Makers and Shakers of Chinese History

Li Hongzhang is often regarded as the pillar of politics, diplomacy, and industry of the late Qing Dynasty. Put another way, in the eyes of many Chinese and Westerners at that time, he was the one who truly governed China. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yixin, later known as Prince Gong, had every quality to be an emperor and savior of the dynasty. But his emperor father chose his brother as the heir. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yongzheng was the fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty, who lived between 1678 and 1735. He was renowned for accomplishing several "firsts" in history for he was an innovator, always willing to try new things. He is also nicknamed as the Chinese founding father of cosplay. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet the 'granddaddy of rebels' in China's history. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

History has shown that being an emperor requires more than brains, blood, and bravery to move mountains and shift the heavens. Timing and a bit of luck must be factored in, as Emperor Chongzhen, the last ruler of the Ming Dynasty realized during his fateful reign. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From military strategist and astronomer to agricultural scientist and mathematician, Xu Guangqi is one of the most talented Shanghainese from the past 400 years. He rose to one of the highest government positions in the Ming Dynasty, led the introduction of Western science and technology into China, and became one of the nation's most influential Catholic converts in the 17th century. Let's meet him. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Need motivation to make a way out of no way? Well, this story's for you. Rising from the humblest beginnings, Zhu Yuanzhang made it to become the first emperor of a dynastic monarchy that ruled ancient China for some 276 years. How on earth was he able to pull that off? What kind of emperor was he? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You may have heard of Su Shi as the “Chinese da Vinci”. What you might not know is that the legendary figure was a “renaissance man” even before the Western concept came into existence. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Good intentions don't naturally bring good outcomes. Wang Anshi, one of the most (in)famous Chinese reformers learnt it the hard way about a millennium ago. His policies were supposed to cure the ailing Song Empire yet eventually he was blamed for its collapse. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The poet Li Qingzhao is often described as the "most talented woman in ancient China" and is still one of the best-known female writers in China to this day. She lived in east China's Shandong Province during the Song Dynasty some 1,000 years ago and excelled at traditional Chinese painting, calligraphy and, most notably, poetry writing. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shen Kuo is widely recognized as the most outstanding multi-talented historical scientist, but he's also known for his personality defects. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Du Fu is the only Chinese poet whose influence has grown with the passage of time. Today, he is becoming better known thanks in part to a BBC documentary that introduced the Tang Dynasty poet to the West. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Although Li Bai's poems were written well over a thousand years ago, they are still quoted today by people both within and outside of China. Furthermore, his fascination with wine is also an interesting topic to discuss when talking about his talent in poetry. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet the first and only female emperor in Chinese history- Wu Zetian. How did she make it to the imperial throne in a male-dominated culture? What kind of ruler was she? Why are people still talking about her 1,000 years later? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shi Chong lived at a time when amassing private wealth was almost a competition. However, even though he lived a luxurious lifestyle, he lost his life at the age of 52. You would be wrong to assume that obesity caused by over-nutrition killed him. Listen to learn just how this wealthy man met his end. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Cao Cao needed money to support his military ambition, he initiated a special profession, which he named “Fortune-seeking Captain.” In reality, he was a leader of a tomb raiding team who stole gold, silver, and other treasures from the dead. Tune in to hear more fascinating details about the legend of this general. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Young general Xiang Yu is one of the most tragic heroes in Chinese history, dying when he was only 30 years old. Later generations have come to appreciate his behavior because he is not only a hero, but also an emotional boyfriend. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One of the world's famous wonders, the Great Wall of China, attracts big flows of tourists every day. Its original builder is one of China's best-known figures dated over 2,200 years ago. He is known as the first emperor of ancient China—Qin Shi Huang. His dynasty lasted only 15 years, but the emperor achieved quite a few extraordinary achievements within that short period. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet one of the most innovative, modern and enjoyable personalities in the world of Chinese thought and philosophy--Zhuangzi. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet one of the most celebrated and renowned thinkers in the world, Confucius. How did Confucius come to be a philosopher? What were the principles that Confucius advocated? Why was he never put into an important position during his lifetime but his opinions were highly valued by the imperial rulers thereafter? And how did Confucianism develop in China to the present day? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet the most renowned ancient Chinese rulers, ministers, thinkers, scientists, poets, and rebels, and find out how they continue to influence the Chinese to this day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.