Behind the Scenes of Survivor China, The Elaborate Tribal Council

Each year I've been fascinated by those settings which the behind the scenes team workers put together to add to the ambiance and realistic flair for the final act of each show.

This year, as the team is making it's way toward their weekly "group therapy" as Jeff Probst called it on Thursday, take a look at this most incredible setting, they have really gone overboard in the design of this Tribal Council setting.

First of all there is the 3 story Temple built from scratch...it is 60 feet high and was inspired by the countries traditional places of worship...they started to build it out of plaster and plastic but it looked cheesy, they thought, so they brought in 3 tons of real kiln fired tiles for the three tiered roofs, they even had to put a lightening rod on top since the temple was higher then the surrounding trees in the jungle...it took 57 workers to build within a 7 week timeframe consisting of 12 hour days, working in temperatures at well over a 100 degrees and unbearable humidity...to frame the temple and keep it standing it took 20 tons of framing made of solid steel, 8 tons of concrete and hundreds of sheets of wood they had to import from Russia then prepared and treated in Shanghai before finally making it's way more than 7 hours through the jungle to this most remote island site.

Also, take a look at the two antique looking replica stone lions which guard the entry way to the tribal council...these fierce looking creatures are there to guard and protect the building and the council area, a very elaborate Chinese tradition, found on most buildings in China...Probst has been quoted as saying that the lion's mentality must have rubbed off on the tribes since there has been more fighting during the councils than ever before...

When each team member gets up to vote they use a pen which has been created and carved from a most unusual source, an Opium pipe...the urn where they put their votes, written on parchment paper, is a true, original antique they found at a local market...on the side of this urn there is an inscription that states; "Prepare for Honorable Fight"...that certainly seemed apropos. Though this week when the teams were fighting in the mud, it certainly looked less than honorable as they tore off each others clothing...down and dirty seemed the slogan instead, at least for that challenge!

Then there is the dreaded torch snuffer...this year it too is special as it features a dragon made of gold leaf and carries in its mouth a jade pearl, though not a real one but simulated...This dragon is designed in such an ornate way because those creatures are thought of as being heavenly in spirit.

The torches themselves are inscribed with Chinese characters and represent fire and life with imprints of antique coins representing good luck.

Even the seating for the tribes are authentic Chinese found in Beijing at a street market, then painted in red lacquer and, this year for the first time, the elaborate lanterns hanging above the set are electric instead of fire which has to be powered by generators brought in just for that purpose, since the Chinese government didn't want fire hazards...

Yes, Survivor/China is quite a challenge this year, not only for the contestants but for all those involved in the making of the show and all those behind the scenes who have really created a memorable Tribal Council setting for the challengers as well as for us the viewers to get in the mood and feel of that most incredible setting in the far off Land of China. Don't forget to take it all in as you sit back and watch each Thursday night at 8:00 P.M.