Ep. 292 | Olive Yang
In this episode, Laszlo introduces the story of Olive Yang, 杨金秀. She was a Kokang Chinese born and raised around the border region of Myanmar and China. Her story took place in the Shan State of Myanmar. Though she was not someone of great historical impact on the times she lived in, she was part of a lot of the drama happening around her. She mixed with many interesting parties from the 1950s to the 1980s. This included Kokang royalty, KMT remnant armies, the CIA, and drug lords.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yáng Jīnxiù | 杨金秀 | 1927-2017, Olive Yáng, opium warlord and prominent figure in the Shan State of Burma |
| Yúnnán | 云南 | Province in soutghwest China |
| Zhèng Yī Sǎo | 郑一嫂 | Qing Dynasty era Pirate Queen |
| Báidù | 百度 | China-based search engine, sometimes referred to as "the Google of China" |
| Guǒ Gǎn | 果敢 | Kokang is located in the northern part of Myanmar Shan State, with the Salween River to its west, and sharing a border with Yunnan Province to the east. Its total land area is around 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 sq mi). The capital is Laukkai. Kokang is mostly populated by Kokang Chinese, a Han Chinese group living in Myanmar. |
| Wáng Zhèn | 王振 | 15th century Ming era eunuch, famous for causing the Tumu Crisis |
| Liú Jǐn | 刘瑾 | 1451-1510, powerful Ming era eunuch |
| Wèi Zhōngxián | 魏忠贤 | 1568-1627, one of the most powerful and destructive eunuchs in all of Chinese history. Helped speed up the end of the dynasty |
| House off Zhū | 朱家族 | The ruling family of the Ming Dynasty were surnamed Zhu |
| Qīng Dynasty | 清朝 | China's last imperial dynasty, 1644-1911 |
| Ming Chóngzhēn | 崇祯 | 1611-1644, final emperor of the Mong Dynasty |
| Yuè Fēi | 岳飞 | 1103-1142, Southern Song military general who fought against the Jurchens and was later executed on dubious charges |
| Zhèng Chénggōng | 郑成功 | 1624-1662, better known in trhe West as Koxinga, a loyalist to the fallen Ming dynasty who kept up the fight to restore their dynasty |
| Yáng | 杨 | The surname of Olive Yang as well as her ancestors and the ruling dynasty she was born into |
| Jiāngsū | 江苏 | Coastal province in eastern China |
| Nánjīng | 南京 | Capital of Jiangsu |
| Guǒgǎn Huárén | 果敢华人 | Kokang Chinese |
| Qiánlóng | 乾隆 | Qing dynasty emnperor of China from 1735-1796 |
| Dà Yè | 大叶 | Big Leaf (variety of Camellia sinensis, the tea plant) |
| Yáng Èr Xiǎojié | 杨二小姐 | One of the names of Olive Yang, No. 2 sister |
| Jípǔ | 吉普 | The name of Olive Yang;'s only son, Duàn Jípǔ 段吉普 |
| Lǐ Mí | 李弥 | 1902-1973, high-ranking Nationalist general who withdrew his forces to the Golden Triangle area |
| Péng Déhuái | 彭德怀 | 1898-1974, great CCP military leader and China's defense minister 1954-1959 |
| Chángjìn Hú | 长津湖 | Site of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea that took place between November 27 and December 13, 1950 |
| Luó Xīnghàn | 罗星汉 | ca. 1930 to 2013, known as Lo Hsing Han, Burmese drug lord and businessman |
| Yáng Zhèncái | 杨振材 | Olive Yang's older brother Edward. He served as the final Saopha of Kokang |
| Zhāng Qífū | 长奇夫 | 1934-2007, The Golden Triangle Drug Lord Khun Sa |
| Ruìlì | 瑞丽 | A major border crossing town on the Yunnan side of the border with Myanmar, located in the west of Yunnan |
| Liú Xiǎobō | 刘晓波 | 1955-2017, Winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize and famous political dissident in China |
Resources
Books/Articles
The Female Warlord Who Had C.I.A. Connections and Opium Routes by Gabrielle Paluch
The royal-turned-warlord and opium pioneer of the Golden Triangle dies at 90 by Gabrielle Paluch
Royal-turned-warlord and opium pioneer of the Golden Triangle: Olive Yang dies aged 90 by Gabrielle Paluch
Check out Gabrielle Paluch’s new book, The Opium Queen: The Untold Story of the Rebel Who Ruled the Golden Triangle set to release in Dec 2022
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