Reality TV show to explore cities along ancient Silk Road

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The second season of the TV reality show, Silk Road Expedition, will take audiences to landmark cities along the Silk Road, the ancient route connecting China and the West.

The road survival reality show produced by Shaanxi Satellite TV, will premiere on Jan 6.

The first season, which aired last year, invited nearly 50 domestic scholars and the television host Tian Tong to take a 60-day expedition from Xi’an in Northwest China’s Shaanxi province to Rome in Italy. The two cities were the respective end points of the ancient Silk Road.

To attract more viewership, the second season has revised the game rules to make it more “entertaining”, according to the producers.

In the upcoming season, the scholars and Tian are replaced by four pop stars, including rock singer Zhou Xiao’ou, cross-talk comedian He Yunwei, actress Zou Yang, and singer Xu Fei. Four veteran tourists, who have gained online reputations for their travel logs, respectively, accompany the stars.

Four teams of two members each then have to drive nearly 20,000 kilometers from Rome to Xi’an without cash.

To pay for food, gasoline and other supplies, they have to barter items they have or their skills.

The most dangerous section is expected to be the desert in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The scorching weather in June and rugged roads are likely to pose big challenges.

The 12-episode show aims to showcase one landmark city along the ancient Silk Road in every episode. Legends and historical tales are interwoven into the adventures.