Abiding love

Thanks to the success of Hero of Hanzi, CCTV this summer introduced a similar game show, Hanzi Dictation Competition.

Wen said he expects more programs centered on Chinese language and culture to hit screens in the next two years.

"These hanzi shows have proven that the Chinese, in general, have an abiding love for their mother language and traditional culture," he said. "It may not be overt, but from years of education since primary school, we all have the same gene embedded in us that encodes and decodes our thinking and behavior patterns using the basic structure of our word system."

He said the success of the TV shows has prompted a new focus on how to popularize traditional culture.

"It looks like promoting Chinese culture through popular entertainment is not as shallow as many experts thought. It has already formed into a mature business model," Wen added. He cited A Bite of China, a documentary on the history of Chinese food and cooking habits that was well received in China and overseas, as a perfect example.

"We could be looking at a breakthrough in our cultural exports to the world," he said.

Contact the writer at zhanglei@chinadaily.com.cn