Jottings from the Granite Studio

The question of certain groups of “Chinese” being distantly related to ancient wanderers from as far west as Europe is one of those subjects in the China history field that, like mildew in the bath or a chip in the car’s windshield, seems a matter of minor importance is both omnipresent and vaguely troubling. In [...]

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The Opposite End of China has a link to the NYT Magazine and a history of General Tso’s Chicken, named for the famous 19th century official and military man, Zuo Zongtang/Tso Tsung-t’ang (1812-1885). The heavily sauced and spiced chicken dish, the invention of Huananese-by way of Taiwan and NYC–chef Peng Chang-kuei, is a staple of [...]

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Over at Frog in a Well: Japan is the 11th edition of the Asian History Carnival. Good stuff put together by the AHC “Godfather” Jonathan Dresner himself complete with a lead-off cartoon eulogizing the late great Momofuku Ando.
Progressive Historians is the forum for the 47th History Carnival hosted by Senator Joe Biden and featuring a [...]

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It’s been a week of identity crises for Chinese delegations traveling overseas. First was a delegation of Chinese tourism officials greeted at Zimbabwe’s Harare airport with signs in Korean. Today, at a ceremony to the mark the opening of a brand new Chinese-financed stadium in the island nation of Grenada, the Chinese ambassador was shocked [...]

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