Jeremiah, Author at Jottings from the Granite Studio

“The Blast that Nearly Destroyed Beijing,” The World of Chinese

October 13, 2016

In 1626, the Wanggognchang Armory in Beijing suddenly exploded. The blast wiped out half the city, killed 20,000 people, and entered the annals of history as a story weird enough to be worthy of its own X-File. [Read More...]

“Preserved Architecture, Sustainable Crowds, and Manageable Traffic: The Story of What Beijing Could Have Been,” The Beijinger

October 9, 2016

My column on Liang Sicheng for the September/October issue of The Beijinger. [Read More...]

“Reading Hillbilly Elegy in Beijing,” Los Angeles Review of Books China Blog

October 8, 2016

A review essay for the Los Angeles Review of Books on the similarities between the historical experience of the rural white working poor in the United States and a new generation of migrant workers in China's cities. [Read More...]

From the Archives: Why Hua Guofeng Matters…No. Seriously.

October 7, 2016

Originally published in 2008 on the occasion of the death of Hua Guofeng, 1921-2008. October 7, 2016 is the 40th anniversary of Hua's ascension to power following the death of Chairman Mao. [Read More...]

History Walks for the 2016 October Holiday

September 29, 2016

In Beijing during the October holidays? I'll be offering a full slate of walks and discussion throughout the city between October 1st an the 8th. [Read More...]

New History Walks and Talks for October

September 26, 2016

The library intern who would lead a nation? The scholar who built the capital of the Mongolian Khans? The exam candidate who lost his mind and nearly toppled an empire? The prince who tried to save a city? These are a few of the characters featured in two new walking tours and a new talk offered by The Hutong and The Granite Studio this Oc [Read More...]

“Six Hacks for Visiting the Forbidden City,” The Beijinger

September 25, 2016

I probably visit the Forbidden City five to six times a month either doing research or leading educational groups and I've shared a few of my favorite Forbidden City hacks for a post on The Beijinger website. [Read More...]

Eulogy for a Beijing Turtle

September 24, 2016

We always thought Yertle was indestructible. The Keith Richards of Turtles. Sadly, he proved to be mortal. [Read More...]

“The Life and Times of Edmund Trelawney Backhouse,” The Beijinger

September 23, 2016

I've long been fascinated with Edmund "The Hermit of Peking" Backhouse. It's time the famous Sinologist received a little love as one of the original hutong hipsters. [Read More...]

Interview: “Telling the story of the waterways,” Radio Beijing AM774

September 22, 2016

The final part of my conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on the renovation of the Jade River and the canal system of Beijing. [Read More...]

Interview: “Restored Jade River tells some of the early history of Beijing,” Radio Beijing AM774

September 21, 2016

The second part of my conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on the renovation of the Jade River and the canal system of Beijing. [Read More...]

Barbarians at the Gate Podcast: Are the Kids Alright?

September 15, 2016

Joining Jeremiah in this episode is Alec Ash, author of the book Wish Lanterns: Young Lives in New China to look at three of youth movements from the 20th century: The May Fourth/New Culture Era, the Cultural Revolution, and the 1980s. [Read More...]

Interview: “Walking the recently restored Jade River,” Radio Beijing AM774

September 14, 2016

The first part of my conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on the renovation of the Jade River and the canal system of Beijing. [Read More...]

“Settling Siberia: Nerchinsk, 1689,” The World of Chinese

September 8, 2016

Five languages, two empires, and the treaty that defined the Russian-Manchurian border. [Read More...]

“A Stroll Along Beijing’s Restored Canal System and the Ongoing Plan to Revive its Ancient Waterways,” The Beijinger

September 7, 2016

A project to reconstruct a section of an ancient canal system that once flowed through the heart of Beijing is finally nearing completion. [Read More...]

Articles by Jeremiah