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

Travel

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Barbarians at the Gate: Touring China with historian Yajun Mo

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Barbarians at the Gate: Touring China with historian Yajun Mo

On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David and I interview Professor Mo Yajun about her book Touring China: A History of Travel Culture, 1912-1949, a fascinating history of the development of China’s travel industry in the Republican period.

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Weekend Walk: Forbidden City Basics

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Weekend Walk: Forbidden City Basics

This walk is the simplest and most straightforward way to see the Forbidden City, proceeding from the Meridian Gate in the front, down the main central axis, and exiting at the northern end of the palace across the street from Jingshan Park. Most people (too many people?) take this route, but it’s only a starting point for exploring this massive palace.

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Politics Squared: A Look at Tiananmen Square and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial

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Politics Squared: A Look at Tiananmen Square and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial

To walk around Tiananmen Square in Beijing or the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial in Taipei is to appreciate the divergent paths these two capitals have taken in the 21st century.

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China’s competing legacies on show at National Palace Museums in Beijing and Taipei

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China’s competing legacies on show at National Palace Museums in Beijing and Taipei

  • The mid-century scramble to stop priceless art and artefacts falling into the wrong hands saw country’s collection of imperial artefacts splinter

  • Nationalists transported their treasures to Taiwan, while newly minted People’s Republic allowed Forbidden City to preserve posterity

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Did Chinese Architect Liang Sicheng Save the Historic Sites of Kyoto?

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Did Chinese Architect Liang Sicheng Save the Historic Sites of Kyoto?

Walk down any street in Kyoto and chances are you'll run into an old temple. Did Chinese architect and preservationist save the city from being destroyed in World War II?

Being Thomas Friedman in Taipei

Being Thomas Friedman in Taipei

Nothing is more annoying than the uncritical writer who arrives at a destination and proceeds to gush over the local culture. So when I say I love Taiwan, I do so with the full expectation that I may be simply exorcizing the accumulated demons of a life lived in Beijing. But you know what… I absolutely love Taiwan and let me tell you why.