The Perils of Advising the Empire: Yuan Shikai and Frank Goodnow
New post by me at ChinaFile. The Perils of Advising the Empire: Yuan Shikai and Frank Goodnow. [Read More...]
2015
New Post on World of Chinese: Lawyers, Guns, and Money, Part II
I started writing a little post for the World of Chinese website on The Opium War. The project has since mutated into a multi-part macro history of drugs and violence on the Chinese coast. I'm having a lot of fun writing it. I hope you enjoy reading it! [Read More...]
New Post on The World of Chinese: “Send Lawyers, Guns, and Money.”
I have a new writing gig, I’ll be [Read More...]
Kissing the Smog Monster
An FAQ for family, friends, and interested parties on how we cope with Beijing's "Patriotic Mist/Toxic Miasma of Doom" [Read More...]
Sun Yat-sen: The Love Doctor
Excerpts from the letters of George "Morrison of Peking" Morrison. The revolutionary Sun Yat-sen is in the midst of mid-life crisis and the head of the YMCA, and family friend to Sun's intended paramour, reaches out to the famous journalist. [Read More...]
The Christmas Convert
My wife is a serious professional, with a high pressure job. She is one of the brightest and most rational people I've ever met, well known for her dry and ironic sense of humor. But something about Christmas just brings out the whimsy. [Read More...]
Great Mustaches in Modern Chinese History
November is a month for mustaches in Beijing and around the world. Who wore the craziest mustaches of modern Chinese history? [Read More...]
From the Archives: The Wire Guide to the 1911 Revolution
Since November 12, 2015 is the 149th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen, it seemed like a good moment to drag this one out of the archives. [Read More...]
The Search for Authenticity in Travel
Travelers often seek authenticity as an end in itself without ever wondering just how authentic is their idea of "authenticity"? [Read More...]
NYT 1913: Yuan Shikai expels KMT from Parliament
A strong Chinese leader takes a bold stance against constitutionalism and Western-style democratic institutions and the foreign community…high fives him for it? [Read More...]
New areas of the Forbidden City open to visitors
This month, as part of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Palace Museum, four new areas of the Forbidden City opened for visitors. [Read More...]
“The Fetishization of Legitimacy”
In an article on censorship in the PRC published in the LA Times, historian Tim Brook argues China fetishizes signs of legitimacy, it's a fun phrase and worth considering. [Read More...]
Plenums, Plans, Centenary Goals, and the Chinese Dream
What do the centenary goals in this week's plenum session and the 13th Five-Year Plan tell us about the China Dream? [Read More...]
A man, his dog, and the sinking of the Beiyang Fleet
Statue in Weihaiwei of the captain of the Chih [Read More...]
Planning on seeing China’s most famous painting? Be prepared to wait.
One of China's most famous paintings is on display at the Forbidden City this month. It's an incredible opportunity to see one of the world's greatest art treasures, just be prepared to share that experience with a lot of other people. [Read More...]