Chinese chengyu are brief sayings or idioms that convey a wealth of meaning is just a few simple characters. Fables Of the East is a collection of short stories from Chinese history or mythology that illustrate the origins or meanings of chengyu.
Over the course of the 5000-year history of Chinese civilization and the 3000-year history of the Chinese language,chengyu have captured the beauty of the language and expressed the wisdom of the great philosophers of China.To understand the meaning and principles contained within these Chinese idioms is to gain a greater grasp on the important characters and events of history and a greater appreciation of the thoughts of our ancestors.
Recent studies in China have shown that although the youth of today show great interest in learning about history,they seldom have an understanding of the origins and meaning of many of the idioms ,or chengyu,that are commonly used.In order to provide an entertaining and engaging way for children to familiarize themselves s with these sayings and stories,we have produced Fables of the East,a collection of 1000 short episodes,each one based on a well-known chengyu.These shows are suitable for Chinese children who are learning about the history and development of their language as well as non-native Chinese speakers who are interested in studying Chinese culture,language and stories of dynastic China.
The production of this series was truly unprecedented.The first season,consisting of 125episodes,took nearly six years to complete.Over 5000 child actors took on the roles in the stories,many of them portraying some of the most well-known characters in Chinese history.Over 4000 period-accurate costumes were prepared in order to recreate these special stories.It took 120 days for principle shooting and over 400 days in post-production.An experienced music production team from Taiwan provided the score.
The result is a television show that is both entertaining and educational.No matter if a child in China is watching in order to increase their understanding of the origins of their own language, or a non-Chinese speaker is watching to gain a better knowledge of the culture and beauty of an unfamiliar culture and foreign tongue,Fables of the East is sure to entertain and inform in a way that is completely unique.
