The China History Podcast

This is Part 1 of a 2-Part series looking at the life of Lin Biao and the actual Lin Biao Incident itself. This bit of history is documented to death. I downloaded a dozen scholarly papers, read a few books, went through my entire library, and gathered as much information as possible. But practically every source ends with "cannot be proved." The Lin Biao Incident is China's version of the Kennedy assassination. So much we know. So much we have no idea. In this Part 1 episode, I cover Lin Biao's early life and how he rose up on Mao's coattails, going back to the Jiangxi Soviet era. I'll take this episode up to the Lushan Plenum of 1970. That was the beginning of the end of Lin Biao. Be looking for Part 2 in a bit. Thanks, everyone.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

Just in time for Liberation Day, I'm presenting this timely episode. Back in 1890, with the aim of protecting American companies from foreign competition, tariffs were jacked up significantly.  With all the advances in transport, logistics, and new technologies, world trade was shifting into a higher gear. For a few centuries, the Ming and Qing emperors did their damnedest to regulate the invasion of European traders clamoring to do business with Chinese merchants. The foreigners wanted free, open, and unfettered trade with China. By the 1890’s and a few humiliating unequal treaties later, the dream finally came true. That’s when the real problems started. Thanks to Dan Stein for this topic idea we discussed over lunch recently. If you'd like to support the China History Podcast and listen ad-free and get new episodes weeks or months early: CHP Premium: https://teacupmedianetwork.supercast.com/,  CHP Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheChinaHistoryPodcast

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2025

This is the second of a two-part mini-series introducing the world of European plant hunting in China. In this episode, we look at some of the more noteworthy names and their accomplishments. After the exploits of Robert Fortune, many other plant hunters followed in his footsteps to China. We'll look at Henry Fletcher Hance, Père David, Augustine Henry, Ernest Wilson, and George Forrest, among others. Thanks to all for for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2025

I was afraid I'd barely be able to scrape together enough material for a short episode. Instead, this one is gonna take almost two hours to tell. I hope no one minds that I opted not to drown anyone with Latin names and to go easy on the scientific aspects behind plants. The focus will be on the European and later, American plant hunters who came to China between the 16th and 20th centuries. This episode will look at some of the exploits of the early Jesuit missionaries up through Robert Fortune's four trips to China. Next time in Part 2, all the famous post-Fortune plant hunters will be featured. Be looking for that soon.  If you'd like to support the China History Podcast and listen ad-free and get new episodes weeks or months early: CHP Premium: https://teacupmedianetwork.supercast.com/ CHP Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheChinaHistoryPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

Calling all fans of podcast great, Lindsay Graham! Here's a sampling of the very popular podcast, History Daily. On History Daily, they do history, daily. Every weekday, host Lindsay Graham (American Scandal, American History Tellers) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history. Whether it’s to remember the tragedy of December 7th, 1941, the day “that will live in infamy,” or to celebrate that 20th day in July 1969, when humankind reached the moon, History Daily is there to tell you the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world—one day at a time. So if you’re stuck in traffic, bored at work—wherever you are, listen to History Daily to remind yourself that something incredible happened to make that day historic. A co-production from award-winning podcasters Airship and Noiser. LINKS to HISTORY DAILY SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/31PSVhUGECv1bdBfPSv3Nf?si=6ed7018e08084034 APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-daily/id1591095413 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 March 2025

Former BBC reporter and master jade carver Andrew Shaw is back. What an informative interview this one turned out to be! I hope you all enjoy this discussion of the history and legends behind jade. I learned quite a bit during this brief talk. I hope you do too. Links to Andrew Shaw's books about jade: "A Jade Treasury" https://a.co/d/f2ynsRF  "Jade Life" https://a.co/d/0yvYPbZ CCTV Documentary https://youtu.be/GWxFucq1o60?si=rsMeqqjMgy9Fbrg- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2025

I welcomed Wuhan-based Andrew Shaw onto the CHP to talk about his book. It's all about the plundering of China's cultural treasures and imperial artifacts by not just the British, French, and Americans. It seems everyone got in on the act. Even the local people. It's a miracle there was anything left for Chian's museums. Many of you are familiar with the stories about looting that took place in China between the 1840s and the turn of the century. In Andrew Shaw's book, "Spoil" we'll look at the extent of what happened. And on the next episode, we'll feature Andrew again, this time talking about his new book on the history of jade. That's coming February 16th. Of course, Patreon and CHP Premium subscribers will get to hear it a couple weeks earlier. Here's the link if you're interested. https://www.patreon.com/c/TheChinaHistoryPodcast Amazon Link to "Spoil" by Mr. Andrew Shaw: https://a.co/d/12c6kPF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 February 2025

With the Singapore History series out of the way, and 2025 off and running, here's the first special interview episode of the year. Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Joel Bigman, author of a new book called "The Second Journey." If you're familiar with the Ming Dynasty novel "Journey to the West," this one by Joel might sound familiar. You might never look at "Journey to the West" the same way again. This was quite an interesting and unique story that combined two ancient cultures. It's been called “The World’s first Chinese-Jewish Historical Fantasy.” Nuff said. I hope you enjoy this interview. Here's a link to the book: https://a.co/d/9oRyiN8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2025

First of all, to all of you who lasted through the entire series up to this concluding episode, I extend to you, my deepest appreciation. I hope you learned a few things about Singapore. Here it is, the final installment of the series. I worked on this particular episode during my Oct-Nov China-HK-Cambodia trip. I recorded this one in Phnom Penh at the home studio of Dr. Digby James Wren. Digby's a long-time CHP listener and I gave him a ring when I hit town. Fortunately, he was in PP and generously spent a couple of days with me showing me around the city. The series finishes off with the most recent history of Singapore, including the Goh Chok Tong and Lee Hsien Loong period from 1990-2024. Everything from the 1970s to the present day is also squeezed into Part 10. Many of you might remember some of these blasts from the past. I'll also look at Singapore-PRC relations and how things developed in recent decades. This final episode will be released on January 19, 2025. I recorded it at Digby Wren's studio in early November and it's been available on my Patreon and CHP Premium channels since then. And now finally, here it is. A special thanks to all Singaporeans and expats there who wrote to me over the past few months with your kind words. Special thanks to Dr. Digby James Wren for allowing me the use of his Phnom Penh Studio! Find him at: https://substack.com/@thechairlive https://longmekong.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 January 2025

In its hour of need, quite a few leaders rose to the occasion in Singapore. Lee Kuan Yew didn't transform the nation by himself. Last time we saw how S. Rajaratnam carried the flag around the world and advanced Singapore diplomatically. In this episode, I'll also introduce Dutch economist Dr. Albert Winsemius and his good advice. Winsemius suggested a number of priorities for Singapore to gain some economic traction. The man who had to make these ideas happen in real life was Dr. Goh Keng Swee. We'll look at Dr. Goh's life and contribution to Singapore's first decades as a country. He served in several ministries of the government and made profound changes wherever he served. We'll close out the episode with the retirement of the first generation of Singapore leaders. We'll conclude the series next time in Part 10 where we'll take things up to our day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 January 2025

We left off last time with Singapore being granted sovereignty by Britain on June 3, 1959, and Tunku Abdul Rahman’s “Grand Design” speech concerning a merger between Malaysia and Singapore. Lee Kuan Yew took this pro-merger message directly to the people of Singapore. We’ll see how Lee deals with the political left by launching Operation Coldstore on February 2, 1963. Once the merger was completed, Singapore and Malaysia gave it their best shot to make it work. Happening concurrently with this sensitive time in Singapore’s history, Indonesia’s President Sukarno, in May of 1964 spoke out against the merger and began the period known as Konfrontasi or confrontation. We’ll see how things weren’t fated to succeed as the two leaders envisioned. Both The Tunku and the PAP, despite promises not to get mixed up in each others’ politics, fielded their own candidates in each other’s election. The heat started to rise and tempers flared, leading to riots in July and September 1964. We’ll also see how the March 1965 bombing of MacDonald House also created a frightening atmosphere in Singapore. We close with the debate over privileges enjoyed by indigenous Malays in Article 153 of the Constitution and how it conflicted with Lee Kuan Yew’s concept of a Malaysian Malaysia. We’ll finish things off with the exit of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia and its independence on August 9, 1965. We’ll close the episode with an excerpt from one of Singapore’s founding father S. Rajaratnam’s speech before the United Nations. Irene Ng books of S. Rajaratnam: Amazon Link - https://a.co/d/eFD4f4g Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 December 2024

Post-WWII Singapore was a time that was loaded with historical events that shaped how matters would unfold throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s. The matter of how to handle the future of Malaya and Singapore begins to be seriously discussed and hotly debated. To showcase what the British and political leaders in Malaya and Singapore were up against, we'll first review the events of the 1950 Maria Hertogh case and the disturbances that followed. In this episode we'll begin to explore the early life of the most consequential leader in Singapore's history and in the greater Southeast Asian scene, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. His early life, including his marriage to Mrs. Kwa Geok Choo, will be introduced. In the early 1950s, Mr. and Mrs. Lee returned from the UK and began their law careers. This led directly to Lee Kuan Yew's involvement in local Singaporean politics and the later founding, in 1954, of the PAP (People's Action Party). The elections of 1948, 1955, and 1959 will also be presented and how the results shaped the future of Singapore politics. Events will unfold that will contribute to Lee Kuan Yew's rise as the leading voice in Singapore's politics and independence. Other major figures from this time will also be introduced such as David Marshall, Lim Yew Hock, Lim Chin Siong, Fong, Swee Suan, and Ong Eng Guan. We'll close with Tunku Abdul Rahman's May 1961 "Grand Design" speech and how this became a game changer as far as how to handle the potential merger of Malaya and Singapore. This will all be introduced next time in Part 8. Thanks to all of you who have kindly supported me by signing up for my Patreon. All ten episodes are already available there. You have my deepest appreciation. https://www.patreon.com/c/TheChinaHistoryPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 December 2024

In this episode, we see how Japan marched and bicycled their way across the Johor Strait and proceeded to quickly defeat the British Commonwealth troops. Then we see how Japan carried out a brutal and repressive occupation. Massacres at Alexandra Hospital and against the local Chinese residents of Singapore (Sook Ching Massacre) will also be introduced. After Japan's defeat, the British will attempt to resume business as usual. We'll see how the independence movement in Malaya had other plans and why the Malayan Union failed. In Singapore too, the politicians and the people had other aspirations than what the British had in mind. A new leader will emerge in Singapore who we we'll look at in the next few episodes. His name was Lee Kuan Yew. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 November 2024

Although all kinds of tension brewed beneath the surface, the mid to late 19th Century saw a continued bonanza for Singapore. A prosperous combination of hard-working men and women, fearless entrepreneurs, and fortunes made in tin, rubber, and oil refining turned Singapore into the best thing to happen for the British Empire since Trafalgar, or maybe even the defeat of the Spanish Armada. World events, new technologies, and geopolitical shakeups all happened in such a way that Singapore benefited. Today's episode will take us up to 1942 and the fall of Singapore to the Japanese Army. Next time we'll see what happened after that. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TeacupMedia CHP Premium: https://teacupmedia.supercast.com/ Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/chinahistorypodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 November 2024

Part 4 continues with the aftermath of the 1824 Treaty of London. John Crawfurd takes over from a disgraced William Farquhar as First Resident. Singapore commences its never-ending building and infrastructure process. The Straits Settlements are created in 1826. With a spike in labor demand and with slavery recently abolished, the East India Company comes up with a novel solution. Up in Johor, Daing Ibrahim takes over as the new Temenggong and becomes a ruler that the East India Company can work with. The majority Teochew and Hokkien communities start to organize around their own community leaders. Gutta-Percha is discovered and for the first time Singapore gets to surf a nice wave of prosperity as this raw material’s discovery coincides with a massive demand from a new technological innovation. Alongside all this growth in commerce emerges several secret societies who, like their overseas counterparts, provide a mixture of good and evil across Chinese society. Tin is discovered in 1848 in Perak State. Singapore gets a piece of this action as well. With the EIC’s fortunes sinking, Singapore’s leaders start to lobby Parliament in London for Crown Colony status and to scrape the despised East India Company management from the bottom of their shoe. Communal strife starts to break out with regularity. This will continue in various forms all the way into the 20th century. We close things out by presenting the life and career of William A. Pickering, an extraordinary person in his day.  I invite you to support me and my work by subscribing to my Patreon Page at https://www.patreon.com/c/TheChinaHistoryPodcast You’ll get all these episodes long before they’re released to the podcasting public. I also produce occasional bonus content. I don’t post too much to social media. But I am extremely active chit-chatting with Patreon members and CHP friends of the show all day and night on the Patreon site, on WeChat, WhatsApp, email, Signal, and a bunch of other platforms. Thanks for considering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 October 2024

With Singapore formally established, we look at those first months and years. As soon as the document was signed, Raffles left the island and William Farquhar took over as First Resident. It would be hard to find a more capable person to manage what needed to get the new enterprise up and running. Taking advantage of his personal connections in Melaka and the political and technological dynamic of the time, Farquhar got the ball rolling in Singapore. The Dutch were outraged and plenty of fancy footwork and smooth talking needed to be done to avert a war. Singapore became an overnight sensation in the region. Many traders were attracted to Duty-Free trade. This was one reason the British East India Company wasn't willing to give in to the Dutch so fast. William Farquhar kept it all together and rose to the occasion at this most early period of Singapore's second incarnation. We'll look at the eyebrow-raising measures he took to turn on the government revenue taps and how this will all lead to his undoing. We also look at Farquhar's successor as First Resident, John Crawfurd. How he outfoxed The Temenggong Abdul Rahman and the Sultan Hussein Shah is also presented. We close with immigrants coming to Singapore in droves, soon outnumbering the local Malay populace. After peace with the Dutch was achieved in 1824, it was full speed ahead for Singapore. Four local entrepreneurs who also served as early community leaders are also introduced. These are Tan Tock Seng 陈笃生， Seah Eu Chin 佘有进, Naraina Pillai, and Syed Omar Al-Juneid. You can support my work by subscribing to my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/TheChinaHistoryPodcast Thank you for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 October 2024

With the arrival of the Portuguese and their 1511 victory, the history of this region began to move in s new direction. The Portuguese and the Dutch rather ignored Singapore and focused their trade and colonizing efforts on the Melaka Coast and in Indonesia. The Johor Sultanate begins its early rise to prominence. The conflict between Britain and the Netherlands ends up having a major effect on the Malay Peninsula and led to the founding of Singapore in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles. We'll take a brief look at his bio and how he ended up having such a profound impact on the earliest years of Singapore's colonial history. The life of William Farquhar is also introduced and the brewing conflict he would have with Raffles. The story of how these two men, along with Lord Hastings, worked out an agreement with the two key figures of the time, Sultan Hussein Shah and the Temenggong Abdul Rahman will be introduced at the end of the episode. This episode has been available on Patreon since July. Please consider supporting me and get early access to everything: https://www.patreon.com/TheChinaHistoryPodcast My sixth book just came out on Earnshaw Books. This is one covers Chinese Sayings from the Zhou and Han Dynasty. Check it out here: https://earnshawbooks.com/product/chinese-sayings-book-1/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 September 2024

Requests to present the history of Singapore go back to 2010 or 2011. At long last, here's an easy-to-consume and digest overview of The Lion City. In Part 1 we'll look at the watered world of Southeast Asia and the Monsoon Winds that led to the earliest intra-Asian sea trade. And of course, the legendary 14th century founding of Singapore will be told. Sri Vijaya, Sang Nila Utama, Temasek, and the five kings of Singapura. The visit of Yuan Dynasty explorer Wang Dayuan will also be introduced as well as his early observations. We'll get as far as the fall of Singapura and the founding of the Sultanates of Melaka and later Johor. When the early 16th century dawns, the arrival of the Portuguese will put the trajectory of Singapore and Malaysian history in a new direction. We'll pick up next time and see how the arrival of the Dutch and British East India Companies start shaking things up in Southeast Asia. Although a lot of what's covered in Part 1 is only legend, one can easily see the history of this small island at the tip of the Malaysian Peninsula goes back far beyond the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles. Patreon supporters are already on Part 6 of this series, not scheduled for release until November 24. Subscribe to my Patreon and earn my ever-lasting gratitude. And enjoy being the first ones to hear the latest episodes (and bonus material too). https://www.patreon.com/TeacupMedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 September 2024

First off, let me apologize for the less-than-optimal audio quality. This is a very informative interview. And for those of you who missed my very old episode from 2013 or thereabouts covering this topic, this discussion will be a real eye-opener. The history of the Chinese immigrant experience in Mexico (and Latin America) is not that well known. Hugo's ancestors emigrated to Mexico from Guangdong back in the 19th century. One of them, Wong Fook Chun was a major figure in the history of those times and he had an interesting interaction with the Qing-era reformer Kang Youwei. I hope you'll suffer through the lousy audio and that you'll get a lot out of this episode. Chinese-Mexican history was once filled with tragedy and violence. Again, sorry about the audio quality. Here's a link to his book, "America's Lost Chinese: The Rise and Fall of a Migrant Family Dream": https://a.co/d/0Yh5LiZ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 September 2024

This is surprisingly not very well-known and certainly wasn't taught in my US history classes. Here's a story for you that many might find hard to believe. Perhaps you're already familiar with the history of America's Chinese Paper Sons. Less known is the story of the 1957 Chinese Confessions Program. In this episode, we'll look back on the early to mid-20th century. First I'll present a general overview of San Francisco's Paper Sons and some of the history and culture that surrounded it. Then we can take another romp through Red Scare America in the 1950s and the 1957 Chinese Confessions Program. This one, I'm sure most of you never read about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 September 2024

In this episode, I'm presenting a simple but still informative overview of not only the Grand Canal but also the bigger subject of canals in China. The history of the Grand Canal isn't one clean linear story of a structure built all at one time. Although it measures over a thousand miles long, much of that distance was pre-existing in the form of rivers and old canals that were joined together to form an uninterrupted passage. A lot of the academic papers I used to research this topic, despite water being the main topic, were as dry as the day is long. I tried to make it all nice and simple and easy to digest. This World Heritage Site is well-known to many but its history, perhaps less so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 August 2024

Here's another CHP Special Episode. Not too long ago I had the chance to chat with Yokohama-based Scott Crawford, author of "Silk Road Centurian", "The Han-Xiongnu Wars", and a new one coming out any day now (co-written with his wife Alexis Kossiakoff), "The Phoenix and the Firebird." Scott has also written several works of short fiction that have appeared in fantasy, mystery, and horror magazines and anthologies. We talked mostly about the Han Dynasty and two books he has written, one non-fiction and another a work of fiction, both set in that exciting time period. Scott's Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BZTYTHHC/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=37c7279d-4be0-46f3-8d29-60771ed38fed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 August 2024

Here's a reading of an article recently published in the South China Morning Post, written by travel writer David Leffman. On his most recent trip to Yunnan to work on his upcoming book on the 1875 Margary Affair, David had a chance encounter with a taxi driver who was a sixth-generation descendent of Jiang Zonghan, someone closely related to the little-known but rather consequential event that took place in February 1875 along the Yunnan-Myanmar border. Here's a link to the article. https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3272812/who-built-first-bridge-over-yangtze-river-unlikely-tale-chinese-slave-soldier-and-tycoon-jiang Website: https://www.davidleffman.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 August 2024

This is the third time the history and traditions behind a Chinese holiday is being introduced. The history behind the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival were both presented back in the days when I knew even less than I do now about how to podcast. The Hungry Ghost Festival goes by a number of names, mainly because it's one of those rare festivals that is celebrated by both Daoists and Buddhists. It's called the Zhōngyuán 中元， Qīyuèbàn 七月半, Yúlánpén 盂兰盆, and Ullambana Festival. Daoists and Buddhists have their own spin on the legends behind the Hungry Ghost Festival. But the main idea remains the same. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the gates of hell open up for all Hungry Ghosts to return to the world of the living and for the living to show them the respect and kindness they were denied in their living forms. https://www.instagram.com/lahungryghostfest/ https://chssc.org/event/la-chinatown-hungry-ghost-festival/ https://lahungryghostfestival.com/ https://www.micahhuangmusic.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hungryghostnote/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 August 2024

Once dubbed "the richest man in the world" back in his day, the first half of the 19th century, Wu Bingjian 伍秉鉴 was a leading figure in the pre-Opium War world of foreign trade. He's best known as someone who epitomized the "bad old days" of The Canton System. He's a well-known name from this period in Chinese history. but like many prominent names, little is known about his life story. He was quite a fascinating character in his day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 July 2024

It must have been three or four years ago that I started bouncing this idea off Janie about a discussion regarding historical fiction rooted in Chinese history. Janie, being a successful writer of this genre, was perfect to have this discussion. Today the historical fiction genre is quite substantial and new authors are publishing new content online and in print every day. Many of these novels are set against the backdrop of Chinese history (in China or Overseas). The way historical novelists present this history to life can be very engaging and relatable. I hope you enjoy this CHP Special episode as much as I did. This is such a huge topic to discuss Janie's list of books & Buy links at her website: https://janiechang.com/books/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanieChangWriter | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janiechang33/ TIME Magazine article: The Risky Journey That Saved One of China’s Greatest Literary Treasures: https://time.com/5852229/saving-chinese-encyclopedia/ RACE THE RISING SUN: A CHINESE UNIVERSITY’S EXODUS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR by Chiao-Min Hsieh and Jean Kan Hsieh https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/race-the-rising-sun-chiao-min-hsieh/1123966361 or https://www.amazon.com/Race-Rising-Sun-Chinese-Universitys/dp/0761841482 TEACHING IN WARTIME CHINA: A PHOTO MEMOIR 1937 – 1939 by Edward Gulick: https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Wartime-China-Photo-Memoir-1937-1939/dp/0870239120 Amitav Ghosh – Opium War Trilogy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibis_trilogy https://amitavghosh.com/ Lisa See Author Page -- https://lisasee.com/ Yangsze Choo -- https://yschoo.com/about/ Weina Dai Randel -- https://weinarandel.com/ Barry Hughart series -- https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/barry-hughart/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2024

With the 18-part History of Chinese Philosophy series finally out of the way, we're back with all new CHP content. Here's one that introduces the life of one of my favorite Hollywood legends, Mr. James Hong. He's someone with a great Hollywood story who thrived as an actor, despite all the well-known challenges faced by Asian American artists throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood. This episode looks at his life and work. To call him a prolific actor and voiceover artist is quite an understatement. James Hong, 壽比南山！ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 July 2024

Firstly, hats off to Emma and her 团队 at the CYZ for all their hard work, all season-long. We close out the season 9 with an amusing story from a source, as yet never featured on this long-running educational program, called the Guòtínglù 过庭录. The author was Song literary figure Fàn Gōngchēng 范公偁 who had the misfortune to be born during the exact time when the Northern Song ended and the Southern Song began. In this tale, our young hero Sūn Shān 孙山 heads off to the capital to take the imperial exam. Another villager tagged along who also registered to take the test. One passed the test and the other was Míng Luò Sūn Shān 名落孙山. It's a nice little story infused with some of the best of Chinese culture and a dollop of human decency. That's it for Season 9. I may post a few director's cuts of previous CSP episodes during the off-season. All these CSP episodes will soon be published in the Summer catalog of Earnshaw Books. There will be vocabulary lists, tone marks, and characters. Just sayin. Thanks, everyone and drink plenty of water this summer. Keep yourself hydrated! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2024

For this 18th and final episode in the series, we'll focus on the rival philosophies of Lu Xiangshan 陆象山 and Zhu Xi 朱熹。 We'll also look at more of the philosophy of Wang Yangming. Then we'll end it with a few loose ends and mentions of The Five Elements and Zou Yan’s 邹衍 Alchemy. I'll also recommend a book called “The Path.” My deepest thanks to all of you who endured all 18 episodes. I hope you found that it was useful and beneficial for your own further study of Chinese Philosophy. Onward to all new material next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2024

We're almost at the end. We continue on in Part 17 with Zhu Xi and his philosophy. There will be more discussion about Qi, Han Studies (Han Xue) and the pushback against Neo Confucianism. We begin looking at the final philosopher in this series, Wang Shouren (a.k.a. Wang Yangming). Then we look at the primary difference between the Cheng-Zhu School vs. the Lu-Wang School. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2024

Season 9 is starting to wind down. For the ninth chengyu of the season, we take Sima Qian's "Record of the Grand Historian" and open to the chapter on Xiang Yu. This time we look at the story of Xiān Fā Zhì Rén 先发制人. In this well-known story from the fall of the Qin Dynasty, we see Xiang Yu and his uncle Xiang Liang seizing the day and the hour to attack Qin forces and bring the dynasty to an end. But before they do that, they first weigh their options by talking with the governor of a local commandery. After one short meeting with this guy, Xiang Liang decides not to wait to see what happens next. He realized 先发制人. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2024

We'll finish off the Five Founders of Neo Confucianism with the last two, the Cheng Brothers: Cheng Hao 程颢 and Cheng Yi 程颐. Then we'll explore Neo Confucianism through the life of Lu Jiuyuan 陆九渊, also known as Lu Xiangshan 陆象山. and Xin Xue 心学, the School of the Mind. Neo Confucianism also gets a new name: Song Xue 宋学 o Song Studies. We'll also introduce Lu Xiangshan's biggest rival in his day and one of the giants of Confucian philosophy, Zhu Xi 朱熹. In the next episode, we'll examine the life and thought of Zhu Xi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2024

In this episode we begin our look at Neo Confucianism. In English, we called it that. But in Chinese it was referred to in other ways, most commonly as Sòngxué 宋学 (Song Studies) since the foundation was poured during this dynasty. The concept of Qi 气 will also be discussed. Then we'll head straight to The Five Founders of Neo Confucianism: Zhou Dunyi 周敦颐, Zhou Dunyi’s Taiji Tu 太极图 Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate, Shao Yong 邵雍 and Zhang Zai, Cheng Yi 程颐, Cheng Hao 程颢, 张载, Yin and Yang, the Five Elements and the Five Constant Virtues. A lot to cover. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2024

We pick up with the second part of this overview of Daoism with Zhuangzi and his beloved book, "The Zhuangzi." We'll also move beyond Laozi and Zhuangzi and take a look at the rise of Fangshi’s 方士 in society, Daoist Thought and Religion, Xuanxue Dark Learning 玄学, Guo Xiang 郭襄, Xiang Xiu 向秀, and the compilation of the Daozang 道藏. I hope this basic overview gives some of you a good jumping-off point to explore more about Daoism the philosophy 道家 and Daoism, the religion 道教. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2024

For our eighth CSP offering this season, we open up the Book of Han once again and hear the story behind Jiāo Bīng Bì Bài 骄兵必败. It doesn't always happen this way but the timeline of history is filled with examples of more powerful military forces being defeated on the field of battle by their weaker opponent. Arrogant soldiers must be defeated. Look what happened in Vietnam between 1954 and 1975. When you look into it, even today in our own time, Jiāo bīng bì bài is still happening. On a geopolitical level, this must be one of the hardest lessons to learn. More pugnacious world leaders should consult the Book of Han and ponder these words. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2024

We've already heard about Confucianism, The Hundred Schools, and the Yi Jing. In this episode, we look at Daoism. The life of Lao Tzu (Laozi) will be introduced along with the book he probably never wrote but which is ascribed to him anyway. This is the Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing. Laozi was quite a character and by telling his story, it will give you the fundamentals to explore on your own what this philosophic thought is all about. We'll look at the Daoist concept of Wu Wei 无为 and the art of quiescence. We'll close with one of the earliest and greatest interpreters of the Daodejing, Wang Bi. In the History of Chinese Philosophy Part 13, we'll start looking at Zhuangzi and his classic book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2024

Here's another well-worn favorite from the long list of great chengyu's: 磨杵成针 Mó Chǔ Chéng Zhén. The story behind this Chinese Saying stars none other than (one of China's greatest poets) Li Bai. As a youngster, Li Bai chanced upon an old woman, surnamed Wu, who was intent on accomplishing a seemingly impossible (in Li Bai's eyes) task. Don't let any naysayers deter you. Don't fear the impossible. Listen to this quick story and maybe acquire a little bit of inspiration in what you're trying to accomplish. Thanks everyone for listening. If you'd like to donate to the show, you can at: https://teacup.media/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2024

The introduction to the Yi Jing (I Ching) The Book of Changes continues into the Han Dynasty. We'll see how The Yi Jing is grouped with the Five Classics 五经 and how the discoveries at Mawangdui shook things up a little as far as Yi Jing scholarship went. Then we'll try and decipher Confucius's Ten Wings. Then we'll close with an intro to the practical usage of the Yi Jing and how it has been rediscovered and embraced in the West. You can buy the two books of the History of Chinese Philosophy series here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Laszlo-Montgomery/author/B0C8B4MMZS?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1715963841&sr=8-2&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2024

In this Part 11 episode, we begin introducing the content found in Book 2 of the History of Chiense Philosophy, available wherever fine books are sold. We start with an introduction to the Yi Jing (I Ching), The Book of Changes, or the Changes of Zhou. We'll look at the Yi Jing's earliest beginnings, and the main characters associated with its authorship: Fu Xi, Yu the Great, and King Wen of Zhou. Then we'll finish off with an explanation of the Trigrams, Hexagrams and the development of the Yi Jing over time, including the addition of the “Ten Wings” of Confucius Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2024

Once again, as a regular feature to the CHP, I'm including the latest Chinese Sayings Podcast offering. This one may be a bit of a departure from the average CSP episode. The Chinese Saying for this time is Jiǎn Bú Duàn, Lǐ Hái Luàn-剪不断 理还乱. Many Chinese poetry lovers and aficionados may already be familiar with this line from the 10th-century poem 相见欢. Today's CSP offering is more of a history lesson than an introduction to a chengyu but it's worth it to hear it out to the end. The star of this episode is the final ruler of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Like his kindred spirit emperor Huizong of the Northern Song, Li Yu 李煜 of Southern Tang wasn't much of a ruler. But what he lacked in leadership ability he made up for it with his great literary skills, especially where cí 词 poetry was concerned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2024

Among the many changes happening in China towards the end of the Han Dynasty was a rise in the popularity of Buddhism. Rivalries began to arise among the three religions as they jockeyed for positions in the halls of power. The seeds of Neo-Confucianism are planted by Tang scholar-officials: Han Yu, Li Ao, and Liu Zongyuan. We also look at the Confucian Daotong Lineage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2024

I forgot to upload this one to the CHP feed last week. 不好意思. Here's a good one from the Three Kingdoms Era in which we feature the famous story of Meng Huo, Zhuge Liang, and Qī Qín Mèng Huò 七擒孟获. Some people just can't accept defeat but in the end, they bow to the inevitable. Cao Pi of Wei thought he'd have some fun and employed Meng Huo to harass his enemy in the Kingdom of Han. That didn't go as planned. But Zhuge Liang sure seemed to enjoy it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2024

Like James Dean, Confucius was much bigger in death than he was in his own lifetime. It wasn't until the Han Dynasty that Confucianism enjoyed a major triumph. This time we'll look at Dong Zhongshu who was so consequential in tying Confucianism and the imperial government into one system. We'll also look at Sima Tan (father of Sima Qian) and the Six Schools, as well as the first explainers of Confucianism: Liu Xin, Wang Chong, and Yang Xiong. I hope you're enjoying this series. Nine more episodes to go. We still have the Yi Jing (Book of Changes), Daoisim, and Song Neo-Confucianism to go yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2024

We've already explored the Ru School of Philosophy and the thought of Confucius, Mengzi and Xunzi. This time we look at Legalism and the most important philosophers of this school of thought. We'll look at the lives of Shang Yang, Shen Buhai, Han Fei, and Li Si and how they embraced this controversial political philosophy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2024

This episode will focus on the life of Mengzi and his philosophy. We'll also introduce Mengzi's legendary mother. Then we'll finish off with another Confucianist great from this era, Xunzi 荀子. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2024

I had the great pleasure to interview fellow Earnshaw Books author, Alice Poon recently. The occasion was the official release date of her new book, "The Earthly Blaze" (links below). We first discussed the life and work of Zha Liangyong, also known as Louis Cha. But he is more widely known by his pen name, Jin Yong, whose novels have been read and enjoyed by countless numbers of readers around the world. While I had Alice in the studio I also got her to talk about the greater Wuxia 武侠 genre of Chinese fiction and how it has been received in popular culture. The Earthly Blaze Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Earthly-Blaze-Sword-Maiden-Moon/dp/9888843680/ The Earthly Blaze BN Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-earthly-blaze-alice-poon/1144936000 The Earthly Blaze at Earnshaw Books: https://earnshawbooks.com/product/the-earthly-blaze/ Alice's Blog: https://alicewaihanpoon.blogspot.com/ A nice recommended resource for further reading about Jin Yong and Wuxia: https://wuxiasociety.com/jin-yong-novels/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2024

This Chinese Saying, or at least the story, is rather well-known. The story of young Kong Rong and the bowl of pears. Kǒng Róng Ràng Lí 孔融让梨. This perennial children's favorite has a nice moral lesson to teach. When you see young children exhibiting generosity and kindness, many might recall these kids were just like Kong Rong back in the late 2nd Century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2024

This time around we will explore the other major Ru philosophers who established rival schools of thought, including Mozi 墨子. Then we'll explore the early life of Mengzi 孟子 (a.k.a. Mencius) and what he meant to Confucianism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2024

This time we move beyond Confucius to look at some of the other schools of thought that contended with each other during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Zhou Dynasty. This included the School of Names and the Sophists, featuring an amusing story about Deng Xi. We also see how the Confucian classics became a pathway to a career in the government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2024

The story of Confucius and what he taught continues with an introduction to his disciples. We also look at Confucian core beliefs as well as selected quotes from the Analects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2024