River Elegy (1988)

"River Elegy" is a TV series in 6 parts: In Search of the Dream, Destiny, The Spark, Sorrow and Sky Blue, which trace the origins of Chinese culture to the well spring of the Yellow River. The text abounds in dialectical irony and reflective wit, while the visual images flow by in a post-modern pastiche that is anchored by the depth and passion of the script. The program's almost reckless demystification of the prevailing Chinese cultural icons, such as the dragon mascot, the Great Wall, Mao and Marx is contrasted with its lavishly uncritical embracing of Western capitalism.