History

On the Rocks

July 11, 2016

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

July 11, 2016

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

July 4, 2016

The linguistic and philosophical thorns of translating American independence into the Chinese language. [Read More...]

From the Archives: Mao and the Marriage Counselor

June 8, 2016

Still one of my favorite posts, a little something from the archives on the Anti-Rightist Movement of 1956-1958. Also known as the 100 Flowers Movement, this era set the stage for the Great Leap Forward and foreshadowed the chaos of the Cultural Revolution. [Read More...]

Beijing’s Roadways: Beyond Thunderdome

May 31, 2016

I've seen drivers plow through crowded hutong, barrel down bicycle lanes, and park on sidewalks. I rarely ride my bike anymore, it's too dangerous and I feel for the guys who make a living riding around town delivering food and packages. [Read More...]

Imperial Politics, the Lantern Festival, and Yuan Shikai’s Balls

February 22, 2016

How a misunderstanding over the name of a glutinous rice ball panicked a would-be dictator [Read More...]

Sun Yat-sen: The Love Doctor

December 7, 2015

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...]

Great Mustaches in Modern Chinese History

November 27, 2015

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

November 11, 2015

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...]

NYT 1913: Yuan Shikai expels KMT from Parliament

November 5, 2015

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...]

“The Fetishization of Legitimacy”

October 27, 2015

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

October 26, 2015

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

October 16, 2015

Statue in Weihaiwei of the captain of the Chih [Read More...]

The short reign of Zhu Changluo

August 28, 2015

On August 28, 1620, Zhu Changluo took power as the Taichang Emperor. Less than a month later, he was dead, apparently having pooped himself to death. [Read More...]

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences throwing shade at The New Qing History

April 23, 2015

Why did the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences launch an attack on Qing historians Mark Elliott, James Millward, and Pamela Crossley? It seems they had the temerity to challenge long-cherished tropes of Qing history, and that Just! Won't! Do! [Read More...]

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