The Mountains Are High with author Alec Ash

Barbarians at the Gate

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1
The War and Treaty Are Getting Carried Away 46:55

منذ 6 أيام46:55

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46:55

The War and Treaty’s Michael and Tanya Trotter grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington, DC, respectively, but both have family roots in the South. They also grew up in the musical traditions of their churches – Tanya in the Black Baptist Church and Michael in the Seventh Day Adventist Church – where they learned the power of song to move people. After becoming a father at a very young age, Michael eventually joined the armed forces and served in Iraq and Germany, where he took up songwriting as a way of dealing with his experiences there. Meanwhile Tanya embarked on a singing and acting career after a breakthrough appearance in Sister Act 2 alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Lauryn Hill. Now, after a long and sometimes traumatic journey, Michael and Tanya are married, touring, winning all sorts of awards, and set to release their fifth album together, and their fourth as The War and Treaty. Sid talks to Michael and Tanya about the new record, Plus One , as well as their collaboration with Miranda Lambert, what it was like to record at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, and how they’re blending country, soul, gospel, and R&B. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

منذ عام واحد 35:45

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In this episode, we welcome back to the podcast our good friend, Alec Ash, who has written a fascinating book recounting a year spent in the city of Dali, Yunan Province. Unlike Alec’s previous book, Wish Lanterns, his new book, The Mountains are High, is a highly personal account of his attempt to find solace and healing after a pivotal emotional crisis and his decision to disentangle himself from his urban Beijing life and escape to a simpler life in mountainous Yunnan Province. But Alec’s life in Dali was not completely hermitic. Quite the contrary, Alec found his new life interwoven with a peripatetic group of fellow escapees, a kaleidoscopic array of religious seekers, hippies, stoners, and disenchanted white-collar elites, all seeking solace or salvation through Buddhism, psychedelics, New Age mysticism, or just a simpler, more meaningful life.

We discuss the process of writing the book, the challenge of living off the grid, the struggle to resist the distracting allure of the Internet, and the hard work of transforming oneself to achieve a sense of contentment and peace.

Previous episodes featuring Alec Ash:

“China's New Youth” October 01, 2020

“Back to the Land: Author Alec Ash on escaping to Dali, rural retreats, and a return to England” October 30, 2022

Alec’s website information about The Mountains Are High

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#Society #Travel #History #Barbarians At The Gate

The Mountains Are High with author Alec Ash

Barbarians at the Gate

17 subscribers

published منذ عام واحد

MP3•منزل الحلقة

Previous episodes featuring Alec Ash:

“China's New Youth” October 01, 2020

“Back to the Land: Author Alec Ash on escaping to Dali, rural retreats, and a return to England” October 30, 2022

Alec’s website information about The Mountains Are High

87 حلقات

#Society #Travel #History #Barbarians At The Gate

كل الحلقات

1
Experiencing the World of Jazz in China 36:55

منذ 3 أيام36:55

36:55

This week, we explore a topic close to our hearts: the world of jazz in China. Jeremiah and David bring their respective musical experience to the table—Jeremiah as a rock and blues keyboardist, and David as an active pianist in Beijing's jazz scene. David takes us back to his experiences in the 1980s, a period of renaissance for jazz in Beijing, when Chinese rock musicians began to discover—or rediscover—this intricate Western genre. During China's early "Reform and Opening Up" era, musicians with little prior exposure to jazz and scarce recordings embarked on the challenging journey of mastering its fundamentals: the elusive "swing" rhythm, the art of improvisation over complex harmonies, and the pursuit of a unique musical "voice." For them, jazz represented a liberating contrast to the structured pop music of their youth, offering a sense of artistic freedom and boundless creativity. David reports that a new generation of post-millennial jazz musicians has emerged who, having grown up with the genre, are quickly ascending to world-class status, gracing stages at prestigious international festivals. In a previous podcast, we covered the origins of the jazz scene in 1920s Shanghai in our interview with Marketus Presswood about his award-winning documentary "Yellow Jazz, Black Music." David's article on Jazz in Beijing: The Book of Changes: Twenty-five Years in Chinese Jazz Spotify Playlist of Contemporary Chinese Jazz…

1
The Challenges of Foreign Reporting in China: An In-Depth Discussion with Jane Perlez 34:56

منذ 24 يومًا34:56

34:56

In this episode of 'Barbarians at the Gate,' hosts Jeremiah Jenne and David welcome Jane Perlez, former Beijing bureau chief for the New York Times, to discuss the evolving challenges of reporting from China. Jane shares her experiences from her tenure in Beijing (2012-2019), where she served as bureau chief for the New York Times. She describes the gradual erosion of press freedom, the increasing difficulties foreign journalists face under Xi's leadership, including the expulsion of journalists in 2018, and the ongoing obstacles that news assistants working for foreign media encounter in China. The conversation explores how reporters have had to adopt creative strategies to conduct investigative journalism, given the current lack of direct reporting from within the country. Additionally, Jane discusses her latest podcast project, 'Face Off: The US vs. China,' which examines the dramatic deterioration of U.S.-China relations in the 21st century. FACE-OFF: The US vs. CHINA The Great Wager On the Trail of Xi Jinping China Books Review, Graham Peck: Two Kinds of Time reviewed by Jeremiah…

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From the Archives: Xi Built This City 38:41

منذ 6 weeks38:41

38:41

Happy Year of the Snake! In this archive episode from January 2024, we chat with Andrew Stokols, who is researching varieties of digital urbanism globally, with an emphasis on China. We briefly compare notes on the urban development of Beijing in the 21st century, including the contradictions between Beijing as a technologically advanced urban center and an ancient capital city. Andrew also provides updates on the progress of Xiong’an, the digital “smart city” being constructed in Hebei province, as a showcase for Xi Jinping’s vision for urban development. The urban plan was initially unveiled in 2017 to relieve pressure on Beijing and promote the coordinated regional development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, but what Xi has called a “thousand-year plan of national significance” has run into numerous setbacks and controversy. We also hear from Andrew about how the Party is merging Marxist ideology with traditional Chinese culture in recent urban architectural projects, particularly the mammoth National Archives of Publications and Culture ( Zhongguo guojia banbenguan 中国国家版本馆), described as a “seed bank” of Chinese civilization. These mammoth archives, being constructed in the four geographically significant locations of Beijing, Hangzhou, Xi’an, and Guangzhou, will house original and digitized editions of imperial archives such as the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries (the Siku quanshu 四库全书), as well as historical artifacts, music, and literature from the Mao era, thus effecting the goal of “two combines” ( liangge jiehe 两个结合), Xi Jinping’s goal of “combining Marxist theory with China’s outstanding traditional culture.” Andrew's own online archive: https://www.andrewstokols.com/…

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Shalama: An Epic Story of Family, Community, and Survival in Republican-era China 33:32

منذ 8 weeks33:32

33:32

In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome Jean Hoffman Lewanda back to the podcast to discuss her new book, Shalama: My 96 Seasons in China , published by Earnshaw Books. Listeners may recall Jean's previous appearance, where she shared insights about her father, Paul Hoffman's memoir, Witness to History: From Vienna to Shanghai—A Memoir of Escape, Survival, and Resilience . That captivating memoir details how Paul fled Vienna at the age of 18 to escape the rise of Nazism, arrived in Shanghai in 1938, and became part of the historic wave of Jewish refugees who found a safe haven in China during World War II. Jean's new book enriches this family saga by recounting events from her mother Shalama's perspective but presented as historical fiction. Drawing on firsthand accounts, including her mother's, Jean tells the story in Shalama's voice, tracing the family's journey from Harbin to Shanghai during the war-torn decades of the mid-20th century. The book interweaves the family's history with major historical events, including the Sungari River flood of 1932, the Japanese occupation, and the Communist takeover of China. Links: Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum Historic Shanghai (Host of the Shanghai Book Club) Dan Ben-Canaan, Tombstone Histories: Tales of Jewish Life in Harbin Dara Horn, People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present Dara Horn, " Cities of Ice: A dispatch from frozen Harbin, where Jews once flourished—and melted away ," Tablet , April 19, 2019…

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Where have all the American China Experts Gone? 37:45

منذ 11 weeks37:45

37:45

In this episode, we invite Rory Truex, an associate professor at Princeton University, to discuss a recurring issue on the podcast: the plight of the US-China academic exchange and the urgent need to attract more American scholars to do research in China. Despite the recent revival of several American academic programs in China, the post-COVID number of US students in the PRC is still woefully inadequate. Professor Truex gives an overview of some reasons for this deterioration of interest by American scholars and the challenges of doing meaningful research in the current Chinese academic environment. We also discuss predictions about the new Trump administration’s possible effects on US-China relations, the implications for government support and funding of educational exchange programs, and the perception of Chinese and American exchange students as security risks. Rory also describes his path of development as a China scholar during the so-called "Golden Age" of the early 2000s in China, and the current difficulties of carrying out unfettered academic research in a new era of tightening restrictions. Rory Truex is Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. His research focuses on Chinese politics and authoritarian systems. He regularly contributes to major publications such as The Atlantic , Washington Post , and New York Times . Mentioned on the podcast: “Where have all the American China experts gone?" Washington Post, January 3, 2024…

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Laws of the Land: Feng Shui in Chinese History 41:34

منذ 15 weeks41:34

41:34

In this episode, hosts Jeremiah Jenne and David Moser speak with MIT professor Tristan Brown about his award-winning book Laws of the Land: Feng Shui and the State in Qing Dynasty China . Brown reveals how Feng Shui was far more than just the art of furniture arrangement or grave placement - it was a sophisticated system of environmental management and social control in imperial China. Drawing from rare county archives in Sichuan province, Brown shows how Feng Shui served multiple functions: regulating urban development, managing environmental resources, and mediating social conflicts. Through fascinating examples, he explains how both elite families and common people used Feng Shui in legal disputes, from establishing ancestral claims through strategic grave placement to fighting against disruptive mining operations. Brown's book challenges common Western misconceptions about Feng Shui, presenting it instead as a complex system of environmental regulation and social organization that shaped Chinese society for centuries. It's a fascinating look at how cosmological beliefs, environmental management, and state power intersected in imperial China. Topics Covered The Power of Archives : Using rare Qing dynasty court records from Sichuan to uncover how Feng Shui shaped legal and social life Graves and Identity : How burial sites and ancient trees established claims to belonging Environmental Management : Feng Shui as an early system of zoning and environmental protection Foreign Architecture : The clash between traditional Chinese urban planning and Western religious buildings Notable Quotes "Legal cases involving feng shui could be completely nakedly self-interested... or it could be something that's really talking about environmental ethics. It hugs that whole spectrum, which is why it's real, which is why the state had to engage with it." — Tristan Brown on Feng Shui's dual nature "It's not the number of relatives you have living there. It's the number of relatives you have in the local graveyard that ties you to a place." — On the importance of graves in establishing local identity "The thing about gravesites... what is the element of the landscape that you can't lie about? The trees. Old trees are legitimately old. Everyone knows it." — On how families proved their ancestral claims Brown reveals how Feng Shui served as more than just spiritual practice – it was a sophisticated system of environmental management and social control. From regulating building heights to controlling industrial development, Feng Shui provided the legal framework for managing space in imperial China. The discussion illuminates how different groups engaged with these practices: elite families used them to establish ancestral claims, poor families adapted them for survival, and foreign religious groups either successfully navigated them (like Sufi Muslims) or created conflict by ignoring them (like Christian missionaries).…

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What can the end of the Ming Dynasty tell us about the election of Donald Trump and what comes next 34:30

منذ 17 weeks34:30

34:30

Last week’s election of Donald Trump to a second term as U.S. President disappointed half of the American electorate and much of the world (outside the Kremlin). To help Jeremiah and David process what’s next, they’re joined by Brendan O’Kane — writer, translator, expert in the literature of the late Ming Dynasty, and a Pennsylvania voter. Brendan explores the works of Zhang Dai (張岱 1597-1634), the Jin Ping Mei 金瓶梅, and other literary examples from the twilight of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). What was it like to witness the end of an era and the collapse of an entire state? Was the Obama era an American "restoration" (中興)? What do people do when the political order is overturned and the dynasty falls? We delve into Chinese history and literature, searching for insights to ease the pain and make sense of what lies ahead. David also shares reactions from his students in Beijing on the election results—as well as rumors of a surprising (and unsettling) prank their peers in the U.S. may have pulled at campus polling stations. Brendan O'Kane on substack The Southern Ming by Lynn Struve, 1984 The Great Enterprise: The Manchu Reconstruction of Imperial Order in Seventeenth-Century China by Frederic Wakeman, 1986 Voices from the Ming-Qing Cataclysm: China in the Tiger's Jaws . Edited and translated by Lynn A. Struve, 1993…

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Historical Battles: Rewriting China's Past to Shape the Future 44:01

منذ 21 weeks44:01

44:01

"We can overestimate and underestimate how much things changed when Xi Jinping took power, but the intensity of concern over historical narratives has definitely grown under his leadership." - Jeffrey Wasserstrom In this episode, Jeremiah and David are joined by Jeffrey Wasserstrom , Chancellor's Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine, and a leading expert in modern Chinese history. We discuss the legacies of the Hong Kong protests, the rise of Xi Jinping's historical narrative control, and how academic engagement with China is evolving amidst growing geopolitical tensions. Professor Wasserstrom delves into the shifts in how history is managed in China, particularly the tightening control under Xi Jinping’s regime. He elaborates on Xi’s new patriotic education law, which codifies the regime's control over historical narratives to align with national security. We also examine the challenges academics face when giving talks on sensitive topics and the growing restrictions on public discourse in Hong Kong since the imposition of the national security law. Further Reading/Links: Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Vigil: Hong Kong on the Brink Maura Cunnigham and Jeffrey Wasserstrom, China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know Follow Jeffrey Wasserstrom on Twitter @jwassers…

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Back to School 2: The View from the EU 29:01

منذ 25 weeks29:01

29:01

In this episode of Barbarian at the Gate , hosts Jeremiah Jenne and David Moser are joined by special guest Karlis Rokpelnis, China country representative for the European Union's Euraxess Research Mobility Initiative. Together, they delve into the evolving landscape of international education in China, discussing the factors influencing the decline in student exchanges and the varying approaches of American and European institutions. Karlis offers his unique perspective on the changes he's observed over the past decade, from a gradual decline in short-term exchanges to a rise in long-term study programs at top universities. The conversation also explores the differing cultural and political dynamics between the U.S. and Europe when it comes to studying in China, including the impact of xenophobia, political rhetoric, and international relations on academic exchanges. The trio reflects on what motivates students to come to China, how they engage with their studies, and the future of China-related scholarship. With a blend of humor and insight, this episode captures the complexities of navigating education and politics across borders, offering listeners a thoughtful and engaging look into the current state of studying China from abroad.…

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Back to School? 39:37

منذ 28 weeks39:37

39:37

As David at least gets set for another semester, he and Jeremiah reconnect to catch up on a mix of timely topics from China and the US. They explore the declining number of Chinese students studying in the US and the cautious return of American students to China, offering insights and practical advice on how to introduce China to American students in nuanced ways. They discuss the difference between fostering an appreciation for Chinese culture and people versus endorsing government policies. The conversation also delves into the current US presidential race and how it’s being portrayed on Chinese platforms like Weibo, focusing on reactions to Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz’s China ties. Finally, they wrap up with a lively discussion on Beijing’s North-South axis being added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, considering what it means for the city’s identity and global recognition.…

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Edge of Empire with author and journalist Edward Wong 36:10

منذ 33 weeks36:10

36:10

In this episode, Edward Wong, diplomatic correspondent and former Beijing Bureau Chief for the New York Times, joins us to discuss his new book, Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning with China . Edward’s father, Yook Kearn Wong, lived through the Japanese occupation and the Communist Revolution in China. Captivated by Mao’s vision of a powerful China, he served in the People’s Liberation Army during the Korean War and later served in Xinjiang. By 1962, disillusioned with the Communist Party, he made a daring escape to Hong Kong. Wong’s book is one part a family memoir and one part a reflection of Edward's experiences in China both as a student and as a journalist. We discuss the legacies of empire, China’s frontiers, what the Qing Dynasty means for China today, and how memories of the past continue to be used and misused in the PRC.…

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There and Back Again: Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour and the Legacy of Reform and Opening in China 36:18

منذ 37 weeks36:18

36:18

In this episode, we welcome back a friend of the podcast, Jonathan Chatwin , to discuss his new book, The Southern Tour: Deng Xiaoping and the Fight for China's Future . Since the Emperor Kangxi made his southern tour in 1684, many emperors and Chinese leaders have undertaken similar inspection tours, including Mao, Deng, and Xi Jinping. Deng’s southern tour took place in the backdrop of contentious debates about his radical restructuring of the economy in the Reform era. Jonathan describes how Deng used the tour to reinvigorate his market reforms amidst the turmoil after 1989 and the difficulties with squaring the tenets of socialism with the new agenda of wealth creation. Our conversation also covers Deng’s legacy, Xi Jinping’s attempt to downplay Deng’s role in the historic reforms, and the obstacles of publishing a China book in the current Sino-skeptic environment. Publisher’s link for The Southern Tour: Deng Xiaoping and the Fight for China's Future Our previous episode with Dr. Chatwin discussed his book, Long Peace Street: A Walk in Modern China Deng-zilla Poster! from Chineseposters.net…

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From Firefly to Fox News: The Evolution of "Chimerican" Media 39:58

منذ 40 weeks39:58

39:58

This episode features a lively conversation with Fan Yang, Professor of Media and Communication Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, about her new book Disorienting Politics: Chimerican Media and Transpacific Entanglements . The term “Chimerica” is a portmanteau word, blending “China” and “America.” The neologism denotes the economic, political, and cultural entanglements of the two countries. Fan Yang uses the concept of “Chimerican media” to explore how the conflicts and tensions between the world’s two superpowers are played out in movies, television series, journalism, and media products that are often viewed by people in both countries. Drawing upon media examples such as House of Cards, The Martian, and Firefly, Prof. Yang shows how the tendency of American media to portray the Chinese state as a racialized “other” tends to complicate the two countries' increasing geopolitical entanglement. The conversation also touches on the reconceptualized Netflix version of The Three Body Problem and the complex reactions on both sides of the Pacific to the depictions of Cultural Revolution violence in the series.…

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What happens after a Barbarian walks away from the Gate? 33:50

منذ 47 weeks33:50

33:50

This episode represents a new direction for the podcast, recorded on the eve of Jeremiah’s move to a new home base in Geneva. We start with a retrospective snapshot of the podcast’s beginnings – with many episodes recorded under the backdrop of COVID-19 – and then segue into our perennial concern, the plight of academic exchange in China, for which our consensus was “cautious optimism," while accepting an unsatisfying "new normal.” We sign off with future plans and ideas for the next phase of Barbarians at the Gate.…

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Seeking News, Making China 37:33

منذ 50 weeks37:33

37:33

In this episode, John Alekna talks about his fascinating new book Seeking News, Making China: Information Technology and the Emergence of Mass Society . In 20 th -century China, the gradual importation and development of information technology had an enormous impact on the way that news was disseminated and accessed by the general public. When radio first appeared in the early 1920s, less than 8 in 1,000 people had access to newspapers, whereas, by the time of the Mao period, hundreds of millions of citizens were receiving daily news and information via radio, TV, and shortwave technology. This book provides an enlightening “meta-historical” account of the evolving communications technologies that fueled the May 4 th movement, KMT and CCP propaganda campaigns during WWII, and the mass information campaigns of the Mao era, such as the Cultural Revolution. The book describes how the various interlocking information technologies, infrastructure, and communication channels – what Alekna calls the “newsscape” – affect popular opinion, politics, and state power. John Alekna is an Assistant Professor of History of Science, Technology, and Medicine at Peking University. The publisher’s link for the book Seeking News, Making China: Information Technology and the Emergence of Mass Society .…

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Barbarians at the Gate « » The Mountains Are High with author Alec Ash

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The Mountains Are High with author Alec Ash