The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History Podcast

Early Han Dynasty Figure: Lu Jia 30.01.2025 16:38 ↓

The man who convinced the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty that he couldn't rule from horseback. Support the show

The Shaobing Song 23.01.2025 26:01 ↓

The Chinese equivalent of the prophecies of Nostradamus. Support the show

Zheng Guanying's "Words of Warning" 16.01.2025 18:22 ↓

Regarding the late-Qing businessman and reformist thinker. Support the show

Prime Minister Han Qi 09.01.2025 18:36 ↓

Regarding the Song Dynasty statesman -- and my ancestor -- Han Qi. Support the show

Yan Zhenqing, Calligrapher 02.01.2025 17:40 ↓

Regarding the Tang Dynasty mandarin and calligrapher. Support the show

Wei Yuan, Geographer 26.12.2024 18:14 ↓

Wei Yuan, the 19th century mandarin and geographer who taught the Chinese to open their eyes to the outside world. Support the show

Qian Liu and the Get-Out-Jail-Free Card 19.12.2024 20:34 ↓

Regarding the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms figure Qian Liu and his "iron scroll." Support the show

Zu Chongzhi: Mathematician 12.12.2024 17:40 ↓

Regarding the great 5th century mathematician, astronomer, and engineer. Support the show

Chao Cuo: Economist 05.12.2024 19:29 ↓

Regarding the Han Dynasty policy advisor, party-pooper, and scapegoat. Support the show

Baopuzi: The Path to Immortality 28.11.2024 24:13 ↓

About the Jin Dynasty alchemist and author Ge Hong and the text he left us, Baopuzi, which teaches us the way to immortality. Support the show

Zilu, the Warrior Confucian 21.11.2024 21:57 ↓

About one of the most famous disciples of Confucius, the man of action Zilu Support the show

Wang Bo and the Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng 14.11.2024 17:25 ↓

Regarding the Tang Dynasty writer and his most famous essay. Support the show

Xu Xiake, Traveler 07.11.2024 18:52 ↓

The greatest travel writer in Chinese tradition, the late-Ming figure Xu Xiake. Support the show

Guan Hanqing and the Story of Dou E 31.10.2024 20:30 ↓

Regarding the great Yuan Dynasty playwright and his most famous play. Support the show

Du You and Du Mu, Grandpa and Grandson 24.10.2024 19:34 ↓

Regarding the historian of institutions Du You and his grandson, the poet Du Mu. Support the show

The Cat, the Prince, and the Empress: Empress Liu of Song 17.10.2024 23:01 ↓

The legend of "a dead cat for a prince" and the true story of the career of Empress Dowager Liu of the Song Dynasty. Support the show

Zhu Xi: the Neo-Confucian 10.10.2024 19:11 ↓

On the great Song Dynasty philosopher who redefined Confucian thought. Support the show

Zhang Xuecheng, Historian 03.10.2024 19:13 ↓

Regarding the major Qing Dynasty historian Zhang Xuecheng (1738-1801). Support the show

Robber Zhi from Zhuangzi 26.09.2024 19:46 ↓

A chapter in the Daoist text Zhuangzi that launches a sustained attack on Confucianism, through the mouth of a notorious criminal. Support the show

Huang Zongxi and "Waiting for Dawn": Chinese Democratic Theory 19.09.2024 22:15 ↓

One of the most influential thinkers -- and his most influential work -- in the history of Chinese democratic thought. Support the show

King Li of Zhou and the "Republic" of 841 B.C. 12.09.2024 16:46 ↓

Until the advent of modern scholarship, the earliest definitive date in the chronology of Chinese history was 841 B.C. What happened that year that so marked the calendar? Support the show

Zhang Zhongjing, Physician 05.09.2024 17:43 ↓

Regarding the Han Dynasty physician Zhang Zhongjing. Support the show

Li Jie: Architect 29.08.2024 17:32 ↓

Regarding the Song Dynasty architect and scholar of architecture. Support the show

Li Kui and Shen Buhai, Legalists 22.08.2024 19:34 ↓

Everyone knows that Shang Yang reformed the laws and institutions of the State of Qin, setting it up for superpower status and paving the way to the Qin Dynasty. But a number of earlier reformers prefigured Shang Yang. Here are two of them. Support the show

Wang Yangming, Philosopher 15.08.2024 28:40 ↓

The story of the deeply influential Ming Dynasty philosopher. Support the show