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. 192 | The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 9)
In Part 9, differences between the two main schools of Neo-Confucianism is further discussed: the Lu-Wang School of the Mind (Xinxue) and the Cheng-Zhu School of Principle (Lixue). We also saved philosopher Zou Yan and the Five Elements (Wuxing) for last.
Ep. 191 | The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 8)
In Part 8, the basic tenets of Neo-Confucianism are introduced, with a focus on lǐ (principle) and xīn (mind) and how these two concepts caused a great divide in the two main schools of Neo-Confucianism.
Ep. 190 | The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 7)
The focus in this episode is on philosophical thought in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and three of the founding fathers of Neo Confucianism, Zhou Dunyi, Shao Yong, and Zhang Zai.
Ep. 175 | Su Dongpo
In America, we have Washington Irving, Mark Twain, Hemingway, and so on. In China, Su Dongpo would be mentioned when rattling off their best of the best. He was a major figure not only in the Song but in the overall world of Chinese culture as well.
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.
Ep. 155 | Joseph Needham (Part 1)
A true friend of China for most of his adult life, Dr. Joseph Needham’s contribution was the epic work “Science and Civilization in China”. In this Part 1 episode, we only go up to 1943 and the end of Needham’s first expedition in China.
Ep. 139 | Sir Edmund Backhouse (Part 3)
In this 3rd part of the series, 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.
Ep. 137 | Sir Edmund Backhouse (Part 1)
Welcome to Part 1 of a 3-part series covering the life of Sir Edmund Trelawny Backhouse, 2nd Baronet. An infamous figure in Chinese history, whose memoirs made for a shocking read.
Ep. 135 | The Song Emperor Huizong (Part 4)
In this final installment examining the life of Emperor Huizong, we look at the series of events that followed the Jürchens’ Seige of Kaifeng in 1126-1127. What followed was the Jingkang Incident, which for centuries made Chinese bow their heads in shame.
Ep. 134 | The Song Emperor Huizong (Part 3)
We continue in this episode examining the second decade of Huizong’s reign. The years we look at today will the years Huizong later on most regrets.
Ep. 133 | The Song Emperor Huizong (Part 2)
This time in Part 2 of our series we look at Huizong as he attempts to assemble his team and deal with bitter factional strife that was rampant since the Wang Anshi New Reforms.
Ep. 132 | The Song Emperor Huizong (Part 1)
The Song Dynasty was another one of those times when China was the most advanced and economically powerful civilization on earth. The period in which Huizong reigned was one of the high points of the dynasty.
Ep. 125 | Zhuge Liang
In this episode, we explore the life and times of Zhuge Liang, a man most remembered for his cleverness and someone that many consider him right up there with Sun Tzu as far as the works of strategy and military science he left behind.
Ep. 114 | Shang Oracle Bones
This episode takes a slightly deeper look at the Shang Dynasty and their signature achievement, the Oracle Bone Script.
Ep. 98 | The Great Jesuit Scholars: Ricci, Schall, and Verbiest
In this longer than usual episode, we feature the three giants of the Jesuit China Mission of the 16th and 17th centuries: Matteo Ricci, Johann Adam Schall von Bell, and Ferdinand Verbiest.
Ep. 96 | Wang Xizhi
In this episode, we look at Wang Xizhi, a man of letters who achieved greatness during the Eastern Jin dynasty and is called China’s greatest calligrapher.
Ep. 72 | The Hong Kong Triads
The Triads of Hong Kong have an interesting historical past that shaped their development throughout the years. Today we look at their origins and some of the more important historic events that made them the violent international criminal gangs they are today.
Ep. 71 | Ouyang Xiu
This week we look at the great Song Dynasty statesman and sage Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072). In this episode, we’ll review aspects of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and Ouyang Xiu’s place in this amazing age in China.