The China History Podcast

Laszlo is back after more than two weeks on the lam. This time we look at part 1 of a series featuring the great adventurer/explorer/diplomat Zheng He. Zheng He's seven voyages to India, Persia, and the east coast of Africa created a big sensation in the early 15th century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back in ancient days again, this time the short period in between the Qin and Han Dynasties when two great leaders, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, contended for the throne left vacant by the deceased first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang. Xiang Yu has gone down in the annals of Chinese history as one of the most ferocious and greatest of generals and strategists. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

In this final episode of the Cultural Revolution overview we look at the events that went down in 1976 as well as the massive mopping-up operation that took place after the fall of the Gang of Four.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, we get all the way up to the end of 1975. With Zhou Enlai ailing and Mao Zedong also not long for the world, there is a sudden urgency to find a successor to the chairman. Now more than ever the two opposing camps take every measure to defeat the other. To the victor will go the leadership of the Chinese nation. To the loser, there is a certain loss of power and perhaps of...

In this episode we finish off 1969, a year that not only saw internal revolt and anarchy but also saw armed border confrontation with the Soviet Union in the freezing northeast. Chairman Mao Zedong pulls out all the stops to quell the violence and rebellion that he himself called for at the outset of the Cultural Revolution. Mao's chosen successor, Lin Biao loses favor with The Great Helmsman. As...

In the fifth installment of our China History Podcast overview of the Cultural Revolution we look at the milestone events of 1967: The February Countercurrent, 8 Point Program, 10 Point Program and the Wuhan Incident. Lots of blood and violence during this difficult year in China. Added to this was no small amount of political, military and social upheavel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

The second half of 1966 and into 1967 saw some of the worst excesses of the Cultural Revolution. In this episode the violence spreads throughout China and anyone with something to hide about their class background is tracked down and forced to endure the most horrible of fates. Mao is liking what he sees and keeps fanning the flames using all the tools at his disposal. Support this podcast at — ht...

In this third episode of Laszlo's Cultural Revolution Overview, we only advance 18 days in August of 1966. Momentous and shocking events happen one after another, day after day. With the announcement of the 16 Points, now the Cultural Revolution has a purpose and guidelines to follow. Today's episode will show that Mao had anything except an orderly execution of this plan to transform China. He wa...

This week Laszlo takes us up to August 1966 with this Cultural Revolution overview. After a nine-month hiatus down in Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Wuhan, Mao is now back in Beijing and ready to mount his attack on the party leadership and unleash the Cultural Revolution on the entire country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By popular demand, Laszlo begins to trace the history of the Cultural Revolution. This week's episode looks at the events leading up to the moment in 1966 when Mao called for the people to Bombard the Headquarters and to tear down the government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Firstly, Laszlo apologizes in advance for the horrific pronunciation of all Hindi terms. In this updated version of a very old episode from 2012, we look at the long history of Sino-Indian Relations. Many online writers and in the media like to frame this relationship in rather militaristic terms. There's way more to it than that. And there are limitless online resources available that can teach y...

Known by many names, Guan Yu, Guan Gong, Guan Di, this great man of loyalty, integrity, and justice lived during the final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. His oath of brotherhood with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei is the stuff of legends and remembered to this very day. Guan Yu was a historical person whose life was so admired, today he is considered a god. In today's episode, we look at his life and hi...

This week we look at a committed Communist Party leader who played an important role in steering China's economy and financial system from 1949 to 1966 and during the Deng era. Like many other leaders of his generation, Shanxi-born Bo Yibo suffered terribly during the Cultural Revolution. Today he is best remembered as one of the Eight Immortals or Party Elders who made up Deng Xiaoping's "kitchen...

This time we look at Missouri-born Carl Crow (1883-1945). Though pretty much forgotten today, Carl Crow lived an amazing life and was a prolific writer. From his front-row seats to many of the historic events in China between 1911-1937, Crow wrote many books about his observations and opinions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this farewell look at the Silk Road, we discuss a few more interesting things and then give the travels and adventures of Marco Polo a once over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another fortnight, another China History Podcast. We return to the Silk Road and focus our attention on the monk Xuanzang. His was an interesting life. Through looking at Xuanzang you can truly gain a sense of the importance of Buddhism in China, India and almost the entirety of Central Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NOTE: This episode was produced PRIOR to President Xi's accession to the Head of the Party (and everything else). Xi Jinping left U.S. soil last night after taking in the Laker game at Staples Center. His visit this week went off without a hitch. Today we look at Xi Jinping's life in the context of PRC history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laszlo's back from Germany and after a long delay we pick up where we left off. In this episode we reacquaint ourselves with the background and early years of the Silk Road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Triads of Hong Kong have an interesting historical past that shaped their development throughout the years. Today we look at their origins and some of the more important historic events that made them the violent international criminal gangs they are today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that we have Deng Xiaoping out of the way, we're back looking at random topics throughout the ages. This week we look at the great Song Dynasty statesman and sage Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072). In this episode we'll review aspects of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and Ouyang Xiu's place in this amazing age. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we conclude our eight-part overview of Dr. Ezra Vogel's recent biography of Deng Xiaoping. In this installment we focus on Deng's dramatic and brilliant Southern Tour of January-February 1992. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a holiday delay, Laszlo is back with the 7th and almost final episode of our overview of Ezra Vogel's new biography of Deng. In this episode we look at the meat and potatoes of the Reform years from 1979 to 1989. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this sixth installment of the Deng Xiaoping overview, we focus on 1978-1979. In this episode we see Deng return to power a third time. Deng immediately throws all his energy into advancing the cause of modernization in China.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode looks at the exciting events that all went down in 1976. Deng Xiaoping is on the defensive thanks to his 1975 policies to revive the nation. But a concatenation of events will happen starting on January 8 and ending on October 6 that will both bring Deng back and rock China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a bit of a delay, this week we look again at Deng Xiaoping and his struggles during the Cultural Revolution Years from 1966 to 1975. Seems we still have a long way to go yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices