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EBS1’s World Theme Travel is heading to Guizhou, China — and it’s brimming with spring energy.
The first episode of EBS1’s World Theme Travel — This Place Is a Wonderland! China, titled Shall We Get Tipsy, Guizhou, airs on the 18th. It guides viewers through Guizhou in southwest China, spotlighting the region’s landscapes, drinking culture, historic towns, and everyday life in minority villages. Professor Kim Jin-gon, a Chinese language scholar, joins the trip as curator.
Guizhou is a rugged, mountainous province where unique natural scenery meets a rich patchwork of ethnic cultures. Instead of skimming flashy tourist spots, the show digs into the province’s soul: mountains blanketed in spring blooms, the hands that craft liquor, stories handed down in old towns, and the daily rhythms of people working tea fields.
The first stop is Baekri Dugyeon, whose name literally means a 100-li stretch — roughly 31 miles. In spring, the mountain turns into a wash of azaleas and rhododendrons. Rare flower varieties spill across the ridgelines, and the sweeping fields of blooms look like painted landscapes. Those endless flower paths explain why Guizhou is getting noticed as a top spring getaway.
The scent of flowers soon gives way to the aroma of spirits. The crew visits Maotai Town, the birthplace of Maotai — China’s famed baijiu. Known worldwide for its distinctive fragrance and deep flavor, Maotai is treated like a national icon. The episode meets a master brewer with nearly 60 years of experience and tastes bottles aged more than 30 years, sharing how time shapes aroma and taste.
The show also breaks down how Maotai is made. Key elements include the Chishui River, prized for its water; red sorghum called hongjinzi; and century-old traditional distilleries. The process is painstaking: ingredients are steamed nine times, fermented eight times, and distilled seven times. The first distillate hits around 70% ABV. That powerful strength combined with a layered aroma helps explain why Maotai is more than a drink — it’s local history and pride in a bottle.
Another side of Guizhou appears in its old towns. Qingyan Ancient Town, tucked among blue rock hills, still shows the marks of time. The home of Jo Yi-hyung, the first person from Guizhou to top the imperial exams, still stands. The program follows a local tale that credits pig’s feet with helping Jo Yi-hyung succeed on the exams. The blend of personal triumph and village food makes the ancient town feel like a living community, not just a historic street.
The journey then moves into Guizhou’s minority cultures. Home to many ethnic groups, the region is especially known for the Miao people. The crew visits a Miao village to experience the Long Table Feast, a special communal celebration. Villagers set a table long enough for the whole community to share. Sixty portions are laid out at once, and residents spend the day eating, drinking, and celebrating with guests.
The Long Table Feast is more than a meal — it’s a snapshot of communal life. People gathered along the long table, hands passing dishes, songs and laughter filling the air: the trip goes beyond sightseeing and steps straight into everyday life. The way villagers welcome strangers reveals the warmth and living culture of the area.
The episode closes in the tea fields behind the village. Tea farmers work by hand until their fingertips darken, but they keep singing and smiling as they pick. A cup of fresh tea brewed from leaves they just picked rounds out the journey. Viewers get a day in Guizhou that moves through the scents of flowers, liquor, and tea.
World Theme Travel — This Place Is a Wonderland! China, Part 1, Shall We Get Tipsy, Guizhou, airs on the 18th at 8:40 p.m. on EBS1.
※ This article was produced without compensation.
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