Beijing History Archives - Jottings from the Granite Studio

“Beijing’s Mystery Canal: Centuries-Old Brook Reimagined in Qianmen Neighborhood,” The Beijinger

July 4, 2017

Beijing has transformed a long-lost waterway into a beautiful new park near Qianmen. The trouble is, the brook doesn’t seem to exist on any historical maps of the city. [Read More...]

Interview: “What do people look for when they come to Beijing?” Radio Beijing AM774

December 17, 2016

The final installment of my conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774. What do people want to see when they come to Beijing? Do international visitors and domestic tourists expect different things when visiting the capital? [Read More...]

“Over 1000 ancient tombs discovered at construction site in Tongzhou,” The Beijinger

December 14, 2016

New post for The Beijinger on the recent discovery of several tombs and other historic sites in the eastern suburb of Tongzhou. [Read More...]

Interview: “Beijing – from low-rise to high-rise,” Radio Beijing AM774

December 9, 2016

My conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on Beijing's urban development, exploring the city and its history, and leading educational walks through Beijing's streets and alleyways. [Read More...]

“Special Exhibitions at the Capital Museum Highlight Beijing’s Imperial Past,” The Beijinger

November 10, 2016

The Capital Museum has always been one of my favorite museums in Beijing. Two new exhibits this month featuring Beijing's imperial past make this a perfect time to visit. [Read More...]

“The Ghost of Stone Tiger Hutong: A Beijing Halloween Tale,” The Beijinger

November 2, 2016

Is it possible that even in the neon canyons of Xidan, spirits of Beijing's imperial past still lurk? A Halloween-inspired post for The Beijinger blog. [Read More...]

“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...]

“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...]

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...]

“The Rise and Fall of the Shit King of Beijing,” World of Chinese Magazine

June 30, 2016

New article for World of Chinese Magazine on the meteoric rise and steep fall of Shi Chuanxiang, the shit king of Beijing. [Read More...]

Interview: “Much to discover in the Forbidden City,” Radio Beijing AM774

June 26, 2016

My conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on leading walks and discussions at the Forbidden City. [Read More...]

Interview: “Lakes and canals of historic Haidian,” Radio Beijing AM774

June 16, 2016

My conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on the Summer Palaces and the the waterways of imperial Beijing. [Read More...]