Bronze animal statues weren’t the only thing looted from the Old Summer Palace when it was put to the torch by British and French troops at the conclusion of the Arrow War in 1860; the imperial kennel was robbed as well
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.