Ep. 139 | Sir Edmund Backhouse (Part 3)

The China History Podcast
Written By Laszlo Montgomery

In this episode, we will conclude our CHP overview of the life of Sir Edmund Backhouse, 2nd Baronet. In this 3rd part of the series, we’ll examine the last couple of decades of Backhouse’s life.

At this time Backhouse remains in Beijing amidst all the turmoil going on during the Japanese invasion and the lead-up to WWII. In his final years, Backhouse will write a memoir that will engrave his name forever in the footnotes of Chinese history.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Cixi慈禧The Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi
Guangxu Emperor光绪帝The second to the last emperor of China
Jin Ping Mei金瓶梅Ming Dynasty novel written in the vernacular, known as The Plum in the Golden Vase or The Golden Lotus. Considered by many to be slightly pornographic in its content
Jing Shan景善a.k.a. Ching Shan, The court official whose diary Backhouse faked
Li Lianying李蓮英Grand Eunuch during the reign of the Dowager Empress
Mingshi明史The Ming History
Rong Lu荣禄Also known as Jung-lu, Cixi’s most trusted official, a major power in China
Shangdiao上吊To hang oneself

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Ep. 138 | Sir Edmund Backhouse (Part 2)