Audio, History
Jeremiah Jenne
What can the end of the Ming Dynasty tell us ...

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.

What can the end of the Ming Dynasty tell us about the election of Donald Trump and what comes next
Contemporary China, History, Audio
Jeremiah Jenne
Historical Battles: Rewriting China's Past to ...

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.

Historical Battles: Rewriting China's Past to Shape the Future
Audio, History
Jeremiah Jenne
Dan Snow's History Hit: The Creation of the ...

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.

Dan Snow's History Hit: The Creation of the People's Republic of China
Book Reviews, History
Jeremiah Jenne
Philip Kuhn: Sorcery and Bureaucracy in Qing ...

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.”

Philip Kuhn: Sorcery and Bureaucracy in Qing China
Audio, History, Travel
Jeremiah Jenne
Edge of Empire with author and journalist ...

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.

Edge of Empire with author and journalist Edward Wong

Forbidden City

,

A Weekend Walks Guide to Managing the Spring Tourist Crush

,
A Weekend Walks Guide to Managing the Spring Tourist Crush

Beijing travel is back, and so are the crowds. Here are a few tips for those looking to take advantage of the great weather as the city prepares for the May Day holiday crush.

, , ,

The Forbidden City with Matthew Hu

, , ,
The Forbidden City with Matthew Hu

On this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, Matthew Hu of the Beijing Cultural Heritage Preservation Center joins Jeremiah and David Moser to look at the Forbidden City's past, present, and future and the challenges of restoring and exhibiting the museum’s 1.8 million artifacts.

,

Eunuchs in Beijing: The Bad and the Misunderstood

,
Eunuchs in Beijing: The Bad and the Misunderstood

Most eunuchs were undeserving of their bad reputation and social stigma, but a few eunuchs in Beijing's past, unfortunately, lived up to their notoriety.

,

Story of the 'Jing: When Beijing's Most Famous Sites Opened Their Doors to the Public

,
Story of the 'Jing: When Beijing's Most Famous Sites Opened Their Doors to the Public

Beijing's most famous attractions didn't open their doors to the public until the 20th century (or even later).

, ,

The China History Podcast: Forbidden City

, ,
The China History Podcast: Forbidden City

Few topics have been requested more than the Forbidden City, located in the center of the great city of Beijing. To help introduce this iconic palace complex, Laszlo invited longtime Beijing resident, Jeremiah Jenne of "Barbarians at the Gate Podcast" fame onto the CHP to discuss the history of the Forbidden City from its construction in the Ming Dynasty up to the present day.

,

Story of the 'Jing: Legends and Myths of Jingshan Park

,
Story of the 'Jing: Legends and Myths of Jingshan Park

It might lack altitude, but at 45.7 meters (150 feet) Jingshan is the tallest point of land inside the Second Ring Road. Sitting astride Beijing’s famous Central Axis, the artificial hill also represents the geographic point zero for the historic capital of the Ming and Qing Emperors.

,

Weekend Walk: Forbidden City Basics

,
Weekend Walk: Forbidden City Basics

This walk is the simplest and most straightforward way to see the Forbidden City, proceeding from the Meridian Gate in the front, down the main central axis, and exiting at the northern end of the palace across the street from Jingshan Park. Most people (too many people?) take this route, but it’s only a starting point for exploring this massive palace.

, ,

China’s competing legacies on show at National Palace Museums in Beijing and Taipei

, ,
China’s competing legacies on show at National Palace Museums in Beijing and Taipei

  • The mid-century scramble to stop priceless art and artefacts falling into the wrong hands saw country’s collection of imperial artefacts splinter

  • Nationalists transported their treasures to Taiwan, while newly minted People’s Republic allowed Forbidden City to preserve posterity

Beijing's Five Architectural Colors, and the Symbolism Behind Them

Beijing's Five Architectural Colors, and the Symbolism Behind Them

It sometimes seems like the dominant color in Beijing is “Socialist Taupe.” The streets. The bricks. The roads. Getting away from the gray and the beige is hard.

That wasn’t always the case. In imperial times, builders and architects relied on five colors to add life to their creations: red, yellow, blue, white, and (yes) gray

,

Making the Forbidden City Fun for Kids: New Spaces, Exhibits, and Dragons Galore

,
Making the Forbidden City Fun for Kids: New Spaces, Exhibits, and Dragons Galore

The Forbidden City can be a test of endurance for most people, not just those young folks with shorter legs and even shorter attention spans. Making a three-hour walk through an old palace appealing to younger visitors is all about how you approach your Forbidden City trip.

,

Still Want to See the Sights? Five Tips to Beat the Crowds in Beijing During Next Week's October Holiday

,
Still Want to See the Sights? Five Tips to Beat the Crowds in Beijing During Next Week's October Holiday

Over 700 million tourists are going to be on the move starting Sunday, and Beijing will be one of the most popular destinations, Caixin reported this week. So how can one enjoy the sites and avoid the crowds?

Famous Scroll Painting Among Treasures to Be Displayed at the Forbidden City This Month

Famous Scroll Painting Among Treasures to Be Displayed at the Forbidden City This Month

One of China’s most famous and seldom seen works of art will go on display at the Forbidden City today (September 15) until December 14.

,

Kowtow and get out: How I was almost ejected from the Forbidden City

,
Kowtow and get out: How I was almost ejected from the Forbidden City

Demonstrating an imperial ritual for your guests is a good way to get 86'd from The Forbidden City. It almost happened to me.

,

Blinged-Out Mobile Not the First Telephone Controversy at the Forbidden City

,
Blinged-Out Mobile Not the First Telephone Controversy at the Forbidden City

The recent flap over the Palace Museum's promotion of a bling-out luxury mobile phone was not the first time that a phone has caused a stir at the Forbidden City. The story of a phone, a young emperor, and his love of prank calls.

Find me on BlueSky, LinkedIn, TWITTER, Instagram, or Apple Podcasts.