0:00:04 > 0:00:08From the eastern end of the Great Wall,
0:00:08 > 0:00:12China's coast spans 14,500 kilometres
0:00:12 > 0:00:17and more than 5,000 years of history.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21This is the area which shows the greatest contrast
0:00:21 > 0:00:26between China's past and its future.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41Today, China's eastern seaboard is home to 700 million people,
0:00:41 > 0:00:46packed into some of the most dazzling hi-tech cities on earth.
0:00:49 > 0:00:55Yet, these crowded shores remain hugely important for a wealth of wildlife.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Now, as ancient traditions mingle with new aspirations,
0:01:05 > 0:01:11is there any room at all for wildlife on China's crowded shores?
0:01:51 > 0:01:54In northern China's Zhalong Nature Reserve,
0:01:54 > 0:01:59a pair of red-crowned cranes have staked out their nesting territory
0:01:59 > 0:02:03in the stubble of a commercially managed reed bed.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10For centuries, cranes have been revered in China as symbols of longevity.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Their statues were placed next to the Emperor's throne.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26The cranes have cause to celebrate.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30This chick is a sign of hope in difficult times.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35Red-crowned cranes are one of the world's most endangered species.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42Over the last century, China has lost nearly half of its coastal wetlands
0:02:42 > 0:02:48and most of what remains is managed for the benefit of people, not wildlife.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53A few months from now, this chick and its parents
0:02:53 > 0:02:58will face a long migration south to escape the harsh northern winter.
0:03:03 > 0:03:10Their route will take them along a coast which has been greatly affected by human activity.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Along their journey,
0:03:13 > 0:03:19the cranes will be joined by many thousands of other migrating birds,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23all heading south across the Bohai Gulf
0:03:23 > 0:03:27and along the shores of the Yellow and East China Seas.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Some even reaching as far as the South China Sea
0:03:31 > 0:03:34in search of a safe winter haven.
0:03:38 > 0:03:44The annual bird migration has been going on for thousands of years.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Here at Mount Jinping, on China's northeast coast,
0:03:48 > 0:03:53there is surprising evidence that people have lived here almost as long.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02Seven thousand years ago,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06members of the Shao Hao tribe carved magical symbols
0:04:06 > 0:04:10representing significant elements of their daily lives.
0:04:15 > 0:04:21The petroglyphs show wheat sheaves connected by lines to human figures,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25the first-known recordings of cultivation in China.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36Familiar with the spectacle of yearly bird migrations,
0:04:36 > 0:04:42the Shao Hao people chose the symbol of a bird as their totem.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Mount Jinping lies near the Shandong peninsula,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52an important wintering site for migrant birds
0:04:52 > 0:04:57and even today, there are still communities along this coastline
0:04:57 > 0:05:00who retain a special affinity with their local birdlife.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Yandun Jiao village, on the northeastern shore of the peninsula,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17is famous for its traditional seaweed-thatched cottages.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26On a chilly morning in early spring,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Mr and Mrs Qu venture out at first light,
0:05:29 > 0:05:34armed with the traditional seaside accessories of bucket and spade.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48As the Qus head down into the harbour, a flock of whooper swans,
0:05:48 > 0:05:53known affectionately here as "winter angels", are waking out in the bay.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05The Qus and their neighbours search for tube holes in the mud at low tide,
0:06:05 > 0:06:09the sign of cockles and razor shells hidden deep below.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23While gathering shellfish is a popular pastime,
0:06:23 > 0:06:28the main business of Yandun Jiao happens further out at sea.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39As the boats set out with Mr Qu on board,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42the swans set a parallel course.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13The whole of the bay is a gigantic seaweed farm.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18The men work all day cleaning and tending the kelp fronds
0:07:18 > 0:07:23that are grown on ropes linked to a vast armada of buoys.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32The swans eat native seaweeds growing on the surface ropes,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34rather than the valuable crop of kelp,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37so they do no harm to the commercial operation.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52In the afternoon,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55as the wind picks up out at sea,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57the workers and swans return to shore.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14While the culture of seeking balance with nature
0:08:14 > 0:08:17goes back a long way in China,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21it is rare to see such harmonious relationships on China's crowded coast.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32SIZZLING
0:08:32 > 0:08:33As evening draws on,
0:08:33 > 0:08:40the Qu family prepare their evening meal of cockles, steamed bread and seaweed.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Leftovers are given to the village children to feed the swans.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56It's fun for the kids and provides an extra energy boost for the birds,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58as they face another cold night.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07The swans have been using this sheltered bay as a winter refuge
0:09:07 > 0:09:09for many generations.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17As long as the tradition of respect for nature persists,
0:09:17 > 0:09:23this remarkable association between the Yandun Jiao community
0:09:23 > 0:09:26and their "winter angels" looks set to continue.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Out in the Bohai Gulf, northeast of the swan village,
0:09:35 > 0:09:41a small rocky island provides a quiet resting spot for migrating birds.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56But Shedao Island has hidden dangers.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04Pallas pit vipers, trapped here 6,000 years ago by rising sea levels,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07have evolved a sinister lifestyle.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15For ten months of the year there is nothing substantial to eat on the island,
0:10:15 > 0:10:20so the reptiles conserve their energy by barely moving at all.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27As the sun warms their rocky home,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31the snakes climb up into the bushes and trees.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34But they aren't here to sunbathe.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42More and more vipers appear
0:10:42 > 0:10:47until virtually every perch where a bird might land has been booby trapped.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Then the waiting game begins.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58The serpents' camouflage is remarkable
0:10:58 > 0:11:01but so are the birds' reactions,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04as this high-speed shot reveals.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16The birds will only stay on the island for a couple of weeks,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19but although the snakes have been starving for months,
0:11:19 > 0:11:25their only hope of bagging a meal is to be patient and sit tight.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46The slightest miscalculation
0:11:46 > 0:11:50and the snake is left with a mouthful of feathers.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58The dropped meal is tracked down mainly by smell -
0:11:58 > 0:12:00the viper using its forked tongue
0:12:00 > 0:12:05to taste the air until it's close enough to see its quarry.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14The final challenge is to swallow a meal that's twice the size of its head.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16It does so by dislocating its jaws
0:12:16 > 0:12:21and positioning its prey so the beak is pointing backwards.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32For the reptiles, this time of plenty is all too brief.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35In a couple of weeks the migration will be over
0:12:35 > 0:12:37and the birds will have moved on.
0:12:37 > 0:12:42This could be the snake's last meal for six months.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49But it isn't just islands that experience cycles of feast and famine.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52The sea too has its seasons.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56A fact well known to fishing communities along the neighbouring coasts.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC PLAYS
0:13:03 > 0:13:09In Chuwang harbour, the start of a new fishing season provides the excuse for a massive party.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15But for boat owner Mr Zhao,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18it's a day of prayer as well as celebration.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Zhao hopes that by presenting gifts
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and showing respect to the Sea Goddess,
0:13:26 > 0:13:32he can help ensure a prosperous and safe year ahead, for him and his crew.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47Meanwhile, drums, firecrackers and fireworks reflect the ancient belief
0:13:47 > 0:13:51that loud noises will frighten off dangerous sea devils and bad fortune.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54FIRECRACKERS EXPLODE
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Occupying centre stage is a representation of the sea dragon,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07mythical ruler of water and weather.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39In the calm of the evening,
0:14:39 > 0:14:44Mr Zhao and his family light paper boat lanterns.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Each flickering flame carries a wish to the Sea Goddess -
0:14:53 > 0:14:58a tradition passed on from parents to children over countless generations.
0:15:14 > 0:15:20On China's crowded coasts, fishermen need to be extremely resourceful.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Hauling in the nets is hard work
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and so far there's not a fish in sight.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Only jellyfish.
0:15:35 > 0:15:43Each year, millions of jellyfish are carried south with the currents in the Bohai Gulf.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47The ecological story behind this event is complex,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49but by no means unique to China.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Jellyfish are fast-breeding plankton feeders.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59In recent years, human sewage and fertilisers from intensive farming
0:15:59 > 0:16:03have increased plankton blooms in the Gulf,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05providing extra jellyfish food,
0:16:05 > 0:16:11while over-fishing has reduced their enemies and competitors.
0:16:15 > 0:16:21It's a phenomenon that has become increasingly widespread across the world's seas.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26However, what is seen elsewhere as a problem,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29in China is perceived as an opportunity.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45Back on shore, mule carts transport the jellyfish to nearby warehouses,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49where they will be processed and sold as food all over China.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Four generations tuck in to a bowl of sliced jellyfish -
0:17:10 > 0:17:14the recipe for a long and healthy life.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Leaving the Bohai Gulf behind,
0:17:29 > 0:17:35migrating cranes, spoonbills and ducks are joined by other birds,
0:17:35 > 0:17:40all heading south in search of a safe winter haven.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54The birds' migration route follows the coast of the Yellow Sea
0:17:54 > 0:17:56down into Jiangsu Province,
0:17:56 > 0:17:58a fertile agricultural landscape,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02with some of the last remaining salt marshes in China.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14At Dafeng, a small salt marsh reserve is home to an animal
0:18:14 > 0:18:16which is lucky to be alive.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22The Chinese see these milu as a curious composite animal,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26with a horse's head, cow's feet,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30a tail like a donkey and backwards-facing antlers.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37In the West we know it as Pere David's Deer,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40after the first European to describe it.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47During the rut,
0:18:47 > 0:18:54stags decorate themselves with garlands of vegetation collected in their antlers.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Fierce battles decide mating rights.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09The females still have last year's fawns in tow.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16They haven't been weaned by the time of the rut
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and band together in large creches,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21only returning to their mothers to feed.
0:19:21 > 0:19:27This unique behaviour helps to keep them clear of the aggressive males.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37Today, there are just 2,500 milu in China...
0:19:39 > 0:19:42..but it is remarkable that there are any at all.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48In the early 1900s, milu became extinct in the wild,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51but luckily some of the Imperial herd
0:19:51 > 0:19:54had been sent as a gift to Europe.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59Those at Woburn Abbey in England prospered, and in the early 1980s,
0:19:59 > 0:20:0240 of the deer were returned to their homeland,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04where they continue to thrive.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27The migrating cranes have so far travelled over 2,000 kilometres
0:20:27 > 0:20:29southwards along the coast.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Passing the milu deer reserve at Dafeng,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42they are approaching another salt marsh,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46which will provide the perfect conditions for them to spend the winter.
0:20:56 > 0:21:02This is Yanchen, the largest coastal wetland in China,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06visited by an estimated three million birds each year.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Crane chicks that were only born seven months ago
0:21:13 > 0:21:17have now completed the first leg of a round trip
0:21:17 > 0:21:19which they will repeat every year.
0:21:21 > 0:21:27The hardy cranes can cope with winter temperatures which may drop below freezing.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34However, other migrating birds like the endangered black-faced spoonbill,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36are less cold-tolerant
0:21:36 > 0:21:41and will continue even further south in search of warmer climes.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48BIRDS CACKLE
0:21:57 > 0:22:00At this point, many of the migrating bird flocks
0:22:00 > 0:22:03are barely halfway along their southward journey.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Ahead of them lies a new challenge.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09China's greatest river - the Yangtze -
0:22:09 > 0:22:13and the venue for a very different kind of migration.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Each year, millions of tonnes of cargo travel up and down the river,
0:22:23 > 0:22:28making this one of the busiest waterways in the world.
0:22:37 > 0:22:43These are Chinese mitten crabs, named for their strange hairy claws.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52They may migrate as much as 1,500 kilometres
0:22:52 > 0:22:56from tributaries and lakes to the river mouth,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58where they gather to breed.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09A similar migration is made by the giant Yangtze sturgeon,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13which can reach four metres long and weigh half a tonne.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17In recent years, its numbers have declined dramatically
0:23:17 > 0:23:23as its migration is impeded by ever more river dams.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28But it isn't just animals like the sturgeon that are in trouble,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32the entire Yangtze river ecosystem is being poisoned.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39In spite of being the subject of an ambitious clean-up plan,
0:23:39 > 0:23:44today the river is reckoned to be the biggest single source of pollution
0:23:44 > 0:23:46entering the Pacific Ocean.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Situated right at the mouth of its estuary,
0:23:56 > 0:24:03Chongming Island provides a vital resting and feeding spot for migrating shorebirds
0:24:03 > 0:24:06and a place which offers welcome evidence
0:24:06 > 0:24:10of changing attitudes towards the Yangtze's beleaguered wildlife.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20For centuries, these coastal mudflats have attracted hunters like Mr Jin,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24who have honed their trapping skills to perfection
0:24:24 > 0:24:27to put rare birds on the tables of Shanghai's elite.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45For 40 years, Mr Jin has used a net, simple decoy birds
0:24:45 > 0:24:50and a bamboo whistle to lure passing birds towards his nets.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53HE WHISTLES
0:25:06 > 0:25:10It takes both patience and consummate skill.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12HE IMITATES A BIRD WHISTLE
0:25:33 > 0:25:36But all is not as it seems.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Mr Jin, like many of the best conservationists,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43is poacher turned gamekeeper,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47using his hunting skills to benefit his old quarry.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55The staff here at Dongtan Bird Reserve
0:25:55 > 0:26:02will measure, ring and weigh the trapped birds before releasing them unharmed.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05The information gathered by Mr Jin and his colleagues
0:26:05 > 0:26:10helps to protect over 200 different species of birds
0:26:10 > 0:26:13which visit the island each year.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Just south of Chongming Island
0:26:22 > 0:26:27lies China's largest coastal city - Shanghai.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43Situated on a major migration route for birds as well as river life,
0:26:43 > 0:26:48Shanghai is now preparing for an even bigger invasion.
0:26:48 > 0:26:55Barges loaded with building materials constantly arrive in the city's docks,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58feeding one of the greatest construction booms in the world.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06Last year, half the world's concrete was poured into China's cities,
0:27:06 > 0:27:12all in preparation for the biggest mass migration of people in the history of the world.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21In the next 25 years,
0:27:21 > 0:27:27well over 300 million people are predicted to move from rural China
0:27:27 > 0:27:29into cities like Shanghai.
0:27:31 > 0:27:37The migration of people from country to city is being mirrored around the world,
0:27:37 > 0:27:38and by 2010,
0:27:38 > 0:27:43over half of the world's population will be urban dwellers.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53As night falls, Shanghai reveals its true colours.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18China's fastest-growing financial centre
0:28:18 > 0:28:22is in the midst of a massive boom.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39With an estimated population of more than 20 million,
0:28:39 > 0:28:45Shanghai is officially China's largest and certainly its most dazzling city.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51But there is an environmental cost.
0:28:51 > 0:28:59Shanghai residents now use 2½ times more power per head than their rural cousins.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11The city's seemingly insatiable energy demands
0:29:11 > 0:29:16currently require the output of 17 power stations.
0:29:23 > 0:29:24South of Shanghai,
0:29:24 > 0:29:29the city lights gradually fade as we enter an ancient world.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43This is Fujian Province,
0:29:43 > 0:29:47a rugged terrain guarded by sheer granite mountains
0:29:47 > 0:29:51which have helped to forge and preserve some of China's
0:29:51 > 0:29:55most ancient sites and traditional cultures.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00Towering above the coast, the 1,400 metre-high Taimu mountains
0:30:00 > 0:30:05are known to the Chinese as "Fairyland on the Sea".
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Moist sea breezes condense on the cool mountain tops,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20and combine with well-drained acid soils to produce
0:30:20 > 0:30:28the perfect growing conditions for acid-loving plants like wild azaleas.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33It's also home to camellias,
0:30:33 > 0:30:38including the most famous of all - the tea plant.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44Similar growing conditions all along the Fujian coast
0:30:44 > 0:30:47make this the treasure chest for China's tea,
0:30:47 > 0:30:53the heart of an industry dating back almost 4,000 years.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00One of the most traditional tea growing cultures in the area
0:31:00 > 0:31:02is that of the Kejia people.
0:31:06 > 0:31:11Every morning, goats are let loose among the tea terraces,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14a centuries-old tradition.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16This might seem surprising,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19given goats' reputation for eating anything green...
0:31:19 > 0:31:25but tea isn't as defenceless as it looks.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Tea leaves are loaded with bitter chemicals
0:31:28 > 0:31:32designed to repel browsing animals.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36It works on the goats, who leave the tea untouched
0:31:36 > 0:31:38and instead eat up the weeds,
0:31:38 > 0:31:43fertilizing the tea plants with their droppings.
0:31:45 > 0:31:50The surprise is that we humans should find the same bitter chemical cocktail
0:31:50 > 0:31:52utterly irresistible.
0:31:54 > 0:31:59Among the Kejia people, tea-growing is a family business.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04Women do the picking, while the men process and pack it.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Mrs Zhang belongs to a Kejia family that has
0:32:09 > 0:32:13lived and worked for generations among these same tea terraces.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28The finest tea needs to be gathered quickly in warm sunshine
0:32:28 > 0:32:33as this brings out flavour-enhancing oils inside the leaves.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48This sustainable industry has protected one of China's finest
0:32:48 > 0:32:53landscapes and one of its most traditional cultures.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06At the end of the morning's picking,
0:33:06 > 0:33:11Mrs Zhang returns home to drop off her tea ready for processing.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42This fort-like design has survived from a time when the Kejia
0:33:42 > 0:33:47needed to protect themselves against hostile local tribes.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Each house has three or four levels,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58designed to accommodate 50 to 250 people.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04The ground floor houses the kitchens and animal stock
0:34:04 > 0:34:06with access to a well for water.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12The first floor rooms are used for storage
0:34:12 > 0:34:14and the upper floors are bedrooms.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24Some of these remarkable buildings are 800 years old
0:34:24 > 0:34:28and have survived earthquakes and typhoons.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46Once enough tea has been gathered in, the processing begins.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Turning green leaves into saleable tea
0:34:48 > 0:34:51involves at least eight different stages.
0:34:51 > 0:34:57Including drying, bruising, sifting, squeezing and twisting,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00before the finished product is finally ready for packing.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16The Zhangs' village produces "little black dragon" or Oolong tea,
0:35:16 > 0:35:20so-called because of the way its twisted leaves unfurl
0:35:20 > 0:35:23when water is poured over them.
0:35:23 > 0:35:29Tea plays a vital part in Kejia life, not only as a source of income
0:35:29 > 0:35:34but also as a way to welcome visitors and bring people together.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38In traditional Chinese life, even the simplest cup of tea
0:35:38 > 0:35:42is poured with an intricate amount of ritual.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51In the past, the Kejia people's
0:35:51 > 0:35:55other main income came from transporting goods like tea
0:35:55 > 0:36:00across the treacherous topography of mountains and river estuaries.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11Their route was suddenly made easier when, in 1059,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14this remarkable bridge was built.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Made from massive ten-tonne slabs of granite,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25it is one of China's lesser-known architectural gems.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32Luoyang bridge has withstood earthquakes and tempestuous tides.
0:36:43 > 0:36:49Known as "10,000 ships launching", the bridge's 46 piers
0:36:49 > 0:36:53have withstood time and tide for almost a millennium.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58According to folklore,
0:36:58 > 0:37:03its success is due to a far-sighted piece of bio-engineering -
0:37:03 > 0:37:06oysters were seeded on the piers and ever since,
0:37:06 > 0:37:10their concretions have helped cement the granite blocks together.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21Today, oysters are still cultivated here
0:37:21 > 0:37:24in the traditional way by Hui'an women.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Stones are stood in the mudflats below the bridge
0:37:29 > 0:37:32to encourage the oysters to grow.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Luoyang bridge is now mainly used by locals carrying goods
0:38:18 > 0:38:21across the estuary towards the coastal ports.
0:38:27 > 0:38:32For more than 2,000 years, coastal trade in China has depended
0:38:32 > 0:38:35on a remarkable and pioneering type of ship,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38known to us as "the junk".
0:38:44 > 0:38:47This working vessel follows a general design
0:38:47 > 0:38:50that's been in use in Fujian for at least 600 years.
0:38:52 > 0:38:57Its bows take the form of a beak with two large painted eyes,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00evoking the traditional seafarers' belief
0:39:00 > 0:39:04that the bird's image would help sailors return safely,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07like the migrants that return each spring and autumn.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Tea and other goods were stored in strong bulkheads,
0:39:17 > 0:39:22each waterproofed and separated from the next to minimize flood damage.
0:39:25 > 0:39:31This innovation, introduced to keep precious tea cargoes dry, spurred on
0:39:31 > 0:39:36the improvement of not only Chinese boats, but Western ones too.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43The distinctive rigging of the junks' sails allows easy
0:39:43 > 0:39:48handling in bad weather, essential along this storm-battered coast.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Each year from July to November, up to a dozen typhoons -
0:39:56 > 0:40:00a corruption of the Chinese word for "great wind" -
0:40:00 > 0:40:03head north-west towards China.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12Typhoons are becoming more frequent as sea temperatures rise, aided by
0:40:12 > 0:40:17a global increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26But satellite pictures have revealed a surprising twist.
0:40:26 > 0:40:31It seems that typhoons can pull deep, nutrient-rich
0:40:31 > 0:40:36seawater up to the surface, causing plankton blooms,
0:40:36 > 0:40:41which, in turn, soak up large quantities of carbon dioxide.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54When a typhoon strikes, one of the best places to be
0:40:54 > 0:40:59is Hong Kong harbour, with its sheltered anchorage.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16A centre of international trade, the city is famous for its jumble
0:41:16 > 0:41:19of skyscrapers and its bustling commercial centre.
0:41:21 > 0:41:26But there's a side to Hong Kong that's less well-known.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Behind the urban sprawl
0:41:34 > 0:41:40lies a swathe of wetlands which include the Mai Po Nature Reserve.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44Managed principally for the benefit of migrating birds, the reserve
0:41:44 > 0:41:51maintains a series of traditional prawn farms known as "gei wais"
0:41:51 > 0:41:54and their adjoining mangroves and mudflats.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02Every two weeks from November to March, one of the gei wais
0:42:02 > 0:42:04is drained by opening up the sluice gates.
0:42:16 > 0:42:21As the water level falls, birds begin to gather.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Herons, egrets and cormorants
0:42:24 > 0:42:28mingle with a far rarer visitor -
0:42:28 > 0:42:31the black-faced spoonbill.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37These endangered migrants have travelled the length
0:42:37 > 0:42:43of the Chinese coastline from Northern China and Korea.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47Mai Po marks the end of a 2,000 kilometre journey,
0:42:47 > 0:42:51during which the birds may have lost up to a third of their body weight.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55400 black-faced spoonbills,
0:42:55 > 0:43:00a quarter of the world's population, pass the winter here.
0:43:04 > 0:43:10At low water, trapped shrimps and fish become easy prey -
0:43:10 > 0:43:14a life-saver for these endangered birds.
0:43:28 > 0:43:33The Mai Po marshes are part of the Pearl River estuary,
0:43:33 > 0:43:38whose muddy shores abound with crabs, worms and mud-skippers.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58Exposed at low tide, this smorgasbord of mud-life
0:43:58 > 0:44:02attracts both waders and the gei wai birds.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23Here on the mudflats of Inner Deep Bay, each kind of bird
0:44:23 > 0:44:28has its own specific feeding zone defined by the depth of the water,
0:44:28 > 0:44:32the length of its beak and its feeding technique.
0:44:41 > 0:44:47Once refuelled, they revel in synchronised aerial displays.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16More than any other place on China's coastline,
0:45:16 > 0:45:20Inner Deep Bay demonstrates that with help,
0:45:20 > 0:45:24resilient nature can still thrive, even when boxed in
0:45:24 > 0:45:29and overshadowed by towering cities like Shenzhen.
0:45:35 > 0:45:41Another successful example of man's intervention on behalf of nature
0:45:41 > 0:45:45can be glimpsed in the waters around Lantau Island.
0:45:48 > 0:45:52While egrets make the most of an easy meal,
0:45:52 > 0:45:56other creatures have their eye on the fishermen's catch.
0:46:06 > 0:46:11Chinese White dolphins are estuary specialists.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19Found widely in the Indian and Pacific Ocean,
0:46:19 > 0:46:21this species is rare in China.
0:46:23 > 0:46:28The young are born dark grey and become spotted as adolescents,
0:46:30 > 0:46:33finally turning creamy-white as adults,
0:46:33 > 0:46:38though on some occasions they may blush a delicate shade of pink.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56Three groups of dolphins live close to Lantau Island.
0:46:56 > 0:47:01As the tide comes in, they move with it to feed on small fish or squid
0:47:01 > 0:47:04which travel with the currents,
0:47:04 > 0:47:08using echolocation to "see" their prey through the murky water.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15They also use sound to communicate.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18DOLPHIN SQUEAKS
0:47:18 > 0:47:20But they face a deafening problem.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22BOAT ENGINES ROAR
0:47:25 > 0:47:29The Pearl Estuary has become one of the busiest shipping channels
0:47:29 > 0:47:33in China and the dolphins are constantly bombarded with sound.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44New research suggests that they may now pack more information
0:47:44 > 0:47:48into shorter calls in a bid to be heard.
0:47:49 > 0:47:55Local conservationists have now set up a protected zone near Lantau Island.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59So for now, China's white dolphins are holding on.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10South of Hong Kong lies the South China Sea,
0:48:10 > 0:48:15studded with more than 200 hundred islands and reefs.
0:48:17 > 0:48:22Potential reserves of fish, oil and gas make each one strategic
0:48:22 > 0:48:27and the whole region has become a political hot-spot, as territorial
0:48:27 > 0:48:31disputes simmer between its many neighbouring countries.
0:48:35 > 0:48:40The waters themselves are low in nutrients and would be poor in life
0:48:40 > 0:48:44if it wasn't for the other resource that's here in abundance.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46Sunlight.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53In the shallows of the coral atolls,
0:48:53 > 0:48:57small jellyfish point their tentacles towards the sun.
0:48:57 > 0:49:02Like many animals here, they depend on a close partnership
0:49:02 > 0:49:04with microscopic algae
0:49:04 > 0:49:08which turn solar power into food.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11The most famous of these relationships
0:49:11 > 0:49:13is the reef-forming corals,
0:49:13 > 0:49:18which provide the foundation of the sea's most dazzling ecosystem.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24Their branches provide shelter
0:49:24 > 0:49:27for a wealth of small and vulnerable creatures...
0:49:27 > 0:49:30many of them beautifully camouflaged.
0:49:33 > 0:49:37But the ultimate master of disguise has to be the octopus,
0:49:37 > 0:49:41able to change not only its shape and colour,
0:49:41 > 0:49:42but its skin texture too.
0:49:52 > 0:49:54Where the reefs meet deeper waters,
0:49:54 > 0:49:59up-welling currents carry nutrients to the surface.
0:50:04 > 0:50:09Reef fish swim out to gorge themselves on the resulting food,
0:50:09 > 0:50:14in turn attracting larger predatory fish to the reefs.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27Trevally prowl in dense packs.
0:50:31 > 0:50:35Giant rays sweep in on graceful wings
0:50:35 > 0:50:39to hoover up the remaining plankton...
0:50:39 > 0:50:43which also attracts the king of fish!
0:50:53 > 0:50:59Growing up to 12 metres long, the whale shark is a gentle giant.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03And these days, a rare sighting.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14As sharks small and large are plundered
0:51:14 > 0:51:18to supply the East-Asian shark meat trade,
0:51:18 > 0:51:22the fate of these fabulous creatures hangs in the balance.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30While healthy coral reefs still survive in the remote islands,
0:51:30 > 0:51:35the situation close to the Chinese coast is quite different.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37BOAT ENGINE RUMBLES
0:51:41 > 0:51:44The waters along the shores of Hainan,
0:51:44 > 0:51:46China's largest tropical island,.
0:51:46 > 0:51:50have been fished for thousands of years.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02As the reefs become less and less productive,
0:52:02 > 0:52:04fishermen from Tanmen harbour
0:52:04 > 0:52:08need all their resourcefulness to make a living.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26Dicing with death, they breathe air pumped through hose pipes
0:52:26 > 0:52:30in a desperate bid to catch the last remaining sea life.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35Over the years, increased sedimentation and the use
0:52:35 > 0:52:39of dynamite and cyanide means the corals close to shore
0:52:39 > 0:52:41are barely hanging on.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56Recently, the government has recognized that regulation is needed
0:52:56 > 0:53:00if the local fishery is to survive for the future.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07Fishing is now banned for two months of the year
0:53:07 > 0:53:10to allow marine life a chance to breed.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26One of the most important tropical habitats
0:53:26 > 0:53:29for young fish is mangrove swamps.
0:53:30 > 0:53:36In the last 40 years, 80% of China's mangroves have been destroyed.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41But at the Dahuajiao Mangrove Reserve in Hainan,
0:53:41 > 0:53:44a remarkable conservation initiative is bringing
0:53:44 > 0:53:47young Chinese volunteers together
0:53:47 > 0:53:51to plant mangrove saplings in the glutinous mud.
0:53:54 > 0:53:58For many of these city-born students, such unglamorous work
0:53:58 > 0:54:02demonstrates their commitment to their country's environment.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07Like other heavily populated countries,
0:54:07 > 0:54:11China today is faced with a challenge -
0:54:11 > 0:54:16how best to protect nature in an increasingly crowded space.
0:54:31 > 0:54:37These wild macaques live on a tiny Hainan Island Reserve,
0:54:37 > 0:54:40where they are carefully managed and looked after.
0:54:46 > 0:54:51Most of the island's hillsides are covered with tropical woodland,
0:54:51 > 0:54:53but there are also areas of flower meadows
0:54:53 > 0:54:55where the monkeys gather to feed.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11Each morning as the tropical sun heats their island,
0:55:11 > 0:55:14the macaques head downhill in search of somewhere cooler...
0:55:18 > 0:55:23And what could be more refreshing than a dip in the pool?!
0:55:51 > 0:55:56To the Chinese, combining a wildlife reserve with a tourist development
0:55:56 > 0:55:58makes perfect commercial sense.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02And the monkeys don't seem at all unhappy with the deal!
0:56:09 > 0:56:11The question is,
0:56:11 > 0:56:12where to draw the line.
0:56:21 > 0:56:25Like the rest of the world, China is still feeling its way
0:56:25 > 0:56:28towards a harmonious relationship with nature.
0:56:32 > 0:56:37600 years ago, the people who lived here carved this calligraphy
0:56:37 > 0:56:43in the rocks, announcing it to be, "the end of the world".
0:56:50 > 0:56:54In recent years, that world has undergone a massive expansion
0:56:54 > 0:56:57as tourists from all over China
0:56:57 > 0:57:01have discovered the delights of Hainan's tropical seaside resorts.
0:57:05 > 0:57:10By 2010, China's total tourism revenue
0:57:10 > 0:57:14is expected to hit £75 billion a year.
0:57:21 > 0:57:26While insensitive development could destroy China's natural environment,
0:57:26 > 0:57:33well managed eco-tourism could provide huge benefits for China's wildlife.
0:57:36 > 0:57:41The issues that face China today - increasing pressure on resources
0:57:41 > 0:57:45and living space and quality of environment -
0:57:45 > 0:57:47are those that face us all.
0:57:51 > 0:57:54If there is any country in the world
0:57:54 > 0:57:58equipped to solve environmental problems on a vast scale...
0:57:59 > 0:58:01..it has to be China,
0:58:01 > 0:58:07with its tremendous human resources and powerful political control.
0:58:07 > 0:58:11The path it chooses will affect not just its own people
0:58:11 > 0:58:15and its natural environment,
0:58:15 > 0:58:17but the rest of the world too.