brian salter

An Expat in China

Society EN ↓ 157 episodes

What’s life really like as an Expatriate? More specifically, what’s it like to live and work in China? As I am asked regularly about my 7 years in China, I decided to draw on blogs and articles that I wrote, not to mention a guide book about Beijing*, to put together a series of podcasts all about what life is really like there. Please feel free to give feedback or ask any questions. New episodes will be added every day.*An Englishman in Beijing by Brian SalterAvailable on Taobao at https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: podcasters.spotify.com

Author

brian salter

Episodes

Ep156: Beijing’s Diabolical Cephalostachyum Museum 02.08.2026 6:53

If you don't know what cephalostachyum is, you're not alone. But this tiny museum is a real eye opener!"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is publi...

Ep155: A Hidden Gem in the Heart of the City – Beijing’s Planning Exhibition Hall 01.08.2026 11:49

Anyone with even a basic interest of how Beijing ended up the city it is today will find plenty to interest them here."An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, i...

Ep154: Shanghai's Amazing Little Museum 31.07.2026 6:24

The ‘Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center’ is well off most people's radar, but what a treat awaits those who make the effort to find it!"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Be...

Ep153: A Shrine to the CPC still Pulls in the Crowds 30.07.2026 6:56

The 1st National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held between July 23 and August 2, 1921 in Shanghai. But if you are drunk or insane you are not allowed into the museum"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&...

Ep152: A night to remember: Wuzhen’s Wedding Museum 29.07.2026 4:11

Experience the hardships of courting followed by the happiness of a lifetime together... so Wuzhen would have you believe!"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salte...

Ep151: Catawauling in Wuzhen? Must be Chinese Opera night! 28.07.2026 9:28

Experience this evening and you'll be hooked on CCTV11 (Chinese Opera Channel!)"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by Amazon ASIN: B083V1J...

Ep150: Water, water everywhere. Welcome to Wuzhen! 27.07.2026 5:26

Venice of the East? Why downplay such an amazing city?"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by Amazon ASIN: B083V1JQN5#expat #expatlife #expatri...

Ep 149: China's Civil Aviation Museum Revisited 26.07.2026 6:37

Over 130m RMB has been spent on revamping this museum... And what a difference it has made!""An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by Amazon...

Ep148: A memorial to Qi Baishi 25.07.2026 4:46

Non-Chinese might well struggle to recognise the name, but Qi Baishi is a household name in his own country. In 2010 Britain's Daily Telegraph wrote that he had become the world's third best-selling artist."An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a2...

Ep 147: Don't overdose on fun in Beijing's tech museum 24.07.2026 7:58

The Science & Technology Museum lies very close to Beijing's Olympic Park. It's obviously a must-see museum for the school kids, but how useful is it for their school curricula?"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1...

Ep 146: What's in a name? 23.07.2026 5:30

Shakespeare might well have summed it up when he opined that any rose would smell as sweet... but it turns out the history of Chinese surnames is actually pretty interesting - so much so that they even opened a Surname Family Tree Cultural Centre. Why, where else but in Beijing!"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Tao...

Ep 145: Preparing for an earthquake in Beijing 22.07.2026 6:28

What started life as an Olympic Constructional Exhibition Hall in the Olympic Park has been transformed into an Earthquake and Buildings Science Education Exhibition Hall. Why the change?"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ...

Ep 144: Around the world in 80 minutes 21.07.2026 7:06

Beijing's The World park - for those who want to see the world without leaving their home town"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by Amazo...

Ep 143: Just a pile of old bones? Beijing's Paleontology Museum 20.07.2026 8:45

Beijing's remedy for those who can't get to sleep???""An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by Amazon ASIN: B083V1JQN5#expat #expatl...

Ep 142: NBeer - Time for some serious research 19.07.2026 3:18

NBeer joins the ranks of Beijing's top real-ale brewers in a visit to its tap room in west Beijing"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by A...

Ep 141: A Cute Museum in Hailar 18.07.2026 4:23

Today we're filming at the Ewengki Ni Muzei – or the museum of the Evenk people – in Hailar "An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by Amazon...

Ep 140: Mongolian nuptials in the heeart of the grasslands 17.07.2026 5:05

To attend a wedding in Inner Mongolia is not to be missed if you are in the region. But watch you figure! "An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published...

Ep 139: Hailar’s National Park 16.07.2026 4:01

Not the most earth-shatteringly amazing park; but very pleasant none the less"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Salter, is published by Amazon ASIN: B083V1JQN5#ex...

Ep 138: An Unplanned Trip to Inner Mongolia 15.07.2026 10:45

Inner Mongolia is the third largest subdivision of China, spanning approximately 1,200,000 square km – or 12% of China's total land mass. Although the majority of the population in the region is Han Chinese, there is a sizeable Mongol minority. "An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/...

Ep 137: Waste Not Want Not – Beijing’s Craft Beer Festival 14.07.2026 7:47

16 breweries are in attendance at the 4th edition of the Beijing Craft Beer Festival. Some are noticeably better than others..."An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian...

Ep 136: It’s tulip time again in Zhongshan! 13.07.2026 7:00

The Dutch certainly know a thing or three when it comes to marketing to the Chinese. They use their national flower – the tulip – to woo the Chinese rubber-neckers... "An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A...

Ep 135: Leaping greatly to yet another taproom 12.07.2026 5:33

Great Leap Brewery must surely take the prize for having the noisiest taproom in Beijing. But some of its ales are top notch"An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian Sal...

Ep 134: Parkview Green / FangCaoDi: Isn’t this Beijing’s most amazing up-market mall? 11.07.2026 9:21

You can happily forget about the shops in this shopping mall. Every nook and cranny of this space is taken up with modern art – not just with the likes of Salvador Dalí, but very many international modernists and plenty of up and coming Chinese artists too. "An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.t...

Ep 133: Beijing's Jing-A… It’s all about the beer! 10.07.2026 4:12

Jing-A’s owners, originally from Connecticut and Toronto, have a range of American-style beers on offer, which are ‘localised’ to reflect the host country. "An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger&#39...

Ep 132: Beijing's Panda Brewery – Cute Pandas… Shame About the Brews! 09.07.2026 2:58

Foreigners are visible by their almost total absence here. And the beers on offer seem to have been tweaked for Chinese tastes."An Englishman in Beijing" by Brian Salter (ISBN: 9781784779658) is available for sale in China at ¥85 from Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=675304960828&spm=a21dvs.23580594.0.0.3f062c1bQ6bPG5&skuId** A Blogger's Guide to Beijing by Brian...