Recently, a TV series has sparked discussions on nostalgia among viewers through its representation of vivid scenes from everyday life in the early 2000s.
运河变迁
时代浪潮中的少年成长
《北上》以京杭大运河百年兴衰为背景，以河畔一群90后青年的人生轨迹为脉络，描绘了邻里温情、少年成长与时代奋斗的故事，诠释出“一方水土养育一方人，一方人守护一方水土”的群像精神。
Northward traces the life trajectories of six boys and girls living along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. This group of childhood friends are loving neighbors who help each other pursue their dreams.
Through the eyes of these aspiring youths, the audience can glimpse their love and affection for their hometown as well as the rise and fall of the Grand Canal.
A number of families along the Grand Canal in the series used to make a living from the river shipping industry. However, since the opening of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway in 2000, river shipping has been largely replaced by road transport, further impacting people’s livelihoods along the canal.
Upon graduation, some of these aspiring youths moved north to Beijing to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams. After navigating the challenges of starting up businesses, they returned to their hometown to launch new ventures, spurred by the Grand Canal’s inclusion in the World Heritage List in 2014.
年代质感
跨越百年的文化与历史
The TV series immerses its audience in a mood of nostalgia with the Jiangnan-style courtyard residences, the vintage decor and furniture as well as the retro tones of its warm-colored cinematography.
It also features a diverse array of local customs, food culture and other cultural elements, such as weddings on board boats and regional delicacies.
温情细腻
文学再现诠释时代印记
Northward is adapted from the novel of the same name written by Xu Zechen. The book won the 10th Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2019 and has already been adapted into stage plays and musicals.
In his book, Xu vividly portrays life along the Grand Canal, which is reminiscent of scenes from the painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival". Stories of bittersweet memories and dream-chasing journeys unfold against the vicissitudes of the canal’s history, showcasing the changes in the Chinese spirit in an era of transition between tradition and modernity.
In this sense, Northward serves as a microcosm of how a main artery has nurtured this nation for thousands of years and cultivated generations of Chinese people.
