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The Context

NewsChina explores the perspectives driving today’s China and its people with a deep dive into the histories that shaped them.
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Episodes

Qi Baishi: A Journey Through the Colors of Tradition

Today, we will continue to talk about how Qi Baishi rose to stardom amid such adversities as poverty and political turmoil. His distinctive style, blending traditional techniques with innovative approaches, captured the essence of nature with vibrant brushstrokes and intricate detail.

Jun 11, 202415 min

Qi Baishi: The Carpenter-turned Master Painter

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about how Qi Baishi, a renowned Chinese painter of the 20th century, emerged from humble origins in central China’s Hunan Province to become a master of traditional Chinese painting.

Jun 04, 202414 min

Master of Ink: The Unraveling Legacy of Zhang Daqian

In this second installment of our two-part feature, we’ll continue to talk about the 20th Century artist Zhang Daqian. With a fearless spirit, he embraced innovation, blending ancient techniques with modern sensibilities to redefine the very essence of Chinese art.

May 28, 202414 min

Zhang Daqian: The First Person in Five Hundred Years

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about Zhang Daqian, one of the most acclaimed modern Chinese painters. From the tranquil mountains of his youth to the bustling streets of Shanghai, Zhang carved his destiny with each stroke of his brush.

May 21, 202418 min

Luban Workshop: In the Spirit of the Master Carpenter

Today, we’ll introduce China’s legendary “father of carpentry”. He lived about 2,500 years ago, but his legacy continues as the workshops named after him have helped foster thousands of skilled technical workers in developing countries around the world.

May 14, 202411 min

Traveling Through Yinxu: A Glimpse into China’s Ancient Past

In this second installment of our two-part feature, we’ll talk about Yinxu Ruins and the Shang Dynasty, offering a profound meditation on the timeless interplay between past and present, and the enduring spirit of a civilization that continues to inspire and captivate the world.

May 10, 202413 min

Yinxu Ruins Museum: Reviving the Shang Dynasty

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the new Yinxu Ruins Museum that displays more cultural relics and embodies the reflections of a new generation of scholars over the past 20 years.

May 07, 202412 min

The Altered Life Trajectory of Zhou Chu

In this second installment of our two-part feature on the renowned statesman Zhou Chu who lived 1,800 years ago, we’ll talk more about his noble qualities and the conspiracy that culminated in his harrowing and untimely demise.

Apr 30, 202413 min

Zhou Chu’s Quest to Eliminate the Three Evils

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the tales of Zhou Chu, the foundational inspiration behind the acclaimed film The Pig, the Snake, and the Pigeon, which has emerged as a surprise success in mainland Chinese cinemas.

Apr 23, 202412 min

Chiang Yee: Searching for Panda Man

Today, we’ll tell the story of Chiang Yee, a best-selling author in the UK and US, who remains virtually unknown in his native China. But a new book seeks to elevate the artist and scholar to his rightful place as one of modern China’s earliest “East meets West” cultural ambassadors.

Apr 16, 202418 min

Hsiung Shih-I: The Legendary Life of Chinese Shakespeare

Today, we will talk about an inspirational scriptwriter who, alongside Lin Yutang, is renowned as one of the two best Chinese writers proficient in English writing during the first half of the 20th century. He was also the first Chinese stage director to make his mark on Broadway.

Apr 09, 202416 min

Lin Huiyin: Restoration of an Icon

Today, we’ll talk about modern China’s first female architect Lin Huiyin who will finally receive a posthumous degree from the University of Pennsylvania, in recognition of her contribution and dedication to architectural protection and development both in and beyond her country’s borders.

Apr 02, 202417 min

Quanzhou: The Rise and Fall of China’s Maritime Trade Center (I)

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about how an innovatively designed bridge laid the groundwork for a small port on the southeast coast of China to emerge as the center of the country’s maritime trade during the Song and Yuan dynasties.

Mar 19, 202414 min

The Warrior Queen: The Legendary Life of Fu Hao

Today, we’ll talk about the life of China’s first female general in recorded Chinese history as well as her relationship with her husband King Wu Ding in the Shang Dynasty during the second millennium BCE.

Mar 12, 202417 min

White Stupa Temple: Friendship Across the Himalayas

Today, we’ll talk about a renowned Buddhist-style temple located in downtown Beijing as well as the Nepalese architect who played a significant role in cultural exchanges between China and Nepal during the Yuan Dynasty.

Mar 05, 202417 min

Saint John’s University: Echoing Through the Ages

Today, we’re going to delve deeper into the story of Saint John’s University and its unwavering commitment to knowledge and enlightenment, which continues to reverberate among universities both in the East and the West to this day.

Feb 27, 202415 min

Li Gonglin: The Best Painter of the Song Dynasty

Today, we’re going to introduce a man known as “the best painter of the Song Dynasty”. Living in a period of cultural refinement, this 11th-century painter outshined his contemporaries with his seminal style in both figure and horse painting.

Feb 13, 202411 min

Su Shi: The Incorrigibly Optimistic Proto-Renaissance Man

Today, we’ll look at the life and times of one of the most revered and prodigious figures in Chinese culture. He was so prolific in so many different fields that he is often considered as a proto-Renaissance man, though he was born four centuries before Leonardo da Vinci.

Feb 06, 202416 min

Du Fu: The Wandering Poet Sage

Today, we’ll introduce arguably the greatest-ever Chinese poet, who lived more than 1,000 years ago and is survived by over 1,400 poems, which in itself is nothing short of a miracle since he spent most of his life wandering across the country.

Jan 16, 202413 min

Dazu Rock Carvings: The Last Monument of Chinese Rock Art

Today, we’ll talk about a UNESCO World Heritage Site developed from the 9th through the 13th centuries in Chongqing. Famed for its unique rock carvings, the site has caught the public’s attention again recently due to its unfortunate connection with climate change.

Jan 02, 202412 min

Flying Tigers Veterans: Heights of Friendship

Today, we delve into the poignant visit to China by WWII veterans and relatives of the renowned Flying Tigers. This gathering serves as a heartfelt commemoration of their historical achievements, prompting reflection on the future trajectory of China-US relations.

Dec 19, 202314 min

Chinese Students in the US: an Unaccomplished Mission

Today, we will explore the commencement of the first group of Chinese students who embarked on their studies in the United States about 150 years ago. Remarkably, many among them emerged as pivotal figures in the pursuit of national liberation and the nation’s journey toward modernity.

Dec 12, 202315 min

Pu’er Tea Forests: Into the Deep Green

Today, we’ll talk about the Pu’er tea forests of Jingmai Mountain in Yunnan Province that have now become the latest UNESCO heritage site in China. Local people are excited but also somewhat anxious about whether the new designation will disrupt the lifestyle they have enjoyed for a thousand years.

Dec 05, 202315 min

Grand Canal: Changing the Course of History

In our last podcast, we talked about China’s 1400-year-old inland waterway called the Grand Canal. Today, we’re going to further explore how changes in the Grand Canal’s course over the centuries also changed the course of history.

Nov 28, 202313 min
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