The Amazing Race China 4


The Amazing Race China 4 is the fourth installment of the Chinese reality television series The Amazing Race China. Based on the American reality TV series The Amazing Race, it features eight teams of two in a race around the world.
By-Health left as the main sponsor, with HeiHeiRu becoming the main sponsor for this season.
The season premiered on August 4, 2017. The season finale aired on October 6. Married couple Jia Jingwen and Xiu Jiekai were the winners of this season.

Production

Development and filming

Following the last season theme's using Summer Olympic as the theme of the Race, this season used "Treasure Hunt" as the theme. Each leg was given a corresponding theme and the racecourse task would mostly focus on that theme. Each team would get a "treasure" during the Race after completing various tasks. The "treasure" would help the teams on finishing the rest of the leg. At the Pit Stop, each team received another "treasure" from the greeters, which represented the leg theme or the location's culture.
Similar to the recent Canadian and American versions, the Express Pass was given as an optional prize during Leg 1, rather than it being a definite award for a first-place finish on the leg.
An initial press release for the show claimed that the Race would visit Mumbai, India, Tel Aviv, Israel and Colombo, Sri Lanka. However, once filming started, these destinations were replaced with Hefei, Macau and Kuala Lumpur.
During the Leg 1 Pit Stop in Hong Kong, teams made a handprint in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong.
This season of the Race visited Vietnam during Leg 7. However, unlike previous broadcasts in the franchise where the red and yellow race flags were replaced during Vietnam legs due to confusion with the flag of the former independent state of South Vietnam, this season continued to use the normal red and yellow race flags. This was also done in the 29th American version, the 5th Asian version, and the 4th Canadian version, where they also used the traditional route markers during their visit to Vietnam.
This is also the first time in the celebrity series where a team had to voluntarily quit the show, as Zhang Jike sustained an injury during Leg 6, though they still participated in the tasks until the Detour in Leg 7 along with the other teams. However, unlike the usual versions where the host came out on the location to inform them of their elimination, this celebrity version did not see Allan coming out to the racecourse to declare elimination in front of that team, and the results were announced after the episode ended.
Although the Finish Line was inside China, none of the eliminated teams were present at the Finish Line as like the last season.

Cast

Similar to the first three seasons, this season featured celebrities who were chosen to race on the show. The new cast featured former Olympic diver Wu Minxia, whose partner in the Olympics was Guo Jingjing one of the members of the winning team in the last season, and group members from SNH48 and VARSITY-V.
Lu Ting of SNH48 was unavailable at the time of taping of the first leg due to work commitments. Another SNH48 member and Season 3 racer, Huang Tingting, substituted Lu Ting to complete the entire leg. Zhang Jike & Zhang Chuanming were also unavailable on the same leg for the same reason, but were later joined along the other teams at the start of the second leg. As a result, Leg 1 was set as a special non-elimination leg, and the Speed Bump non-elimination penalty was absent in the next leg.
Zheng Yuanchang and Xie Yilin previously competed the year prior on Race the World, an Amazing Race-type show.

Marketing

Heiheiru replaced By-Health as the show's main sponsor. Similar to the previous season, the Heiheiru drinks were provided for teams as their energy supplements during the leg, as well as the top three teams of the leg. Eastroc Super Drink returned to sponsor and it could still pick up their drinks as energy supplements during the leg. TMall also sponsored the preview episode, replacing Centaine shampoo.

Broadcasting

Similar to the last season, a preview episode were shown before the start of the episode.

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, each listed along with their placements in each leg and relationships as identified by the program. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:
  1. As Lu Ting was not available at the time of filming on Leg 1, another member of the SNH48 Team NII, Huang Tingting, took over for Lu Ting for the entire leg instead.
  2. Qiang Zi & Zhang Xingyue initially arrived 3rd, but were issued a 30-minute penalty as Qiang Zi touched the cables during the river crossing task, which was explicitly prohibited in the clue. Zheng Yuanchang & Wang Likun checked in during the penalty time, dropping Qiang Zi & Zhang Xingyue to 4th.
  3. Due to passport problems, Zhang Xiaocheng was given an alternative flight to Copenhagen while the episode was recording. His teammate, Wu Minxia, was given an option to either sit out this leg or to perform all the tasks in that leg alone and chose the latter.
  4. Fan Bingbing & Xie Yilin used their Express Pass to bypass the second Roadblock. Before using the Express Pass, Fan Bingbing elected to perform the Roadblock. This was reflected in their total Roadblock count.
  5. Zhang Jike & Zhang Chuanming incurred a 2-hour penalty at the Pit Stop after Zhang Jike electing to forfeit the leg's second Roadblock. As they arrived at the Pit Stop last, they were not issued a penalty.
  6. Zheng Yuanchang & Wang Likun used their Express Pass given by Fan Bingbing & Xie Yilin earlier on the leg to bypass the Face Off. As Zheng Yuanchang & Wang Likun departed 6th from the Face Off, Fan Bingbing & Xie Yilin had no one to compete against after they arrived at the location last. As a result, they completed the Face Off by themselves and thus were not issued a Face Off penalty.
  7. Zhang Jike & Zhang Chuanming elected to withdraw from the show at the Detour of Leg 7 due to an injury Zhang Jike sustained during Leg 6. As a result, Zhang Jike & Zhang Chuanming did not make it to the Pit Stop. After all other teams had checked-in at the Pit Stop, instead of Allan coming to the Detour location, Allan declared Zhang Jike & Zhang Chuanming's elimination at the Pit Stop after the leg was over. In their post-show interview at the end of the programme, they "felt unable to carry on the tasks in the rest of the race".

    Voting History

Similar to the Israeli, Australian and Philippine versions, teams on the sixth leg voted for who should receive the U-Turn. The team received the most votes had to complete the other option of the Detour they did not select.
Leg #:6
U-Turned:Jia Jingwen & Xiu Jiekai
Qiang Zi & Zhang Xingyue
VoterTeam's Vote
Jia Jingwen & Xiu JiekaiQiang Zi & Zhang Xingyue
Qiang Zi & Zhang XingyueJia Jingwen & Xiu Jiekai
Wu Minxia & Zhang XiaochengJia Jingwen & Xiu Jiekai
Zhang Jike & Zhang ChuanmingWu Minxia & Zhang Xiaocheng
Zheng Yuanchang & Wang LikunQiang Zi & Zhang Xingyue

Prizes

The prize awarded to the first place team for each leg was a one-year supply of Heiheiru drinks, with option to donate the supplies to the needy. Additional prizes were awarded as follows:

Leg 1 (Hong Kong)

Airdate: 4 August 2017
Theme: 20th anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong
The first Detour of the season was a choice between Compendium of Materia Medica or The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Arts. In Compendium of Materia Medica, teams paid a visit to Ho Lun Jeng Gastro Pub. There, teams were given a sample of six different kinds of beers, each with two different ingredients used for brewing. Teams had to search among the drawers for the six that contains two ingredients, and place the ingredients on top of the plates. Once all the six pairs were correctly identified by a local physician, the bartender would give the teams their next clue. In The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, teams made their way to Lascar Row located near Upper Lascar Street. There, teams were given a piggy bank containing 256 coins of different denominations. Using the exchange rate of eight different currencies as a reference, teams had to calculate the price conversion of HKD and write their workings onto a whiteboard. If teams provided the correct total, along with the distribution of coins onto the corresponding currencies, they would receive their next clue.
;Additional tasks
Airdate: 11 August 2017
Theme: Hans Christian Andersen
The first Roadblock of this season required one team member to coordinate with ballet dancers to act out Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling. The selected team member had to change clothes within an allotted time and have his/her performance approved by the ballet teacher to receive their next clue and an alphabet letter.
The Detour on this leg was a choice between Straight Ahead or Twists and Turns. In Straight Ahead, teams participated in a round of kaninhop. Once the rabbits complete an obstacle course within a minute without hitting an obstacle, they would receive their next clue. In Twists and Turns, teams had to make a traditional Danish dessert known as a kransekage to the confectioner's approval to receive their next clue.
The second Roadblock of this leg required the team member who didn't do the first Roadblock to walk across a bridge, off the ground, ring a bell on the other side, then walk back across, all without touching the safety rope at any point, before receiving their next clue.
;Additional task
Airdate: 18 August 2017
Theme: Vikings
The Face Off on this leg required one member of each participating team to grab a platter of food and a Heiheiru drink. The other person on the team with the heavier plate had to finish said plate within five minutes to get their next clue; otherwise, the opposing team would receive the next clue. The last losing team had to wait out a pre-determined time penalty before they could continue racing.
For their Speed Bump, Zhang Jike & Zhang Chuanming had to make 30 Swedish meatballs known as köttbular to the chef's approval to continue racing.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Viking Warrior and Viking Scholar. In Viking Scholar, teams had to pick up stones with runes written on them to spell out the Swedish proverb "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing" to get their next clue and a piece of the treasure map. Each person could only carry two stones at a time. In Viking Warrior, teams had to first saw off a piece of a log, which is then used as a target for teams to throw axes at. Once both members of the team hit the target with the axehead, they are given their next clue and a piece of the map.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to duel a person dressed as a Viking on boats and defeat the Viking by pushing him into the water to receive their next clue.
;Additional tasks
Airdate: 25 August 2017
Theme: Modern Stockholm/Christmas
This leg's Detour was a choice between Cream of the Crop or Looking for Him/her. In Cream of the Crop, teams made their way to the candy shop and search through Polkagris candy to find one with a Race flag inside the wrapper. Any candy they unwrapped had to be eaten either by themselves or give it to a local. Only four teams could perform this Detour at a time. In Looking for Him/Her, teams had to search the entire museum for the four chairs that were signed by the former award recipients of the Nobel Prize based on a list written in Chinese they selected. Teams must then write down the number on each chair, then relay their answers to a curator who will give them their next clue. Upon completion of either Detour, teams were also given a bag of glass shards.
The Face Off at the Swedish Film Institute required one team member to guide their partners who would try to solve a block-sliding puzzle/maze. Teams could reset their puzzle if they found their puzzle either too difficult to solve or has no more moves. The first team to reach the centre and grab the smartphone would win the Face Off and their next clue.
For this Roadblock, one team member was required to use their bags of glass shards to create a bauble using a glass-blowing technique. When the bauble was crafted to the craftsman's satisfaction, they would receive another bauble and their next clue. With only two workstations, only two teams could perform this Roadblock at a time.
;Additional task
Airdate: 1 September 2017
Theme: History, Culture and People of Hefei
For the first Roadblock of the leg, both team members would get into a JAC Refine S7 which had all of its mirrors covered. One team member would have to navigate their vehicle in reverse through an obstacle course using only the vehicle's omnidirectional backup camera. Once they successfully completed the course within five minutes, they would receive their next clue and a calligraphy brush.
For the Face Off, teams chose a pair of local teammates to join them in a tug-of-war game on floating platforms in the lake. The game ended when the first player fell into the water. The winning team would be given the next clue and a calligraphy inkstone.
The Detour was a choice between A Valuable Paper or Willing to Fish. In A Valuable Paper, teams used traditional methods to make three sheets of paper. In Willing to Fish, teams would enter a pond to catch 30 crawfish. At the end of each Detour, teams would be given their next clue and calligraphy paper.
For the leg's second Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to draw a scroll from a basket to determine their role they would play for a theatrical production of a classic historical Chinese film. They would dress up in full makeup and memorise the lines for the play, which they would then perform on stage with an actor. When the judge was satisfied with their performance, teams would receive their next clue and a bottle of calligraphy ink.
;Additional tasks
Airdate: 8 September 2017
Theme: Culture diversity of Singapore
This Detour was a choice between Shiny Gold or Bright Red. In Shiny Gold, teams would put on a traditional Indian outfit and be weighed. They would then travel to nearby RST Jewellery and put on enough gold jewelry to raise their weight between 5 and 6 pounds to receive their next clue. In Bright Red, teams would make their way to Lau Pa Sat where they had to work on Singapore's most popular dish of chilli crab. Teams had to crack open enough crab claws smothered in chilli sauce to collect the crabmeat. Once teams had, the head chef would give them their next clue.
For the Roadblock, one team member would put on a flight suit and enter a wind tunnel for a skydiving simulation, in which they had to perform a series of maneuvers to receive the next clue.
;Additional tasks
Airdate: 15 September 2017
Theme: Life of Ho Chi Minh City
For their Speed Bump, Zhang Jike & Zhang Chuanming had to go inside the Saigon Central Post Office and search through 1,500 postcards for the one addressed to them, which they would exchange for the next clue.
In this leg's Face Off, one team member from each team had to break open clay pots to retrieve patties of rice. From behind a designated line, they would throw each patty to their partner in a way that it soars over a brick ceiling beam, and the partner would catch it on a plate. Once ten were caught, they had to work together to eat one of the patties. The first team to fully finish their patty received their next clue, the losing team must wait for the next opponent. The last team remaining would wait out a pre-determined time penalty.
This Detour was a choice between Affection or Festive. In Affection, teams traveled to Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, where they were given four wedding photographs to observe that were taken somewhere in the park. They then had to dress in traditional Vietnamese wedding attire and correctly recreate all four by convincing a local to take the photographs. They received their next clue once all four were perfectly recreated. In Festive, teams traveled to In Khôi where, using provided materials and tools, they had to design six intricate wedding invitations, each addressed to a different individual and their names written correctly, to receive their next clue.
;Additional tasks
Airdate: 22 September 2017
Theme: Oceans & Resorts
In this leg's Face Off, teams found three large coins on a playing field made up of two half pieces - one red, one yellow. One member from each competing team had to run around the field flipping the coins so that both halves are their respective colour. The first team to fully turn all three coins to their colour received their next clue. The losing team must wait for the next opponent, but would be able to choose which member of both teams plays in the next game. The last remaining team must wait out a pre-determined time penalty.
;Additional tasks
Airdate: 29 September 2017
Theme: Traditions of Malaysia
In the first Roadblock of this leg, one team member rode a helicopter. Once in the air, they were given the controls to perform three specific tasks. First, they had to increase their speed from to and maintain it for 30 seconds. They then had to perform a full 360-degree turn within 2 minutes while maintaining a steady altitude. Finally, they had to rise from to and maintain the altitude for 30 seconds. If they correctly performed all 3 maneuvers in succession, they received their next clue and a piece of a Buddhi Batiks sari upon landing. Only two teams could complete this task at a time, if they failed any part of it, they would have to go to the back of the line.
For their Speed Bump at Dusun Taman Warisan Pertanian, Zheng Yuanchang & Wang Likun had to break open durians and extract a total of 30 pulp from the fruits and place it onto a packaging box. Once they were done, they had to eat five pulps from the box before they could continue racing.
In the second Roadblock of this leg, the team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to climb to the top of a palm tree, then cross a series of slacklines suspended between a row of trees to retrieve two halves of their next clue. Teams have five minutes to traverse the trees without dropping any pieces. Once teams retrieved both halves of their next clue and they returned to their partner, they received their next clue a piece of a Buddhi Batiks sari.
;Additional tasks
Airdate: 6 October 2017
Theme: Shanghai Culture/Tribute to HeiHeiRu
For the leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to ascend the façade of the WH Ming Hotel. While scaling, teams have to retrieve ten numbered markers in order to receive their next clue. The other team member may communicate their team member using their speaker.
For the final Roadblock of the Race, the team member who did not complete the first Roadblock have to interact with four different locals on what they want to eat and drink, speaking in Wu and Shanghainese dialects. Afterwards, one team member have to search the pantry to find four plates and cups and place them into the corresponding baskets facing the direction of the locals to receive the next clue. The answers were:
PositionDrinkCake
SouthSodaOrange Pound Cake
WestSalted BeancurdYam Cake
NorthLycheeCrab Cake
EastMaltCream Cake

;Additional tasks