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
Audio, History
Jeremiah Jenne
History Hit with Dan Snow: The British Empire, ...

How opium started a war that still impacts China today.

History Hit with Dan Snow: The British Empire, China, and Opium

History

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Story of the 'Jing: A History of Commerce at Longfusi

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Story of the 'Jing: A History of Commerce at Longfusi

The area around the former Longfusi (Temple of Abundant Blessings) is a popular place to get some of Beijing’s best Pho at Susu or grab a pint at Jing-A, but the neighborhood historically is no stranger to commerce. 

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Eunuchs in Beijing: The Bad and the Misunderstood

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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.

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

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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.

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Lockdowns, Legacies, and Looking Back with Journalist Melinda Liu

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Lockdowns, Legacies, and Looking Back with Journalist Melinda Liu

Award-winning journalist, Newsweek Bureau Chief, and long-time Beijing resident Melinda Liu joins David Moser and me on a special episode of Barbarians at the Gate. We're taking the long view of lockdowns, US-China relations, and some fascinating stories of World War II.

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The Horrifying History behind Beijing's Most Notorious Execution Grounds

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The Horrifying History behind Beijing's Most Notorious Execution Grounds

Few places in Beijing are as soaked in blood and steeped in the supernatural as the now rather banal neighborhood outside the Caishikou Metro Stop.

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

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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).

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Weekend Walking with the Lamas: A Quick Guide to Visiting Yonghegong

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Weekend Walking with the Lamas: A Quick Guide to Visiting Yonghegong

Yonghegong, also known as The Lama Temple, reopened to the public last month and remains one of the city’s most fascinating religious sites.

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The China History Podcast: Forbidden City

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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.

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Barbarians at the Gate: The Destruction of the Yuanmingyuan (One from the Vault)

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Barbarians at the Gate: The Destruction of the Yuanmingyuan (One from the Vault)

This month marks the 160th anniversary of the destruction of the Yuanmingyuan. In this episode, David and I talk about the events leading up to the looting and razing of the gardens and the shifting meaning of "National Humiliation" in China today.

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Story of the 'Jing: What's the Deal With the Old Red Gate on Ghost Street?

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Story of the 'Jing: What's the Deal With the Old Red Gate on Ghost Street?

Ever walked (or stumbled) down Gui Jie and wondered why there is a red doorway and a stone tablet right in the middle of the sidewalk?

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

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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.

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Story of the 'Jing: What's Behind the Name "Summer Palace"?

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Story of the 'Jing: What's Behind the Name "Summer Palace"?

The Summer Palace in Beijing and its neighbor, the Old Summer Palace, are two of the city’s most beloved parks, but the English names for these popular attractions are a little more simplistic than their Chinese variations. The terms most commonly used in Chinese, 颐和园 yiheyuan for the Summer Palace, and 圆明园 yuanmingyuan for the Old Summer Palace, are a bit clearer, and it’s worth noting that nothing in the Chinese names references the relative age or seasonal preference.

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Literary Strolls through Old Peking

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Literary Strolls through Old Peking

Despite the holiday and the beautiful weather this weekend, it might not be the best time for exploring the city. Walking tours and entertainment venues are on Covid hiatus, and most parks and historic sites require a 48-hour test result to even walk through the front gate. But Covid can’t stop the history enthusiast or the intellectually curious from wandering old Peking from the comfort of our couch.