History

Audio: Are the Kids Alright?

Audio: Are the Kids Alright?

Joining Jeremiah in the final episode of Barbarians at the Gate is Alec Ash, author of the book Wish Lanterns: Young Lives in New China to look at three of youth movements from the 20th century: The May Fourth/New Culture Era, the Cultural Revolution, and the 1980s.

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.

Beijing Emperor and Qing Dynasty Scammer Faces Prison Time in Shenzhen

Beijing Emperor and Qing Dynasty Scammer Faces Prison Time in Shenzhen

It is a twist on an old scam: A gullible patsy loses a small fortune helping a former monarch recover his royal funds. But what happens when the deposed ruler claims to be the Beijing born and raised Qianlong Emperor who last ruled China in the 18th century?

Audio: Lakes and canals of historic Haidian

Audio: Lakes and canals of historic Haidian

My conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on the Summer Palaces and the the waterways of imperial Beijing.

The Barbarian and the Babe

The Barbarian and the Babe

The story of An Lushan has been told so many times that it qualifies as Tang Dynasty slash fic. There is the aging emperor, his sensual concubine, and the exotic foreign warrior who comes between them. But this story is far more Byzantine than an 8th-century love triangle gone horribly sideways.