Today marks the unofficial 40th anniversary of the start of the Cultural Revolution, an event that, in China, will pass unrecognized due to a PRC government decree. For better and for worse, there have been sweeping changes in the house that Mao built since those dark years — it’s now one of the world’s largest economies, and on its way to being the top tourist destination; what better time for a little soul-searching? The CBC, the NY Times and a bevy of other media outlets have collaborated to produce a TV and Web series of documentaries called “China Rises” examining the current state of China’s nation, from the booming big cities to the struggles of farmers in an increasingly polluted hinterland. The four major categories — politics, society, food, environment — are subdivided into profiles of individuals across the country, all tagged with video, and info-graphics about each subject. If you can get past the often overly melodramatic narration, there’s some fascinating footage. And frankly, it’s hard not to engage in a little hyperbole about a country that never does anything on a small scale.

Elsewhere:
“China: No Longer Forbidden” (Houston Chronicle)
“The Cultural Revolution” (Wikipedia)

(Image via Martin Callum’s photostream)