Ep. 151 | The Flying Tigers (Part 1)
In this episode, we take a look at the magnificent story of the American Volunteer Group, known more popularly as The Flying Tigers.
Ep. 150 | The History of the Hakka People
In this milestone 150th episode, Laszlo shines a light on the Hakka people and where they fit in Chinese history. Legends and stereotypes surrounded this sub-group of Chinese, but one thing is for sure they have carved an indelible spot in worldwide Chinese culture.
Ep. 140-6 | Camellia sinensis, Superstar
Just like rock n'roll after Elvis, tea starts to rapidly develop. This episode we'll look at the tea poet Lu Tong and the earliest renowned styles of tea ware.
Ep. 140-5 | The Classic of Tea
It wasn't a very long book but it certainly was consequential. This time we'll look at the granddaddy of all tea treatises (and there were a lot of them that followed).
Ep. 140-4 | The Sage of Tea
This time we look at the great Lu Yu and all that he did to improve the people's understanding and enjoyment of tea.
Ep. 140-3 | Tea Hits the Big Time
The development of Chinese civilizations starts to pick up the pace in the Sui and Tang dynasties. The same went with the taste of tea.
Ep. 140-2 | Tea, A Bitter Brew in Bronze Age China
The story of tea continues during China's Bronze Age which included the Shang and Zhou Dynasties.
Ep. 140-1 | Tea’s Ancient Beginnings
Welcome to Part 1 of our new series looking at the History of Tea. Get ready for a long ride cause we have a lot to go through with this popular beverage.
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. 136 | Wong Chin Foo
Though not a well-known person from history, Wong Chin Foo nonetheless played a major role during the 1880’s and 1890’s fighting against the racist anti-Chinese immigration laws passed by the U.S. Congress.
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. 131 | Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen (Part 2)
We’re going to finish off the last 45 years of Morris Two-Gun Cohen’s life in this extra-long episode. With Sun Yat-sen now gone, Morris Cohen worked hard to reinvent himself and remain relevant in the world of Chinese business and politics.
Ep. 130 | Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen (Part 1)
Today’s subject was by no means a historic figure. In fact, I don’t think you can even call him a bit player. Nonetheless, Morris Abraham Cohen had a China story that deserves a telling.
Ep. 129 | The Incident at Xuanwu Gate
The Incident at Xuanwu Gate took place on July 2, 626, and resulted in the victory of Li Shimin over his two brothers. Not long afterward Li Shimin was promoted by his father to the emperorship and reigned as Tang Taizong.
Ep. 128 | The History of American-Chinese Cuisine
Laszlo is back with one last episode to finish of 2013. This time we look at the interesting and amusing history of Chinese cuisine in America, a history that goes hand-in-hand with the earliest Chinese immigration to the US.