Travel series stirs an urge to explore iconic destinations

Thirty years ago, then-24-year-old Meng Fei was a young cameraman who boarded a train from Shanghai bound for the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, enduring three days and three nights across the Chinese heartland to reach Urumqi.

What awaited him was a three-month immersion in the landscapes and lives far removed from the city rhythms he knew — a land of sweeping deserts, towering peaks and a kaleidoscope of ethnic cultures.

Today, Meng is one of China's most recognized television hosts. This summer, his return to Xinjiang stirred a deep nostalgia for a region he once knew intimately. The mountains and open skies are still there, timeless and pristine, but Meng observed the profound changes in the lives of the locals.

This time, his role is different. He's not just a visitor; he's an "unofficial tour guide" and driver, heading westward with writer Liu Zhenyun, host Li Yajuan, stand-up comedian He Guangzhi, and actress Hani Kyzy.

Together, they're retracing historic routes that bridge China and Central Asia, journeying through Xinjiang to Uzbekistan's Samarkand and Tashkent. Along the way, they're visiting the ancient paths once traversed by Chinese Buddhist monk Xuan Zang in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), unveiling the storied beauty of the western regions in a modern retelling of the ancient Silk Road.

The journey unfolds in the second season of Must Go, a reality travel show airing on Jiangsu TV and streaming on Youku. With a group of guests, the team traverses iconic destinations like Kashgar, Tashikurgan, the Duku Highway and Uzbekistan, cutting through Eurasia and linking snow-capped peaks, grasslands, stark deserts and verdant urban oases.

Thirty years ago in Tashikurgan, one of Meng's most memorable experiences was capturing a traditional Tajik wedding. "Their dancing was extraordinarily beautiful," he recalls. "On the plateau, their melodic singing felt boundless and vast."

"There were no cellphones; no phones at all back then," Meng remembers. "When they set off to bring back the bride, you only knew they left at the start of the month. No one knew when they'd return. We waited three days for the wedding to start. It went on for several days after, with singing, dancing and the entire village celebrating. It was deeply moving."

On this recent journey, Meng again attended a local wedding in Tashikurgan. "The same sense of wonder was still there," he says.

Leading the tour was He, who was on his first visit to Xinjiang. "All the 'stereotypes' I had about Xinjiang — the incredible food, scenery and the warmth of its people — were fully realized on this trip," He says. "Snow-capped mountains, deserts, the Gobi, glaciers, grasslands — I saw them all.

"At first, I expected beautiful landscapes," He shares. "But once we arrived, we gained a deeper understanding of the local ethnic cultures: their clothing, cuisine, architecture and interior designs. The beauty in these details left me speechless."

For He, Xinjiang people conveyed a profound love for life, from the intricate designs on doorways to the smallest details on the buttons of their traditional clothing.

Usually reserved, He found himself swept up in the region's vibrant gatherings, moved by the locals' singing, dancing and hospitality. "I don't know how to dance," he admits, "but the atmosphere brought pure, simple joy. I just had to join in!"

During a flag-raising ceremony at the Khunjerab border port, He and the other guests were visibly moved. "We stood at the border, waving to the people of Pakistan across from us. Both sides greeted each other warmly. I was brought to tears. At that moment, without a shared language and different cultures, we felt a profound, shared humanity."

During the journey, He faced the challenge of balancing the needs of both guests and team members.

"Although Liu and Meng are older, they have a youthful spirit and are open to trying things that appeal to younger people," He says. "Liu was patient, repeatedly explaining Xuan Zang's story to us."

Before the trip, He's understanding of Xuan Zang was limited to Journey to the West and history books. By the end of the trip, he had gained a deep respect for Xuan Zang's perseverance.

"His journey was tough and required an immense belief to succeed. Seeing his achievements reminded me that hard work truly leads to reward," He reflects.

According to Wang Xin, producer of Juren Media, which produced the show, the idea for this travel variety show emerged from a gap he observed in the genre.

"Most travel programs focus on showcasing scenery, sampling food or playing games in different locations, but few truly blend travel with local culture and human stories," Wang says.

"A good travel show allows viewers to feel the joy of exploration, discover local customs, and, through the guests' interactions, find inspiration, motivation and even a little healing for life's everyday struggles," he says.

In this second season, Wang notes, they leaned further into the travel experience by having the guests act as travel agency staff, curating custom itineraries for their clients. This twist, he adds, brings a fresh perspective and a new level of engagement for viewers.

Meng and Liu have been friends for years and their previous travels together in the first season only strengthened their bond. This season, their exchanges, whether thoughtful discussions or lighthearted banter, have become a standout feature of the show.

The show's leading scriptwriter Li Juan likens their journey to reading a book: Meng's remarks serve as the underlined highlights while Liu's words are the lingering reflections that stay with you long after.

For example, during a visit to the Subashi Buddhist Temple in Kuqa, a county-level city in Aksu, the guests come across an inscription linked to Buddhist monk and scholar Kumarajiva (343/44-413).In a playful segment, they guess which phrases might have been translated by the Buddhist master. "Viewers may be surprised to recognize many of these words still in use today, creating a moment of connection with history," Li notes.

Li shares that Meng naturally bonds with younger guests while Liu's spirited debates with him add an engaging dynamic to the show.

"Our goal is to fuse culture and travel," Li says. "It's Liu's cultural insights paired with Meng's travel expertise that create an organic blend of these two fields."

General director Zhang Long says that the decision to feature Xinjiang and Uzbekistan this season stemmed from Xinjiang's rising popularity as a tourist destination, offering a rich mix of cultural diversity and breathtaking landscapes. "Turpan in August, the thousand shades of blue in Uzbekistan — these are destinations that truly deserve to be visited," he says.

"We realized that the route we selected overlaps with Xuan Zang's historic westward journey, adding natural beauty and cultural storytelling to the trip," Zhang notes. "Xuan Zang's pilgrimage may be China's earliest example of independent travel."

The production team carefully scouted each location, curating key highlights to create a comprehensive travel guide for the guests. Zhang points out that Uzbekistan, a relatively unfamiliar destination, added an element of excitement to the journey.

In Uzbekistan, the show used The Golden Peaches of Samarkand, a book about goods that traveled from the Silk Road to the Tang Dynasty, as a framework for the guests to explore the echoes of the Tang Dynasty in Samarkand.

"In a local museum, the guests discovered a mural depicting Tang Dynasty figures rowing dragon boats, which represents the Dragon Boat Festival," Zhang shares. At another museum, they viewed an ancient map of the Silk Road, seen through the eyes of foreigners, showcasing familiar Chinese place names.

"That mural deeply moved me," Zhang says. "The exhibits in Uzbekistan highlighted the rich history of cultural exchange. I believe this is the true meaning of the Silk Road: people from different cultures coming together to trade goods and share knowledge. That was the most profound takeaway from this journey."

Zhang also observes the growing enthusiasm for learning Chinese in the region. "A significant number of young people in Uzbekistan are studying Chinese, hoping for better job potential. Many teenagers plan to attend Chinese universities," he says.