China in the 13th century was the richest, most powerful, most technologically advanced civilization on earth. NOVA looks at how China achieved what it did, and what in Chinese politics, culture and economy kept it from doing more. Part one of a four part series.

NOVA Season 17 Episodes...

• s17e01 - The Hidden City
• s17e02 - The Controversial Dr. Koop
• s17e03 - Design Wars!
• s17e04 - Echoes of War
• s17e05 - Decoding the Book of Life
• s17e06 - Hurricane!
• s17e07 - Will Venice Survive Its Rescue?
• s17e08 - What Is Music?
• s17e09 - Yellowstone's Burning Question
• s17e10 - The Schoolboys Who Cracked the Soviet Secret
• s17e11 - Poison in the Rockies
• s17e12 - Race for the Top
• s17e13 - Disguises of War
• s17e14 - The Bomb's Lethal Legacy
• s17e15 - The Big Spill
• s17e16 - The Genius That Was China: Rise of the Dragon (1)
• s17e17 - The Genius That Was China: Empires in Collision (2)
• s17e18 - The Genius That Was China: The Threat from Japan (3)
• s17e19 - The Genius That Was China: Will the Dragon Rise Again? (4)

NOVA Show Summary

Seen in more than 100 countries, NOVA is the most watched science based television series in the world and the most watched documentary series on PBS. It is also one of television's most acclaimed series, having won many major television awards, most of them many times over.