Photo: Douban

 
The second season of popular historical documentary China has had a group of special spectators, all of whom have visual impairment, proving that high-quality audio can allow visually impaired people to enjoy TV programs.

For around 17 million visually impaired people in China, there are obstacles to appreciating film and television productions. The documentary aims to get deeper into their world in a bold way, using music and sounds to communicate.

A special event was held at the China Braille Library on Friday, inviting 30 people with visual impairment to appreciate the first episode of the second season of historical documentary China, an employee of Mango TV told the Global Times on Tuesday. The second season with 12 episodes debuted on Mango TV on February 28.

The first season focused on the prosperous Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the latest season starts from the historic meeting of Li Bai and Du Fu, two renowned poets of the Tang Dynasty. The spectators at the scene were very attentive, turning their ears forward to hear it better.

Under the guidance of the commentary, stories from the Tang Dynasty were scrolled out scene by scene. The audience could not see it so well, but they could hear it.

"I now know more about the dynasty and the two poets. We were moved by their patriotism and struggle in a time of turbulence," Shi Jing, president of the association of the blind of Dongcheng district in Beijing, said after the event.

"For the first time, I had a vivid patriotic education lesson through audio commentary. I got closer to the history of China and felt the power of the documentary," Shi added.

Wu Huimin, an employee with the China Braille Library, said that people with visual impairment are actually the same as ordinary people in terms of having a strong interest in culture.

In the past, they appreciated a film with the help of "narration." This is the first time the Chinese Braille Library has held barrier-free viewing activities for documentaries. Blind people can "watch" documentaries in a more direct way without relying on other assistance.

Debuting on Hunan TV in December 2020, the first season became a hit due to its faithful depiction and interesting portrayals of key figures in Chinese history.