Shows
With Chinese CharacteristicsSaucier Lessons from the Book of SwindlesWe explore MORE crimes and scams in the late ming dynasty with the excellently translated Book of Swindles. This time with magic. https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-book-of-swindles/97802311786312025-05-011h 24
With Chinese CharacteristicsThe First Chinese International Students in AmericaIn the 19th century, an unlikely international initiative took place. Despite the Qing government's reputation for conservatism and isolationist policies, it actually sponsored a group of 120 Chinese boys to study in the United States. This is the story of the Chinese Education Mission (CEM). An ambitious experiment— it built a short lived but very real bridge between two very different worlds. It was a story of political ambition, and cultural collision, but also one of baseball. References:- My Life in China and America, by Yung Wing- When I was a boy in...2025-02-151h 48
With Chinese CharacteristicsLessons from the Book of SwindlesWe explore crimes and scams in the late ming dynasty with the excellently translated Book of Swindles.https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-book-of-swindles/97802311786312025-01-131h 05
Horror Nerds at ChurchSeason 7 Introduction: Which Witch is Which?Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) introduce Season 7, all about witches! We start off with a speed dating round of questions before getting into all the movies and shows we will be covering. Suzannah (she/her), our Wild Magic Tech Genius, also shares some book and tv show recommendations. What themes do we anticipate coming up this season? What movies are we most looking forward to? And most importantly, when does the Pet Costume Contest start accepting entries? Also, use #HNACTest for movies, books, tv shows, etc. that pass our Redemption Arc test!CW: Queerphobia in church2024-09-121h 45
With Chinese CharacteristicsWater Margin Ch 18: The Filial and Gallant Dark Third MasterWe finally meet everyone's favorite guy (Song Jiang), and learn about song dynasty interrogation techniques. 2024-02-0631 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsSeals of Yore - Stamps with Chinese Characteristics, Part 1This episode delves into Chinese stamps/seals/chops (印章), exploring the origins, ritualization, and various cultural conventions associated with this ancient practice.Given their existence predating the invention of paper in China, what surfaces did ancient Chinese court officials typically stamp upon? Did different dynasties enforce distinct rules regarding stamps? Was the loss of an emperor's jade seals believed to signify the loss of the mandate of heaven? In the late Qing dynasty, the penalty for misusing the stamp could be as severe as death. Was this penalty genuinely enforced, or was it akin to many other hist...2023-11-191h 01
With Chinese CharacteristicsThe Self Strengthening Movement: Making the Qing Great AgainIn this episode we discuss the Qing Dynasty's 'Self Strengthening Movement' of roughly 1861-1890. Recognizing the superiority of european weapons, technology, and scientific knowledge, the Qing Dynasty attempted to adopt and integrate them into an otherwise unchanged Confucian bureaucracy. Ambitious Westerners flocked to the country, lured by Qing silver, and with the support of towering Chinese figures such as Li Hongzhang and Cixi, helped the Qing reach a level of power and prosperity that had not been seen for a century. However, in resisting deeper, more structural changes, the Qing Dynasty would pla...2023-10-301h 05
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 17, Exiled to ______ ProvinceHello everyone. More water margin.Zhang Yhi has to make life changes, and we learn how to motivate your police inspectors. 2023-10-0347 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 16, Yang Zhi Screws it up AgainIn this episode we get to the long awaited robbery of the birthday gifts (worth 100,000 strings of cash).Will our 7 (or 8) brave heroes succeed?2023-09-1442 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsYellow River 3: Work on the Yellow River must be Done WellHello Everyone! The exciting conclusion to our yellow river discussions. In this episode we discuss the near century where active management of the river was abandoned in the late Qing Dynasty, and the Communist party's attempts to return it to order.We also touch on modern PRC water management techniques, which often involve redirecting water from more affluent areas to less politically sensitive ones.2023-08-2853 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 15, Fishing for Tough Dudes 好汉集邮The plot thickens as Wu Yong seeks out the three Ruan brothers to join the dream team to rob the birthday treasure caravan worth a hundred thousand strings of cash. Could he persuade the three gallant men using this sleek tongue? In this episode, we also meet a real wizard named "Dragon in the Clouds". These 7 (or 8) men are being brought together by fate. In this episode we discuss (more!) Chinese social etiquette, how as bad as peasant Chinese men had it, peasant women had it worse, and more. 2023-08-0748 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 14, The Tower Shifting Heavenly KingHello it's Ch 14 and a plot is starting to heat up.Can our unlikely heroes find 7 (or 8) bold men to help them steal an entire year's worth of bribe money?! 2023-07-1741 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 13, Nepotism with Extra Steps 关系户也不是那么容易当的？Hello everyone. It's chapter 13. In this episode we discuss the specifics of Chinese nepotism, and how military command works in the Song Dynasty. 2023-06-2640 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 12, Yang Zhi the Blue-Faced Beast 为什么宋代丢了花石纲是大罪Our story continues on with a new main character, Yang Zhi.Learn about grotesque rocks, how to bribe people in Song Dynasty China, and why its so dangerous to sell your sword. 2023-06-1352 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 11, Embracing a Life of Crime 破罐破摔的林冲In Episode 11 of water margin we discuss Lin Chong's continued fall from grace, the dangers of failed scholars, and why all the bad boys in the Song Dynasty are eating beef.Article Mentioned:"Beefy Outlaws: Beef Consumption in Water Margin and Its Song-Yuan Antecedents"https://brill.com/view/journals/joch/7/3/article-p342_6.xml?language=en2023-06-0536 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWhy You Should Visit Kinmen 金门游记This is a special episode from Cherrie and Natalie's travels. Tune in to find out why we highly recommend you make a trip to Kinmen Island (and Taiwan!). In this episode we talked about Kinmen's history, culture and politices. Check out our episode about Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor (金门高粱酒): Baijiu: The World's Favorite Spirit 白酒历史谈2023-05-231h 08
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 10, Lin Chong finally snapsIn this episode Lin Chong gets really mad (and drunk). 2023-05-0139 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsThe Grand Canal of China, Part 1 - UNESCO, Sui Dynasty and Infrastructure Obsessions 大运河历史第一集：世界遗产，隋朝与基建狂魔The Grand Canal, a waterway system that travels vast regions of China is famous today as a UNESCO world heritage site. In this episode we discuss its complicated history. Why build a canal? What was the labor cost - measured in countless lives - that built an emperor's vision? Does the UNESCO World Heritage Convention transcends cultural nationalism or reinforce it? Tune in to this first episode about the Grand Canal and its history. 2023-04-2447 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 9, Chai Jin's Tough Dude Addiction 水浒传Book Club 9: 收集好汉成瘾的柴进Hello It's Chapter 9!!!Lin Chong continues his journey and we meet Tough Guy enthusiast and sponsor, Chai Jin.We also talk in great, exhaustive detail, on the cultural significance of griddle cakes, and special soups. 2023-03-1742 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsYellow River Part 2: Humans will Overcome Heaven 黄河历史2: 人定胜天In this episode we talk about the "high reward / high risk" stage of Imperial Chinese hydraulic management during the Late Ming to late Qing dynasties. Vast amounts of money, material, and expertise were poured into keeping the yellow river forced into a narrow, rapid channel. These efforts allowed the entire vast Chinese canal and irrigation system to function (including the grand canal), but at the price of constant vigilance. The river never rested, and a single season of negligence could undo years of careful maintenance. We also discuss the men who managed this system "Confucian En...2023-02-271h 25
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 8, Ling Chong has a very bad day 水浒传Book Club第八章：被发配边疆的仕途失意者林冲和被当作家具，没有名字的林冲娘子In this short chapter we deal with the sentencing of Lin Chong after he is framed by Gao Qiu.Despite the best intentions of the local Magistrate, personal power and political connections is always greater than the law in imperial China.We also discuss the finer points of Imperial chinese punishments. 2023-02-1335 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 7, Making sport of a respectable woman in times of peace and order 水浒传Book Club第七章：浅谈水浒传对女性角色的处理Lin Chong enters the scene, and we also we learn one of the great struggles facing tough dudes in the Northern Song Dynasty, having a hot wife and a lecherous boss.Also discussed: Sworn BrotherhoodCrowsSchemesStrange men selling swords in an offer to frame you in an elaborate conspiracy.As mentioned here is the paper referenced in the episode:https://pages.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/scriptorium/jyebay.html2023-01-3051 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsYellow River Part 1: How it got yellow 黄河历史1:“大河”到“黄河” 的演变In this episode we discuss China's sorrow, the famous and infamous yellow river (黄河). Stretching through China's north eastern floodplain, it both birthed early chinese civilization, and put it through some of its most harrowing challenges.In part one we discuss the geography of the yellow river, its early myths, and how the complex interaction between rainfall, erosion, and human action can create extremely deadly disaster events.Interesting books on the Yellow River:The Yellow River, a Natural and Unnatural Historyhttps://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300238334/the-yellow-river/The Water Kingdom:https://www...2023-01-191h 02
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 6, Sagacious Lu Burns Down a Monastery 水浒传Book Club：鲁智深历险记还没完哦，这一章要在太岁头上动土，火烧寺庙了！In this episode we continue the adventures of Sagacious Lu, and meet up with some old friends. He finally reaches the great Xiangguo monastery and is put in an important position there.We also touch on:Division of Buddhist MonksKitchen GodsThe Commentaries of 金圣叹Being a Man of Valor as opposed to just a person who knows how to fight.Paper on the Monk System in the Ming and Qing Dynastieshttp://rdbk1.ynlib.cn:6251/qw/Paper/635647Commentaries by 金圣叹http://www.guoxue123.com/xiaosuo/jd/jpshz/ind2023-01-0446 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 5, Sagacious Lu Attends a Wedding 水浒传Book Club第五章：鲁智深冒险记之大闹婚礼In this latest exciting episode of the WCC Book Club we spend time with Sagacious Lu on his spiritual journey, which seems to involve beating up everyone around him.2022-12-2240 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsMany Anthems, Many Chinas 国歌里的中国近代史In late November 2022, just last month, protests broke out all over China. People took to the streets to voice their discontent against the “Zero Covid” policies of the Chinese government. This came from months of frustration and suffering under the zero covid policies and the strict social control the Chinese state, the CCP government, had enforced on its people. After at least 10 lives lost and many injured in the No 24th fire in Xinjing, Ürümqi, during which zero covid lockdown measures impeded the rescue and escape of the victims trapped inside the building, people marched in front o...2022-12-161h 07
Vulgar History: RevolutionInternational, part 39: Chinese Pirate Queen, Zheng Yi SaoIt's the internationale season finale and we're going out with a PIRATE STORY!!! Zheng Yi Sao aka Shi Yang aka Ching Shih was the most successful pirate of all time. Not just the most successful lady pirate: The Most Successful Pirate Of All Time (All Gender). Hers is a story of success after success and honestly that's refreshing after all that some of the other women this season had to put up with.Recommended podcasts to learn more about Asian history:With Chinese Characteristics podcast hosted by Natalie and CherrieAsian American History 101...2022-12-141h 19
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 4, Lu Da Becomes Sagacious Lu 水浒传Book Club第四章：当鲁达变身成了鲁智深，其实他还是那个鲁达In this episode we learn how Lu Da becomes Lu (Sagacious) Zhishen, and the finer points of how to join a chinese monastery. 2022-11-2856 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 3, The Lord of the West 水浒传Book Club第三章：西城之霸In this episode we meet the amazing Lu Da, and watch him make bad decisions.Also a discussion on Chinese prisons.2022-11-2148 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsQuotations from Chairman Mao 红宝书到底讲了什么？In this episode we discuss what is likely the second most printed book of all time, "Quotations from Chairman Mao".Produced prior to the Cultural Revolution, the book was an iconic symbol of the moment, and become influential worldwide as it was translated into multiple languages and distributed. We discuss what is in the book, and what isn't, as well as putting some of Mao's thoughts into perspective. 2022-11-141h 34
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 2, The Tough Dudes Network 水浒传Book Club第二章：好汉俱乐部When chaos grows in 12th century China, and the empire is in peril, great heavenly heroes will arise among the people to make everything worse.In the second episode we meet our first stars of destiny, and watch them immediately make bad decisions. We also discuss the finer points of Chinese capitol cities, and the definition of ancient chinese football (蹴鞠) techniques.Feel free to get a copy (or find one of the many versions online) or just listen along as we go over this extremely entertaining story of rebellion. We are reading the Sidney Shapiro tran...2022-10-311h 00
With Chinese CharacteristicsWCCBC: Water Margin Ch 1, Who let the Demons out? 水浒传Book Club第一章：天命已失，谁还把妖魔鬼怪放出来了啦When chaos grows in 12th century China, and the empire is in peril, great heavenly heroes will arise among the people to make everything worse. Our exciting read along of China's literary classic 'The Water Margin' (水滸傳) finally begins!In this first episode we go over the history of the novel, its cultural significance, as well as the historical time periods in which it is set and written. Then we discuss the first chapter, which is mostly about one Chinese government official being bad at his job.Feel free to get a copy (or find o...2022-10-1646 min
With Chinese CharacteristicsMovie Discussion: The Eight Hundred and The Battle at Lake Changjin 影评：八佰和长津湖In this episode we compare and contrast two modern Chinese Blockbusters.The 800, telling the tale of a doomed Chinese Battalion in the last ditch defense of Shanghai, was plagued by delays, censorship, and CCP meddling. The Battle of Lake Changjin on the other hand, was a top down propaganda piece about the Korean War ordered to be ready for the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. Both movies were extremely successful commercially, and are interesting in their own way. However if you're just going to watch one... it should be the 800. 2022-10-031h 30
With Chinese CharacteristicsBaijiu: The World's Favorite Spirit 白酒历史谈Baijiu is China's national alcohol, and the world's most drunk spirit. Despite it's fearsome reputation amongst the uninitiated, there is more to baijiu than its fiery taste and aggressive ABV.Join us as we sample the major varieties of Baijiu, learn about its history, and discuss its future.A special thanks to Derek Sandhaus and his book Drunk in China. 2022-09-051h 25
With Chinese CharacteristicsVoting With Chinese Characteristics 3: Democracy Choreographed 中国特色民主制度？下篇：当剧本已经写好In 1979 a new election law ended the era of single candidate elections, and theoretically ushered in an system where voters voters would have some level of choice in who their representatives would be. However despite the letter of the new law, Chinese Elections remained firmly under party control, with no real path for anyone other than party-appointed candidates to become nominated and even less of an ability for them to impact government if elected. Despite the dizzying array of votes, conferences, "opposition parties", and ceremonies, the system exists not to do Democracy, but to present the illusion, e...2022-08-221h 01
With Chinese CharacteristicsArrow War Part 4: The Looting of the Summer Palace 第二次鸦片战争4: 火烧圆明园In this episode we discuss the endgame of the Arrow war, and China's resulting loss of full sovereignty as the foreign powers take root in Beijing.We also discuss the looting/burning of the summer palace, and how despite British claims, it had less to do with making a diplomatic statement, and more to do with avarice and greed.From the Qing/Chinese perspective we discuss the unreasonable nature of British/French demands, but also their inability to resist those demands. This feeling of powerlessness will drive successive waves of Chinese reformers to build more...2022-08-011h 02