History, Travel
Jeremiah Jenne
Phoenicians and Fish Sauce on the Costa del Sol

Jeremiah heads to Malaga where he inexplicably becomes obsessed with the history of an ancient condiment

Phoenicians and Fish Sauce on the Costa del Sol
Book Reviews, History
Jeremiah Jenne
Reginald Johnston: Twilight in the Forbidden ...

A Scotsman’s memoir of tutoring Puyi, China’s “last emperor,” is more than just court gossip — it’s a tantalizing portrait of China’s imperial trappings.

Reginald Johnston: Twilight in the Forbidden City
Audio, Contemporary China, Beijing
Jeremiah Jenne
The Challenges of Foreign Reporting in China: ...

Jeremiah and David welcome Jane Perlez, former Beijing bureau chief for the New York Times. Jane reflects on shifts in media freedom and the challenges faced by reporters covering China. Her podcast series on U.S.-China relations, "Face Off," launches its second season this week.

The Challenges of Foreign Reporting in China: An In-Depth Discussion with Jane Perlez
Book Reviews, History
Jeremiah Jenne
Graham Peck: Two Kinds of Time

An American writer’s memoir of World War II China remains a timely diagnosis of the pathologies of U.S. foreign policy in the wake of the “loss” of China.

Graham Peck: Two Kinds of Time
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
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Pence Peeves Peking, MoFA Mocks Mike

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Pence Peeves Peking, MoFA Mocks Mike

A speech by US Vice President Mike Pence earlier this month seemed to signal a tougher line against China. The two countries have a long complicated relationship but is Beijing correct when it accuses Pence of distorting history?

The Wire Guide to the 1911 Revolution

The Wire Guide to the 1911 Revolution

You come at the Emperor, you best not miss. Understanding the 1911 Revolution with an assist from the writers and cast of The Wire.

The Party Goes Retro for National Day

The Party Goes Retro for National Day

It’s the National Day Golden Week holiday in China, and Jeremiah muses on competing retro trends with the Party reaching back to the 1980s and reviving “Anti-Bourgeois Liberalization.” Were they inspired by the needless decision to remake Magnum, PI?

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Beyond Marco Polo: Italians in Old China

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Beyond Marco Polo: Italians in Old China

While Marco Polo might be the best-known Italian to travel to China (or not), he was far from alone in making the long journey from that sunny Mediterranean peninsula to the Far East.

What Donald Trump Could Learn About Staff Loyalty from the Ming Dynasty

What Donald Trump Could Learn About Staff Loyalty from the Ming Dynasty

Disloyalty? Treason? The scheming of bureaucratic factions to thwart the ambitions of a mad head of state? The stories being told about the Trump White House by Bob Woodward and the New York Times have nothing on Chinese history

It’s Not Rocket Science, Except When it is: The Strange Case of Qian Xuesen

It’s Not Rocket Science, Except When it is: The Strange Case of Qian Xuesen

The story of Qian Xuesen, “an undisputed genius” who helped China develop rocket technology after he was shunned in the United States of America

Make Some Noise: The Visible and Not-so-Visible Dangers of Beijing’s Perpetual Din

Make Some Noise: The Visible and Not-so-Visible Dangers of Beijing’s Perpetual Din

On my death bed, I swear the most powerful sonic memory from my years in China will be that of a drill reverberating through walls and floors and burrowing its way into the reptilian part of my brain.

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We’re a Long Way from 2008: A ChinaFile Conversation

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We’re a Long Way from 2008: A ChinaFile Conversation

On August 8, 2008, China’s then Chairman Hu Jintao told a group of world leaders visiting Beijing to attend the Olympics that “the historic moment we have long awaited is arriving.” 10 years later, how do we evaluate China’s Olympic performance and legacy? 

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The Politics of Protection: Beijing Makes UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site Bids

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The Politics of Protection: Beijing Makes UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site Bids

Beijing authorities have made a bid for 15 landmarks in the Chinese capital to join the list of World Cultural Heritage sites by 2035, a move that’s not without controversy.

The National Fetish

The National Fetish

Amid nationalist celebrations sparked by July 4th and the World Cup, Jeremiah Jenne reflects that it’s no bad thing to honor a country but that it’s also worth rebalancing our patriotism with our responsibilities to the world.

The Chinese Playwright Purged after Writing the National Anthem

The Chinese Playwright Purged after Writing the National Anthem

Anthems are tricky things. They are part of state pageantry but are also played ceremonially in public settings, such as sporting events, which are outside the immediate control of the state.

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