We 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/9780231178631
In 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: - ...
We 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/9780231178631
We finally meet everyone's favorite guy (Song Jiang), and learn about song dynasty interrogation techniques.
This 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 penal...
In 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...
Hello everyone. More water margin. Zhang Yhi has to make life changes, and we learn how to motivate your police inspectors.
In 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?
Hello 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.
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....
Hello 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?!
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.
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.
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=en
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
In this episode Lin Chong gets really mad (and drunk).
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.
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.
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 und...
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.
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 Brotherhood Crows Schemes Strange 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.html
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 Natu...
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 Monks Kitchen Gods The 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 Dynasties http://rdbk1.ynlib.cn:6251/qw/Paper/635647 Commentaries by 金圣叹 http://www.guoxue123.com/xiaosuo/jd/jpsh...
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.
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 imped...
In this episode we learn how Lu Da becomes Lu (Sagacious) Zhishen, and the finer points of how to join a chinese monastery.
In this episode we meet the amazing Lu Da, and watch him make bad decisions. Also a discussion on Chinese prisons.
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.
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 entertainin...
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 ...
