Matthieu Ventelon, who has a Chinese name "Maizi", hails from Toulouse, a city in southwestern France through which the world's first UNESCO World Heritage canal, the Canal du Midi, flows. Having lived and worked in Suzhou for seven years, Maizi still resides by a canal. However, this time it is the Grand Canal of China, a waterway of great historical and cultural significance to this country.
Stretching nearly 3,200 kilometers, the Grand Canal has a history spanning over 2,500 years. It is the world's largest, longest, and oldest canal, traversing time and space while connecting the north and south of China. The Grand Canal flows through eight provinces and municipalities and links five major river systems. It stands as a vital symbol of Chinese civilization. In 2014, the Grand Canal was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural heritage site.
One of Maizi's friends, Gong Liang, Honorary director of Nanjing Museum, once participated in the Grand Canal's World Heritage application. In early spring, when the fresh Biluochun tea leaves turn green, Maizi invited Mr. Gong to start from Suzhou to explore the Grand Canal. Joining them was another of Maizi's Suzhou friends, Mao Chengyi, a young overseas returnee.
Suzhou is the only city along the Grand Canal that has been inscribed onto the World Cultural Heritage list with the concept of an ancient city. Its prosperity and cultural richness have been nourished by the canal for thousands of years. People live along the canal, and the city thrive because of the canal. Maizi discovered that such connections continue to this day. On the Ancient Towpath of Wujiang, he observed cargo boats bustling back and forth, a testament to the Grand Canal's ongoing role as a vital transport route. At Baodai Bridge, Mao Chengyi shared with Maizi the enchanting scene of "Moon Stringed on the Bridge" on the Mid-Autumn Festival, a cherished memory for Suzhou locals who grow up by the canal.
Maizi's exploration also included tasting Suzhou-style noodles, experiencing the traditional craft of Taohuawu Woodblock New Year Prints, boating along Shantang River, and exploring historical relics. As these moments unfolded, a modern rendition of the famous “Suzhou's Golden Age” painting seemed to come alive before Maizi's eyes. He felt the fusion of northern and southern areas facilitated by the canal, marveled at the diverse cultural "pearls" strung together by this waterway, and embraced the vitality of everyday life flourishing along its banks.
As night fell, the trio raised their glasses to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, savoring the joy of the Grand Canal adventure.
"In Jiangsu, rivers, lakes, and seas are its lifeblood. The Grand Canal imparts a spirit of dynamism and inclusiveness to this region." Mr. Gong said. The Grand Canal flows through eight cities in Jiangsu. For Maizi, Suzhou is just the first window into its story. From Suzhou, the canal winds northward in Jiangsu through Wuxi, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, Huai'an, Suqian, and Xuzhou, with each city offering its fascinating stories. Inspired, Maizi decides to journey along the canal to uncover more of its landscapes, exploring the enduring vitality of the canal and this country.
來自法國的麥子（Matthieu Ventelon）家鄉在圖盧茲，一座法國西南部的城市，第一條世界遺產運河——米迪運河流經了那里。在蘇州工作生活7年，麥子如今還是生活在運河邊，這條運河對中國也意義非凡，它就是中國大運河。
綿延近3200公里的中國大運河，至今已有2500多年歷史，是世界上規模最大、線路最長、延續時間最久的運河。穿越古今，縱貫南北，它流經8個省市，連接5大水系，是中華文明的重要標識。2014年，中國大運河被列入《世界遺產名錄》，成為世界文化遺產。
麥子的蘇州朋友、南京博物院名譽院長龔良曾參與大運河的申遺工作。在江南初春、碧螺春新綠之時，麥子邀請龔良先生一起在蘇州“問道”大運河，麥子的另一位蘇州朋友、年輕的“海歸”茅澄怡也加入其中。
蘇州是運河沿線唯一以古城概念申遺的城市。姑蘇繁華，千年滋養，城因河而興，人依河而居，麥子發現這樣的聯系今天仍在延續。在古纖道，麥子看見裝載貨物的船只往來穿梭，直觀感受這條“黃金水道”當下仍在發揮重要運輸作用。在寶帶橋，茅澄怡向麥子講述中秋佳節“寶帶串月”奇觀，那是屬于運河邊長大的蘇州人的溫暖記憶。品嘗蘇式面條，體驗桃花塢木版年畫，山塘河坐船游覽，古城探尋遺跡……此刻，一幅現代版的《姑蘇繁華圖》在麥子眼前徐徐展開，他體會運河帶來的南北融匯，見證沿線豐富多彩的文化“珍珠”串珠成鏈，也在河畔升騰的“煙火氣”中讀懂運河對美好生活的滋養。夜幕之下，三人舉杯共慶中法建交60周年，分享蘇州“問道”之旅的愉快體驗。
“水韻江蘇，江河湖海是它的血脈。”龔良先生告訴麥子，像水一樣靈動、包容，這是大運河賦予這里的精神氣質。大運河在江蘇流經了8個城市，蘇州只是麥子觀察運河的第一窗口。從蘇州一路向北，無錫、常州、鎮江、揚州、淮安、宿遷、徐州，沿線的每個城市都有不同的精彩故事。麥子也決定沿著運河去解鎖更多風景，感受這份綿延的生命力和不息的歷史脈動。
總制片Chief Producers / 楊力群Yang Liqun 雙傳學Shuang Chuanxue
總策劃Chief Planners / 顧雷鳴Gu Leiming 劉偉Liu Wei
總監制Line Producer / 傅晴Fu Qing
總統籌Chief Coordinator / 沈崢嶸Shen Zhengrong
統籌Coordinators / 包聞軍Bao Wenjun 王乃毅Wang Naiyi
制作Creators / 劉瀏Liu Liu 陳澄Chen Cheng 朱娜Zhu Na 錢盈盈Qian Yingying 陳雨薇Chen Yuwei 王瑞楓Wang Ruifeng
美編Art Editor / 張迪Zhang Di
