THE SILK ROAD I - 2 of 12 - A Thousand Kilometers Beyond the Yellow River

Camels plodding across the desert, and a sense of timelessness evoked by Kitaro's theme music... NHK devoted 17 years to the planning, shooting and production of The Silk Road, which unearthed trade routes linking long-lost civilizations of East and West. A landmark in broadcasting history, this series told the story of the rise and fall of ancient civilizations.
The NHK Tokushu and China's CCTV documentary series The Silk Road began on April 7, 1980. The program started with the memorable scene of a camel caravan crossing the desert against the setting sun, with Kitaro's music and a sense of timelessness. It was the start of an epic televisual poem.
The first journey described in the series began in Chang'an (now Xi'an), at the eastern end of the ancient route. On 450,000 feet of film, the NHK crew recorded the path westward to the Pamir Heights at the Pakistan border and this material was edited to make 12 monthly broadcasts. In response to viewers' requests that the series be extended to cover the Silk Road all the way to Rome, sequels were made over the next 10 years. Seventeen years after the program was conceived, the project was completed.
2) A Thousand Kilometers Beyond the Yellow River
At the foot of the Qi-Lian mountains Chinese dynasties once fought against foreign nomadic tribes. Also of interest are the sculptures and rock carved Buddhas.

[@miyubail]

I watched this NHK series over 40 years ago and I was totally mesmerilized.

[@ngg9544]

Another document from NHK in the 80s I think was called the yellow river song by Sojiro

[@kamyarchristopher228]

A beautiful documentary, which will never be repeated.

[@toir77]

Very pleased to see this again after all these years, this documentary fascinated me back in the 80's. Thank you.

[@boomshanka8743]

I have wanted to see this again ever since I first saw it in the early 80s. Thank you!

[@valleyofk.yu.s.s.inmyhead8359]

Same! This was just do uniQue...

[@kevc-69-]

As soon as i hear the opening music i am transported to the silk road.

[@allgoo1930]

Great respect to the staff at NHK.

[@elixues]

The Silk Road was a joint collaboration between Japan's NHK and China's CCTV. The Japanese team had earlier not been able to enter the Silk Road region in the mid-1970s for other projects. However, permission was granted in 1978 and a joint project with China Central Television was born. (From Wiki 'The Silk Road').

[@redraccoondog7821]

Those wooden water wheels are amazing.

[@sangeetsince1986]

i have seen this documentary in our National television broadcast in 90's dubbed in the Nepali language. And the music has stuck in my head since then. Thank you for uploading this. And the most incredible part is since then and now. wow what a transformation.

[@mjerse50]

Outstanding and informative presentation a window to the past awesome video beautiful people and beautiful places thank you for sharing this ✅🌈🌈

[@marianmraz2483]

Few documents impacted my life as this one.

[@a.r.e1075]

I love this documentary very much it is beautiful

[@abdulazimi665]

I like to know the silk road stories because this story in some where has connection to my county stories too .

[@oat6155]

Fantastic ~

[@primalized]

This is wonderful! I just got back from Xinjiang. Makes me want to pack my bags and set off again. Not easy travelling the silk road right now though.

[@rajeswarithulajappa6774]

So beautifully narrated. yellow river, gobi desert, the tribeles ,life of the people and migrated vegetables and Buddisam all these are just we are seeing in front of us. I think we are sitting in history class ? Rajeshwari thulajappa

[@raginisingh-zk3sc]

Most informative and wonderfully told docu.the music is terrible though

[@oldharald786]

I have seen this couple time, but i hope that come again soon in Finnish tv.

[@patrickdineen4994]

So great to watch without endless music

[@ronalddunne3413]

YES, YES, YES!!!!

[@kungfuchimp5788]

Man the singing sounds like someone stomping on a parakeet.

[@user-id3id7ld7y]

오프닝이 완전 추억돋는데요?

[@cagatayhan7848]

Müthiş

[@michaelbarker7498]

Can you get the full set on dvd in the uk

[@madmanjshum]

What a great country China is.

[@mantouu]

what a great Japan is for producing this tv show.

[@elixues]

@@mantouu 'The NHO Tokushu and China's CCTV documentary series The Silk Road began on April 7, 1980'. This is a joint collaboration between Japan and China. However, the camera equipments and video crews were mostly supplied by NHK.

[@wild1p329]

Not enough information, no dates/timelines decent maps

[@Teabone3]

I do agree , unfortunately, that there is a lack of this information. Which i was looking forward to.

[@sreenivasdukkipati2735]

No video avialable .

[@Rob-ln7dd]

Ok

[@barsicschneiderzanet]

Buddha on 12:30 has 6 (six) fingers !

[@vigneshsella]

#apworld

[@gaslitworldf.melissab2897]

The grassland have been decimated. And the lake has been reduced. The water quality has changed too. They overgrazed because their herds got too large. I'm surprised Mongols didn't know better after being there for thousands of years without problems. So sad. Culture destroyed. Freedom lost.

[@456qsn4]

All these are within the Gansu Province甘肃省. There are no Uyghur维吾尔人; they are Moguls蒙古人. 羊皮筏子("Yang Pi Fa Zi", 小土船，Sheepskin Raft)-武威市(Wuwei City,甘肃省下辖市)-祁连山(Qilian Mountain)-嘉峪关 Jiayuguan Gate.

[@azizkarim]

The tribe shown at 40:43 are not Uyghurs at all and they look Nepalese . Uyghurs are Muslims not Budhas

[@MetalTraveler]

Uyghurs started to convert Islam around 800 AD - 900 AD. Before that they were Buddhists (and several other religions).

[@user-jn6lh5hr9i]

highly agree!!

[@umut4506]

Most Uygurs are Muslims,but there are many Nomadic Uygurs /Turkic tribes fallows Budhism or Shamanism, clothes they wear might seem like Nepalese but considering the weather conditions are similar it makes sense to have similar wearing

[@RameshLamichhane]

Mr Gregjun- Buddhism is not originated in India, It is from Nepal. Correct this publication 12:05 min of this video speaks this thing.

[@getaasciesh1]

+ramesh lamichhane Buddha was born in present day Nepal, but Buddhism is originated in present day India, where Sidhhartha Gautama got enlightened, preached, taught and lived his entire life. I am Nepalese and i proudly say Buddha was born in Nepal but Indians have equal right to say Buddhism is originated in their country. And, one thing to note is that 2500 years ago, neither today's India nor Nepal existed.

[@bomjam2590]

The Uyghur people have been forced by the Chinese government to adopt modern Chinese culture. Sad :-(

[@tomxu1561]

no, they are living with whatever culture they like to have.

[@wqq5772]

i suggest you to go there by yourself and talk to the native persons

[@andreal.3097]

you're watching too much bias propaganda against the Chinese govt. Why don't you go there by yourself and talk to the native peoples to see how's the condition there.

[@bomjam2590]

Why do you think that?

[@deaddodg3637]

u have been brainwashed by your own country

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

Beautifully filmed but horribly slow. This 12 part series could have been edited down to 6 episodes.

[@forestdenizen6497]

Nonsense. This series isn't merely about delivering information. It is just as much about the aesthetic experience, the slow pace is needed to give time to digest the views and scenes. Like the silent pause at the end of a score on classical radio stations. Perhaps the infographics generation has lost the ability to appreciate this form of art.

[@ribevej57]

It is the beauty of it

[@deckiedeckie]

Only fools moralize history.....jejejeje

[@advaitsufi384]

oh really!! So Gautama the buddha would recognize the country called Nepal 2500 years ago and tell you he is not from India. He would also claim to be spreading a religion called buddhism that has nothing to do with any thing in India and the language he spoke in would not be anything to do with any sanskrit words or derivatives. Good luck with your narrow narrative, try telling this to the buddha.

[@stsa21]

There was no India at the time of Gautama.