Day 15 of 4: An overview of individual accounts of the unfolding Covid lockdown situation in Shanghai, the siege-mentality that has set in, and the struggles of day to day existence both on- and offline in a city cut off from the rest of the world.<br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>There's trouble brewing in the south. A minor prince with delusions of grandeur gets a bit too big for his britches. Portuguese Pirates plunder peninsular ports before coming to call on Canton. This sounds like a job for the great General Zhu Shou, Heroic Defender of the Realm and Ultimate Party-Boat Enjoyer.</p><br><p>Time Period Covered:</p><p>~1514-1521 CE</p><br><p>Major Historical Figures:</p><p>The Zhengde Emperor (Zhu Houzhao) [r. 1505-1521]</p><p>The Prince of Ning (Zhu Chenhao) [1477-1520]</p><p>Jiang Bin</p><p>Qian Ning [d. 1520]</p><p>Grand Secretary Fei Heng</p><p>Sun Sui, Governor of Jiangxi [d. 1519]</p><p>General Wang Yangming [1472-1529]</p><p>General Zhu Shou, Heroic Defender of the Realm, Duke of Zhenguo [?? -??]</p><p>Tomé Pires, Portuguese explorer and ambassador [c. 1465-1524? or 40?]</p><br><p>Major Works Cited:</p><p>Brook, Timothy. <em>The Troubled Empire: China in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties.</em></p><p>Geiss, James. “The Cheng-te reign, 1506-1521” in <em>The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Part I.”</em></p><p>Keevak, Michael. <em>Becoming Yellow: A Short History of Racial Thinking.</em></p><p>Pires, Tomé, Armando Cortesão &amp; Francisco Rodrigues. <em>The Suma oriental of Tome Pires; and account of the East, from the Red Sea to China, written in Malacca and India in 1512-1515; and, The book of Franciso Rodrigues: Pilot-Major of the armada that discovered Banda and the Moluccas: rutter of a voyage in the red sea, nautical rules, almanack</em>, vol. 1.</p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>A new update with all the new craziness 2 years on before we once again step into Ye Olde Chinese Medicine Shoppe for the tour...</p><br><p>Traditional Chinese Medicine – as its name duly implies – has been a part of China for at least 2,500 years. But what does it mean? Where does it come from? How does it work? And does it have a place it modern society?</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The Zhengde Emperor decides that being the divine sovereign is *boring* and that being a cool war-hero would be way cooler... and... it goes weirdly better than expected. Also, he gives himself a cool nickname, and makes everyone call him that.</p><br><p>Time Period Covered:</p><p>1510-1518 CE</p><br><p>Major Historical Figures:</p><p>The Zhengde Emperor (Zhu Houzhao) [r. 1505-1521]</p><p>Jiang Bin</p><p>Qian Ning</p><p>Liu Yun, Eunuch Commander</p><p>General Zhu Shou, Heroic Defender of the Realm [?? -??]</p><br><p>Tibet</p><p>The Prince of Rin-Sprungs [r. 1512-1544]</p><br><p>Mongols:</p><p>Dayan Khan (Batu Möngke) [r. 1479-1517]</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The adolescent Zhengde Emperor sits the throne, but everyone in the know knows that it is the eunuch-lord Liu Jin who truly controls Great Ming. Not everyone's exactly thrilled with this situation, and they're gonna get Liu Jin got... or die trying.</p><br><p><strong>Time Period Covered:</strong></p><p>1506-1510 CE</p><br><p><strong>Major Historical Figures:</strong></p><p>The Zhengde Emperor (Zhu Houzhao) [r. 1506-1521]</p><p>Liu Jin, Director of the Ceremonial [1451-1510]</p><p>The Prince of Anhua (Zhu Zhifan) [d. 1510]</p><p>Commander Qiu Yue</p><p>General Yan Yiqing</p><p>Inspector-in-Chief Zhang Yong</p><br><p><strong>Major Works Cited:</strong></p><p>Bourgon, Jérôme, Muriel Detrie, &amp; Regis Poulet."Execution in Canton" in <em>Chinese Torture – Supplices Chinois.</em></p><p>Brook, Timothy. <em>The Troubled Empire: China in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties.</em></p><p>Geiss, James. “The Cheng-te reign, 1506-1521” in <em>The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Part I.”</em></p><p>Meadows, Thomas Taylor. <em>The Chinese and Their Rebellions</em></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Happy Year of the Tiger!</p><p>Great Ming decides that it's going to (re-)(re-)Build a Great, Great, Great Wall...and MAKE THE MONGOLS PAY FOR IT!*</p><br><p>(*claim disputed by Mongolia)</p><br><p>Major Work Cited:</p><p>Fairbanks, John King. <em>China: A New History, 2nd Edition.</em></p><p>Mote, Frederick W. “The Ch’eng-hua and Hung-chih Reigns, 1465-1505” in <em>The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, Part I.</em></p><p>Waldron, Arthur. <em>The Great Wall of China: From History to Myth.</em></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>After a very rocky start in life, the Chenghua Emperor takes the throne, only to be endlessly shoved around by overbearing mother, manipulative and murderous consorts, and conniving, terrorizing eunuchs. What else would one really expect for a guy with the personality of a west dishrag?</p><br><p>Time Period Covered:</p><p>1464-1487 CE</p><br><p>Major Historical Figures:</p><p>The Chenghua Emperor (Zhu Jianshen) [r. 1464-1487]</p><p>The Hongzhi Emperor (Zhu Youcheng) [1470-1505]</p><p>Noble Consort Wan Zheng'er [1430-1487]</p><p>Empress Wang</p><p>Empress Wu</p><p>Empress Dowager Zhou</p><p>Empress Dowager Qian</p><p>Grand Secretary Li Xian</p><p>Lady Zhi Tangmei</p><p>Eunuch Zhang Min</p><p>Spymaster Wang Zhi</p><br><p>Notable Works Cited:</p><p>Mote, Frederick W. “The Ch’eng-hua and Hung-chih Reigns, 1465-1505” in <em>The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, Part I.</em></p><p>Li Shizhen.<em> Bencao Ganmu (The Compendium of Materia Medica)</em></p><p>Tsai, Shi-shan Henry. <em>The Eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty.</em></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What the only thing better than 8 years on the podwaves? 8 years &amp; 10,000,000 downloads, THAT'S WHAT!!</p><br><p>In this episode we talk about what the definition of "is" is, Zen masters, *yet more farming history!,* when I plan to shut up, me reading poetry in Mandarin... &amp; then the same poem in *reconstructed Old Chinese from 2k+ yrs ago*, and divination, which includes Nazis, Princess Mononoke, pigs &amp; fish, and fictions within fictions with fictions at the heart of the truth!</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Emperor Yingzong is back on his throne thanks to the conspirators loyal to him. Only they turn out to be not so much loyal to "him," as they are to the idea that they should have more and more power. It all culminates with <em>yet another </em>coup d'etat..真讨厌...</p><br><p><strong>Time Period Covered:</strong></p><p>1457-1464 CE</p><br><p><strong>Major Historical Figures:</strong></p><p>Emperor Yingzong (Zhu Qizhen) [r. 1435-1449, 1457-1464]</p><p>Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen [b. 1448]</p><p>Yu Qian, Minister of War [d. 1457]</p><p>Xu Yuzhen, Earl of Wugong [?]</p><p>Shi Heng, Duke of Zhongguo [d. 1459]</p><p>Cao Zhixiang, Director of Ceremonies [d. 1461]</p><p>Grand Secretary Li Xian</p><p>Imperial Guard Commander Lu Gao [d. 1461]</p><p>General Cao Qin [d. 1461]</p><p>General Shi Biao [?]</p><p>General Sun Tang</p><p>General Ma Ang</p><p>General Wu Jin</p><p>General Wu Cong</p><p>Commander Ma Liang</p><p>Commissioner Wanzhe Tuliang</p><p>Vice Commissioner-in-Chief Esen Temur</p><br><p><strong>Works Cited:</strong></p><p>Qi, Dongfang. “Funerary Perception and Ritual Institution of Imperial Tang” in <em>Kaogu Xuebao</em> (tr. Lee Yun-kuen).</p><p>Robinson, David M. “Politics, Force and Ethnicity in Ming China: Mongols and the Abortive Coup of 1461” in <em>The Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies</em>, Vol. 59, No. 1.</p><p>Stutton, Donald S. “Death Rites and Chinese Culture: Standardization and Variation in Ming and Qing Times” in <em>Modern China, </em>Vol. 33, No. 1.</p><p>Twitchett, Denis &amp; Tilemann Grimm. "The Cheng-t'ung, Ching-t'ai, and T'ien-shun reigns, 1436-1464" in <em>The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Part I.</em></p><p>Waldron, Arthur. <em>The Great Wall of China: From History to Myth.</em></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Following the events at the Tumu Fort, Emperor Yingzong takes an unscheduled sabbatical in Mongolia, the Mongol warlord Esen Taishi attempts to return something lost for a price, Beijing battens down the hatches in preparation for Genghis Khan come anew, and brotherly love reaches its breaking point.</p><br><p><strong><u>Time Period Covered:</u></strong></p><p>1449-1457 CE</p><br><p><strong><u>Major Historical Figure<span class="ql-cursor"></span>s:</u></strong></p><p><strong>Ming Dynasty:</strong></p><p>Zhu Qizhen (Emperor Yingzong) [r. Zhengtong Era: 1435-1449, Tianshun Era: 1457-1464]</p><p>Zhu Qiyu (the Jingtai Emperor) [r. 1449-1457]</p><p>Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen [b. 1447]</p><p>Crown Prince Zhu Jianzhi [1448-1453]</p><p>Minister Xu Yuzhen</p><p>Xing An, Head Imperial Eunuch</p><p>Yu Qian, Minister of War [1398-1457]</p><br><p><strong>Northern Yuan/Oirat Mongols:</strong></p><p>Esen Taishi [1407-1455, (r. as Khaghan of N. Yuan, 1453-1455)]</p><p>Toghto Bukha (Taisun Khaghan) [r. 1433-1453]</p><p>Xi Ning, turncoat eunuch [d. 1450]</p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Our annual creepy charcuterie of 4 strange stories from all across Qing China, collected by Ji Yun from Beijing all the way to Urumqi.</p><br><p>Today, we have 4 tales to send shivers down your spine:</p><p>1) "Professional Notes on the Jiangshi &amp; Other Revenants" (begins @ 2:50)</p><p>2) "Checkpoints" (begins @ 19:44)</p><p>3) "Yeti Stones" (begins @ 28:43)</p><p>4) "Visitors From Beyond" (begins @ 34:37)</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>"There are black zones of shadow close to our daily paths, and now and then some evil soul breaks a passage through. When that happens, the man who knows must strike before reckoning the consequences."</p><br><p>By: H.P. Lovecraft</p><p>Read By: Chris Stewart</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Nyarlathotep&nbsp;.&nbsp;.&nbsp;. the crawling chaos&nbsp;.&nbsp;.&nbsp;. I am the last&nbsp;.&nbsp;.&nbsp;. I will tell the audient void.&nbsp;.&nbsp;.&nbsp;.</p><br><p>Written By: H.P. Lovecraft</p><p>Read By: Chris Stewart</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>A child sits the throne of Great Ming, which goes surprisingly alright… at least for a while. But when the old guard of the imperial regency starts dying off, a combination of naive youthful exuberance and pure political ambition from the power behind the throne will throw everything into chaos on the plains north of Beijing.</p><br><p><strong>Time Period Covered:</strong></p><p>1435-1449 CE</p><br><p><strong>Major Historical Figures:</strong></p><p><strong>Great Ming:</strong></p><p>Zhu Qizhen (Emperor Yingzong, the Zhengtong/Tianshun Emperor) [r. 1335-1449, 1457-1464]</p><p>Grand Empress Dowager Chen [d. 1442]</p><p>Wang Zhen, Eunuch Lord [d. 1449]</p><br><p><strong>Mongol Tribes:</strong></p><p>Esen, Taishi of the Oirat [d. 1455]</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>While dying emperors, shifting policies, and vindictive princes keep the capital busy, Admiral Zheng He will manage to sneak in on last joy-ride into the sunset aboard his beloved Treasure Fleet...</p><br><p><strong>Time Period Covered:</strong></p><p>1424-1435 CE</p><br><p><strong>Major Historical Figures:</strong></p><p>The Hongxi Emperor (Zhu Gaochi) [r. 1424-1425]</p><p>The Xuande Emperor (Zhu Zhanji) [r. 1425-1435]</p><p>Zhu Gaoxu, the Prince of Han [1380-1426]</p><p>Zhu Gaosui, the Prince of Zhao [1383-1431]</p><p>Grand Admiral Zheng He [1371-1433]</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Zheng He's Treasure Fleet finally arrives on the African coast, and the Yongle Emperor celebrates the apex of his reign with the grand opening of Beijing and the Forbidden City. But dark clouds continue to build, but in the emperor's aged, troubled mind, and literally on the horizon... a storm is coming...</p><br><p><strong>Time Period Covered:</strong></p><p>1416-1424 CE</p><br><p><strong>Major Historical Figures:</strong></p><p>The Yongle Emperor (Zhu Di) [r. 1402-1424]</p><p>The Noble Consort Zhaoxian, née Wang [d. ca. 1420]</p><p>Grand Admiral Zheng He [1371-1435]</p><br><p>Mirza Sharukh, Sultan of the Timurid Dynasty [r. 1405-1447]</p><br><p><strong>Major Works Cited:</strong></p><p>Chan, Hok-lam. “The Yung-lo reign” in <em>The Cambridge History of China, vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Pt. I.</em><span class="ql-cursor"></span></p><p>Dreyer, Edward L. <em>Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405-1433.</em></p><p>Levathes, Louise. <em>When China Ruled the Seas: The Treasure Fleet of the Dragon Throne, 1405-1433.</em></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Having laid waste to the once glorious city of Baghdad, Hulegu Ilkhan now sets his sights east of the Euphrates, to the fertile lands of Syria and Egypt beyond. But what's to follow will set of a momentous clash in Galilee, at a spring called Ain Jalut, that will shake the very fundaments of history...</p><br><p><strong>Time Period Covered:</strong></p><p>1258-1260 CE</p><br><p><strong>Major Historical Figures:</strong></p><p><strong>Mongol Empire:</strong></p><p>Mongke Khaghan</p><p>Khubilai Ilkhan</p><p>Ariq Boke</p><br><p><strong>Ilkhanate:</strong></p><p>Hulegu Ilkhan</p><p>General Baiju</p><p>General Kitbuqa </p><br><p><strong>Ayyubid Dynasty:</strong></p><p>al-Muzzam Turanshah</p><p>al-Malik al-Nasir Yusuf</p><p>al-Aziz</p><p>al-Zayn al-Hafizi</p><br><p><strong>Mamluks:</strong></p><p>Saif ad-Din Qutuz</p><p>Baybars al Bunduqdari, "The Great Lord Panther"</p><br><p><strong>European Christendom:</strong></p><p>King Louis IX of France</p><p>Bohemond V of Antioch</p><p>Bohemond VI of Antioch</p><p>King Hethum I of Cilicia</p><br><p><strong>Major Sources Cited:</strong></p><p>Amitai, Reuven. Mongols and Mamluks: The Mamluk Ilkhanate War, 1260-1281.</p><p>Amitai, Reuven. “An Exchange of Letters in Arabic Between Abakha Ilkhan and Sultan Baybars (A.H. 667/A.D. 1268-69)” in Central Asiatic Journal, Vol. 38, No. 1.</p><p>Gillespie, Alexander. Causes of War, Volume II: 1000 CE to 1400 CE.</p><p>Grousset, René. Empire of the Steppes: A history of Central Asia.</p><p>Subani, Hamad. The Secret History of Iran.</p><p>Richard, Jean. The Crusades, C.1071-1291.</p><p>Runciman, Steven. A History of the Crusades, Volume 3, The Kingdom of Acre and the Later Crusades.</p><p>Tschanz, David W. “History’s Hinge: ‘Ain Jalut” in Saudi Aramco World.</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The treasure Fleet goes on missions 2-4, resulting in increasingly strange, valuable, and even divine gifts being presented to Great Ming.Time Period Covered:1407-1415 CEMajor Historical FiguresMing:Yongle Emperor (Zhu Di) [r. 1402-1424]Admir...

A live retelling (wart & all) of Genghis Khan's invasion of Khwarazmia ca. 1221, and the doomed flight of all who stood against his wrath... followed by a Q&A. From the 2021 Intelligent Speech Conference!

There once was a fleet that put to seaAll in name of the Imperial MingWith phoenix sterns, & dragon prowsOh go, my baochuan, go!Soon may the Treasure Fleet moorTo bring ceramics & silk galoreOne day, when the trading is doneThey’ll tak...

Zheng He & Co. have left the station and are sailing out! They leave the safety of the Yangtze River and set their compasses southbound and down, first to Fujian, then to Vietnam, Java, Sri Lanka, and finally all the way to India, all in the name o...

What does the aftermath of a massacre entail, on the world stage?CIA Memo 6/10/89 - Begins: 2:25US Beijing Embassy Cable 7/11/89 - Begins: 6:05

In this darkest of timelines, flickers of remembrance are more precious than ever...

The Yongle Emperor decides it's time for Great Ming to bust out its swim trunks and its flippy-floppies... because he's going to make the biggest, bestest oceanic fleet of awesomesauce that the world has ever seen! And put in command is his t...

We're back with Part 2 of my conversation with Caroline Vahrenkamp of The Wonders of the World Podcast, this tie all about the little city that Yongle built mostly to show his dead dad up - Beijing, and at its heart, the city-within-the-city, the ...