Audio, Contemporary China
Jeremiah Jenne
What happens after a Barbarian walks away from ...

On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David Moser and I discuss new directions. We reflect on our COVID-era episodes, discuss the current situation on academic exchanges in China with cautious optimism, and outline future plans for the pod.

What happens after a Barbarian walks away from the Gate?
Beijing, Contemporary China, Audio
Jeremiah Jenne
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.

Exile from Expat-Ville
Book Reviews, History, Travel
Jeremiah Jenne
Marco Polo: Travel writer? Fraud? Sexpat?

‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ is often held up as the earliest Western account of China and Asia. What’s actually inside the covers might surprise you.

Marco Polo: Travel writer? Fraud? Sexpat?
Audio, Travel
Jeremiah Jenne
Art with Altitude: A Conversation with Artist, ...

On this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, we talk to artist, educator, and social entrepreneur Kristel Ouwehand of Snowland Art

Art with Altitude: A Conversation with Artist, Educator, and Social Entrepreneur Kristel Ouwenhand
Audio, History
Jeremiah Jenne
History Wars: The PRC pushes back against ...

David and I discuss what's going on with the Qing history project, a controversy about Genghis Khan in France, and how PRC continues punching back against potentially problematic pasts.

History Wars: The PRC pushes back against unsanctioned views of the past
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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.

Karl Marx, Cai Yuanpei, and the Legacies of May Fourth

Karl Marx, Cai Yuanpei, and the Legacies of May Fourth

Marx may be getting most of the attention this year, but we should not forget the possible pasts represented by Cai Yuanpei, the intellectual omnivore, the university president unafraid of wild thinkers.

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.