A well-documented process

Marking the recent 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, the six-episode series was aired on China Central Television's documentary channel in December.

"Charoen Pokphand Group is special to Chinese people. The Zhengda Variety Show opened the eyes of a generation of Chinese to the rest of the world," says chief director Han Wen.

Sponsored by Dhanin's company, the show became the longest-running television program in China since its debut on CCTV in 1990. It has been presented by dozens of anchors who became household names, such as Zhao Zhongxiang, Yang Lan and Wang Xuechun.

Selecting Dhanin and 39 other people from more than 120 candidates, the 40 Years On crew traveled over 10,000 kilometers across China and visited several foreign countries, including the United States, Thailand, Laos and Finland to shoot more than 300-hours of footage.