“Bad Driving in Beijing: Poor Planning, or Lack of Enforcement?” The Beijinger
who among us has not at some point engaged in an act of micro-aggression (some righteous, others less so) in the name of traffic safety? [Read More...]
Articles by Jeremiah
“Anyone seen the Son of Heaven?” World of Chinese Magazine
How do you lose an emperor? I mean, it’s not like you would confuse the Son of Heaven with somebody’s wayward schnauzer. [Read More...]
“Beijing Emperor and Qing Dynasty Scammer Faces Prison Time in Shenzhen,” The Beijinger
It is a twist on an old scam: A gullible patsy loses a small fortune helping a former monarch recover his royal funds. But what happens when the deposed ruler claims to be the Beijing born and raised Qianlong Emperor who last ruled China in the 18th century? [Read More...]
Taiwan’s apology, Beijing’s problem
Taiwan’s president's apology to the island’s aboriginal groups could complicate relations with Beijing [Read More...]
“How to Barbecue Relatives and Win Friends,” World of Chinese Magazine
Turns out scorched earth tactics are bad for identifying dead kings [Read More...]
What does evidence of China’s Great Flood mean for Yu?
Today's New York Times reports on findings by Chinese archaeologists that seem to confirm the story of Yu and the Great Flood. [Read More...]
Barbarians at the Gate Podcast: Yaqub Beg and the Provincializing of Western China
Jeremiah and James look at the life and times of Yaqub Beg (1820-1877) and what his legacy means for Beijing's relationship with Western China and Central Asia today. [Read More...]
Requiem for a Noodle Joint
In Beijing’s fast evolving food and beverage industry, the lifespan of a restaurant — a short-lived beast in any environment — makes the medfly look like Methuselah. [Read More...]
“China’s Made up Maritime Holiday,” Here! Dongguan Magazine
In 1492, Columbus may have sailed the Ocean Blue, but compared to Zheng He, he was a Christopher-Comes-Lately in a tiny toy boat. [Read More...]
Barbarians at the Gate Podcast: China’s territorial claims on the rocks in the South China Sea
Jeremiah and James talk about the implications of the decision at the Hague, the reaction here in Beijing, and the use (and abuses) of history in establishing contemporary territorial claims. [Read More...]
On the Rocks
Should the tribunal rules against the PRC — as it is expected to — and if the Chinese government chooses to use the tribunal’s ruling to, for example, wipe the ass of the nearest stray dog — as they will almost certainly want to do — the repercussions will ripple far past the rocks and reefs of the South China Sea. [Read More...]
From the Archives: The Ghost of Zheng He rises…again
In honor of Maritime Day in China, an updated piece from the archives on whether the ocean voyages of Ming Admiral Zheng He were really as peaceful as many Chinese historians today claim. [Read More...]
From the Archives: 独立宣言–The American Declaration of Independence in Chinese
The linguistic and philosophical thorns of translating American independence into the Chinese language. [Read More...]
Barbarians at the Gate Podcast: Keeping up with the Khitans
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, James and Jeremiah discuss the history of the Khitans, their empire and their legacy with a little help from the Godfather Trilogy and Dragon Barbie from Game of Thrones. [Read More...]
“The Rise and Fall of the Shit King of Beijing,” World of Chinese Magazine
New article for World of Chinese Magazine on the meteoric rise and steep fall of Shi Chuanxiang, the shit king of Beijing. [Read More...]