Mr. Li Zehou's classic work "The Process of Beauty" has been exclusively authorized to promote the adaptation and production of a film and television documentary version of the same name. The film is directed by the famous documentary producer Gan Chao, and the core creators of important art documentaries from BBC and Netflix work together. More than 50 top scholars from China and abroad in the fields of art history, art history, and philosophy history serve as academic consultants.
Whether it is the great charm of Mr. Li Zehou's original work, the wonderful annotations of contemporary scholars, the luxurious lineup of the production team, or the concentrated display of works of art from past dynasties, the documentary "The Course of Beauty" will undoubtedly become the most anticipated and popular work of the year in the documentary field in all dimensions. It is reported that the film is likely to be released at the end of 2025.
The Journey of Beauty
The book "The Course of Beauty" was once an aesthetic enlightenment book for several generations of Chinese people. It takes time as the main axis and uses philosophical and profound thinking to connect the artistic treasures of China's nearly 10,000 years of history, and powerfully expounds China's artistic spirit, cultural context and national soul. The book was first published in 1981 and has been reprinted several times, reaching hundreds of thousands of copies. It is a well-deserved phenomenal work in the history of Chinese publishing. Scholar Yi Zhongtian once recalled that "The Course of Beauty can be regarded as a work of art, which makes me feel excited."
The documentary "The Process of Beauty" is based on the original work. In this vast 8-episode 50-minute masterpiece, it follows contemporary artists and scholars into more than 250 art original places (domestic and foreign museums, historical and cultural relics, archaeological sites, etc.), and travels to China, the United States, Western Europe, Japan and other places. It closely perceives the beauty of China's art treasures (murals, statues, calligraphy and painting, utensils, etc.), understands oriental aesthetics from the source, explores the profound heritage of the evolution of Chinese art and aesthetics, and appreciates the Chinese people's rich and profound worldview, full and vivid humanistic spirit, adherence to and love of truth, goodness and beauty, and the profound motivation for this nation's greatness.
It is reported that the film is directed by the State Administration of Radio and Television (Publicity Department), planned by the Beijing Radio and Television Bureau, and produced by many domestic television stations, Internet platforms, Zhuzhen Media, Yunji Future, etc. The traditional Chinese version, English version, derivative content, offline art space and VR exhibition have been simultaneously deployed.
Chief Director Gan Chao has shot well-known works such as "Why China", "Chinese Materia Medica", "Red Runway", and "Go on an Adventure with Bear Grylls". His team has a large number of successful cooperation cases with overseas mainstream media platforms such as Disney, Discovery, National Geographic, NHK, and KBS. He is one of the leaders in the documentary industry and is also highly recognized in the international media field. He has won the Peabody Award, the highest award for American broadcasting and television achievements, and the International Trailblazers Award at the Cannes TV Festival. The crew also introduced top talents in professional fields such as photography and fine arts who have won Oscars and the three major European film festivals.
Whether it is the popularity of "Nezha 2", "Black Monkey King" and "30,000 Miles in Chang'an", the hard-to-get tickets for museum exhibitions, the younger generation embracing excellent traditional culture, and the confidence and vitality when facing the world stage, all of these prove that the all-round rise of contemporary China from national strength and economy to civilization and ecology is unstoppable.
Looking back on the "process of beauty" at this historical turning point is to explore the sparks of the spirit of the times in countless great works of art, to explore the profound thoughts, emotions, concepts, and wills of the Chinese people, to explore the answer to "Why China", and to present a profound, broad, and inclusive oriental wisdom blueprint for today's world, human survival, and personal existence. All of this, as Mr. Li Zehou wrote in the conclusion of his book: "All is past. However, the process of beauty points to the future."
- JssqtQOKuemyzdF03/28/2025