Pop singer Wang Junkai sings on the program, Everlasting Classics. [Photo/Mtime]

Compared with 2017, the market for cultural programs did cool down in 2018. Many programs with the same content but poor performances, which could not produce a lasting impact, disappeared this year.

However, there also are some cultural programs that stand out. They may face some doubts, but excellent creativity should not be buried. Here is a review of the top 10 cultural programs in 2018 and an exploration of the vitality of high-quality cultural programs.

1. Everlasting Classics

In the program, the host Sa Beining recites poems at the beginning. Then singers combine their own music style with the poems, turning classical poems into beautiful songs. They use modern singing methods to express traditional classics, taking into account the conception of the poems and the easy-to-understand form of expression.

Actors Zhao Lixin and Huang Weide perform scenes from the book, The Moon and Sixpence, at the program. [Photo/Mtime]

2.The Wonderful Read

Each episode of The Wonderful Read reproduces classic scenes of a book, including The Moon and Sixpence, A Brief History of Humankind and other classic works from home and abroad through drama, reading excerpts and videos. The program focuses on all kinds of highlights from books, while triggering the audience to think and gain new knowledge, gradually narrowing the distance between the public and the classics.

The host Dong Qing  in the program, The Reader Ⅱ. [Photo/Mtime]

3. The Reader Ⅱ

The Reader Ⅱ invites influential guests from all fields to share their life stories and to read heartfelt excerpts of classic works carefully selected by the program's literature advisory group. The program shows the beauty of life, literature and emotion.

A promotional poster for The Chinese Poems (university season). [Photo/Official account of The Chinese Poems]

4. The Chinese Poems (university season)

The Chinese Poems aims at promoting traditional Chinese poetry culture, and integrating knowledge and entertainment by means of competition. It provides positive cultural enjoyment for the audience. The university season is for college students who are a core group with sustained cultivation. The program inspires them with the humanistic spirit of the Chinese poems, and consciously assumes the historic task of inheriting Chinese civilization.

Lei Haiwei, the champion of Chinese Poetry Conference in the Third Quarter, appears on the program. [Photo/tv.cctv.com]

5. Chinese Poetry Conference in the Third Quarter

Chinese Poetry Conference is the first popular poem program on CCTV. Its purpose is "appreciating Chinese poetry, seeking cultural genes and tasting the beauty of life". Through the comparison and appreciation of poems, the program aims to stimulate the audience to review the ancient poems they have learned, share the beauty of Chinese culture, and draw nourishment from the wisdom and feelings of the ancients. The program has been on the air for three seasons. This season's champion is a delivery man, which shows that appreciation of ancient poetry and literature is a national activity, not exclusive to the elite.

The program Charming China. [Photo/Mtime]

6. Charming China

The large-scale urban cultural tourism competition program Charming China is a platform for Chinese cities that need to be deeply recognized by the whole world. Cities on the show present their best features, such as customs, foods and festivals, to strive for a seat on the list of top 10 charming cities of China. The program brings deep support to the cities, such as think tanks, propaganda, experts and capital, to promote their development, city images and the upgrading of their tourism industry.

A poster for Extraordinary Craftsmanship.[Photo/mgtv.com]

7. Extraordinary Craftsmanship

Extraordinary Craftsmanship is a reality show about creative cultural experience, in which famous actors and singers are invited to visit the masters of China's treasure-class culture and skills, such as clay sculpture, shadow play and so on, and to complete the ultimate assessment by learning from the masters. With the enthusiasm of craftsmen and the continuation of their lives for culture, the program has forged a spiritual strength in the craftsmanship handed down by generations of the Chinese nation for thousands of years.

Actor Zhai Tianlin reads at the program,  The Beautiful Article. [Photo/Xinhua]

8. The Beautiful Article

The Beautiful Article is divided into three sections: article recommendation, reading, and character interviews. Each episode features three to four beautiful articles. The person who makes the recommendation gives a speech to explain the reasons for his choice and reads the article. Then the listeners review the articles. After that, the author, the protagonist, the person making the recommendation, the listener and the host are seated in the interview area to have an in-depth discussion about the story behind the articles. The program tries to discover the beautiful words that are said in life.

A promotional poster of Loong's Offspring. [Photo/Mtime]

9. Loong's Offspring

This is the first program on the inheritance of parent-child traditional Chinese culture in China, It aims to inherit and develop the essence of Chinese civilization, such as poetry, among primary and secondary school students.

A poster for  Poetic China. [Photo/Mtime]

10. Poetic China

With the theme, "Inheriting History and Culture and Showing Lifestyle", Poetic China innovatively focuses on the theme of "Chinese life aesthetics" in the form of reasoning. Explorers analyze the keywords of the theme step by step to find the key clues to reproduce the poetic life of ancient people. It shows the unique way of life of the Chinese people, including ritual and musical culture, banquet culture, flower culture, festival and the beauty of Chinese clothes, vividly demonstrating the unique way and philosophy of Chinese people's life.