Ep. 361 | McKinley, Tariffs, and the Open Door Policy
Back in 1890, with the aim of protecting American companies from foreign competition, tariffs were jacked up significantly. With all the advances in transport, logistics, and new technologies, world trade was shifting into a higher gear.
Ep. 360 | Plant Hunters During the Qing Dynasty (Part 2)
After the exploits of Robert Fortune, many other plant hunters such as Henry Fletcher Hance, Père David, Augustine Henry, Ernest Wilson, and George Forrest, among others followed in his footsteps to China.
Ep. 359 | Plant Hunters During the Qing Dynasty (Part 1)
These next few episodes will be on the European and later, American plant hunters who came to China between the 16th and 20th centuries.
Ep. 300 | The History of Chinese Alchemy (Part 2)
For this Milestone Episode in CHP history, we look at the biggest name in the industry, Ge Hong.
Ep. 299 | The History of Chinese Alchemy (Part 1)
This is the first of a two-part series that will explore the history of Chinese alchemy.
Ep. 298 | Homer Lea
Homer Lea’s story is kind of unique. In his short life he got to witness some of the great moments in Revolutionary Chinese history.
Ep. 297 | Austro-German Jewish Musicians in Wartime Shanghai
Laszlo and Scripps College professor of music Dr. Hao Huang discuss the stories of Jewish musicians from Germany and Austria who fled Europe and ended up in Shanghai.
Ep. 257 | Emily “Mickey” Hahn
Emily Mickey Hahn was a woman whose writings from her years in China from 1935-1943 were essential reading for those hungry to learn about China during a time when the world was becoming smaller and more dangerous.
Ep. 212 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 5)
The drama continues with the final arrivals of European Jewish refugees into Shanghai in 1941-42. Afterward, the China option, which had previously served as a safety net for Jews seeking refuge far from the Nazis, was no longer available.
Ep. 210 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 3)
As the countdown to Kristallnacht gets closer, the situation becomes more urgent and Shanghai as a destination becomes more popular for Jews fleeing Europe. The great humanitarian He Fengsha will also be introduced.
Ep. 209 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 2)
In this episode, we’ll look at the events leading up to Kristallnacht in November 1938. We’ll also examine the smaller and lesswe known Jewish community of Tianjin.
Ep. 208 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 1)
This series examines the history of the Jewish refugees who came to China during the first part of the twentieth century. In this episode, Laszlo explains how many Jews made their way to China to escape hard times back home.
Ep. 206 | Robert van Gulik and Judge Dee
Laszlo introduces the great Nederlander Robert van Gulik, whose sixteen detective novels featuring the “stern but fair-minded” Judge Dee offered his world-wide readership a peek into 7th century Tang China society.
Ep. 196 | The British East India Company (Part 2)
Laszlo finishes off this brief overview of The Honorable Company. It’s a very rough landing for the East India Company as their commercial rivals and political enemies gradually put an end to their winning run going back to the 17th century.
Ep. 195 | The British East India Company (Part 1)
The Honorable East India Company played a somewhat starring role during the Qing Dynasty starting from about the Jiaqing Emperor. In this first of a two-part series, I am offering you an overview of who they were, where they came from, and how they came to be so hated by so many.
Ep. 193 | Whitey Smith and Early Shanghai Jazz
Whitey Smith found fame amongst the one percent who were regulars at all the glitzy hotel ballrooms, dance halls, clubs, and dives of 1920s and 1930’s Shanghai. Today we take a closer look at his story.
Ep. 178 | William Mesny (Part 2)
In Part 2 of this series examining the forgotten life of William Mesny, we hear the second half of his story in China.
Ep. 177 | William Mesny (Part 1)
In this first part of a two-part series, we examine the life of William Mesny, an unknown character from the old days of late Qing Dynasty China. Though he never made it to the history books, he nonetheless witnessed and took part in a lot of it.
Ep. 160 | Jack Jones and the Friend’s Ambulance Unit Convoy
The story of Jack Jones is told today in this little snapshot of a little known organization that operated in 1940s China known as The Friends Ambulance Unit.
Ep. 156 | Joseph Needham (Part 2)
In this Part 2 episode, we pick up in 1943 right after Joseph Needham returned from his perilous adventure to the northwest of China to visit the sights of Dunhuang.