Thursday 11th
THE STORY OF CHINA, BBC2, 9pm
The primary duty of any country is to protect its people from invasion and anarchy “but sometimes in history the rebels become the rulers.”
So begins Michael Wood’s introduction to China’s “most dazzling age”, the Ming Dynasty, which was led by a rebellious peasant, Zhu, who rose from poverty to become the Emperor.
China had always been massive and powerful but it wasn’t able to rest in mighty detachment. Instead, it was repeatedly attacked and invaded and its history was a violent patchwork of battles. The situation was particularly bad in the 1350s when the Mongols fell from power and competing warlords and anarchy took their place but, in the midst of the chaos, opportunity beckoned for the peasant rebel Zhu and there were calls from the ordinary people for him to assume the role of Emperor. Being a humble chap he asked permission from the Heavens and, in response, the skies rained every day and only became sunny again on the day of his Coronation. “It was indeed the will of Heaven,” he said when he took the throne.
But his reign wasn’t all about dreamy prayers to the stars and sun. The dynasty’s productive rule was maintained by harsh laws which were especially punitive towards women and we learn of punishment techniques such as “the wooden donkey and hand clamping.”
BRITAIN’S WEIRDEST COUNCIL HOUSES, C4, 10pm
Channel 4 could be accused of creating Britain’s Weirdest Programme Titles, and here’s another.
How “weird” can a council house be, you might wonder. By their nature aren’t they modest, small and uniform? Yes and that’s probably the motivation for the tenants here who have transformed their homes into something spectacular. One painted a replica of the Sistine Chapel, and a retired seaman has recreated the interior of old Merchant Navy ship.
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