Bamboo History

Hotpot (‘huo guo’) is a famous Chinese dish that is really delicious. I really enjoy eating hotpot, so here’s an episode dedicated to the history of hotpot, which includes: a rabbit, three mates and a heartfelt poem.   Please subscribe to my podcast! Instagram: @bamboohistorypodcast. You can find visual content for my episodes and additional historical content too small to fit into a podcast on my...

Join me as I transport myself to 17th century China to interview and follow a man called Zi, who does the job of a ‘biao shi’, which is a unique ancient Chinese occupation equivalent to a security guard/courier/escort. What does Zi’s job involve? Tune in to find out :) DISCLAIMER: all characters in this episode are fictional and are created for engagement purposes.   Please subscribe to my podcast...

Buddhist monk Jianzhen was a highly revered monk in China in 8th century Tang Dynasty, but an invitation from two Japanese monks changed his course of life forever. Tune in to see how an elderly monk braved 800 kilometres of rough ocean to reach Japan.   Please subscribe to my podcast channel for more exciting history content. My Instagram is @bamboohistorypodcast for visual content on my episodes...

Hi there all listeners, the Bamboo History Podcast will be taking a couple of weeks off during the Easter holidays, but we will be back by the end of the month! In the meantime, please tune in to our existing content if you have not already done so. We promise more exciting episodes of historical content when we return. Have a Happy Easter, have fun and stay safe!   Email: bamboohistorypodcast@gma...

In the year 138BCE, a young man from China embarked on a 13 year, 4000km (2500 mile) journey to create one of the most important trade routes in history, the Silk Road. Tune in to learn how the Silk Road was formed, and why.   Please subscribe to my podcast and follow me on Instagram @bamboohistorypodcast, where you can find additional content. You can also email me on bamboohistorypodcast@gmail.c...

10 episode milestone! Today’s episode will feature two Chinese stories on how the world was created, with Pangu (盘古) creating the heavens and the earth, and Nüwa (女娲) creating humankind.     Please tune in and subscribe to my podcast! I’m also keen to hear from you! You can email me at bamboohistorypodcast@gmail.com Or you can DM me at my Instagram: @bamboohistorypodcast. You can also find add...

The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Rebellion began in 1851 and reached its peak in 1853 when it captured Nanjing, a major Chinese city, and renamed it Tianjing, which means the ‘Heavenly Capital’. The rebels looked like they were in the driving seat to take over all of China, but a few challenges stood in their way… Find out what happens next in today’s episode, the 2nd and final part of a 2-part series...

This week, we explore the story of Hong Xiuquan, a Hakka Chinese man who believed he was God’s second son and had a duty to rescue China from 'evil demons’. What happened next? Tune in to today’s episode to find out. Please tune in and subscribe to my podcast! I’m also keen to hear from you! You can email me at bamboohistorypodcast@gmail.com Or you can DM me at my Instagram: @bamboohistorypodcast....

WARNING: This episode contains sensitive content, and may not be suitable to all listeners, especially children. In some museums, one can find exhibits of pairs of shoes, which were cone shaped like a lotus bud. Handmade from cotton or silk, they were small enough to fit into the palm of a hand and seemed like they were for little girls. Except these shoes weren’t just for little girls, but they w...

If you hate studying and doing 2 or 3 hour exams, you probably won’t ever complain after hearing about this ancient Chinese exam, which lasted 9 days and if you failed, you would have to wait 3 years for the next one! Please tune in and subscribe to my podcast! Check out my latest post on Instagram @bamboohistorypodcast, where I have posted an infographic as a guide for this episode. Feel free to...

Today we explore the day in the life of a gengfu (更夫), a person that helped tell the time for residents of Chinese cities and towns at night.   Please tune in and subscribe to my podcast! I’m also keen to hear from you! You can email me at bamboohistorypodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @bamboohistorypodcast, where you can also find additional bite-size content too small to fit into a podcast.  

Set during the fall of the Qin Dynasty in 206 BCE, I am going to tell you a story which will make you realise that no place is safe, not even at a dinner banquet…   Please tune in and subscribe to my podcast!! I’m also keen to hear from you! You can email me at bamboohistorypodcast@gmail.com Or you can DM me at my Instagram: @bamboohistorypodcast. You can also find additional bite-size content tha...

In the 1300s in the late Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty China, the country had fallen into disarray and was riddled with poverty, natural disasters, disease, and war… No one was hedging their bets on a penniless beggar to save the day and emerge to be one of the greatest Emperors in the history of China. Please tune in and subscribe to my podcast!! I’m also keen to hear from you! You can email me at bamb...

In 105 CE, a palace eunuch named Cai Lun was wheeling a cartload of books made from bamboo, when all of a sudden an accident happened... Today, I will tell you the story of one of ancient China's 4 greatest inventions, something many of us cannot live without, paper! Please tune in and subscribe (and follow the IG page: bamboohistorypodcast).  Please email your feedback, enquiries and general comm...

Chinese history is like a very, very, long theatre show, featuring many events, intrigues and personalities. Hence I wanted to start off this story by explaining the main characters involved in this story, the Han Chinese ethnic group, who originated over 3000 years and is now the largest ethnic group in the world.  So yeah, let's get right into it! Please subscribe to my channel for more content....

Hi all listeners and welcome for the first time to the Bamboo History Podcast, where I will share with you the history of China. I thought I would make a brief introduction to my podcast first before I dived into my content.  So buckle up, your ears will be in for a wild ride.  Please subscribe to my channel for more content. Feedback and comments here: bamboohistorypodcast@gmail.com