Foreigners in China

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.

Mistrust on Both Sides: On Terry Lautz’s “Americans in China” and John Delury’s “Agents of Subversion”

Mistrust on Both Sides: On Terry Lautz’s “Americans in China” and John Delury’s “Agents of Subversion”

“The success of US-China relations relies on forging relationships at a personal level,” writes Jeremiah Jenne reviewing John Delury’s “Agents of Subversion” and Terry Lautz’s “Americans in China."

Story of the 'Jing: The Legacy of the Jesuits in Beijing

Story of the 'Jing: The Legacy of the Jesuits in Beijing

One of the first communities of foreigners working in Beijing were Jesuits, missionaries turned advisors and aides to the emperors of the Ming and Qing.

On Thin Ice: When Dutch Traders Challenged the Qing Empire for Skating Glory

On Thin Ice: When Dutch Traders Challenged the Qing Empire for Skating Glory

Historian Tonio Andrade recalls a mostly forgotten moment of 18th-century Chinese diplomacy and winter sports history

My Beijing Insecurity (on National Security Education Day)

My Beijing Insecurity (on National Security Education Day)

April 15th, National Security Education and Awareness Day in China, has become an annual day of whimsy for those of us living in Beijing.

When Ulysses S. Grant met General Li

When Ulysses S. Grant met General Li

Grant’s was a life lived in many acts: Soldier. Drunk. Failed businessman. Drunk. General. Drunk. President. Failed Businessman again. Tomb. He was also the first US president to visit China.

Above the Law? Extraterritoriality and the Gucci 3

Above the Law? Extraterritoriality and the Gucci 3

A little stroll down Chinese legal history after the detention of the UCLA “Gucci 3” this past week.

The Guangzhou Massacre of 889

The Guangzhou Massacre of 889

One of the good things about the annals of Chinese history is that it’s pretty easy to find an event which makes your horribly bad day seem like an afternoon shiatsu and steak. Such is the case with the Guangzhou Massacre of 889.

The Life and Times of Edmund Trelawney Backhouse

The Life and Times of Edmund Trelawney Backhouse

I've long been fascinated with Edmund "The Hermit of Peking" Backhouse. It's time the famous Sinologist received a little love as one of the original hutong hipsters.