicate
0:01:24 > 0:01:27'religious beliefs and ancient philosophies.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30'But China's changed and this journey is a chance for me
0:01:30 > 0:01:34'to learn more about what people here now actually think and believe.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45'Following the Yangtze will take me into the heart of a country once
0:01:45 > 0:01:49'cut off from the outside world, but that's now being transformed.'
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Look at what we as a species are capable of.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54It's displayed here, I think,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57like nowhere else I've seen on Planet Earth.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59'There's no doubt China's growth in recent decades has been
0:01:59 > 0:02:01'remarkable, with hundreds of millions
0:02:01 > 0:02:03'of people lifted out of poverty.'
0:02:05 > 0:02:07I'm a bit taken aback, frankly.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10'But with prosperity, has come a search for meaning.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13'Are there faiths and beliefs here that can help influence
0:02:13 > 0:02:15'the path the country takes in the future?'
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Oh, flipping heck!
0:02:41 > 0:02:43What a fantastic viewpoint.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45It's breathtaking.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Part of the reason I wanted to start the journey along this
0:02:49 > 0:02:55stretch of the Yangtze, because this is the first bend in the river.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57"So what?" I hear you say.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Well, the Yangtze is heading south, this way,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02and really it should head out of China,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04but it hits these hills,
0:03:04 > 0:03:09this mountain range over here that's made of hard limestone
0:03:09 > 0:03:12that it just can't erode, even over eons of time.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16So the river does an abrupt about-turn
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and it heads thataway back into and across China,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23and, in doing so, takes water and civilisation
0:03:23 > 0:03:26and life to hundreds of millions of people.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Without the river, without this bend in the river,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35China as we know it would not exist.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50'The Yangtze River basin covers a fifth of China's land surface
0:03:50 > 0:03:52'and is the breadbasket of the nation.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01'So crucial is the Yangtze to the existence of China,
0:04:01 > 0:04:05'that it features in creation myths about the country.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12'According to legend, it was a mythical emperor who used an army of
0:04:12 > 0:04:16'dragons to shape the geography here and turn the river towards China.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35'The local Nakhi people worship nature and the sacred river Yangtze.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37'Many still believe in dragon gods
0:04:37 > 0:04:39'that are both benevolent and terrifying.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'At the Dragon Pool temple, close to the first bend,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59'I was meeting up with He Wenguang, a Nakhi musician,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01'who comes from a long line of local priests.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11'For thousands of years, powerful dragon gods
0:05:11 > 0:05:14'and the Yangtze River have been part of Chinese folklore.'
0:05:18 > 0:05:19Could you tell us a little bit about
0:05:19 > 0:05:22your beliefs in relation to the river?
0:05:23 > 0:05:27- TRANSLATION:- According to Nakhi culture, God had two wives.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30The first wife gave birth to the natural world -
0:05:30 > 0:05:33the rivers, lakes, seas and all living creatures.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39The second wife gave birth to human beings,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43that's why we believe that man and nature are very closely related.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47So we always worship nature and worship the Yangtze River -
0:05:47 > 0:05:50these beliefs are the cornerstone of our faith.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00What powers does the dragon god have?
0:06:02 > 0:06:06The dragon god is responsible for the climate and the earth.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09If we offend the dragon god there could be a drought or flooding
0:06:09 > 0:06:13and the villages and fields would be destroyed.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17So we must worship and respect him
0:06:17 > 0:06:20so that we will have a good harvest and a good life.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42'The ancient city of Lijiang dates back to the 5th century
0:06:42 > 0:06:45'and is home to 60% of the Nakhi people -
0:06:45 > 0:06:47'one of China's many ethnic minorities.'
0:06:50 > 0:06:51I think it's this one.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55'Nakhi musician, Mr He, invited me
0:06:55 > 0:06:57'to his home the next day to meet his family.'
0:07:00 > 0:07:02THEY GREET EACH OTHER
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- Mr He.- Welcome to my family.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Welcome... That's nice. Thank you.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- Hello!- Hello!
0:07:11 > 0:07:15'Many Ethnic minorities in China complain they've been
0:07:15 > 0:07:19'marginalized by the majority Han Chinese people, who make up
0:07:19 > 0:07:21'more than 90% of the population.'
0:07:21 > 0:07:24THEY SPEAK IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'The Nakhi are keen to try to preserve their culture and beliefs.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30'Mr He's 83-year-old mother, Xiao Rulian,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32'is well-known locally.'
0:07:32 > 0:07:37Why are you known as the Nakhi Queen? How have you got that title?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- TRANSLATION:- I was put on this earth to sing.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43If I sang for three days and three nights I wouldn't even finish,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47maybe that's why people call me the Nakhi Singing Queen.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54'Mr He had invited friends over for a traditional singsong.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56'Some of their outfits appeared to have been
0:07:56 > 0:07:58'inspired by the Village People.'
0:08:04 > 0:08:08TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND SINGING
0:08:12 > 0:08:15'Many Nakhi songs express reverence for the Yangtze
0:08:15 > 0:08:19'and for the creatures that live on its banks, like the frog.'
0:08:19 > 0:08:22MUSIC AND SINGING CONTINUES
0:08:24 > 0:08:26You're going to chuck me in, are you? OK.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36I've got a slightly rubbish action.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Are you saying I have to channel my inner frog?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- TRANSLATION:- Yes.- OK.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46I can barely move like a human,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50so moving like a frog is going to be difficult, but...
0:08:50 > 0:08:51Down, down...
0:08:54 > 0:08:56- LAUGHTER - She approves.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Is that part of Nakhi culture?!
0:09:17 > 0:09:19LAUGHTER
0:09:21 > 0:09:25'The Nakhi are one of dozens of ethnic minorities in China.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28'Some have received help from the authorities to
0:09:28 > 0:09:32'preserve their traditions and beliefs.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34'But several groups, such as Muslim Uighurs in the far west of
0:09:34 > 0:09:36'the country, are campaigning
0:09:36 > 0:09:39'against what they see as state control.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42'Separatist groups claiming to represent ethnic minorities
0:09:42 > 0:09:45'have even launched deadly terrorist attacks.'
0:09:47 > 0:09:50There are a lot of issues with ethnic groups in China.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52In some parts of the country, ethnic groups have been
0:09:52 > 0:09:55agitating for more freedoms and even independence,
0:09:55 > 0:10:00and their behaviour is considered by the Chinese authorities to be
0:10:00 > 0:10:05a massive threat to national unity and thus national security as well.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10The Chinese state saw what happened in the Soviet Union
0:10:10 > 0:10:12when communism collapsed there and
0:10:12 > 0:10:14the Soviet Union fragmented into smaller states,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18and they are terrified of the same thing happening here.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24'One of the longest running campaigns for independence has been
0:10:24 > 0:10:27'fought by the people of Tibet, where the Yangtze originates.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32'In 1950, Chinese soldiers marched into Tibet,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35'and China has treated it as its own territory ever since.'
0:10:40 > 0:10:43The source of the river is generally agreed
0:10:43 > 0:10:45to be high in the mountains of Tibet,
0:10:45 > 0:10:49which is governed by China as an autonomous province.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Many Tibetans and many in the international community
0:10:53 > 0:10:57as well would say that China has colonized and is controlling Tibet.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01'The Chinese government has a history
0:11:01 > 0:11:04'of blocking film crews and foreign journalists
0:11:04 > 0:11:08'from entering Tibet, another reason for us to start further downstream.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15'I travelled east, following the Yangtze, to a small historic site
0:11:15 > 0:11:19'close to the river and just outside the booming city of Chongqing.'
0:11:24 > 0:11:27I'm on my way to meet a guide who is going to take me
0:11:27 > 0:11:29across the rest of China.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31I'm meeting her at a sacred mountain.
0:11:40 > 0:11:41This must be Li Li.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45- Li Li?- Hi.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46Hi.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52- Thank you so much for coming to meet us here.- My pleasure.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54But where? You've brought us here, what are we going to see?
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Some beautiful carvings. Let's go.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03'Hidden in a gorge close to the river,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07'the Dazu Rock Carvings are some of the few religious artefacts in
0:12:07 > 0:12:10'China not to have been destroyed during communist rule.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14'Dating back to 650AD,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18'there are more than 50,000 statues hewn out of the rock here.'
0:12:22 > 0:12:25These are magnificent.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26This is quite overwhelming.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38So these are all representations of Buddha?
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Yeah. It shows how important is the Buddha.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46- Look at the fingers.- Yes.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Actually each posture of the fingers has a special meaning.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55What a beautiful sight.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58'Buddhism originated in India,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02'but flourished in China for centuries, until China's drive for
0:13:02 > 0:13:05'modernity in the early 20th century, and the rise of communism,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08'resulted in the destruction or conversion
0:13:08 > 0:13:09'of hundreds of thousands of temples.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12'Now Buddhism's making a massive comeback with
0:13:12 > 0:13:16'an estimated 250 million followers in China today.'
0:13:16 > 0:13:17The Sleeping Buddha.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Look at this!
0:13:21 > 0:13:22Enormous!
0:13:25 > 0:13:29'In fact, Li Li is one of the huge numbers of young Chinese
0:13:29 > 0:13:31'who are once again embracing Buddhism.'
0:13:33 > 0:13:36That's...really spectacular.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Beautiful, right?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- Yeah.- And so close.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43You're so close to the Buddha.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45And so close to the 800 years' history.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50- It's lovely to see how excited you are by it.- Yeah.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00Did you choose to be a Buddhist, or did Buddhism choose you?
0:14:00 > 0:14:02I think both.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Of course, I make the decision, I found the way,
0:14:05 > 0:14:12but I was attracted by Buddhism and finally persuaded by the Buddhism.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16So I could say Buddhism chose me.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I think Buddhism is not just a belief or wish,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22it's a path to the truth of the universe.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33'The teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36'are also depicted in the Dazu Rock Carvings.'
0:14:36 > 0:14:40This is a typical carving to show the Confucius' thoughts,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43how it applies to people's life.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46"Confucian" thoughts?
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Yeah, a combination of the Buddhism thoughts and the Confucius' thoughts.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55And, actually, both of them are not against each other.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57People just combine them to their life
0:14:57 > 0:15:00and also they think these two are connected to each other.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04The whole story is about how kids should take care of their parents
0:15:04 > 0:15:08- and should treat them good.- Children should look after Mum and Dad.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12- Yeah. Yeah.- That's what people can get - it's a little lesson.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Yeah, actually it's a big lesson in China.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16You're absolutely right, of course.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19It shows that centuries and centuries ago,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Confucianism and Buddhism
0:15:21 > 0:15:22existed together,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24lived together, worked together
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- in some sort of beautiful harmony. - Yes.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31They are just different paths to the one truth of this universe.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35'The third great Chinese faith depicted here is Daoism,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38'which emphasises following the laws of nature.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41'That's also now enjoying a major revival.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43'The number of Daoist places of worship have
0:15:43 > 0:15:45'tripled in the past 15 years.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47'Historically, these three religions
0:15:47 > 0:15:49'and philosophies were known in
0:15:49 > 0:15:52'China as The Three Harmonious Faiths.'
0:15:52 > 0:15:57You think of China today and you think of an economic powerhouse,
0:15:57 > 0:16:02a place that is perhaps just a little bit soulless.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05A place that's less about personal belief
0:16:05 > 0:16:07and more about a production line.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12But Chinese history is full of myths and legends,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15belief and superstitions.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19The communists tried to wipe them out but it never went away.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Communism is just really a short period in the history
0:16:22 > 0:16:25of a country that is profoundly religious and spiritual.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44'From Dazu, Li Li and I travelled to the nearby city of Chongqing.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53'Because of its position in the middle of the Yangtze
0:16:53 > 0:16:56'and the country, it's always a major transport hub.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01'Today, it's one of China's fastest-growing cities.'
0:17:04 > 0:17:08We're just coming into the megalopolis that is Chongqing.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12It's late, I'm going to find a bed for the night,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15but tomorrow we can head out and explore.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19HORN HONKS
0:17:29 > 0:17:30'Chongqing epitomises China's
0:17:30 > 0:17:35'dizzying economic growth in recent years and its rapid urbanisation.'
0:17:38 > 0:17:39Look at that!
0:17:41 > 0:17:42It's a bit like New York.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53This is my first experience of a new Chinese megacity.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56And I'm blown away.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03This country, it's not just advancing, it's advanced.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06It's not just rising, it has risen.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Yay! We're over the Yangtze.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29We're doing what millions of Chinese migrants have done in recent
0:18:29 > 0:18:34- decades - moving, going to the city. - Yeah.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36This has been one of the biggest,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40if not THE biggest, human migration in history.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Millions of people going from the countryside to the cities.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50The population of this city is expected to more than double
0:18:50 > 0:18:54in the next few years to 20 million.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56'China was traditionally a rural nation,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00'but it's predicted that by 2030, China's cities will be home
0:19:00 > 0:19:02'to one in eight people on the planet.'
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- Here we go.- Chongqing.- Yeah.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10'This country has undergone an economic transformation
0:19:10 > 0:19:14'at ten times the speed of the original Industrial Revolution.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17'In the centre of Chongqing is the People's Liberation Square,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21'renamed to celebrate the communist conquest of the area.'
0:19:24 > 0:19:25Look at this!
0:19:25 > 0:19:27'Ironically, it's now home to a
0:19:27 > 0:19:29'roll call of international luxury brands.'
0:19:32 > 0:19:34I'm a bit taken aback, frankly.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Is this the new Chinese dream, Li Li?
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Consumerism? Buy stuff? Have a new handbag?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Of course, that's a trend of fashion.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Especially when people get richer than before
0:19:50 > 0:19:53and they want to have such kind of products,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55just like international products.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59It means something to them, like their social status.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Consumerism, it's almost an ideology -
0:20:03 > 0:20:06I don't think just necessarily here.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Well, before, China used to be very poor
0:20:08 > 0:20:12and we didn't even have enough food to eat.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14So, you may imagine when people get rich,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18of course, first thing, they want to eat food and wear good things.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23It's really interesting, cos it's so easy to forget that,
0:20:23 > 0:20:28in living memory, this country has suffered famine.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Yeah, but at the very, very beginning,
0:20:30 > 0:20:33you have to have money to buy food, to buy a house,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37but later on you have to find what is important to you.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39That's what I think.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43'There are more than 300 million middle class Chinese now.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46'They are the world's biggest consumers of luxury goods.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49'But it seems that even many of those who've obtained at least
0:20:49 > 0:20:53'a degree of material wealth want more meaning in their lives
0:20:53 > 0:20:56'than just the chance to go shopping.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58'Tens of millions are turning to religious faiths.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02'Near the centre of Chongqing, not far from the Yangtze,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04'a Buddhist temple stands proud among
0:21:04 > 0:21:06'the skyscrapers and shopping malls.'
0:21:06 > 0:21:09It's a bit hemmed in this temple, isn't it?
0:21:09 > 0:21:12'There's been a temple here for nearly 1,000 years.'
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Surrounded by skyscrapers.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Actually, it looks fairly popular.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25It's quite the...little oasis, isn't it?
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- Mm-hm.- Tranquil.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30This is a big, happy Buddha.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36'Although China is officially an atheist country,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39'surveys suggest up to 85% of people here
0:21:39 > 0:21:43believe in something - either spiritual or religious.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48First, we can light this candle.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- Light the candle...- Uh-huh.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54According to Buddhism,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57to light the candle means to light the candle of your heart -
0:21:57 > 0:22:01make your heart bright, and the bright can go to everywhere,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03especially the dark place.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06And then you can bring the light to other people in the world.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07That's the meaning.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Then you pray.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19What do you pray for, Li Li?
0:22:19 > 0:22:24I pray for three things - the first, for my parents,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28the second, for all the people in the world,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31and the third one is for myself.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Family, planet and self - I'll go for that.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41'As China's economy has grown,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44'so has the damage the country is doing to the environment.
0:22:46 > 0:22:47'When it comes to pollution,
0:22:47 > 0:22:51'China is one of the world's worst offenders.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53'And many people believe it will take more than just prayers
0:22:53 > 0:22:55'to save the planet.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59'On the outskirts of Chongqing,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03'Li Li and I met up with a couple of environmental activists.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04'They're monitoring the damage
0:23:04 > 0:23:07'modern China is doing to the sacred Yangtze.'
0:23:08 > 0:23:12Many aspects of daily life have clearly improved here -
0:23:12 > 0:23:17education, health care, the economy, legal rights,
0:23:17 > 0:23:20but the environment has taken a hammering.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27'This small environmental group was started by Yu Jianfeng,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29'with £10,000 of his own money.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34'He reveres the Yangtze, and says his activism is
0:23:34 > 0:23:37'inspired by China's traditional religious beliefs.'
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- TRANSLATION:- In Chinese traditional culture, Daoism is
0:23:45 > 0:23:47the philosophy that is more focused on the environment.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54Daoism's idea is that nature and the human beings have to be in harmony.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56But, for people like us,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59who are activists, we are also encouraged by Confucianism -
0:23:59 > 0:24:02the Confucian idea that every individual is responsible for
0:24:02 > 0:24:06the state of the world and therefore must get involved in society.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15That's a bit revolting, isn't it?
0:24:16 > 0:24:17That is disgusting.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'This is domestic sewage and industrial waste water, mixed.'
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Is this flowing into the Yangtze?
0:24:28 > 0:24:30That's for sure.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32This whole area is part of the Yangtze River valley.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39Is this price of China's economic boom?
0:24:41 > 0:24:45This is because there isn't enough supporting infrastructure to
0:24:45 > 0:24:47match the city's rapid development.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49The residential areas are expanding,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51but the sewage system isn't keeping up.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59'Water and air pollution are major problems in China.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03'Some reports suggest half of urban water supplies aren't fit to
0:25:03 > 0:25:05'wash in, let alone drink.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07'It's a controversial subject for a
0:25:07 > 0:25:09'new breed of environmental activist.'
0:25:09 > 0:25:14Why do you do this? You must get a lot of hassle as a result.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20For me, I feel very sad to see the rivers are polluted, very upset.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27I grew up in a beautiful place with green hills and a clear river.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30I believe we should protect these rivers,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32so the next generation will still have a chance
0:25:32 > 0:25:35to develop a close relationship with them and swim in them,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38play in them and enjoy it.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48I worry that the Chinese authorities,
0:25:48 > 0:25:53like Western democratic leaders, think that we can fix this,
0:25:53 > 0:25:57we can do whatever damage we want to the environment,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01but science and engineering will be able to resolve it in the future.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03But what if we can't?
0:26:03 > 0:26:09What if the damage we've done, and we're doing still is irreversible?
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Then we'll have left a completely destroyed environment
0:26:12 > 0:26:17to future generations, and that would be completely immoral.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38It's time we got out on the river, so we're heading to a port
0:26:38 > 0:26:39and going to get on a boat.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49'As China's boomed, so the newly-affluent middle class
0:26:49 > 0:26:51'have started taking holidays around the world.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53'But, of course, they're also exploring
0:26:53 > 0:26:56'their own vast country and rich history.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58'There's been a recent trend for taking luxury
0:26:58 > 0:27:00'cruises on the Yangtze.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10'We drove 300 miles, tracking along the Yangtze,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14'to Wushan, to join one of the cruise boats.'
0:27:18 > 0:27:21It's massive. It's like a floating hotel.
0:27:23 > 0:27:24Let's get on board!
0:27:27 > 0:27:29- This looks great, Li Li.- Yeah.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31It's not even the biggest one.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38'This ship has 200 luxury cabins and suites that can accommodate
0:27:38 > 0:27:42'more than 400 passengers, paying upwards of £300 a night.'
0:27:51 > 0:27:53I've never been on a boat like this.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Well, unless you count the ferry across to Denmark.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02It's not quite like this.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09So, last year they just started their journey.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- So this boat has only been going for one year?- One year only.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- Are you busy? Are the cruises busy? - Yeah, very busy.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27More and more people here have
0:28:27 > 0:28:29proper leisure time and money to spend.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34It's estimated that a million Chinese people are now taking
0:28:34 > 0:28:37cruises along the Yangtze every year.
0:28:40 > 0:28:41A million.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Think how life has changed in the UK in recent decades,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48it's nothing to how life has changed here.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51When I was born,
0:28:51 > 0:28:56this country was basically isolated from the rest of the world.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Within living memory, there were famines here.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02Now look at it.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05They come on board with their smartphones and fancy cameras,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08dosh in the pocket.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Come on, hurry up. We need to go.
0:29:13 > 0:29:14Well behind schedule.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20'At Wuhan, the river widens,
0:29:20 > 0:29:23'because we were joining a massive reservoir that's
0:29:23 > 0:29:27'filled-up behind the colossal Three Gorges Dam, where we were headed.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32'Water levels have risen by as much as 300 feet here,
0:29:32 > 0:29:36'and the river's so wide and deep it's capable of accommodating
0:29:36 > 0:29:39'ocean-going ships hundreds of miles inland.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47'As night fell, Li Li and I naturally felt obliged to get
0:29:47 > 0:29:50'a taste of the on-board entertainment.'
0:29:50 > 0:29:53THEY SPEAK IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:29:53 > 0:29:54HE LAUGHS
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Should we share?
0:29:57 > 0:30:01We're here to celebrate China's ancient culture...
0:30:03 > 0:30:08..and I've been given a happy slapper and a lightsaber!
0:30:10 > 0:30:13'Some people think of China as unfriendly and a little dour.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15'Not a bit of it.'
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Oh, people have been on the sauce here.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22'I was proud to see there were some Brits on board,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24'helping to get the party going.'
0:30:24 > 0:30:27# Ole, ole, ole, ole
0:30:27 > 0:30:31# Ole, ole
0:30:31 > 0:30:34# Ole, ole, ole, ole. #
0:30:34 > 0:30:36Look what you've started!
0:30:46 > 0:30:50'The next morning, we docked not far from the Three Gorges Dam.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57'We drove down towards the wall of the huge dam.'
0:31:02 > 0:31:06That surely ranks alongside the mightiest of human creations.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Look at the size of that.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17'This is the single biggest power station on the planet.'
0:31:17 > 0:31:18My God...
0:31:26 > 0:31:29'It generates vast amounts of hydroelectricity -
0:31:29 > 0:31:33'the equivalent of more than half a dozen nuclear power stations.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35'It's longer than 25 football pitches
0:31:35 > 0:31:40'and higher than a 40-storey building.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44'Since the 1950s the Chinese have built more than 22,000 large dams,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46'but this is by far the largest.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53'The government here says it's an engineering miracle.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55'Critics say it's an unstable
0:31:55 > 0:31:57'and unprecedented environmental disaster.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01'Mao Zedong, the founder of Communist China,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05'championed the dam partly because deadly floods here regularly claimed
0:32:05 > 0:32:08'tens of thousands of lives, and partly because he wanted to
0:32:08 > 0:32:12'prove to the Chinese people that he had the right to rule.'
0:32:15 > 0:32:17In China, there's something called the Mandate of Heaven,
0:32:17 > 0:32:21and this is the idea that, for centuries,
0:32:21 > 0:32:26Chinese leaders rule with the acceptance and mandate
0:32:26 > 0:32:29of the heavens, of the gods, of the spirit world, of the ancestors.
0:32:29 > 0:32:35And any threat to that mandate, any challenge to that mandate can
0:32:35 > 0:32:38come from things like an earthquake or a flood,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42because it suggests that the spirit world is somehow unhappy with
0:32:42 > 0:32:45the leaders in the real, physical world.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50'If Mao could build this giant edifice,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53'he could prove that the Communist Party could conquer nature,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57'and that it was greater and more powerful than China's ancient gods.'
0:32:58 > 0:33:03We're being allowed onto the top of the dam. Hopefully.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15This is a sensitive, strategic location,
0:33:15 > 0:33:19because consequences of the dam being breached
0:33:19 > 0:33:20could be catastrophic.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30'Mao didn't live to see the dam built and it wasn't finished
0:33:30 > 0:33:32'and fully functional until 2012.'
0:33:42 > 0:33:43Yangtze River.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Wow.
0:33:45 > 0:33:46Look at that.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49It's an inland sea.
0:33:56 > 0:34:01I think 13 cities, hundreds of towns,
0:34:01 > 0:34:08hundreds of thousands of people were displaced to make way for this.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13This lake, the reservoir behind the dam,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16stretches back almost the length of England.
0:34:20 > 0:34:26Something like 10% of the population of the planet live in the basin,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30the wider area around the Yangtze River.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35That is how important this water, this river is.
0:34:38 > 0:34:39And if we just come over here,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42look at what we, as a species, are capable of.
0:34:44 > 0:34:45This is...
0:34:45 > 0:34:47It's displayed here, I think,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50like nowhere else I've seen...on Planet Earth really.
0:34:53 > 0:34:59They have blocked, tamed, controlled the Yangtze.
0:34:59 > 0:35:00And look over here.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04It's like looking off the side of a mountain.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Li Li's smiling. You proud?
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Yes. Why not?
0:35:12 > 0:35:14I'm proud of it.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Of course there have been enormous environmental
0:35:16 > 0:35:20and human costs to this dam.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22- Yes.- I don't think we know our limits.
0:35:24 > 0:35:29Yeah, well, I don't think we fully understand nature.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33That's absolutely fascinating because here, I suppose, in China,
0:35:33 > 0:35:39we're confronted, I feel, by the two biggest questions or issues
0:35:39 > 0:35:45facing us as a species - how do we make poorer people richer?
0:35:45 > 0:35:47How do we lift them out of poverty,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51while at the same time protecting the environment?
0:35:51 > 0:35:56And on rivers, on our sacred rivers, on our mightiest rivers,
0:35:56 > 0:36:00we see this issue displayed time and time again.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04I feel people are more and more aware of this issue.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Cos in the past 20 years,
0:36:08 > 0:36:10Chinese people were really focusing on, you now,
0:36:10 > 0:36:14develop the economy and get rid of the poverty.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18And, nowadays, lots of people really start to watch the long,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22long-term consequences and the environmental protections,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24natures for the next generation.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26I really hope so, Li Li.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30I have to hope and pray that there is this growing environmental
0:36:30 > 0:36:32awareness in China.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34Not just for China, but for us all.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41'From the Three Gorges Dam, we followed
0:36:41 > 0:36:45'the Yangtze for over 200 miles to the city of Wuhan.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55'Mao apparently thought of religion and faith as poison,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58'but he still wanted to prove that he had the right to rule,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01'the communist equivalent of the Mandate of Heaven,
0:37:01 > 0:37:03'the blessing of the spirit world.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09'One way he chose to do this was by swimming
0:37:09 > 0:37:12'the breadth of the Yangtze at Wuhan, where it was considered to
0:37:12 > 0:37:13'be at its most dangerous,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16'because of fierce currents and deadly floods.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27'I met up with Yu Guanrong
0:37:27 > 0:37:30'who runs a local swimming club that trains in the river
0:37:30 > 0:37:33'and celebrates the anniversary of Mao's swim every summer.'
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Mr Yu, why do you do this, why do you swim in the Yangtze?
0:37:42 > 0:37:46- TRANSLATION:- We Wuhan people crossed the Yangtze River, are obsessed with
0:37:46 > 0:37:50crossing the river, because Chairman Mao crossed it 17 times here.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53That makes us love the river.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55I dare say that there isn't any other world leader who has
0:37:55 > 0:37:57crossed rivers like this.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59This is unique, number one.
0:38:02 > 0:38:03What's this chap got?
0:38:05 > 0:38:07He's a calligrapher, a great artist.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Chairman Mao was a great calligrapher, too.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14"China and British friendly."
0:38:15 > 0:38:17Let us hope so. That's rather lovely.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23'Perhaps inevitably, I'd been volunteered
0:38:23 > 0:38:26'to take part in the practice swim in the freezing waters.'
0:38:29 > 0:38:32This should inspire a bit of confidence - rescue team.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34He's abseiling, but, you know...
0:38:34 > 0:38:36He does mountaineering as well - he's climbed Everest.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38He's been about. He'll look after us.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40SHIP'S HORN BLARES
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Are you expecting me to wear this?
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Why have I been given this?
0:38:51 > 0:38:53That's to protect him against the sun.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55I don't like what Mr Yu is planning here.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02This does not look even vaguely acceptable.
0:39:02 > 0:39:03Surely this is illegal in China.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Just don't leave me alone with Mr Yu, OK?
0:39:13 > 0:39:16This is quite possibly one of the most embarrassing things I've done.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19This is like being in a zoo - look around.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26THEY SHOUT GREETINGS
0:39:26 > 0:39:29Let's take a dip in the Yangtze.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32It's for you?
0:39:38 > 0:39:40I have to go first?
0:39:42 > 0:39:44OK. Across the Yangtze!
0:39:44 > 0:39:47CHEERING
0:39:54 > 0:39:57It's very refreshing!
0:40:05 > 0:40:08'Mao's swim across the Yangtze here was a clever bit of publicity
0:40:08 > 0:40:10'that helped his strongman image.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16'President Putin does these sort of stunts all the time, of course.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21'I was only supposed to be pottering around, having a quick dip.'
0:40:23 > 0:40:25The current here is astonishing.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29I'm really feeling the power of it.
0:40:31 > 0:40:32'But after ten minutes or so,
0:40:32 > 0:40:34'I found myself a third of the way across.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36'A mad thought struck me.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40'Meanwhile, Mr Yu was getting a bit chilly.'
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Mr Yu seems to be getting out of the river
0:40:43 > 0:40:46and I'm just left here with the rescue swimmers.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53'With stronger swimmers around me and our crew boat alongside,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55'I thought I was safe to keep going.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58'I hadn't realised just how busy the dangerous shipping channel
0:40:58 > 0:41:02'could be, and there were a few near-misses with passing freighters.'
0:41:05 > 0:41:08I bet they stopped the shipping for Chairman Mao!
0:41:15 > 0:41:18'Mr Yu seemed to be relaying the highlights of my ordeal
0:41:18 > 0:41:19'to his missus over the phone.'
0:41:22 > 0:41:24My hands are so cold.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29I don't feel like I'm making any progress.
0:41:30 > 0:41:31The current's too strong.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Where?
0:41:39 > 0:41:40WOMAN SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:41:42 > 0:41:44'Mao swam the Yangtze several times.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46'If I could do it, it can't be the toughest swim.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49'But the last time he swam the river was in 1966,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51'when he was 72 years old.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55'It might seem surprising now, but his feats really did help him
0:41:55 > 0:41:58'to take and keep control of the country.'
0:41:58 > 0:42:00I swam the Yangtze!
0:42:06 > 0:42:08'Many historians have concluded
0:42:08 > 0:42:11'that Mao was a monster to rival Stalin or Hitler.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16'Tens of millions perished under his rule.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19'He wanted to obliterate Chinese culture,
0:42:19 > 0:42:23'destroying traditional faiths and religious beliefs.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25'He remains a complicated figure in China today.'
0:42:27 > 0:42:31What do most people in China think of Chairman Mao?
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Is he seen as a controversial figure at all,
0:42:33 > 0:42:38or is he generally seen as the creator of modern China?
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Well, two sides.
0:42:40 > 0:42:46On one side, people still think he is a national hero
0:42:46 > 0:42:49and he is a great person in Chinese history.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52On the other side, I think today,
0:42:52 > 0:42:58China's people also talk about the mistakes he made.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01It's more and more open for people to talk about this.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07'After Mao's death in 1976, China's leaders were able to start
0:43:07 > 0:43:09'slowly reforming the economy.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12'And, in recent years, the Chinese have begun rediscovering the more
0:43:12 > 0:43:16'spiritual and philosophical side to their lives, which Mao
0:43:16 > 0:43:18'and communism sought to suppress.'
0:43:19 > 0:43:23The sense I have is that faith and belief and tradition and custom is
0:43:23 > 0:43:28something that a lot of Chinese people now are searching for.
0:43:28 > 0:43:29Yeah, I think so.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33Actually, we have so many years of history and
0:43:33 > 0:43:35we have such great culture
0:43:35 > 0:43:39and traditions that never fade away from Chinese people's lives.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43We still respect our ancestor.
0:43:43 > 0:43:47We respect our philosophies and religion.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49I think that's great things.
0:43:59 > 0:44:03'From Wuhan, we travelled another 300 miles east to Nanjing,
0:44:03 > 0:44:05'a former capital of China right on the Yangtze.'
0:44:07 > 0:44:11We've just come to a viewing platform next to a bridge over
0:44:11 > 0:44:18the Yangtze, because we are heading...into the city of Nanjing.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27'In the 1930s, this city, then known as Nanking,
0:44:27 > 0:44:28'was invaded by the Japanese,
0:44:28 > 0:44:32'who carried out a notorious massacre here.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35'But nearly 100 years earlier, it had also been invaded...
0:44:35 > 0:44:37'by the British.'
0:44:39 > 0:44:43In the 1800s, China lost the so-called Opium Wars.
0:44:43 > 0:44:47This was a particularly shameful episode in British
0:44:47 > 0:44:50and Western history, when we went to war against China,
0:44:50 > 0:44:52basically because we wanted to have
0:44:52 > 0:44:55the right to sell the Chinese people drugs.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02As a result of the Opium Wars,
0:45:02 > 0:45:06this city and many others like it, were opened to foreign trade,
0:45:06 > 0:45:10with large areas effectively under British control.
0:45:10 > 0:45:13Christian missionaries also began arriving in the country
0:45:13 > 0:45:17and it was said that Christianity came here on a cannonball.
0:45:23 > 0:45:27'British and American missionaries used the Yangtze to access
0:45:27 > 0:45:30'the interior of the country.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35In the second half of the 20th century,
0:45:35 > 0:45:37Christianity was ruthlessly
0:45:37 > 0:45:40suppressed by China's communist leaders.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43But it's now making an extraordinary comeback.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49When the Communist Party took over in 1949,
0:45:49 > 0:45:54there were thought to be about one million Christians in the country.
0:45:54 > 0:46:00Today, there are anything up to 100 million Christians in China.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04More Christians, in fact, than there are members of the Communist Party.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11'By some estimates, there could be
0:46:11 > 0:46:14'400 million Christians in China in 30 years' time,
0:46:14 > 0:46:17'making it the biggest Christian nation on earth.'
0:46:22 > 0:46:24What's this queue of traffic for?
0:46:24 > 0:46:27'We'd arrived in Nanjing on Easter Sunday and we were
0:46:27 > 0:46:31'heading to a newly-built church to see this phenomenon for ourselves.'
0:46:33 > 0:46:38- You don't think the traffic's here for the church, do you?- I think so.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41This is a traffic jam for people trying to get to church!
0:46:43 > 0:46:44Let's walk.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48Hang on, that can't all be a church.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51- The whole thing?- Yeah.
0:46:52 > 0:46:53It's like a stadium.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01MUSIC AND SINGING
0:47:07 > 0:47:10'This brand-new church can hold up to 5,000 people -
0:47:10 > 0:47:12'most of the seats were taken.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24'The service included a dramatic re-enactment of the entire
0:47:24 > 0:47:28'Easter story, with some colourful dancing thrown in for good measure.'
0:47:41 > 0:47:43OK. Now I see why they draw a crowd!
0:47:51 > 0:47:54'It's now possible to be both a Christian
0:47:54 > 0:47:56'and a member of the Communist Party.
0:47:59 > 0:48:00'In fact, some government officials
0:48:00 > 0:48:03'apparently think Christianity could help to protect
0:48:03 > 0:48:07'the masses from the lure of selfishness and capitalist greed.'
0:48:08 > 0:48:12Have you been a Christian for a long time, or are you a new convert?
0:48:13 > 0:48:17- TRANSLATION:- I was a member of the Communist Party in the past.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20I also believed in God but I didn't dare go to church.
0:48:20 > 0:48:25Later on, I heard that Communist Party members can go to church too.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28Now even the Communist Party believes in Christianity.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36'I was surprised to see that the re-enactment of the crucifixion
0:48:36 > 0:48:39'inspired a really emotional response in people.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51'After the service, I had a few minutes with minister Li Lancheng.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54Thank you for letting us come and see the service.
0:48:57 > 0:49:02So, people in China have said that with the rise of capitalism,
0:49:02 > 0:49:07that China has become a tougher, harder place.
0:49:09 > 0:49:11- TRANSLATION:- With the development of the economy,
0:49:11 > 0:49:13people are less connected to one another
0:49:13 > 0:49:15and family ties are getting weaker.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19Obviously, the church is very new. Were the authorities,
0:49:19 > 0:49:21was the government, a help
0:49:21 > 0:49:25or a hindrance to you when you were building it?
0:49:28 > 0:49:32This piece of land was allocated to the church by the government.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35This church wouldn't exist without the government's permission.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38The government also covered some of the costs of construction.
0:49:38 > 0:49:39Can I ask how much?
0:49:39 > 0:49:42Did they pay a percentage, or can you tell us a figure?
0:49:45 > 0:49:47It cost £10 million and the government
0:49:47 > 0:49:49provided £3 million in total.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52In other words, just less than a third of the cost.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57The government paid a third of the money towards the church?!
0:49:57 > 0:49:59That's incredible.
0:50:00 > 0:50:04'The state will often support churches that toe the line,
0:50:04 > 0:50:06'but not all of them do.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13'There are thousands of underground churches in China that reject
0:50:13 > 0:50:16'state control and suffer harassment as a result.'
0:50:19 > 0:50:22- So we're off to Shanghai!- Yeah.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25'Most of the population here say they believe in something,
0:50:25 > 0:50:26'and hundreds of millions are
0:50:26 > 0:50:29'Christians, Buddhists, Daoists, or Muslims.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34'But religious Chinese are only
0:50:34 > 0:50:36'allowed to practise their faith with state approval.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38'This is still a country of control.'
0:50:44 > 0:50:46On this journey along the Yangtze,
0:50:46 > 0:50:51we've only really encountered the official religions in China.
0:50:51 > 0:50:55In the far west of the country, there are Islamic separatist groups,
0:50:55 > 0:50:59and many Muslims in China say they suffer oppression.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01And then, of course, rather famously or infamously,
0:51:01 > 0:51:07the Chinese state cracked down very heavily on the Falun Gong movement,
0:51:07 > 0:51:10which many of its practitioners see as being a spiritual or
0:51:10 > 0:51:12religious organisation.
0:51:14 > 0:51:15So if you are a member
0:51:15 > 0:51:18or if you're a practitioner of one of the official religions,
0:51:18 > 0:51:23it seems there is a lot of increased openness and awareness
0:51:23 > 0:51:25and people are turning to those religions.
0:51:25 > 0:51:29But if you fall outside that framework,
0:51:29 > 0:51:33then it seems you can encounter a lot of problems with the state.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40'It would take about four hours to drive the 200 miles
0:51:40 > 0:51:43'from Nanjing to Shanghai,
0:51:43 > 0:51:47'but on China's super modern bullet trains I hardly had time for a nap.'
0:51:52 > 0:51:53We're in Shanghai!
0:51:58 > 0:52:01'With a population of more than 24 million,
0:52:01 > 0:52:03'Shanghai is, by some measurements,
0:52:03 > 0:52:05'not just the biggest city on the Yangtze,
0:52:05 > 0:52:07'but one of the biggest on earth.'
0:52:13 > 0:52:14Flipping heck!
0:52:17 > 0:52:20- It's like a cathedral. - It's the biggest in China.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31'China could soon overtake America to become the largest
0:52:31 > 0:52:33'economy in the world.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40'So the moral and ethical values chosen by people here to guide them,
0:52:40 > 0:52:42'and, by extension, their country,
0:52:42 > 0:52:45'will have an enormous impact on the entire planet.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52'It was our last night on the road, and Li Li wanted to take me
0:52:52 > 0:52:54'to one of her favourite restaurants.'
0:52:58 > 0:53:00- New Age Veggie.- New Age Veggie!
0:53:00 > 0:53:02A vegetarian restaurant?
0:53:02 > 0:53:05Yeah, you will see something really different. Come on.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07I'm a committed carnivore.
0:53:09 > 0:53:13- It's not a Buddhist restaurant, is it?- Um...connected.
0:53:13 > 0:53:14- Really?- Yes.
0:53:22 > 0:53:23Very nice, Li Li.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26Yes, we're right by the window.
0:53:26 > 0:53:27And menu on an iPad.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32Very 21st century.
0:53:32 > 0:53:36It's just menu. Do you want to explore the new dishes?
0:53:36 > 0:53:42I see. OK. So the dishes, they look like meat.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45Stewed veggie pork balls.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51That's meant to be vegetarian salmon sashimi.
0:53:51 > 0:53:52Looks quite real, right?
0:53:52 > 0:53:55That looks pretty real.
0:53:55 > 0:53:59After this meal, you will...you will have more
0:53:59 > 0:54:01possibilities to become a vegetarian, too.
0:54:01 > 0:54:02- Oh, you think so?- Yeah.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06You're looking to convert me to vegetarianism now, are you?
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Um, we will see.
0:54:11 > 0:54:12We should have the salmon.
0:54:14 > 0:54:15Is that the meaty one?
0:54:15 > 0:54:16Should we have that?
0:54:16 > 0:54:17Yeah.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22What is the Buddhist connection here?
0:54:22 > 0:54:27Well, in China, most of the vegetarians are still like Buddhist.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31So being a vegetarian means not just care about yourself
0:54:31 > 0:54:34but also caring about the world, about Earth.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39Is it a growing movement then?
0:54:39 > 0:54:45Yeah. The number of vegetarians in China, going up very quickly.
0:54:45 > 0:54:50I read an article that says today we have more than 50 million.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58- Meatballs!- Meatballs, yes. Xie xie.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00A veggie version.
0:55:00 > 0:55:01Oh, wow!
0:55:01 > 0:55:04That really does look like salmon.
0:55:04 > 0:55:06That's really impressive.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08I'm looking forward to trying this.
0:55:11 > 0:55:12That's really good.
0:55:14 > 0:55:16This is really fascinating, Li Li.
0:55:16 > 0:55:20People worry about rising China, the Chinese dragon,
0:55:20 > 0:55:23but actually, if half the country turns to Buddhism,
0:55:23 > 0:55:29you're not going to be a much-feared military empire that many
0:55:29 > 0:55:31in the West think it could be
0:55:31 > 0:55:34if half the population are peace-loving Buddhists, is it?
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Mm. Here in China,
0:55:36 > 0:55:42we say this century is a century about the waking up of the soul.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44Waking up of the soul?
0:55:44 > 0:55:47- Yes. - I haven't heard that ever before.
0:55:47 > 0:55:48It's really interesting.
0:55:50 > 0:55:52Thanks, Li Li. Cheers, m'dear.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55Thank you for bringing us here.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58It's been an amazing and a very, very eye-opening journey.
0:55:58 > 0:56:00Thank you!
0:56:07 > 0:56:11'The waking-up of the soul that IS clearly happening here will
0:56:11 > 0:56:13'have enormous implications.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15'This isn't just about religion.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18'This is a transformation that will affect politics.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20'It could help to re-define China's relationship with
0:56:20 > 0:56:22'the rest of the world.
0:56:28 > 0:56:32'The next day, having said goodbye to Li Li, I headed out to the point
0:56:32 > 0:56:35'where the mighty Yangtze finally flows out into the sea.'
0:56:40 > 0:56:42As I come towards the end of the journey,
0:56:42 > 0:56:46it's really clear to me that huge numbers of people in this country
0:56:46 > 0:56:50are turning to religion and faith.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52And the reason they're doing that is, in my view,
0:56:52 > 0:56:55cos this country has advanced even further
0:56:55 > 0:56:59and even faster than many of us in the West realise.
0:56:59 > 0:57:04Hundreds of millions of people here have been lifted out of poverty.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07Often, their material needs are being met, but now they want new
0:57:07 > 0:57:09purpose and meaning in their lives
0:57:09 > 0:57:13that neither communism nor capitalism seem able to provide.
0:57:24 > 0:57:26Here we are.
0:57:26 > 0:57:29This is a sort of memorial,
0:57:29 > 0:57:36monument, or just a marker, really, for the end of the Yangtze.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46Ha-ha!
0:57:46 > 0:57:48Look! The end of the Yangtze.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53You can see for miles, look - right out to sea.
0:57:53 > 0:57:55Ah!
0:57:57 > 0:58:00It's been...an amazing series of journeys.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06It's been thrilling and surprising for me, actually,
0:58:06 > 0:58:10just how much I feel I've learnt from following these sacred rivers,
0:58:10 > 0:58:14about the cultures and the countries that the rivers flow through.
0:58:17 > 0:58:20These rivers are polluted, they're battled over,
0:58:20 > 0:58:24but they're still life-giving arteries that support
0:58:24 > 0:58:27hundreds of millions of people.
0:58:27 > 0:58:30These rivers have shaped civilisations,
0:58:30 > 0:58:34and they'll continue to shape our modern world.