花崗齋雜記

Jottings from the Granite Studio provides commentary, analysis, and opinion on China and Chinese history. It is written by Jeremiah Jenne, a PhD Candidate at a large public research university in Northern California. Currently, Jeremiah is in Beijing teaching history, doing archival research, and working on his dissertation.

From the Granite Studio Archives

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Morning Tea: Ma Jun on China’s environment, Wu Fei on China’s media, and Richard Spencer writing from Gansu

一.Powerful essay by Ma Jun posted on the China Dialogue website, “Participation not markets, will help China’s environment.” (中文) Ma argues that the market reforms of the past 15 years have had some success but that the market alone cannot resolve the country’s ecological crisis or the explosive economic inequalities that have accompanied China’s economic development. [...]

Last American defector in DPRK gives interview, controversial book on WWII to remain in Mass. class

Couple of interesting articles in the Korea field via the History News Network. The first is on the last American defector still living in North Korea.

James [note: He is referred to as "Joe" in the 60 Minutes piece] Dresnok…broke 44 years of silence since he slipped across South Korea’s heavily mined border to begin a [...]

Mr. Hu, I presume: China’s president in Africa amidst concerns

Chinese president Hu Jintao yesterday began an eight-country tour of Africa following a November summit of African leaders in the Chinese capital. The People’s Daily is describing Hu’s visit as “a journey of friendship and cooperation” but others both in Africa and in the West are more skeptical about China’s intentions and wary of increased [...]

The Taiwan textbook controversy

There seems like nothing in the history field can rile up the masses like a good old fashioned textbook controversy. This time on Taiwan where recent editions of the standard high school history text for Taiwanese students has had some changes made, most notably the terms, “mainland” (dalu 大陆)and “our country” (我国 woguo) have [...]

Chinese buying patterns, history, and nationalism

Diligence China has a quality post on the landmarks of emerging markets–certain things to look out for as China makes the transition from “from self-loathing acolyte to over-confident preacher.” Two of these landmarks I thought deserved further comment.
A two stage process. Stage one – All of China’s historical problems were all either imported or the result [...]

The Tianjin Duck?

With Richard TPD’s internet still not quite up to speed, I’ve been posting a bit over at The Peking Duck. For those interested, there are four articles up now from yours truly:

“How Now Mao?” looks at Ross Terrill’s recent article in the Wilson Quarterly on all things Mao. Terrill’s article explores the relationship between today’s [...]

Pig in a Well

Great post by Charles Hayford at Frog in a Well on all things related to pigs in Chinese history. Fabulous read as we get ready to celebrate the year of the Pig. You have to love a year that can claim as its own Chiang Kaishek, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lee Kuan Yew, Ronald Reagan, and Woody [...]

Afternoon Tea: Olympic treasures, Shaanxi murders, and no zhou for me

ABC news reports that over 1100 cultural relics were unearthed last year at construction sites for Olympic venues in and around Beijing, including several tombs dating from the Ming dynasty located a few hundred yards away from the proposed site of an Olympic shooting range. So far over 700 tombs dating from the Han through to [...]

Tianjin Tianhou Palace and religious practice in the PRC

This week as I wait somewhat patiently for my email to load, I’ve been walking the streets of Tianjin. One of the first places I wandered was to the Tianjin Tianhou Palace (天津天后宫), a temple located near Tianjin’s Antique Street (古文化街). The Antique Street is similar to dozens of other souvenir/faux brand markets around the Middle [...]

Tianjin’s Image Problem: On the whole, why I’d rather be in Philadelphia…

Southwest Airlines ran a series of commercials this past summer advertising their service from Boston to Philadelphia. In the ads, Philadelphians gave their opinions about what made Philly so special, the joke being that everyone said the same two things: cheese steak and the Liberty Bell. The spot ends with a local yokel proclaiming that [...]

Off the Grid in Tianjin, part 2

As most are aware, an earthquake last month near Taiwan damaged several undersea cables that–for reasons passing understanding–constituted most of China’s principal internet connection with the rest of the world. The China Daily earlier this month reported that the connection would be up and running again by January 15. I’m not sure why I [...]

Off the Grid in Tianjin

Greetings from Tianjin…

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. The internet here, like in much of China, has been spotty at best. I’m three days behind on my emails and my fantasy NBA team is in absolute shambles. I suppose this would be the time to wax philosophical on the meaning of the [...]

Flight Schooled

I’ve arrived in Beijing. As I stepped onto the jetway I was sure the plane had caught fire during the descent…no, that’s just the pollution, I forgot that Beijing always kind of smells like this.

My early morning flight out of Boston had all the chaos and drama of the last helicopter leaving from the [...]

Traveling Man: New England to China

Sorry for the quiet week, I was traveling for work down to New York and Washington and was a little too busy to post. On top of that, I think I’m getting sick with a sore throat…

But it doesn’t matter because this weekend I’m packing to move back to Beijing on Monday. Actually, YJ and I [...]

Etiquette and Modernity in China

Every few weeks we see an article on public manners in China. I’ve written about it recently myself. It’s the LA Times’ turn today. In the run up to 2008, there appears to be no shortage of public campaigns in Beijing against ‘rude behavior’ and ‘backwards habits’ about which to write. But what the articles in [...]