Beyond the Great Wall: Journey to the End of China

Seeking to understand one’s next-door neighbors is difficult, but seeking to understand people who live thousands of miles away, who speak a strange language, and who have even stranger customs sometimes seems beyond comprehension. One enterprising television station decided to help and, by teaming up with their corporate production company, they turned in a televised report which would get an A-plus in any academic grading system. Station KGMB-TV in Honolulu, together with Lee Productions, displayed consummate skill in bringing viewers a greater understanding of parts of China. Beyond the Great Wall: Journey to the End of China provided a close-up of China’s far western Xinjiang province. As the first American television crew allowed in that remote area, they concentrated on examining the Muslim minorities, the Kazahk mountain people, the experimental multi-ethnic schools, along with the unique music, dances, and games of the people. The result was the bringing into focus one of the most remote parts of the world. For an exceptional accomplishment, a Peabody Award.