Shows
The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Tragedy of the Parties and ShacklesThe Eastern Han Dynasty conflict between the eunuchs and the mandarins that set the stage for Three Kingdoms.Support the show
2025-07-3119 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastLi Ling, Tragic HeroThe tragic tale of the Han Dynasty general Li Ling.Support the show
2025-05-2922 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastEarly Han Dynasty Figure: Jia YiAuthor of "On the Faults of the Qin."Support the show
2025-02-1316 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastEarly Han Dynasty Figure: Shusun TongThe inventor of court protocols.Support the show
2025-02-0615 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastEarly Han Dynasty Figure: Lu JiaThe man who convinced the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty that he couldn't rule from horseback.Support the show
2025-01-3016 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastPrime Minister Han QiRegarding the Song Dynasty statesman -- and my ancestor -- Han Qi.Support the show
2025-01-0918 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastChao Cuo: EconomistRegarding the Han Dynasty policy advisor, party-pooper, and scapegoat.Support the show
2024-12-0519 min
The Willpower Podcast#21 - Joe Han: What Makes an Effective Coach?Welcome back to the Willpower Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Joe Han, a coach, teacher, and community builder. You can find Joe at the following:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joehhan
Instagram: @joehan_solo
Today, Joe shares his insights into the power of coaching, the importance of boundaries, and how staying grounded and connected to your values can lead to authentic success. He talks about finding one’s place, avoiding burnout, and how building a supportive community can fuel personal growth and resilience. Tune in to discover Joe’s perspectives on mot...
2024-10-301h 09The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastZhang Zhongjing, PhysicianRegarding the Han Dynasty physician Zhang Zhongjing.Support the show
2024-09-0517 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastLiu Zhiyuan of the Latter HanThe next emperor in our series on the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.Support the show
2024-05-0214 min
Afternoona AsksThe History of Wuxia with William HanFellow podcaster William Han joins Grace and Sarah to discuss the history of wuxia, as well as its cultural context and significance. He discusses how men--and women--with a "particular set of skills" and an unshakable code have played a notable role in Chinese history and literature, why Jin Yong's wuxia novels are a lingua franca of the Chinese speaking/reading world, and how wuxia concepts have been embraced by Western creators. Join us for a deep dive into the origins of some of the most familiar C-drama themes and character archetypes!For more from...
2024-01-311h 44The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastHua Tuo vs. GalenThe parallel lives of two great physicians who were contemporaries of each other, one in Han Dynasty China and one in the Roman Empire. By extension, a comparison between traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Western medicine.Support the show
2023-07-1328 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastHuo Qubing or Why Nepotism's Not All BadHu Qubing was one of the most remarkable and meteoric military figures in Han Dynasty China during the second century B.C. Meteoric because he rose fast (thanks to nepotism), burned bright, and died young. A kind of soldierly James Dean. But in his brief but brilliant career, he left an indelible mark on Chinese and world history.Support the show
2023-06-2226 min
The Lawman's LoungeBecoming Adaptable: Embracing the Changes in Law Practice with guest Christine HanBecoming Adaptable: Embracing the Changes in Law Practice with guest Christine HanFounder & Managing Attorney of Han Law GroupImmigration and Family Law ColumnistBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lawman-s-lounge--4267400/support.
2023-04-1257 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastFamous HorsesBucephalus, the beloved horse belonging to Alexander the Great, brings to mind two famous horses from Chinese history: the Chitu or "Crimson Hare" Horse of Guan Yu from the Three Kingdoms era and the Wuzhui Horse of Xiang Yu from the time of the founding of the Han Dynasty.Support the show
2023-03-1620 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Tangut Kingdom of XixiaContinuing our series on the lesser known regimes contemporaneous with the Song Dynasty, today we look at the Kingdom of Xixia, or "Western Xia," founded and run by the Tangut people.Smaller than the Liao and the Jin Empires discussed in our recent episodes as well as the Han Chinese regime of the Song, the Xia was nonetheless at one point a true power to be reckoned with.But, sadly, history destined the Xixia to obscurity. In the wake of 20th century excavations and the rediscovery of the Tangut language, scholars have regained a measure...
2023-02-1629 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History Podcast13 Warriors Return to the Jade GateSome time in 76 A.D., a band of Chinese soldiers, the last survivors of a garrison, their clothes torn to ribbons and their bodies emaciated so that they barely seemed like living men, stumbled into Yumen Guan or "the Jade Gate Pass," the western terminus of the Han Dynasty Great Wall.We may consider their story in light of episodes from the same period in Roman history. And we may ask: what can it teach us about contemporary Chinese nationalism? What does it mean that many modern Chinese call this story "the ancient Chinese version of 'Saving...
2023-01-2630 min
The China History PodcastDiscussing the Silk Road and Central Asia With William HanSeveral years ago William Han set out from Xinjiang, following in the footsteps of Gan Ying who was tasked, in 97 AD, to seek out and establish relations with Da Qin (Rome). All the sights and experiences are detailed in William's new book, "From the Wall to the Water". It was quite an eye-opening journey from the end of the Great Wall to the Persian Gulf. Laszlo also discusses William's The Master of Demon Gorge Podcast (MODG) and the joys of China history podcasting. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B7GVCH9T/ref=dbs_a_def...
2022-10-041h 00The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastPlagues in Ancient Rome and the Han DynastyIn the previous episode we looked at how climate change in the Roman Empire paralleled climate change in Han Dynasty China and contributed to the rise and fall of both empires.Today, let's examine how pandemic diseases in both ends of Eurasia also coincided to help to bring down both empires. In Rome, the Antonine Plague came in the second century, the Plague of Cyprian in the third, and Plague of Justinian in the sixth. Meanwhile in China, the late-second century pandemic coinciding with the Antonine Plague gave rise to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, which kicked off...
2022-09-0824 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastClimate in Ancient Rome and the Han DynastyIn his book, "The Fate of Rome," Prof. Kyle Harper argues that much of the history of the Roman Empire can be attributed to climate: the period known as the "Roman Climate Optimum," around 200 B.C. to 150 A.D., neatly encapsulates the rise of the Roman Republic through its transition into Empire until the beginning of its decline during the age of the Antonines.The Han Dynasty in China follows almost exactly the same timeline from its founding in 202 B.C. to its final collapse in 220 A.D. If climate was a leading cause of Rome's rise...
2022-09-0121 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastVasily ChuikovVasily Ivanovich Chuikov, Marshal of the Soviet Union, is chiefly remembered in Russia as the iron-willed commander who successfully defended Stalingrad against Nazi assault during WWII.What has been largely forgotten is that Chuikov learned to speak Chinese and spent years in China. Before Stalingrad, he served as a military advisor to none other than Chiang Kai-shek...Support the show
2022-08-2516 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastLu Yu, the God of TeaThe tea plant, Camellia sinensis, originated in borderlands of southwestern China and what is now Burma. For many centuries, though, people didn't consume tea the way we do it today.Drawing on work by Prof. Miranda Brown, this is the story of Lu Yu, the Tang Dynasty comic actor and author who taught the Chinese literati, and later the whole world, how to drink tea.Support the show
2022-08-1814 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastNi Kuang: Hong Kong Master of Sci-FiNi Kuang, the hyper-prolific leading light of Hong Kong science fiction, died in early July.This is his improbable legend, from his beginnings as a boy communist in Mainland China to his days as a refugee smuggling himself across the border to his ultimate success and achievements in Hong Kong.It's almost as improbable as the adventures he invented for his protagonists.Support the show
2022-08-1115 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastCernuschi Museum, ParisHenri Cernuschi, an Italian revolutionary who became a French banker, came to collect East Asian and particularly Chinese artifacts later in life.Today, a walk through the Cernuschi Museum in Paris is amounts to a stroll through Chinese history.Support the show
2022-08-0445 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Mogao Caves of Dunhuang Part 2: Foreign Devils on the Silk RoadAs discussed in the previous episode, the rediscovery of the Mogao Caves at the beginning of the 20th century has immeasurably enriched our understanding of Silk Road history.The story of that discovery itself is full of drama and involves some incredibly fascinating scholar-explorers. Sven Hedin, Aurel Stein, Paul Pelliot, Langdon Warner, Kozui Otani, and Sergey Oldenburg all helped to bring the treasures of Dunhuang to global attention.But at the same time, what they did--buying priceless artifacts from men who didn't understand their value and carting them off mostly to Europe and America--was controversial...
2022-07-2820 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Mogao Caves of DunhuangIf you ever get a chance, make sure to visit the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang.In today's Gansu Province, the town of Dunhuang, situated on the historic Silk Road, witnessed a thousand years' worth of travelers: merchants and pilgrims, holy men and knaves, and not only Chinese but members of many races speaking many languages. And, starting in 366 A.D., they began to leave in these caves spectacular murals and statues as well as priceless documents. The rediscovery of the Mogao Caves in the early 20th century has since then reshaped and immeasurably enriched our understanding of...
2022-07-2116 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastLi Qingzhao, PoetessQuite likely the greatest female poet in Chinese history, Li Qingzhao might be deemed a Sappho of the East or the Emily Dickinson of China.Living during the Song Dynasty, Li Qingzhao came from an extraordinary family background and received the best possible education in imperial China. As a teenager, she already wrote better verses than most of the men who attained the jinshi degree in the civil service examination: the highest level of distinction. She then had the good fortune of a loving marriage.But then tragedies both national and personal struck. The Jurchen...
2022-07-1415 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Authoritarianism of Emperor YongzhengTwo of the longest-reigning emperors in Chinese history ruled during the Qing Dynasty: Kangxi, who sat on the throne from 1662 until 1722, and his grandson Qianlong, who ruled from 1735 until 1799.The figure sandwiched between them was Emperor Yongzheng. Son of Kangxi and father of Qianlong and to some extent eclipsed by both, Yongzheng was in fact an important and highly competent ruler.His competence, though, was substantially dedicated to centralizing imperial authority around his own person. And the Yongzheng era came to be strongly associated with "wenziyu" or "language prison": the practice of imprisoning or executing...
2022-07-0719 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Beauty of XishiA handful of women are remembered in Chinese history and popular imagination as the epitome of feminine beauty. One of them is Xishi.Living in the 5th century B.C., Xishi played a key role in the longstanding rivalry between the Kingdoms of Wu and Yue. In the centuries since, though, she has endowed the Chinese language with a number of expressions that we cannot do without.Support the show
2022-06-3012 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThree Kingdoms, Three FriendsSure, we've already done an episode on Three Kingdoms. But so many interesting characters and gripping tales come from that era, both as history and in fictionalized form from "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," that we can easily do a dozen episodes or more.This time, let's focus on the trio of men whose friendship opens the novel and serves as the through line for much of the rest of the book: Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei.Not only that, but the relationship among these three goes on to help define Chinese...
2022-06-2326 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastMr. Eastern SlopeCertain literary figures loom so large in Chinese culture that they substantial define the nature of that culture for all posterity, not to mention live in eternal acclaim.One such figure is Su Shi, also know by his nom de plume Su Dongpo, "Dongpo" meaning "Eastern Slope."Su Shi lived during the Northern Song Dynasty in the 11th century. Though he came from arguably the most distinguished literary family of his time, he suffered disappointment after disappointment in his career as a mandarin.And, in the end, he earned immortality not through his...
2022-06-1618 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe 27-Day EmperorHe's known by several different titles: the Marquis of Haihun, the Prince of Changyi, and Emperor Feidi of the Han Dynasty.Sadly for him, "Feidi" means "the abolished emperor."This is the story of the man who sat on the throne for all of 27 days before getting fired. But it's also the story of the famous minister, Huo Guang, who held such sway at court that he could dethrone the emperor at will.Support the show
2022-06-0919 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastTen Days in YangzhouThe time: May, 1645. The place: the city of Yangzhou, not far northeast of the capital of the surviving Southern Ming government, Nanjing. A year earlier, Manchu cavalry had swept south from Manchuria to take Beijing. As far as history books are concerned, the Qing Dynasty already replaced the Ming. But Ming loyalists still gathered in the south, determined to resist the "barbarians." And now the Qing army has reached Yangzhou.The Minister of Defense of the Southern Ming, a rectitudinous man named Shi Kefa, now personally took command of the Yangzhou's defenses. What followed was a...
2022-06-0218 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastHu ShihOne man spearheaded the effort in the early 20th century to modernize the Chinese language. One man revolutionized the study of Chinese literature and philosophy. One man served as the Chinese ambassador to Washington during the pivotal days before and after the attack on Pearl Harbor.The same man. His name was Hu Shih.Support the show
2022-05-2628 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastOracle BonesWith each example being over 3,000 years old, it's the oldest form of Chinese writing yet discovered. But the "oracle bones" bearing this script went unrecognized through the centuries. It was not until the end of the 19th century when an imperial mandarin finally understood their significance and, in so doing, expanded our understanding of Chinese history.Support the show
2022-05-1917 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastWhat Is a Country, Anyway?Country. State. Nation. English has three different words for three closely related but distinct concepts. Chinese makes do with a single character, 國, pronounced "guo."And historically "guo" has been applied to very different entities: The various Warring States were called "guo," as were fiefdoms and duchies contained within the empire, as were distant foreign countries like Persia.Moreover, particularly in connection with the controversial contemporary question of what is and isn't part of China, it's worth remembering that large swathes of what is now considered China were for centuries their own "guo" of one sort or...
2022-05-1216 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastArcadio HuangThe Parisian life of the man who taught Europeans how to speak Chinese... and inspired Montesquieu. Support the show
2022-05-0515 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastAllusions in the Chinese LanguageUnfortunately for learners of Chinese as a foreign language, it is quite difficult.One major reason for its difficulty is that the language is packed with allusions to the ancient past. These may be in fixed forms as "chengyu" or as quotations or stories from history that one is simply expected to know.Here are a few illustrative examples that I recently encountered.Support the show
2022-04-2811 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Eight HundredNews coming out of Mariupol in Ukraine reminds me of an episode from the Second Sino-Japanese War, what eventually became a part of WWII.As the Chinese military was forced to withdraw from Shanghai in the face of a superior Japanese army in October 1937, one regiment stayed behind to guard a strategically located warehouse to cover the retreat. Soon, "the Eight Hundred Brave Warriors" became a rallying cry for the Chinese for the remainder of the war. Even today, their story lives on. But of course it has become more myth than fact, more propaganda t...
2022-04-2121 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Man Who Loses His Horses“A man loses his horses, and yet who is to say whether it is benefit or bane?”It's a common Chinese proverb, and it refers to a fable contained in Huai Nan Zi, a Han Dynasty book of Daoist thought written by a prince of the imperial family and his group of friends.The fable has had a long and varied life. It has been quoted, or misquoted, in texts and media from the book "The Biggest Bluff" by Maria Konnikova to the film "Charlie Wilson's War" written by Aaron Sorkin. It seems to me to ec...
2022-04-1413 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Qing Ming FestivalThis past Tuesday was the Qing Ming or Tomb-Sweeping Festival, one of the major holidays of Chinese tradition. What is it? When? And Why?Support the show
2022-04-0714 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Philosophy of ZhuangziOutside of East Asia, the impression many have of Chinese culture is that Confucianism is its dominant school of thought and essential organizing principle. But, in truth, Confucianism was only one school among many in its time, and even today it remains only one of several major philosophical traditions that shape the Chinese soul.Daoism, or Taoism, for one, has been at least equally influential. And one of Daoism's founding thinkers was Zhuangzi (369-286 B.C.). Humorous, irreverent, skeptical, and obviously brilliant, Zhuangzi left us with a single volume of his philosophy which remains a fount of...
2022-03-3116 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastZelenskyy and Chinese HistoriographyEveryone knows his name by now. The law graduate who became a comic actor, the actor who became president, the president who became a wartime commander-in-chief.What has been relatively unremarked upon is Zelenskyy's apparent appreciation for history, particularly ancient history. And he seems to understand history in a way that makes the antique past a source of strength for him. He seems to understand history in away that is rather "Chinese."Support the show
2022-03-2413 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastWater MarginThe Ming Dynasty novel "Water Margin," a.k.a. "All Men Are Brothers," a.k.a. "Outlaws of the Marsh," ranks among the greatest works of prose fiction in Chinese literature.But much about the book remains uncertain: Wrote it? When? What constitutes the definitive edition and how long is it? And finally, what is its moral message?What is beyond doubt is that "Water Margin" has endured as one of the best loved and most impactful works ever produced in Chinese literature. It's one of the texts that you must know if you hope...
2022-03-1715 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Treaty of NerchinskLet's continue our previous episode's theme of Russia.The nationalist narrative of recent Chinese history often emphasizes the so-called "Century of Humiliation" from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, during which Western imperial powers as well as Japan foisted many "unequal treaties" upon China.But the same narrative often notes one exception: the one modern treaty that Qing Dynasty China entered into that the Chinese do not regard as "unequal."It was the Treaty of Nerchinsk concluded in 1689 between the Qing Court of Emperor Kangxi and the Russian Empire under Tsar...
2022-03-1018 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Mongol Conquest of the RusIn connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the story of the 13th century invasion of the Slavic lands by Batu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, and his Golden Horde. The Mongols destroyed (the then minor town) Moscow as well as the metropolis of Kyiv, subjecting the principalities of Kievan Rus as vassals. The Mongols went on invade Central-Eastern Europe, finally laying siege to Vienna. They would rule the land of the Rus for over two centuries.And among their vassals was one most interesting personality who would become canonized as a saint, whose story even now...
2022-03-0117 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Republic of FormosaThe year was 1895. The (First) Sino-Japanese War was just winding down. And news came out of Shimonoseki in Japan that the peace terms would include the annexation of Taiwan, a.k.a. Formosa.So what did the Taiwanese do? They issued a declaration of independence, establishing the first democratic republic in East Asian history... Even if it would not last very long, the Republic of Taiwan set a fascinating precedent that reverberates until today.Support the show
2022-02-2220 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Great Explosion of 1626On May 30, 1626, a screaming came across the sky over Beijing, the imperial capital of Ming Dynasty China. Within moments, thousands of people lay dead, and many more were injured, including within the Forbidden City. Modern estimates puts the force of the event on par with the Hiroshima bomb.The event shook Ming China to the core. Was it an omen that the "mandate of heaven" might be about to shift to another power?And what was "it," exactly? An accidental detonation of gunpowder? An earthquake? A tornado? A meteor? Support the show
2022-02-1517 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe General and the NovelistBai Xianyong, or Pai Hsien-yung as his name is spelled in the Wade-Giles style, has been a leading light of Taiwanese literature for decades. His works including "Taipei People" and "The Crystal Boys" have been landmarks of Taiwanese fiction, and in addition he has produced important works of history and criticism.What is sometimes insufficiently appreciated, particularly outside of Taiwan, is how the writer that Bai Xianyong came to be substantially depended on the man that his father was: General Bai Chongxi, one of the most interesting figures of Republican China, and a forgotten hero of the...
2022-02-0842 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Lunar New YearWhen I was a child in Taiwan, I was told a legend about how the Lunar New Year commemorated a monster that used to haunt the Chinese people around this time of the year.Imagine my reaction upon discovering as an adult that the legend could not be traced back to ancient times.What, then, is the New Year or "Spring Festival" all about? And how have customs of the holiday developed over the millennia? Happy Year of the Tiger!Support the show
2022-02-0112 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastEmpress Lü of the Han DynastyBe warned, boys and girls, for this is a gruesome tale.We previously told the story of the founding of the Han Dynasty and its first emperor, Liu Bang. This is the story of his wife, Empress Lü. After being married to Liu by her father, the future Empress Lü stuck by her husband even during his lowest periods, until finally he triumphed over all the other warlords to become emperor.But he didn't stick by her quite as much. Instead, he picked up a favorite concubine, Lady Qi. And he had sons wit...
2022-01-2516 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Rise of the Tang DynastyWe've already done several episodes relating to events and personalities from the Tang Dynasty. Retroactively, then, let's set the stage for how the Tang came into being.The Tang era can boast many achievements. Chinese poetry reached its zenith during this period, never to be surpassed or even equalled subsequently. The Tang Empire was one of the most expansive versions of "China" ever to exist on the face of the earth. The first half of the dynasty at least is often hailed as China's golden age. And the famous Emperor Taizong, whose portrait serves as this podcast's...
2022-01-1832 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastDetective Dee and the Curious Case of the Dutch SinologistTsui Hark, that maestro of Hong Kong cinema, has in recent years churned a trilogy of films set in ancient China about one "Detective Dee" who goes around solving strange crimes in the manner of Sherlock Holmes.In reality, Tsui Hark got this idea for a Chinese Holmes from, of all people, a Dutchman. Robert van Gulik was a Dutch diplomat and Sinologist who was posted in China during WWII, and he took to translating, then rewriting, a Qing Dynasty novel featuring one Di Renjie as a genius criminal investigator.And who was the real...
2022-01-1118 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastRemembering Jonathan SpenceOn Christmas Day, Jonathan Spence, the leading light of Western sinology and my former professor, passed away.Over a long and distinguished career, Professor Spence produced numerous books (not to mention countless essays and articles) on Chinese history. Unlike most other academics, he wrote in a uniquely engaging narrative style that made many of his works highly accessible even to general readers. "The Search for Modern China" in particular became a bestseller. His uncanny ability to empathize with historical figures allowed us readers, vicariously through him, to feel as though we were sitting down with men and...
2022-01-0424 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastFrom Tang Dynasty Fiction to Contemporary Sci-Fi FantasyThe Chinese-American sci-fi fantasy writer Ken Liu draws a lot from Chinese tradition. In his short story collection, "The Hidden Girl and Other Stories," between sci-fi stories about the singularity and space exploration, he rewrites a short story from the late-Tang Dynasty called "Nie Yinniang," literally "The Hidden Lady Nie."For all of its kung fu fighting, though, "Nie Yinniang" is often not the work of Tang fiction considered the founding document of the wuxia or martial arts genre. That honor belongs to "The Man with the Dragon Beard," which has no fight scenes...So...
2021-12-2820 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastTheo in ChinaMy friend and special guest calls in from New York, and we reminisce on traveling in China as well as his experiences teaching English in a relatively obscure corner of that country. It was only a few years ago, yet so much has changed between the pandemic and the politics that it feels like reminiscence from another era...Support the show
2021-12-2135 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastA History of the World in an OrangeThe orange was originally indigenous to China, and the great poet Qu Yuan wrote an ode to the orange tree back in 314 B.C. Since its earliest cultivation in China, the fruit has become ubiquitous around the world. And the various names that different languages have for it can tell us a surprising amount about history.Support the show
2021-12-1411 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastA White Horse Is Not a Horse; It Might Be a StagCurrent events remind me of two stories from ancient China.First, a philosophical argument from an ancient Chinese equivalent of a Sophist from the Warring States Era reasoning that "a white horse is not a horse."Second, a notorious incident from the Qin Dynasty during which a chancellor displayed his total power by demanding others to pretend that a stag was in fact a horse.Why does the news make me think of these stories? That's up to you.Support the show
2021-12-0720 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastFairy Tales, East and WestAs another example of our common human culture, here's a compendium of Chinese and Tibetan folk stories that just may share sources with their Western counterparts.Support the show
2021-11-3022 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastA New Beginning: KoxingaCulminating our series on Chinese national heroes, we tell the history-changing story of Zheng Chenggong, known in Western sources as "Koxinga," literally "Lord Imperial Surname."Born in 1624 to a Japanese mother and a Chinese father who happened to be the greatest pirate in the Pacific, Koxinga was just old enough to stand and be counted when, in 1644, the Ming Dynasty began collapsing all around him. With the Chongzhen Emperor dead in Beijing and the Manchu cavalry having breached the Great Wall, what remained of the Ming regime withdrew to southern China and fought desperately for s...
2021-11-2337 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastHow Can a Man Die Better? Wen TianxiangIn our continuing series on Chinese historical figures regarded as national heroes, we look at the life of the 13th century statesman Wen Tianxiang.Born in 1236 into a beleaguered Southern Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang enjoyed early recognition for his keen intellect and a rapid rise through the Song bureaucracy eventually to become chancellor. Unfortunately for him, during that same time, the Mongol Empire expanded from Mongolia all the way to Europe. Although it held out against the Mongols for a remarkably long time, by 1279 the Song had completely collapsed.After leading an unsuccessful last-ditch struggle...
2021-11-1624 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastLoyalty onto Death: Yue FeiOver the centuries, Chinese civilization has produced a number of figures who have entered the pantheon of national heroes. Perhaps none is more famous than Yue Fei (1103-42).As the great defender of the Song Dynasty, Yue Fei repeatedly beat back the Jurchen or Jin invaders who swept down from the north. As a notable poet, he left Chinese literature with arguably its most resonant statement on patriotism.Finally, Yue Fei is remembered as an embodiment of the Confucian virtue of undying fidelity. When corrupt Song courtiers conspired with the Jurchens and convinced the Song...
2021-11-1027 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Red and the Yellow: China's Foundation Myth"The Children of the Red and the Yellow" is a phrase one stumbles upon from time to time when listening to the Chinese talk about themselves, particularly since the construction of modern Chinese nationalism starting in the late 19th century.The phrase refers to China's foundation myth. Some 4,700 years ago, so the story goes, the Red Emperor, the leader of a confederation of ancient tribes, bowed to the Yellow Emperor, the leader of another confederation. The new combined group of tribes under the Yellow Emperor then fought yet another group led by a great warrior called Chi...
2021-11-0325 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Wuxia Fiction of Jin YongJin Yong, sometimes known by his English name Louis Cha, was the most popular and influential "wuxia" or martial arts fantasy author who ever lived. Indeed, he was one of the bestselling author in any language of all time. But his books are almost entirely unknown outside of the Chinese-reading world. Part of that is due to the extreme difficulty of translation: although he wrote in the 1950s and '60s, most of his novels have not been translated into English.A second problem is that, despite the wuxia label, his novels are also generally h...
2021-10-2736 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History Podcast"Lying Flat" in the 3rd Century"Tang ping" or "lying flat" is a new social phenomenon from China that has now spread to America. Young people feel that striving in the socio-economic system in which they find themselves is pointless, so they opt instead to do the opposite of striving: lie flat.It's a phenomenon that the Chinese government now tries to combat, and it mean seem contrary to our typical image of the hardworking Asian. But in fact the art of not working is a venerable Chinese tradition that goes back nearly 2,000 years to a group known as "The Seven Sages of...
2021-10-2013 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastFun with FlagsThe stories of the various flags that have represented modern China, from the Yellow Dragon of the Qing Empire to the contemporary flag of the PRC.Support the show
2021-10-1318 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe 1911 RevolutionOctober 10, "Double Ten," is the National Day or Independence Day of the Republic of China, now Taiwan. October 10, 1911, is a date indelibly engraved in Chinese history. But what exactly happened back then? This is the story of the 1911 Revolution. We discuss the decades leading up to it; Sun Yat-sen, the individual most responsible for bringing it about, and his partly American upbringing; and the fateful events on October 9-10 that ended all the millennia of monarchy in China.Support the show
2021-10-0741 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastChristianityWe further discuss the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. How Christian was it really? Or did it rather belong in the Chinese tradition of armed religious movements such as the Yellow Turban Rebellion that nearly destroyed the Han Dynasty? We look at Christianity in China more broadly, from the introduction of Nestorian Christianity in the 7th century to the Jesuit missionaries of the 16th and 17th centuries. How do traditional Chinese religious views differ from Christian assumptions?And what are Christian assumptions and attitudes, anyway? Many apparently secular ideas trace their origins to Christianity. Marxism may be deemed an...
2021-10-0449 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastTaiping Heavenly KingdomIn part one of two discussing Christianity in China, we look at the elephant in the room when it comes to this subject: the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1850-64). It's no big deal, just the third most destructive war in all of human history, behind only the two World Wars. And it began when a disappointed scholar, in a vulnerable moment, came across some Christian missionary literature. Reading it, he decided that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, charged by his Heavenly Father with establishing a Christian theocracy in China. Obviously.Support th...
2021-09-2720 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Mid-Autumn FestivalRegarding the history, myths, and traditions associated with the Mid-Autumn or Lunar Festival. Of course we end with a recitation of one the most famous poems ever by the great Su Dongpo, written in the 11th century.Support the show
2021-09-2015 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastWhat Does Emperor Huidi of the Jin Have to Do with Taiwanese Politics?Recently, one Taiwanese politician compared another to Emperor Huidi of the Jin Dynasty, as a term of abuse. Huidi of the Jin (r. 290-307 A.D.) was notorious for his stupidity. And his mismanagement of imperial affairs substantially ensured the brevity of the Western Jin regime and the long chaos of the period known as the Wei-Jin North and South Dynasties.We discuss Huidi's lamentable career as well as (by way of Jefferson and Lincoln) what it means for Taiwanese politicians on both sides of the aisle to invoke figures from ancient Chinese history.
2021-09-1315 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastShang-Chi and the Legend of the Mythological CreaturesIf you caught the latest Marvel release over the weekend, you might have wondered about the Chinese mythological creatures depicted therein. They mostly come out of Shan Hai Jing, "The Book of Mountains and Seas," an anonymous ancient tract describing world geography as well as fauna that might or might not have been real. Here is a spoiler-free run-down of the fanciful creatures, with digressions to Afghanistan, medieval England, the Arctic, and the works of Kafka and Borges.Support the show
2021-09-0616 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Xiongnu or the Hun? From China to Rome to Ancient EgyptIn the previous episode we discussed the many wars that Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty fought against the Xiongnu, or the Hun, a nomadic people who occupied China's northern borderlands for centuries.But were the "Xiongnu" described in Chinese sources truly the same people as the "Hun" that Roman sources later reported as ravaging Europe? French scholar Joseph de Guignes proposed this identification in 1757, and Edward Gibbon adopted it in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," making it into the mainstream view. But in fact, scholars continue to debate whether de Guignes was correct.
2021-08-3030 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastEmperor Wudi of the Han: ImperialistThe third-longest reigning emperor in Chinese history, Wudi (meaning "the Martial Emperor") of the Han Dynasty (r. 141-87 B.C.) sent legendary generals sallying forth from the Chinese heartland for the sake of conquest. Their campaigns and his heavy-handed imperialist policies vastly expanded China's territories. But the wars were terribly costly in both human and economic terms. And although some conquered territories became inseparable parts of China, many other victories proved ephemeral.Wudi's influential reign, then, raises an Eastern version of that fraught and complicated question: Imperialism--what's it good for?Support the show
2021-08-2333 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastFrom Kabul to CantonWhat does the First Opium War in China have to do with the First Anglo-Afghan War and the disastrous British retreat from Kabul? Everything. Here is a story about the scarlet thread that runs through history.Support the show
2021-08-1608 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastAfghanistan: a ThrenodyWhen you've been to a place personally, then that place is no longer theoretical, no longer just an abstract idea that you may hear people mention on the news. Travel has a way of making the world both real and personal.In 2015, I traveled through Afghanistan, visiting Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul, and Herat. Recent news about its now all-but-certain fall to the Taliban makes me reminisce about that beautiful country and to reflect upon the course of history.A "special episode."Support the show
2021-08-1411 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Anshi Rebellion, 755 A.D.Troubling news on the climate front keeps on coming, which makes me think of the Anshi Rebellion. Begun in 755 A.D., the uprising led by An Lushan and Shi Siming, two Sogdian (modern Afghan) men in the service of the Tang Empire, brought an end to China's golden age. Emperor Xuanzong himself became a refugee. And according to census data from the period, the war killed two-thirds of the Chinese population. Steven Pinker at Harvard deemed the Rebellion the greatest atrocity in human history.But, nearly 13 centuries on, is it with a measure of optimism that I...
2021-08-0926 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Legend of MulanThanks to Hollywood, many of us around the world grew up with the tale of Mulan, and recently a new version by Disney has introduced it to a new generation. Everyone knows the basic plot: When war comes, and the emperor orders every family to provide one man to serve in the army, Mulan, a young woman, disguises herself as a man and enters the service instead of her aging father, ultimately rising to be a great hero.But what was the original legend? The literary source is "The Ballad of Mulan," most likely written in the 5...
2021-08-0225 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastWhat's So Great About the Great Wall?The Chinese never called it "great" and still don't. In large part, it was the foreigners who taught the Chinese to elevate the Wall to a national symbol and object of pride. But should it be? Throughout Chinese history, since the First Emperor ordered the construction of what we now see as the first iteration of it, the Wall has been a Janus-like symbol representing both strength and tyranny. Perhaps that is simply the nature of walls: a contraption that keeps outsiders out must in some ways also constrain those within, whether physically or spiritually and intellectually, so that...
2021-07-2624 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Rise of the Han Dynasty"Even if only three households remain in the Kingdom of Chu, the Chu will still prove to be the death of the Qin." This was the prophecy circulating around China during the last years of the Qin Dynasty. A brilliant cast of characters were about to put that prophecy to the test: Xiang Yu, the dashing young hero and greatest warrior of his generation; Lady Yu, his faithful wife and the most beautiful woman in China; Liu Bang, the middle-aged small-time crook who seemingly had done little with his life and yet possessed the gift of leadership; H...
2021-07-2140 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastQin Shi Huang: the EndQin Shi Huang, the First Emperor, did a lot of stuff. He burned books he didn't like and buried their authors alive. He ordered the construction of the Great Wall. He standardized the Chinese language. And he sought the elixir of immortality, believing that his dynasty ought to last for a thousand years.But in the end, death comes for us all, even emperors and empires...Support the show
2021-07-1318 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastJing Ke: The Most Famous Assassin in Chinese HistoryAs the soon-to-be Qin Shi Huang or First Emperor stood on the verge of total conquest of the Six Kingdoms, the crown prince of the Kingdom of Yan made a last ditch effort to stop him. He recruited a most unusual man and entrusted him with the mission of assassinating the would-be ruler of all that was under heaven. In the over 2,200 years since this most celebrated of assassination attempts, Jing Ke has become legend: one man with a dagger standing against the might of an empire. In the Chinese imagination, Jing Ke represents freedom from tyranny, e...
2021-07-0725 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastQin Shi Huang: the Early YearsToday the Chinese Communist Party celebrated the centennial of its own founding. The CCP nowadays often identifies itself with Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor, for his record of reunifying China after a prolonged period of division. Never mind that his dynasty lasted all of 15 years; never mind that he is mostly remembered as a brutal tyrant.Moreover, although everyone knows that Qin Shi Huang reunified China in 221 B.C., no one is certain whether he was even his own father's son. And that was just one of the many scandals and palace intrigues of the Qin...
2021-07-0125 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Boxer Rebellion, a.k.a. the Invasion of the Eight Allied NationsTo paraphrase a couple of Avengers: You and I remember Beijing very differently. Around 1900, a group of kung fu practitioners in China who came to be known as "the Boxers" began assaulting just about any foreigners they could find. In response, an alliance of eight countries send expeditionary armies to China, where they in turn killed a good many and destroyed a great deal. Today, the event is painfully remembered in China but all but forgotten internationally. It's not even known by the same name in the Chinese-speaking world and outside of it. Yet you ca...
2021-06-2822 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastErotic Fiction in Ancient ChinaSex! One of the greatest works of fiction in Chinese literature, "The Plum in the Golden Vase," is also one of the most risqué. We discuss this Ming Dynasty novel alongside other works of erotic fiction, with comparisons to the Marquis de Sade (and references to China in his novel "Justine"), as well as James Joyce's maxim that true art hangs in suspension between didacticism and pornography.Support the show
2021-06-2433 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastEmperor Chongzhen vs. Climate ChangeIn the early months of 1644, everything seemed to be crashing down upon Chongzhen. Fated to hang himself from a tree, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty faced a massive domestic rebellion led by a proto-communist (and future role model for Chairman Mao) as well as invasion by the Manchus. Though an earnest man who tried his best, Chongzhen was simply not equipped to handle all of these challenges.And, as a 17th century man, he could not have possibly understood that behind many of his troubles lay the problem of global climate change...Support...
2021-06-2126 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastChinese Gods vs. Everyone ElseReligion in Chinese culture contrasts sharply with religions in other civilizations. For one thing, many Chinese gods were flesh-and-blood human beings who came to be deified, unlike most ancient gods of Europe or the Middle East or Egypt. Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, is one example. And today she is becoming the patron goddess of Taiwan. Alice tells us about the reporting she did this year on the annual Mazu Festival, which 300,000 Taiwanese attended.Another notable phenomenon is the historical belief that certain personalities, such as the poet Li Bai, might have been avatars o...
2021-06-1734 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastKangxi and Louis XIV, or How a Child Plotted a CoupDuring his years on the throne, Louis XIV, the Sun King of France, longed to make the acquaintance of Emperor Kangxi of China. The two men had a great deal in common: they both acceded to the throne as young children, both for a time had no real power, and both went on to rule their respective countries well and for many decades. But whereas Louis waited for his chief minister to die of his own accord before assuming full control, a 14-year-old Kangxi plotted against his own regent, announcing to all the world what kind of emperor he...
2021-06-1420 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Battle of Changping; the Siege of HandanStudents of Chinese history know that Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor and the founder of the Qin Dynasty, ended the Warring States Era and unified China in 221 B.C. But unification by the Kingdom of Qin could have, would have, and maybe should have happened four decades earlier. After launching a massive campaign in 262 B.C. against the neighboring Kingdom of Zhao, the Qin laid siege to the Zhao capital. It was poised to win dominion over the Central Plains.But, in that moment, three men--a butcher, a doorman, and a prince--faced the inexorable tide of...
2021-06-0738 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastI Ching and Computer ScienceDid a 3,000-year-old Chinese book of divination anticipate modern computer science? When a Jesuit missionary brought him a copy of the I Ching, or more properly Yi Jing, "The Book of Changes," the German mathematician Leibniz was deeply amazed. Some of his own work seemed already represented in its mysterious pages. And Leibniz was an era-defining genius in his own right. It would be nearly another three centuries before we were able to fully implement Leibniz's work, in these little machines that we now call "computers."Support the show
2021-06-0325 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThe Yang Family GeneralsIn the years immediately before and after 1,000 A.D., three generations of the Yang family, men and women, defended the northern borders of Song Dynasty China. Their (surprisingly feminist) legends have grown deeply ingrained in Chinese culture. And one story resonates particularly deeply among people of Taiwan of a particular generation and background.Support the show
2021-05-3029 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastThree Kingdoms and the IliadThe Three Kingdoms era following the collapse of the Han Dynasty was a pivotal period in Chinese history. Many Chinese traditions date to this time. And the many heroes that rose up like a rushing spring in this age of chaos are still revered. Indeed, names like Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu are still household names in East Asia just as names like Odysseus and Achilles are still known across Western culture. In this episode, I discuss why the parallels between the Three Kingdoms (and the 14th century novel that narrates that history) and Homer's Iliad are more than...
2021-05-2539 minThe Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History PodcastWho Was the Master of Demon Gorge?In the 4th century B.C., a reclusive master of all trades and his four students shaped China's destiny.Support the show
2021-05-2421 min
TRITHUCVN's PodcastĐCSTQ xây đập kiểm soát thượng nguồn sông Mekong khiến hạ nguồn hạn hánMột nghiên cứu mới nhất cho thấy, Đảng Cộng sản Trung Quốc (ĐCSTQ) xây dựng các đập nước lớn, có khả năng trực tiếp gây ra mực nước thấp nhất trong lịch sử tại hạ nguồn sông Mekong thuộc các nước như Thái Lan, Lào, Campuchia và Việt Nam. Chuyên gia Sông Mekong Thái Lan cho biết, đây là trạng thái bình thường trong phát triển ngành nghề của ĐCSTQ, người dân dựa vào tài nguyên sôn...
2020-05-1611 min
TRITHUCVN's PodcastViêm phổi Vũ Hán phủ mây đen lên quan hệ EU – Trung QuốcTrước khi đại dịch viêm phổi Vũ Hán do virus corona mới (còn gọi là virus Trung Cộng) tàn phá thế giới, theo những kế hoạch dự kiến cho thấy năm 2020 vốn là năm quan trọng để tăng cường quan hệ kinh tế và chiến lược giữa Liên minh châu Âu (EU) và Trung Quốc, nhưng dịch bệnh này đã thay đổi tất cả.Xem bài viết tại: https://trithucvn.net/the-gioi/viem-phoi-vu-han-phu-may-den-len-quan
2020-05-1210 min
TRITHUCVN's PodcastYêu nước kiểu Trung Quốc thời hiện đại nhìn từ Hán tựHán tự của Trung Quốc là một loại văn tự tượng hình khá đặc biệt, phản ánh xã hội của đất nước này trong suốt hàng ngàn năm, cũng là công cụ truyền tải văn hóa quan trọng. Sự biến đổi của xã hội Trung Quốc hiện đại cũng được phản ánh vào Hán tự. Đơn cử như từ “ái quốc” hay “yêu nước”.Xem bài viết tại: https://trithucvn.net/van-hoa/yeu-nuoc-kieu-trung-quoc-thoi-hien-d
2020-05-0706 min
TRITHUCVN's PodcastAnh – Mỹ hợp tác điều tra COVID-19 và Phòng Thí nghiệm Virus P4 Vũ HánCơ quan chức năng của Anh đã quyết định hợp tác với Mỹ để điều tra nguồn gốc của sự bùng phát dịch bệnh viêm phổi Vũ Hán do virus corona mới (còn gọi là virus Trung Cộng), trong đó một trong những trọng tâm là Phòng Thí nghiệm Virus Vũ Hán đầy vẻ bí ẩn. Ngoài ra cũng có thông tin từ tình báo Mỹ cho biết họ nắm được thông tin của “bệnh nhân số 0”.Xem bài viết tạ...
2020-04-2107 min
William HollandThe Ethnic Basis of Chinese (Han) RuleIf you're not a member of the Han race, your not considered Chinese.
2019-10-1904 min
Pilgrim Cast - Fr. Bill's Personal PagesPC 17 - Beit She'hanIn this episode: History of Beit She'han; Roman Gods; Temples; Origins of Pillars; Silvanus Street; Bathroom; Theater
2012-02-1500 min
Pilgrim Cast - Fr. Bill's Personal PagesPC 17 - Beit She'hanIn this episode: History of Beit She'han; Roman Gods; Temples; Origins of Pillars; Silvanus Street; Bathroom; Theater
2012-02-1557 min