Emily Hahn: China to Me

Emily Hahn: China to Me

In her memoir of 1930s and 40s China, the New Yorker correspondent brought the country to life while coming down from opium binges in Shanghai and hiding in bomb shelters in Chongqing.

What can the end of the Ming Dynasty tell us about the election of Donald Trump and what comes next

What can the end of the Ming Dynasty tell us about the election of Donald Trump and what comes next

Trump's re-election disappointed many in the U.S. and abroad. To help them process, Jeremiah and David talk with literary translator and Pennsylvania voter Brendan O’Kane about Zhang Dai, the Ming-Qing transition, and living through an age of upheaval.

Historical Battles: Rewriting China's Past to Shape the Future

Historical Battles: Rewriting China's Past to Shape the Future

Jeffrey Wasserstrom joins Barbarians at the Gate to discuss the legacy of the Hong Kong protests, Xi Jinping’s patriotic education law, and how Beijing’s control over historical narratives is reshaping academic engagement with China.

Dan Snow's History Hit: The Creation of the People's Republic of China

Dan Snow's History Hit: The Creation of the People's Republic of China

How China transitioned from imperial rule to Chinese Socialism and all about the key characters whose opposing visions for China's future created so much chaos along the way.

Back to School 2: The View from the EU

Back to School 2: The View from the EU

In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David and I welcome Kārlis Rokpelnis to discuss the decline in student exchanges in China and contrast U.S. and European approaches to relations with China and the promotion of study abroad in the PRC.

Philip Kuhn: Sorcery and Bureaucracy in Qing China

Philip Kuhn: Sorcery and Bureaucracy in Qing China

A supernatural crisis pits an anxious autocrat against his own functionaries when a hunt for soul-stealing sorcerers turns into a political witch-hunt among 18th-century China’s “deep state.”

Back to School

Back to School

David and Jeremiah discuss Chinese students studying in the US, the cautious return of Americans to China, and lament the lack of nuance in reactions to Tim Walz’s China ties. They also give their takes on UNESCO status for Beijing's Central Axis.

Edge of Empire with author and journalist Edward Wong

Edge of Empire with author and journalist Edward Wong

In this episode of Barbarians at the Gates, Edward Wong of the New York Times joins David and me to discuss Ed's new book, At the Edge of Empire. We discuss frontiers, what the Qing Dynasty means for China, and the different generational perspectives on China's recent past.

There and Back Again: Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour and the Legacy of Reform and Opening in China

There and Back Again: Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour and the Legacy of Reform and Opening in China

In this episode, Jonathan Chatwin discusses his book "The Southern Tour," focusing on Deng Xiaoping's 1992 tour to revitalize market reforms in China, Deng's legacy, Xi Jinping's stance on these reforms, and the challenges of publishing about China today.

What happens after a Barbarian walks away from the Gate?

What happens after a Barbarian walks away from the Gate?

On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David Moser and I discuss new directions. We reflect on our COVID-era episodes, discuss the current situation on academic exchanges in China with cautious optimism, and outline future plans for the pod.

Seeking News, Making China

Seeking News, Making China

In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, we talk to historian John Alekna about his new book "Seeking News, Making China," which examines the role of information technology in 20th-century China, from the early radio era to the Cultural Revolution.

Peter Goullart: Forgotten Kingdom

Peter Goullart: Forgotten Kingdom

20 years after “Shangri-La” was coined in the Western imagination, a Russian adventurer published a memoir from the valley of Lijiang, southwest China, that is strikingly similar yet a world apart.

The Mountains are High

The Mountains are High

On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David and I welcome back author (and friend of the podcast) Alec Ash to talk about Dali, rural escapism in China today, and his latest book, The Mountains Are High.

Exile from Expat-Ville

Exile from Expat-Ville

David and Jeremiah speak with Mike Wester about running @thebeijinger, organizing the “Safe and Sane” communities during the pandemic, and the future of expats in Beijing. Also, Jeremiah surprises David and Mike with an announcement.

Ellen La Motte: An American Nurse in Peking

Ellen La Motte: An American Nurse in Peking

In 1916, an American activist and writer traveled to China from the frontlines of World War I. What she saw in the city delighted her; what she saw in the opium trade appalled her.

No Laughing Matters: The State of Stand-up in China Today

No Laughing Matters: The State of Stand-up in China Today

On this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David Moser and Jeremiah talk to journalist Chang Che about the state of comedy and entertainment in China and the precarious nature of creative expression in an increasingly ideological cultural landscape.