TV show chronicles the lives of 5 Chinese youths

As the world enters a new decade, those born in the 2000s gradually enter their 20s and will play key roles in society. What do Chinese youths think, how are their lives shaping up, and how are they growing up?

A documentary titled Childhood in China might have the answers. Having observed the growth of five youths for 13 years (since the age of 5), it has tried to give the outside world a glimpse into the lives of this generation. They are now about 18 or 19 years.

The English version of the documentary was telecast on Discovery Asia-Pacific channel in late April, giving youths across the globe a deeper understanding of their counterparts on the other side of the Pacific.

It was in 2017 that the first version of the documentary was telecast on China Central Television. Since then, the Documentary Center of Beijing Normal University has been constantly updating it for new platforms.

"It's very rare to follow your characters for more than a decade and keep such a precious record as they evolve. At the same time, their lives were an amazing mirror that reflected the arrival of China as the new economic powerhouse it was becoming at the turn of the century," Vikram Channa, vice-president on Production and Partnerships at Discovery Asia, said.

"The convergence of their personal storylines with that of their country at this unique time in China's development makes it a standout documentary project anywhere."

The documentary revolves around five youths, three boys, Chi Yiyang, Liang Haotian and Liu Jiayang, and two girls, Rou Rou and Yi Yi.

Chi, for instance, was known for his disobedient behavior and the tendency to get involved in fights in kindergarten and primary school. A complaint was received against him, signed by all parents, except his, when he was in kindergarten.

Rou was just the opposite. She was bursting with enthusiasm and she loved everyone. She, however, felt isolated from friends because she went to the United States for higher studies.

All of them have distinct personalities. In kindergarten, Haotian was considered introverted, while Jiayang was regarded as outgoing, and was popular among his peers.

Surprisingly, the then three-year-old Yi Yi enjoyed being alone, and playing and singing by herself. She admitted on camera she loved to play by herself because that's what she liked. "Everyone has their own choice."

More than a decade later, these five youths together watched the documentary about their lives.

Turning to Yi Yi, Jiayang said, "You have said extraordinary things at 3 than when I was at 13."

As the camera kept rolling, the audience grew up with them as the magic of time unravelled their real-life dramas.

"No dramatic scenes were needed for this documentary," said Zhang Tongdao, a media professor at Beijing Normal University, who is also director of the documentary. "Every detail or line comes from their lives. What I did is to capture them."

"We just hope to faithfully record the lives of Chinese children, of which they are just two normal ones," said Yu Ming, executive director of the documentary. "Actually, if you record anybody's life for 13 years, you will find full of interesting stories in it."

Vikram Channa said it was because of this unique quality that Discovery Channel decided to collaborate on this and create an altogether new version targeting international audiences.

He said he believes the documentary screened on Discovery will change the long-term stereotype about China.

"Many foreigners misunderstand young Chinese as having no personality. As we can all see (in the documentary), every child in China has a distinct personality, an open mind and confidence. They think and express their individuality in unique ways, but without losing the sense of being connected to greater reality," he said.