Podcasts about Central China

Last time we spoke about Operation Chahar. In July 1937, the tensions between Japan and China erupted into a full-scale conflict, ignited by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Following a series of aggressive Japanese military maneuvers, Chiang Kai-shek, then enjoying a brief respite at Kuling, learned of the escalating clashes and prepared for battle. Confident that China was primed for resistance, he rallied his nation, demanding that Japan accept responsibility and respect China's sovereignty. The Japanese launched their offensive, rapidly capturing key positions in Northern China. Notably, fierce battle ensued in Jinghai, where Chinese soldiers, led by Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan, valiantly defended against overwhelming forces using guerrilla tactics and direct assaults. Their spirit was symbolized by a courageous “death squad” that charged the enemy, inflicting serious casualties despite facing dire odds. As weeks passed, the conflict intensified with brutal assaults on Nankou. Chinese defenses, though valiant, were ultimately overwhelmed, leading to heavy casualties on both sides. Despite losing Nankou, the indomitable Chinese spirit inspired continued resistance against the Japanese invaders, foreshadowing a long, brutal war that would reshape East Asia.   #156 The Battle of Shanghai Part 1: The Beginning of the Battle of Shanghai Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. On August 9, a bullet riddled sedan screeched to an abrupt halt at the entrance to the Hongqiao airport along Monument Road. The gruesome scene on the dashboard revealed that one of the victims had died in the car. He had been dragged out and subjected to brutal slashing, kicking, and beating until his body was a mangled mess. Half of his face was missing, and his stomach had been cut open, exposing the sickly pallor of his intestines, faintly glimmering in the night. The other man had managed to escape the vehicle but only got a few paces away before he was gunned down. A short distance away lay a third body, dressed in a Chinese uniform. Investigators swiftly identified the badly mangled body as belonging to 27-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Oyama Isao, while the other deceased Japanese man was his driver, First Class Seaman Saito Yozo. The identity of the Chinese victim remained a mystery. At first glance, the scene appeared to be the aftermath of a straightforward shootout. However, numerous questions lingered: What were the Japanese doing at a military airfield miles from their barracks? Who had fired the first shot, and what had prompted that decision? The Chinese investigators and their Japanese counterparts were at odds over the answers to these questions. As they walked the crime scene, searching for evidence, loud arguments erupted repeatedly. By the time the sun began to rise, they concluded their investigation without reaching any consensus on what had transpired. They climbed into their cars and made their way back to the city. The investigators were acutely aware of the repercussions if they failed to handle their delicate task with the necessary finesse. Despite their hopes for peace, it was evident that Shanghai was a city bracing for war. As they drove through the dimly lit suburbs on their way from Hongqiao back to their downtown offices, their headlights illuminated whitewashed trees, interspersed with sandbag defenses and the silhouettes of solitary Chinese sentries. Officially, these sentries were part of the Peace Preservation Corps,  a paramilitary unit that, due to an international agreement reached a few years earlier, was the only Chinese force allowed to remain in the Shanghai area. In the hours that followed, both sides presented their versions of the incident. According to the Chinese account, the Japanese vehicle attempted to force its way through the airport gate. When members of the Peace Preservation Corps stationed at the entrance signaled for Saito, the driver, to stop, he abruptly turned the car around. Sub-Lieutenant Oyama then fired at the Chinese guards with an automatic pistol. Only then did the Chinese return fire, killing Oyama in a hail of bullets. Saito managed to jump out before he, too, was gunned down. The commander of the Chinese guards told a Western reporter that this wasn't the first time someone Japanese had attempted to enter the airport. Such incidents had occurred repeatedly in the past two months, leading them to believe that the Japanese were “obviously undertaking espionage.” The Japanese account, predictably, placed the blame for the entire incident squarely on China. It asserted that Oyama had been driving along a road bordering the airfield with no intention of entering. Suddenly, the vehicle was stopped and surrounded by Peace Preservation Corps troops, who opened fire with rifles and machine guns without warning. Oyama had no opportunity to return fire. The Japanese statement argued that the two men had every right to use the road, which was part of the International Settlement, and labeled the incident a clear violation of the 1932 peace agreement. “We demand that the Chinese bear responsibility for this illegal act,”. Regardless of either side, it seemed likely to everyone in the region, war would soon engulf Shanghai.  Meanwhile, as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident escalated into a full blown in the far north, General Zhang Fakui was attending a routine training mission at Mount Lu in southeastern Jiangxi. A short and small man, not considered too handsome either, Zhang had earned his place in China's leadership through physical courage, once taking a stand on a bridge and single handedly facing down an enemy army. He was 41 years old in 1937, having spent half his life fighting Warlords, Communists and sometimes even Nationalists. In the recent years he had tossed his lot in with a rebel campaign against Chiang Kai-Shek, who surprisingly went on the forgive him and placed him in charge of anti communist operations in the area due south of Shanghai. However now the enemy seemed to have changed.  As the war spread to Beijing, on July 16th, Zhang was sent to Chiang Kai-Shek's summer residence at Mount Lu alongside 150 members of China's political and military elites. They were all there to brainstorm how to fight the Japanese. Years prior the Generalissimo had made it doctrine to appease the Japanese but now he made grandiose statements such as “this time we must fight to the end”. Afterwards Chiang dealt missions to all his commanders and Zhang Fakui was told to prepare for operations in the Shanghai area.  It had been apparent for weeks that both China and Japan were preparing for war in central China. The Japanese had been diverting naval troops from the north to strengthen their forces in Shanghai, and by early August, they had assembled over 8,000 troops. A few days later, approximately thirty-two naval vessels arrived. On July 31, Chiang declared that “all hope for peace has been lost.” Chiang had been reluctant to commit his best forces to defend northern China, an area he had never truly controlled. In contrast, Shanghai was central to his strategy for the war against Japan. Chiang decided to deploy his finest troops, the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were trained by generals under the guidance of the German advisor von Falkenhausen, who had high hopes for their performance against the Japanese. In doing so, Chiang aimed to demonstrate to both his own people and the wider world that the Chinese could and would resist the invader. Meanwhile, Chiang's spy chief, Dai Li, was busy gathering intelligence on Japanese intentions regarding Shanghai, a challenging task given his focus in recent years. Dai, one of the most sinister figures in modern Chinese history, had devoted far more energy and resources to suppressing the Communists than to countering the Japanese. As a result, by the critical summer of 1937, he had built only a sparse network of agents in “Little Tokyo,” the Hongkou area of Shanghai dominated by Japanese businesses. One agent was a pawnshop owner, while the rest were double agents employed as local staff within the Japanese security apparatus. Unfortunately, they could provide little more than snippets, rumors, and hearsay. While some of this information sounded alarmingly dire, there was almost no actionable intelligence. Chiang did not take the decision to open a new front in Shanghai lightly. Built on both banks of the Huangpu River, the city served as the junction between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the great Yangtze River, which wound thousands of kilometers inland to the west. Shanghai embodied everything that represented modern China, from its industry and labor relations to its connections with the outside world. While foreign diplomatic presence was concentrated in nearby Nanjing, the capital, it was in Shanghai that the foreign community gauged the country's mood. Foreigners in the city's two “concession” areas nthe French Concession and the British-affiliated International Settlement often dismissed towns beyond Shanghai as mere “outstations.” Chiang Kai-shek would throw 650,000 troops into the battle for the city and its environs as well as his modest air force of 200 aircraft. Chiang, whose forces were being advised by German officers led by General Alexander von Falkenhausen, was finally confident that his forces could take on the Japanese. A German officer told a British diplomat, “If the Chinese Army follows the advice of the German advisers, it is capable of driving the Japanese over the Great Wall.”   While Chiang was groping in the dark, deprived of the eyes and ears of an efficient intelligence service, he did have at his disposal an army that was better prepared for battle than it had been in 1932. Stung by the experience of previous conflicts with the Japanese, Chiang had initiated a modernization program aimed at equipping the armed forces not only to suppress Communist rebels but also to confront a modern fighting force equipped with tanks, artillery, and aircraft. He had made progress, but it was insufficient. Serious weaknesses persisted, and now there was no time for any remedial action. While China appeared to be a formidable power in sheer numbers, the figures were misleading. On the eve of war, the Chinese military was comprised of a total of 176 divisions, which were theoretically organized into two brigades of two regiments each. However, only about 20 divisions maintained full peacetime strength of 10,000 soldiers and officers; the rest typically held around 5,000 men. Moreover, Chiang controlled only 31 divisions personally, and he could not count on the loyalty of the others. To successfully resist Japan, Chiang would need to rely not only on his military command skills but also on his ability to forge fragile coalitions among Warlord generals with strong local loyalties. Equipment posed another significant challenge. The modernization drive was not set to complete until late 1938, and the impact of this delay was evident. In every category of weaponry, from rifles to field artillery, the Chinese were outmatched by their Japanese adversaries, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Domestically manufactured artillery pieces had shorter ranges, and substandard steel-making technology caused gun barrels to overheat, increasing the risk of explosions. Some arms even dated back to imperial times. A large proportion of the Chinese infantry had received no proper training in basic tactics, let alone in coordinated operations involving armor and artillery. The chief of the German advisory corps was General Alexander von Falkenhausen, a figure hard to rival in terms of qualifications for the role. Although the 58-year-old's narrow shoulders, curved back, and bald, vulture-like head gave him an unmilitary, almost avian appearance, his exterior belied a tough character. In 1918, he had earned his nation's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite, while assisting Germany's Ottoman allies against the British in Palestine. Few, if any, German officers knew Asia as well as he did. His experience in the region dated back to the turn of the century. As a young lieutenant in the Third East Asian Infantry Regiment, he participated in the international coalition of colonial powers that quelled the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. A decade later, he traveled through Korea, Manchuria, and northern China with his wife, keenly observing and learning as a curious tourist. From 1912 to 1914, he served as the German Kaiser's military attaché in Tokyo. He was poised to put his extensive knowledge to good use in the months ahead. Chiang believed that Shanghai should be the location of the first battle. This decision was heavily influenced by Falkenhausen and was strategically sound. Chiang Kai-shek could not hope to win a war against Japan unless he could unify the nation behind him, particularly the many fractious warlords who had battled his forces repeatedly over the past decade. Everyone understood that the territory Japan was demanding in the far north did not need to be held for any genuine military necessity; it was land that could be negotiated. The warlords occupying that territory were unpredictable and all too willing to engage in bargaining. In contrast, China's economic heartland held different significance. By choosing to fight for the center of the country and deploying his strongest military units, Chiang Kai-shek signaled to both China's warlords and potential foreign allies that he had a vested interest in the outcome.  There were also several operational reasons for preferring a conflict in the Yangtze River basin over a campaign in northern China. The rivers, lakes, and rice paddies of the Yangtze delta were much better suited for defensive warfare against Japan's mechanized forces than the flat plains of North China. By forcing the Japanese to commit troops to central China, the Nationalists bought themselves the time needed to rally and reinforce their faltering defenses in the north. By initiating hostilities in the Shanghai area, Japan would be forced to divert its attention from the northern front, thereby stalling a potential Japanese advance toward the crucial city of Wuhan. It would also help safeguard potential supply routes from the Soviet Union, the most likely source of material assistance due to Moscow's own animosity toward Japan. It was a clever plan, and surprisingly, the Japanese did not anticipate it. Intelligence officers in Tokyo were convinced that Chiang would send his troops northward instead. Again in late July, Chiang convened his commanders, and here he gave Zhang Fukai more detailed instructions for his operation. Fukai was placed in charge of the right wing of the army which was currently preparing for action in the metropolitan area. Fukai would oversee the forces east of the Huangpu River in the area known as Pudong. Pudong was full of warehouses, factories and rice fields, quite precarious to fight in. Meanwhile General Zhang Zhizhong, a quiet and sickly looking man who had previously led the Central Military Academy was to command the left wing of the Huangpu. All of the officers agreed the plan to force the battle to the Shanghai area was logical as the northern region near Beijing was far too open, giving the advantage to tank warfare, which they could not hope to contest Japan upon. The Shanghai area, full of rivers, creaks and urban environments favored them much more. Zhang Zhizhong seemed an ideal pick to lead troops in downtown Shanghai where most of the fighting would take place. His position of commandant of the military academy allowed him to establish connections with junior officers earmarked for rapid promotion. This meant that he personally knew the generals of both the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were to form the core of Zhang Zhizhong's newly established 9th Army Group and become his primary assets in the early phases of the Shanghai campaign. Moreover, Zhang Zhizhong had the right aggressive instincts. He believed that China's confrontation with Japan had evolved through three stages: in the first stage, the Japanese invaded the northeast in 1931, and China remained passive; in the second stage, during the first battle of Shanghai in 1932, Japan struck, but China fought back. Zhang argued that this would be the third stage, where Japan was preparing to attack, but China would strike first.   It seems that Zhang Zhizhong did not expect to survive this final showdown with his Japanese adversary. He took the fight very personally, even ordering his daughter to interrupt her education in England and return home to serve her country in the war. However, he was not the strong commander he appeared to be, as he was seriously ill. Although he never disclosed the true extent of his condition, it seemed he was on the verge of a physical and mental breakdown after years in high-stress positions. In fact, he had recently taken a leave of absence from his role at the military academy in the spring of 1937. When the war broke out, he was at a hospital in the northern port city of Qingdao, preparing to go abroad for convalescence. He canceled those plans to contribute to the struggle against Japan. When his daughter returned from England and saw him on the eve of battle, she was alarmed by how emaciated he had become. From the outset, doubts about his physical fitness to command loomed large. At 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 10, a group of officers emerged from the Japanese Consulate along the banks of the Huangpu River. This team was a hastily assembled Sino-Japanese joint investigation unit tasked with quickly resolving the shooting incident at the Hongqiao Aerodrome of the previous night. They understood the urgency of reaching an agreement swiftly to prevent any escalation. As they drove to the airport, they passed armed guards of the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps stationed behind sandbag barricades that had been erected only hours earlier. Upon arriving at Hongqiao, the officers walked up and down the scene of the incident under the scorching sun, attempting to piece together a shared understanding of what had transpired. However, this proved to be nearly impossible, as the evidence failed to align into a coherent account acceptable to both parties. The Japanese were unconvinced that any shootout had occurred at all. Oyama, the officer who had been in the car, had left his pistol at the marine headquarters in Hongkou and had been unarmed the night before. They insisted that whoever shot and killed the man in the Chinese uniform could not have been him. By 6:00 pm the investigators returned to the city. Foreign correspondents, eager for information, knew exactly whom to approach. The newly appointed Shanghai Mayor, Yu Hongjun, with a quick wit and proficiency in English, Yu represented the city's cosmopolitan image. However, that evening, he had little to offer the reporters, except for a plea directed at both the Japanese and Chinese factions “Both sides should maintain a calm demeanor to prevent the situation from escalating.” Mayor Yu however was, in fact, at the center of a complex act of deception that nearly succeeded. Nearly eight decades later, Zhang Fakui attributed the incident to members of the 88th Division, led by General Sun Yuanliang. “A small group of Sun Yuanliang's men disguised themselves as members of the Peace Preservation Corps,” Zhang Fakui recounted years later in his old age. “On August 9, 1937, they encountered two Japanese servicemen on the road near the Hongqiao military aerodrome and accused them of forcing their way into the area. A clash ensued, resulting in the deaths of the Japanese soldiers.” This created a delicate dilemma for their superiors. The two dead Japanese soldiers were difficult to explain away. Mayor Yu, likely informed of the predicament by military officials, conferred with Tong Yuanliang, chief of staff of the Songhu Garrison Command, a unit established after the fighting in 1932. Together, they devised a quick and cynical plan to portray the situation as one of self-defense by the Chinese guards. Under their orders, soldiers marched a Chinese death row inmate to the airport gate, dressed him in a paramilitary guard's uniform, and executed him. While this desperate ruse might have worked initially, it quickly unraveled due to the discrepancies raised by the condition of the Chinese body. The Japanese did not believe the story, and the entire plan began to fall apart. Any remaining mutual trust swiftly evaporated. Instead of preventing a confrontation, the cover-up was accelerating the slide into war.  Late on August 10, Mayor Yu sent a secret cable to Nanjing, warning that the Japanese had ominously declared they would not allow the two deaths at the airport to go unpunished. The following day, the Japanese Consul General Okamoto Suemasa paid a visit to the mayor, demanding the complete withdrawal of the Peace Preservation Corps from the Shanghai area and the dismantling of all fortifications established by the corps. For the Chinese, acquiescing to these demands was nearly impossible. From their perspective, it appeared that the Japanese aimed to leave Shanghai defenseless while simultaneously bolstering their own military presence in the city. Twenty vessels, including cruisers and destroyers, sailed up the Huangpu River and docked at wharves near "Little Tokyo." Japanese marines in olive-green uniforms marched ashore down the gangplanks, while women from the local Japanese community, dressed in kimonos, greeted the troops with delighted smiles and bows to the flags of the Rising Sun that proudly adorned the sterns of the battleships. In fact, Japan had planned to deploy additional troops to Shanghai even before the shooting at Hongqiao Aerodrome. This decision was deemed necessary to reinforce the small contingent of 2,500 marines permanently stationed in the city. More troops were required to assist in protecting Japanese nationals who were being hastily evacuated from the larger cities along the Yangtze River. These actions were primarily defensive maneuvers, as the Japanese military seemed hesitant to open a second front in Shanghai, for the same reasons that the Chinese preferred an extension of hostilities to that area. Diverting Japanese troops from the strategically critical north and the Soviet threat across China's border would weaken their position, especially given that urban warfare would diminish the advantages of their technological superiority in tanks and aircraft. While officers in the Japanese Navy believed it was becoming increasingly difficult to prevent the war from spreading to Shanghai, they were willing to give diplomacy one last chance. Conversely, the Japanese Army was eager to wage war in northern China but displayed little inclination to engage in hostilities in Shanghai. Should the situation worsen, the Army preferred to withdraw all Japanese nationals from the city. Ultimately, when it agreed to formulate plans for dispatching an expeditionary force to Shanghai, it did so reluctantly, primarily to avoid accusations of neglecting its responsibilities. Amongst many commanders longing for a swift confrontation with Japan was Zhang Zhizhong. By the end of July, he was growing increasingly impatient, waiting with his troops in the Suzhou area west of Shanghai and questioning whether a unique opportunity was being squandered. On July 30, he sent a telegram to Nanjing requesting permission to strike first. He argued that if Japan were allowed to launch an attack on Shanghai, he would waste valuable time moving his troops from their position more than 50 miles away. Nanjing responded with a promise that his wishes would be fulfilled but urged him to exercise patience: “We should indeed seize the initiative over the enemy, but we must wait until the right opportunity arises. Await further orders.” That opportunity arose on August 11, with the Japanese display of force on the Huangpu River and their public demand for the withdrawal of China's paramilitary police. Japan had sufficiently revealed itself as the aggressor in the eyes of both domestic and international audiences, making it safe for China to take action. At 9:00 p.m. that evening, Zhang Zhizhong received orders from Nanjing to move his troops toward Shanghai. He acted with remarkable speed, capitalizing on the extensive transportation network in the region. The soldiers of the 87th Division quickly boarded 300 trucks that had been prepared in advance. Meanwhile, civilian passengers on trains were unceremoniously ordered off to make room for the 88th Division, which boarded the carriages heading for Shanghai. In total, over 20,000 motivated and well-equipped troops were on their way to battle.  On August 12, representatives from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Japan, and China gathered for a joint conference in Shanghai to discuss ceasefire terms. Japan demanded the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Shanghai, while the Chinese representative, Yu Hung-chun, dismissed the Japanese demand, stating that the terms of the ceasefire had already been violated by Japan. The major powers were keen to avoid a repeat of the January 28 Incident, which had significantly disrupted foreign economic activities in Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chinese citizens fervently welcomed the presence of Chinese troops in the city. In Nanjing, Chinese and Japanese representatives convened for the last time in a final effort to negotiate. The Japanese insisted that all Peace Preservation Corps and regular troops be withdrawn from the vicinity of Shanghai. The Chinese, however, deemed the demand for a unilateral withdrawal unacceptable, given that the two nations were already engaged in conflict in North China. Ultimately, Mayor Yu made it clear that the most the Chinese government would concede was that Chinese troops would not fire unless fired upon. Conversely, Japan placed all responsibility on China, citing the deployment of Chinese troops around Shanghai as the cause of the escalating tensions. Negotiations proved impossible, leaving no alternative but for the war to spread into Central China. On that same morning of Thursday, August 12, residents near Shanghai's North Train Station, also known as Zhabei Station, just a few blocks from "Little Tokyo," awoke to an unusual sight: thousands of soldiers dressed in the khaki uniforms of the Chinese Nationalists, wearing German-style helmets and carrying stick grenades slung across their chests. “Where do you come from?” the Shanghai citizens asked. “How did you get here so fast?” Zhang Zhizhong issued detailed orders to each unit under his command, instructing the 88th Division specifically to travel by train and deploy in a line from the town of Zhenru to Dachang village, both located a few miles west of Shanghai. Only later was the division supposed to advance toward a position stretching from the Zhabei district to the town of Jiangwan, placing it closer to the city boundaries. Zhang Zhizhong was the embodiment of belligerence, but he faced even more aggressive officers among his ranks. On the morning of August 12, he was approached by Liu Jingchi, the chief of operations at the Songhu Garrison Command. Liu argued that the battle of 1932 had gone poorly for the Chinese because they had hesitated and failed to strike first. This time, he insisted, should be different, and Zhang should order an all-out assault on the Japanese positions that very evening. Zhang countered that he had clear and unmistakable orders from Chiang Kai-shek to let the Japanese fire first, emphasizing the importance of maintaining China's image on the world stage. “That's easy,” Liu retorted. “Once all the units are deployed and ready to attack, we can just change some people into mufti and send them in to fire a few shots. We attack, and simultaneously, we report that the enemy's offensive has begun.” Zhang Zhizhong did not like this idea. “We can't go behind our leader's back like that,” he replied. Zhang Zhizhong's position was far from enviable. Forced to rein in eager and capable officers, he found himself acting against his own personal desires. Ultimately, he decided to seek the freedom to act as he saw fit. In a secret cable to Nanjing, he requested permission to launch an all-out attack on the Japanese positions in Shanghai the following day, Friday, August 13. He argued that this was a unique opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created by the movement of troops; any further delay would only lead to stagnation. He proposed a coordinated assault that would also involve the Chinese Air Force. However, the reply from Chiang Kai-shek was brief and unwavering: “Await further orders.” Even as Chiang's troops poured into Shanghai, Chinese and Japanese officials continued their discussions. Ostensibly, this was in hopes of reaching a last-minute solution, but in reality, it was a performance. Both sides wanted to claim the moral high ground in a battle that now seemed inevitable. They understood that whoever openly declared an end to negotiations would automatically be perceived as the aggressor. During talks at the Shanghai Municipal Council, Japanese Consul General Okamoto argued that if China truly wanted peace, it would have withdrawn its troops to a position that would prevent clashes. Mayor Yu responded by highlighting the increasing presence of Japanese forces in the city. “Under such circumstances, China must adopt such measures as necessary for self-defense,” he stated. Late on August 13, 1937, Chiang Kai-shek instructed his forces to defend Shanghai, commanding them to "divert the enemy at sea, secure the coast, and resist landings."  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In July 1937, tensions between Japan and China escalated into war following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Confident in his country's resolve, Chiang Kai-shek rallied the Chinese against Japanese aggression. On August 9, a deadly confrontation at Hongqiao Airport resulted in the deaths of Japanese soldiers, igniting further hostilities. As both sides blamed each other, the atmosphere became tense. Ultimately, negotiations failed, and the stage was set for a brutal conflict in Shanghai, marking the beginning of a long and devastating war.

梅雨季 méi yǔ jì - plum rain season; East Asian rainy season冷空氣 lěng kōng qì - cold air mass暖空氣 nuǎn kōng qì - warm air mass交會 jiāo huì - to meet; to converge形成 xíng chéng - to form; to develop滯留鋒 zhì liú fēng - stationary front (a weather front that doesn't move much)卡在上空 kǎ zài shàng kōng - stuck overhead (of weather systems)毛毛雨 máo máo yǔ - drizzle強降雨 qiáng jiàng yǔ - heavy rainfall典型 diǎn xíng - typical; representative華中地區 huá zhōng dì qū - Central China region梅子 méi zi - plum成熟 chéng shóu - to ripen; mature熱帶 rè dài - tropical zone晴朗 qíng lǎng - sunny and clear輪流 lún liú - to take turns; alternately天氣預報 tiān qì yù bào - weather forecast悶熱 mēn rè - hot and stuffy防曬用品 fáng shài yòng pǐn - sun protection products防雨用品 fáng yǔ yòng pǐn - rain protection items環島 huán dǎo - to travel around an island (especially Taiwan)滑 huá - slippery視線 shì xiàn - visibility; line of sight減速慢行 jiǎn sù màn xíng - slow down (used in driving or riding)積水 jī shuǐ - water accumulation; flooding路段 lù duàn - section of the road硬闖 yìng chuǎng - to force one's way through漏水 lòu shuǐ - water leakage把門窗關緊 bǎ mén chuāng guān jǐn - to close doors and windows tightly排水溝 pái shuǐ gōu - drainage ditch清乾淨 qīng gān jìng - to clean thoroughly排水口 pái shuǐ kǒu - drainage outlet排水通暢 pái shuǐ tōng chàng - smooth drainage牆壁 qiáng bì - wall滲水 shèn shuǐ - water seepage鋪 pū - to lay out; to spread抹布 mǒ bù - cleaning cloth; rag之類的 zhī lèi de - things like that; and so on地下室 dì xià shì - basement低窪 dī wā - low-lying (area)抽水馬達 chōu shuǐ mǎ dá - water pump豪雨或雷雨警報 háo yǔ huò léi yǔ jǐng bào - heavy rain or thunderstorm alert你想讓中文更進步嗎 ? 我可以幫你！

Back Home, One week later.By FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.There is something worse than waking up and not knowing where you are: you could wake up and not know who you are.Note: World Events Stuff ~ aka Why things are happening in Cáel's lifeThe phone was from Iskender. His boss, Oyuun Tömörbaatar (OT), the former UN ambassador from Kazakhstan and now the informal and unrecognized UN representative and chief diplomat of the Khanate to the same august body, wanted to talk with me, immediately. OT wasn't being diplomatic at the moment, that would come later.{Now this is going to get convoluted}Any inquiries to the Khanate that didn't also include immediate official recognition of the Khanate currently were being steered my (and Hana's) way. For all the behind closed doors crap, he had me, his loyal ass-monkey mutton-head. I held faint hope that this latest meeting would work out to my benefit. For the meeting, I traveled light, only Naomi (the Amazon) and Chaz (British SRR) watched over me.Now fathers who know me, hide their daughters. I'd earned my 'scoundrel' reputation. T. Sarangerel, OT's daughter, was in the room when Iskender ushered me in. She gave me an uncertain look, I shrugged and she smiled. It took me 3 nano seconds to figure that out, OT was scoping me out as a potential son-in-law. I was in Temujin's Inner Circle and a man who he trusted (a rarity). Any union with me would strengthen OT's clan's standing in the new regime.The genetic footprint Temujin, and his immediate family collectively, had put down in the 13th and 14th centuries CE today was vast. He needed that to make his plans for the internal reorganization of the Khanate work. The old republics would go away, to be replaced by a system akin to the Byzantine 'themes, the re-organization of regions based on the recruitment of the Tumens.The Khanate was aiming for an 'Autocratic Republic' ~ a term invented in the 19th century. My use of this terminology was based on my gut instinct, Alal's host of memories involving every form of governance, and my experience with human nature. That clued me in to what Temujin was up to, his Greater Plan. He wasn't going to form a false-front government. He was going to retain the decision-making powers and do so openly, thus 'Autocratic'.He also planned to have a bicameral legislative branch. The Upper House would be based in Tumens and bureaucratic leadership, intellectual standing, religious sects, and tribal entities. This body would be based on merit, not primogeniture. The Lower, main chamber, would be a democratically-elected assembly (aka a democratic republic) that advised him on policy matters, thus 'Republic'.All the power would remain in the Great Khan's hands and would be exercised by his genetic descendants (which some geneticists estimated as being as high as 25% of the Central Asian population.) Marrying into that extended family would be easy, the 'family' itself would have a vested interesting in supporting a state that benefited them.Men and women could exercise power in the government through marriage alliances, identical to the manner Hana was working through me. Being surrounded by very populous countries in various states of belligerence, empowering women wouldn't be an issue since every willing mind and pair of hands mattered. Outsiders who shone through could be offered a spouse and brought into the ruling elite since polygamy was permissible.In the Khanate there would be universal compulsive suffrage (everyone 18+ was legally required to vote) to decide on the representatives in the new legislative body. Everyone was expected to fight, so everyone voted. It would be modeled on the Duma of early 20th century Imperial Russia. Unlike the ill-fated Tsar Nicholas II, Temujin would be much more attentive to the voice of the people, in the Information Age, he had to.Or so I hoped. I spewed forth my ideas to OT who didn't agree, or disagree with my vision. Perhaps Temujin and I did share a bond that went beyond obligation. OT then pulled a 'Pamela'."He told me he knew immediately you were his brother when you and I shared that vision," he commented out of nowhere."His words: You (Earth and Sky) are the old. He (meaning me) is the new. He (me again) will show us the way." My, that was nice, obtuse and not at all helpful. What did OT want? My good buddy, the Great Khan, wanted to cash in on Hana's and my sudden popularity. His most pressing need remained 'time'. He needed to have a cease-fire in the wings when his offensive resumed the next day.The Earth and Sky had moved, well, the Heaven and Earth to get the Tumens and their accompanying national armies up and running after only a two day respite. Thanks to me, Manchuria was a mess. The Russians had carried out my 'Operation: Funhouse' with mixed, mostly positive results.Dozens of smaller Chinese military police units along the border went, 'inactive' was the term most often used in the media. They didn't disarm, yet they didn't fight the Russians either. They sat back and let events unfold. The issue wasn't the Chinese's willingness to fight and die for their country. It was the schizophrenic government in Beijing.The PRC didn't want to wage a war with the Russian Federation at that moment. The Khanate was the priority. There were two fundamentally incompatible courses of action favored for dealing with the Russians:One large group advocated a passive Option A: let the Russians step in and shield the three remaining provinces making up Manchuria that were still in Chinese possession. Later, China would use military, economic and political means to edge the Russians out, once the Khanate was dealt with.A sizable faction favored a more aggressive Option B: play a game of chicken with Vladimir Putin. Tell the Bear not to come across the border while threatening him with a bloody and pointless (for him) guerilla war if he did intervene. Events on the ground were not providing a lot of support for that school of thought,However, this split at the highest levels of leadership left the local and regional commanders to try and muddle through as best they could. To the local commanders defending the Amur River side of the Chinese-Russian border, common sense dictated that they not oppose the Russian crossings, because the Russian 35th Army would kill them.All their military units had gone west to the Nen River line. With no heavy weapons and little air support, the People's Armed Police (PAP) (paramilitary) and the Public Security Bureau (regular police) units would be wiped out for little gain.Russia's GRU (Military Intelligence) sweetened the pot by allowing the police units to remain armed and in formation. It could be argued that they weren't even committing treason. At any time, they could throw themselves into the battle, or form the core of a resistance movement. 'Conserving your strength' had been a hallmark of the Communist Chinese struggle against the Imperial Japanese and Nationalists forces from the 1920's until 1945 and it had served them well.For the party officials, civil authorities and the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Army Air Force (PLAAF), and Army Navy (PLAN) who had gone with Option B, things weren't working out. In the north of Heilongjiang province at Morin Dawa/the Nen River line, the regional commander of the ad hoc forces facing the Khanate decided to duke it out with the Russian 36th Army as well. He was boned from the get-go.The PLAAF's overall command and control had been badly disrupted in the first few hours of The Unification War and had never fully recovered. Of the 22 air regiments that the PLAAF had started the war with in the Shenyang Military District (NE China), only 5 remained as effective formations flying, on average, a meager 20% of their original complement of advanced Shenyang J-16's, J-11's, Chengdu J-10's and Xian JH-7's aircraft.Replacing their aircraft losses meant sending up aged Shenyang J-8's (rolled out in 1980) and Nanchang Q-5's (in 1970) to fly and die in droves fighting their technologically superior Khanate foes. To add insult to injury, China's fleet of 97 Su-30MKK/MK2's (built in Russia) had suffered numerous suspicious mechanical and electronic failures, rendering them either flying coffins, or space holders in bomb-proof shelters.Furthermore, of the forces arrayed in the far north, only two of the five air regiments were responding. Two of the other three had begun displacing south into the Beijing Military District and preparing to defend the capital city. The fifth formation had another problem, North Korea (, more on that later.)In opposition to those two Chinese air regiments (roughly 60 aircraft of mixed types) stood seven complete and fresh Russian air regiments (over 400 front-line aircraft) and that didn't include the regiment and elements of the Far East Naval Aviation which was ALSO watching North Korea (, again more on that later.) The latter was of small comfort to the forces trying to hold the already compromised Nen River line.Behind those valiant troops, along the much more defensible Amur River line, the commander of the key city of Heihe sided with the Option A group and let the Russian 35th Army cross the river unopposed. By the time the PLA commanding general of the 'Nen Force' (the 69th Motorized Division and the subordinate 7th Reserve Division) figured that out, he was already in a shooting war with the Russians. So his supply lines weren't in danger, they were lost.The final indignity took place at Zalantun. The commander of the 3rd Reserve Div. had died during the attempt to recapture Zalantun. His replacement died when his helicopter was shot down as he was coming to assume command. In the absence of these officers, the divisional chief of staff told his men, including two hastily hustled forward mechanized brigades, to put down their arms. That meant 'Nen Force' was completely cut-off and surrounded.One battalion of the 36th Russian Motorized Brigade (yes, too many 36's running around) disarmed the Chinese troops while the rest, plus the 74th Independent Motorized Brigade raced for the prize, the city of Qiqihar. The last major mechanized formation of the 36th Rus. Army, the 39th MB was following them. However, instead of manning Qiqihar's defenses, the Chinese garrison in that city was waging war on its own populace.It wasn't only in Qiqihar; chaos reigned throughout Heilongjiang province. The Provincial Head of the Communist Party, Wang Xiankui, supported Option A. The Provincial Governor, Lu Hao, went with Option B. Both figures were rising stars in the PRC. Wang had ordered the still forming Reserve Divisions and the PAP units to disperse, thus avoiding any untimely confrontations with the Russians.Lu, without consulting Wang, ordered the same forces to launch a violent crackdown on all dissident forces, specifically all racial minorities. (It turned out that Lu was also a member of the Seven Pillars and his witch-hunt was aimed at getting the Earth and Sky organization operating in Heilongjiang).For the men and women on the other end of those phone conversations, there was no 'right' answer. Lest we forget, their organizations were already degraded by the Anthrax outbreak. Both men were powerful and represented China's future leadership, so if the person in charge at the ground level obeyed the wrong one, they could be assured of being roasted by the other.Some did try to do both, repress and disband at the same time. That meant that in the process of making mass arrests among an already war-fearful and plague-fearful populace, the law enforcement infrastructure began disintegrating.The problem with Lu's/7P's plan was that there was no 'revolutionary' organization to round up. That wasn't how the Earth and Sky operated in North-East China. They remained in tiny sabotage and reconnaissance cells. While they were scurrying for cover from the police crackdown, an opportunity presented itself.The afflicted minorities were getting furious with their treatment. These minorities saw themselves as loyal Chinese, yet they were being dragged out into the streets, put in detentions centers and (in a few cases) summarily executed. Being less than 10% of the overall population, resistance had never crossed their minds. It seemed all that those defenseless people could do was pray for Russian intervention forces to arrive.Within that mix of fear, betrayal and rage, the E and S discovered a way to start the dominos falling. The small, well-armed and well-trained E and S cells began ambushing police detachments. Weapons from those dead men and women were turned over to the pissed off locals before the cell went off to stalk the next police unit.Wash, rinse and repeat. It became a perverse and bloody case of wish fulfillment. Lu and the 7P's had been looking for an insurrection and they started one. Even though a miniscule portion of the population was involved, from the outside looking in, it reinforced the Putin Public Affairs initiative that portrayed Putin (and his army) as coming in to restore order to a collapsing civil system, which he was helping disrupt.From Moscow, the PRC's indecisiveness looked like Manna from Heaven. For the massive numbers of Russian soldiers riding through the Manchurian countryside, it felt like they were rolling into Arkham Asylum. Unlike the NATO countries' professional armies, Russia remained a largely conscript force whose normal term of service was only one year. These unseasoned troops could never tell if the local military, military police and police would attack until they rolled up on the Chinese units.At the start of that Day One of Operation: Funhouse, the Russian ROE (Rules of Engagement) was 'Ask and Verify'. It was tactically advantageous for the belligerent Chinese forces to lie about their intentions, then begin shooting at the Russians when they got close enough to hurt them. By Day Two, the standard front-line Russian soldier had adjusted that ROE to 'if they look at us wrong, light their asses up'. By Day Three, the officers had stopped trying to enforce Moscow's ROE orders.That was fine for the combat and rear echelon support troops because both the Chinese and Russian governments had another series of problems and they all centered around Pyongyang and Kim Jong-un's declaration that North Korea would intervene as well, without letting anyone know who he was 'intervening' against. To keep everyone guessing, the North Korean' People's Army was massing on all three borders, facing off with the PRC, Russia and South Korea. To prove his diplomatic intentions, Kim pledged to only mobilize half of his reserves, merely 4,250,000 extra men and women to go with his 950,000 strong standing army.It didn't take a military, or economic genius to realize the North Korean's chronically 'near death' economy was stampeding off a cliff. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was in the middle of an oil crisis and Kim was increasing their fuel consumption by 400% while decreasing his workforce by 10%. To put it in perspective, the US unemployment was around 6%. Now imagine that in one week's time it would become 26%. One week, no severance packages. Would the population become unsettled?But wait, it gets better. The Secret War was colliding with the Real World in more places than Manchuria. Setting aside the assassination attempt (Grrr) of Hana Sulkanen, my fiancée, six Nipponese elders (two women and four men) appeared in the personal quarters of the Japanese Prime Minister on the first full night of 'Funhouse' and relayed their urgent requests.Those six were the Head of the Six (formerly Seven) Ninja Families and they were there at, my urging. Cause I'm an idiot and requiring the deaths of Romanians in my personal crusade obviously wasn't enough. Now I was asking the Japanese Defense Forces (JDF) to pony up as well. So take a deep breath and put on the hip-waders.You might be wondering why I would want the JDF, see, there was part of Operation: Funhouse that was hitting a predictable snag, namely the Korea People's Navy Force (KPNF) and the uncertain determination of the PLAN:The KPNF's vessels were rather old, small and crappy. They also had a love affair with anything that could launch a torpedo and they listed over 700 of these floating deathtraps (only 13 of which could be classified as surface warships) and the fanatical crews to take them into battle.The PLAN's numbers were far more realistic and the fleet generally more modern. Only their North (18 surface warships) and East Fleets (22 plus 5 'elsewhere') could play any role in an upcoming FUBAR, and both fleets were heading out to sea, mainly to avoid the sporadic, but increasingly effective Khanate air strikes.The FU to be BAR'ed was the Russian Far East Fleet (RFEF) (6 warships strong, ) that had seized on this crazy idea (per my suggestion) to sail south, around the Korean peninsula so they could land elements of the 55th Guards Red Banner Marine Brigade (the 165th Marine Regiment and the 180th Marine Tank Battalion).Theoretically they were going to be the 'Southern Shielding Force' that would interpose itself between the Khanate and Beijing. It should surprise no one that the RFEF's flotilla was unequal to the task of taking their destination, the port of Qinhuangdao, by amphibious assault. Fortunately for the Gods of War (which did not include me), there were five other navies involved.Meanwhile, South Korea was having kittens because their always crazy northern kin were slathering on the insanity. (In how many Buddhist countries do people flock to the temples and pray that their neighbor attacks someone, anyone else, but them? That wasn't a religious conundrum I wanted to deal with.) N.Korea mobilizing meant S.Korea had to mobilize, which sucked down on their GNP as well.Besides, N.Korean dams and coal-powered plants kept the lights on in Seoul. Erring on the side of caution, the S. Korea (aka Republic of Korea, ROK) Army suggested calling up only one million of their three million person reserve force in order to assure Cousin Kim that this was a purely defensive gesture. It didn't work. Kim Jong-un castigated the ROK for antagonizing him, despite his declaration that he 'might' feel like invading the South in the immediate future.Into the emerging crisis, the ROK Navy could sortie nineteen small surface ships. Japan's Navy wasn't up to its old imperial standards, but could still deploy 45 surface warships. The 800 lb. gorilla in the room was the core of the 7th Fleet stationed at Yokosuka, Japan, the USS carrier George Washington and her 14 escort vessels.If the George Washington was the gorilla, RIMPAC 2014 was King Kong. 22 nations, 50 ships, including the USS carrier Ronald Reagan were engaged in war games in the Central Pacific. With them were 5 vessels of the PLAN, had Kim Jong-un just kept his mouth shut, this wouldn't have been an issue. Hell, if the Khanate had not come into existence and launched its Unification War, but he had and they did,To show the US was taking this escalation seriously (without tipping their hand that they knew about Funhouse, Carrier Strike Group One (CSG 1) (the Carl Vinson +10) was rushing across the Pacific from San Diego. CSG 3 (the John C. Stennis +2) was being assembled hastily so that they could rendezvous with CSG 1 ASAP. So many brave souls running toward the danger, sometimes I hate myself.So now does it make sense that I found myself in a room with a US Senator tasked with riding herd on me?Anyway, there were the other three navies still unaccounted for, Taiwan / the Republic of China (ROC) (22 surface ships), Vietnam (7) and the Philippines (3). Taiwanese involvement was easy to explain, the PRC refused to acknowledge them as an independent country and probably never would.The Vietnam People's Navy was tiny in both numbers and tonnage. Five of the vessels were 1960's Soviet frigates. What Vietnam did have was a huge grudge against the PRC. The PLA invaded Vietnam in 1979 and devastated the northernmost provinces, killing as many as 100,000 civilians.The PLAN had walloped the VPN in 1974 (technically South Vietnam) and again in 1988. Out in the South China Sea were two island archipelagos; the Paracel (occupied by a small PLA garrison and claimed by the PRC, Vietnam and the ROC) and Spratlys Islands (disputed by Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, the PRC, the ROC, and Vietnam).The Philippines had a grand total of three frigates (all between 50 and 70 years old). 99% of the time, they faced a hopeless struggle enforcing Philippines' South China Sea claims, except they were now experiencing that 1% where the PRC found itself in a life and death struggle. Even then, the PLAN's South Sea Fleet was hands-down the biggest player with 26 surface warships centered on the Carrier Liaoning.Except (and there always seems to be an 'except') virtually all the PLAN's naval aviation had gone off to fight the Khanate and it wasn't coming back, ever. In the air, the Philippines was next to useless. What did they have of offer in the struggle for the South China Sea? Bases. The ROC and Vietnam had much more to bring to the table.The Vietnamese People's Liberation Air Force (VPLAR) had about 50 front-line aircraft and 175 nearly obsolete models ~ the same models the PLAAF was now piloting. The ROC Air Force could put up 325 almost-new fighters that were now superior to their opponents on the mainland. Why would I give a shit?Things cascade. The Khanate Air Force took a two-day long deep breath as Putin's 'Policeman that only looks like an invading army' started their intervention. Forty-eight hours later, the Khanate started the fourth stage (the first lunge, defeat the PLA's counter-attack then the second lunge) of the campaign.Their initial air power was still skating on thin ice where maintenance was concerned. They need more time to thoroughly rest their pilots and bring all their top-flight equipment to 100% working condition. Against them, in two days the PLAAF's assets increased by over 250 fighters.In turn, the Khanate had added their constituent state air forces plus nearly 80 new cutting edge air planes and 25 drones. Phase Four saw rolling airstrikes all along the forces massing in front of the northern and central Tumens. For a few hours, the PLA thought they knew what was going on.They were wrong and this was where my meeting with OT came in. Jab with the right, cut them down with the left. The left in my case was Tibet. Yeah, Tibet. Economic value = not nearly enough. From the very start of the war, a small number of seemingly inconsequential air strikes had seriously eroded the PLA and PLAAFs combat power in the Tibetan Plateau while leaving the roads, bridges and towns intact.Common military logic dictated that the Khanate had to punch their way further east into Qinghai (to the south) and Gansu (to the north) provinces. That was where the population and industry where. Farther east were even greater numbers of people and factories and the Khanate forces in the North hadn't been strong enough to threaten to cut off the Qinghai-Gansu front. Then the Russians showed up and the Khanate forces threatening that flank doubled overnight.The PLA hastily reinforced their northern flank, using troops from their strategic reserves. The move resulted in incredible attrition by airpower to the freshly equipped formations. The PLA was about to get flanked, but not from the north. Southwest of Qinghai was Tibet. A third of the Khanate's mobile forces now swept around in a huge left haymaker to the south.My job? I needed the 'Free Tibet' forces in the US and UK to provide public and moral support to the Khanate move. As Khanate Special Forces seized crucial bottlenecks in Tibet, they needed the locals to keep their 'liberators' informed of PLA presences and undermine any attempt to create a guerilla movement.The five Tumens dedicated to being the Schwerpunkt (point of maximum effort) of this flanking maneuver were going to be on a tight timetable if they were going to surround the PLA forces in Central China.My plan was to convince the Tibetans that the PRC's 55 years of occupation was coming to an end and the Great Khan wanted to sign a 'Treaty of Mutual Respect' (my invention). This would require both the Khanate and Tibet to recognize each other's right to exist the moment a cease-fire was reached. That was it. No 'armed presence', or 'mutual defense' agreements.The treaty would be formally signed in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, when the city was safe ~ as determined by the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile, CTA). Riki came up with an additional sweetener and proved she was quickly adjusting to our group's extra-governmental capabilities.

Hear about travel to Central China as the Amateur Traveler talks to Larry Fan, who was born in the city of Zhengzhou and recently returned to explore his birth country. Why should you go to Central China? Larry says, ” “I think it's particularly special because it's considered the cradle of Chinese civilization. Xi'an was the first imperial capital of China. Zhengzhou also happened to be one of the first capitals of the Shang dynasty. Kaifeng and Luoyang, which are two other cities I'll talk about, had also served as capitals of China during various times. It's a very influential area for Chinese civilization and often not as much talked about versus places like Beijing, Shanghai. Etc. ” Larry recommends a 7-10 day itinerary for visiting central China, covering historical and cultural highlights in Henan Province and Xi'an. Here's the detailed breakdown of his suggested itinerary: Days 1-2: Zhengzhou (Capital of Henan Province) Day 1: Zhengzhou City Tour Henan Museum Spend 2-3 hours learning about the region's history from the Shang to Tang dynasties. Guancheng Muslim District Visit the Beidajie Mosque (North Big Mosque), a Yuan dynasty mosque with Chinese architectural influences. Try local food like Xi'an torn bread with lamb soup (羊肉泡饃). Shang Dynasty Relic Park Explore ruins of the Shang Dynasty's capital, including city walls over 3,000 years old. People's Park Relax in the park and experience local activities like dancing and exercise. Erqi Memorial Tower (Feb 7th Square) Learn about the area's historical ties to railroad workers and admire the twin tower.  Zhengdong New Area (CBD) Visit the modern Central Business District featuring the iconic Corncob Building. ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-central-china/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Xi Jinping has highlighted the pivotal role of Central China's Hubei province in the nation's modernization drive, calling for greater strides in sci-tech and industrial innovation, ecological conservation and deepening comprehensive reform and opening-up.Speaking during a fact-finding trip to the province from Monday to Wednesday, Xi stressed the need for the region to forge ahead in the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and to build itself into a strategic fulcrum for the rise of the central region at an early date.The trip took Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, to the cities of Xiaogan, Xianning and Wuhan, the provincial capital.Hubei, with a GDP of 5.58 trillion yuan ($777.46 billion) and a population of 58.38 million in 2023, is not just an economic powerhouse but also a region deeply integrated into China's broader economic architecture. It was Xi's second trip to the province in three years.During the trip, the president toured a museum that exhibits ancient bamboo and wooden slips dating back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and he called for unrelenting efforts in archaeological research and the protection of cultural relics.In Jiayu county, he set foot in a field, surveying the growth of vegetables before shaking hands with a farmer. The development of modern agriculture and building a strong agricultural sector must be underpinned by sci-tech progress, Xi stressed.The president also visited a village to learn about efforts to ensure that grassroots officials can better perform their duties in serving the people, before sitting down with a family to learn about their jobs, family income, healthcare and pensions.In Wuhan, Xi toured the Wuhan Institute of Industrial Innovation and Development, where he reiterated the need for greater self-reliance in science and technology and the development of new quality productive forces.On Wednesday morning, he listened to work reports from provincial authorities and set out clear requirements for their future tasks.Noting the province's sharp edge in talent and strong capacity in sci-tech innovation, Xi called for stronger steps in sci-tech and industrial innovation. The province must proactively integrate itself into national innovation chains, striving to build a nationally influential hub for tech innovation, and better harness its role as a source of sci-tech breakthroughs, he said.He called for enhanced steps in pushing for breakthroughs in the research and development of key technologies, saying that a coordinated innovation mechanism among large, medium-sized and small enterprises must be established.Hubei, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, must give top priority to the restoration of the ecology and environment of China's longest river, Xi said, and must also stress the development of a secure and resilient modern water network and the unwavering enforcement of the river's 10-year fishing ban, enacted in 2021.Xi said it is necessary for the province to forge ahead in deepening reform and expanding high-level opening-up, and he called for reforms in key sectors and critical areas, better integration into the unified national market, and the building of a more equitable and dynamic market environment.It is important to give equal emphasis to domestic and global opening-up, make the province an inland engine for opening-up and advance regional cooperation, he added.The president encouraged Hubei to play an active part in the high-quality building of the Belt and Road and make systematic efforts to bolster its role as a hub for opening-up.Xi also stressed the significance of ratcheting up efforts in rural-urban integration and rural vitalization in the province, which boasts a rural population of 20.16 million and which had an urbanization rate of 65.47 percent last year.It is imperative that the province advance the protection, preservation and development of its rich historical and cultural heritage, while strengthening research and promotion of the origins of the Yangtze River civilization, he added.The president also extended a message calling for heightened and more concrete efforts in work on all fronts, especially the economy, with greater urgency to meet the nation's socioeconomic development goals this year.

Today on Sense of Soul we have Richard Perkins Hsung, he was born in China in 1966 and was one of the first teens to leave China legally after Mao's Cultural Revolution. He earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Chicago and became a professor at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, retiring in 2022. Richard spent ten years editing and completing Spring Flower (Earnshaw Books) by his mother, Jean Tren-Hwa Perkins, MD. The three-volume memoir chronicles her life as an adopted child of American medical missionaries, survivor of China's brutal communist regime, ophthalmologist, immigrant, and mother. The series hold the memories and story of one woman's journey from poverty to privilege to persecution, and her determination to survive as history and circumstance evolved around her. She was born in a dirt-floored hut along the Yangtze River in Central China during the catastrophic floods of 1931. Her father was so upset she was a girl, he stormed out of the hut, and she was given up for adoption to a missionary couple. Spring Flower is both eyewitness history and the eloquent memoir of a young girl growing up during the brutal Japanese occupation and the communist takeover of China.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-perkins-hsung-2378752ab?original_referer= Order on Amazon https://a.co/d/a0hciSx 

Search and rescue efforts are underway after typhoon-induced rains lashed Zixing in Hunan Province in central China. Authorities say they have restored roads, electricity and communications in the city.

Authorities say they have evacuated over 3,800 people due to a dike breach in central China. The breach occurred in the Juanshui River in Hunan Province on Sunday evening.

China has expanded the implementation of its 144-hour visa-free transit policy to three more entry ports, bringing the total number of such ports to 37, the National Immigration Administration announced on Monday.7月15日，国家移民管理局宣布，新增3个入境口岸实施144小时免签证过境政，目前我国已有37个口岸实施该政策。The entry process for foreign nationals has also been streamlined to facilitate their short-term activities related to tourism, business and family reunions within the country.外国公民的过境进程也得到了简化，以便利他们在国内从事旅游、商务、探亲等短期活动。The three new ports are Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Central China's Henan province, and the Lijiang Sanyi International Airport and Mohan railway port in Southwest China's Yunnan province, the administration said in a statement.新增的三个口岸为郑州新郑国际机场、丽江三义国际机场和磨憨铁路口岸。Starting on Monday, eligible foreign nationals can enter China visa-free through the Zhengzhou airport, with their visit and stay limited to Henan.自2024年7月15日起，在河南郑州航空口岸实施144小时过境免签政策，停留范围为河南省行政区域。Those entering China visa-free through Yunnan are allowed to visit nine cities or prefecture-level areas in the province including Kunming, Lijiang, Dali, Yuxi, Pu'er and Xishuangbanna, according to the administration. Previously, foreign nationals could only stay in Kunming.将云南省144小时过境免签政策停留范围由昆明市扩大至昆明、丽江、玉溪、普洱、楚雄、大理、西双版纳、红河、文山等9个市（州）行政区域。而过去，外国公民仅能停留昆明。Foreign nationals from 54 countries, including Austria, Belgium and the Czech Republic, who hold valid international travel documents and onward tickets with confirmed dates and seats are eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit.来自奥地利、比利时和捷克共和国等54 个国家的外国公民，持有有效的证件和机票，有资格享受 144 小时免签证过境政策。Since its implementation in January 2013, the policy, which was first valid for 72-hour transit and then extended to 144 hours, has played an important role in strengthening China's high-level opening-up efforts, facilitating people-to-people exchanges and promoting international cooperation, the administration said.自2013年1月实施以来，该政策最初有效期为72小时，现已延长至144小时。144小时免签过境政策在加强中国对外开放，促进人文交流和国际合作方面发挥了重要作用。Adding more entry ports to the visa-free transit list will offer foreigners alternative travel options in China, the administration said, adding that it will continue to improve and optimize the policy to welcome foreigners with a more open attitude.移民管理局表示，将增加更多入境口岸以便外国公民在中国旅行，继续改进和优化政策，以更开放的态度欢迎外国公民。China's visa-free transit policy has been hailed across social media platforms, acknowledging its key role in facilitating international travel, dispelling misconceptions and promoting global connectivity.中国的免签证过境政策在不少社交媒体上好评连连，在促进国际旅行、消除对中国的误解和促进全球互联互通方面发挥的关键作用。Robert Willis, from the United Kingdom, said the policy will be very useful to him because he runs a business in China. Previously, Willis had to apply for a two-year multiple-entry visa to visit China. He said the new policy will make his future trips more convenient.来自英国的罗伯特·威利斯（Robert Willis，音译）表示，这项政策对他很有利。由于在中国开了一家公司，最新政策实施前他需要申请为期两年内多次入境签证才能访问中国，免签过境政策将使未来访问中国更加方便。Elena, from Russia, who has visited China twice, said she learned about the policy from her boyfriend, who works in Tianjin.来自俄罗斯的埃琳娜（Elena，音译）曾两次访问中国，她是从在天津工作的男朋友那里了解到这项政策的。The policy will have a positive impact on travelers from 54 countries, enabling them to visit China more often and more easily and to explore new cities and cultures, Elena said, adding that she hopes the duration of visa-free transit would be extended in the future.埃琳娜说，这项政策将使来自54个国家的外国游客更频繁、更轻松地访问中国，探索新的城市和文化，希望未来可以延长免签证过境的时间。In the first half of the year, immigration authorities nationwide recorded around 14.64 million foreign nationals entering China, up 152.7 percent year-on-year. Among these visitors, 8.54 million utilized the visa-free policy, marking a 190.1 percent year-on-year surge.2024年上半年，据出入境管理局记录的外国公民入境中国人数约1464万，同比增长152.7%。其中854万人次使用免签政策，同比增长190.1%。The National Immigration Administration said a surge in foreign visitors is expected in the second half of the year, given the growing enthusiasm for the visa-free transit policy and the swift implementation of various other initiatives.国家移民管理局表示，鉴于对免签证过境政策的热情日益高涨以及其他各种举措的迅速实施，预计今年下半年外国游客将大幅增长。Xu Xiaolei, chief brand officer of Beijing-based CYTS Tours Holding Co, praised the significant impact of the policy in driving inbound tourism, which he said has been particularly evident in recent months.中青旅的首席品牌官徐晓磊称赞该政策在推动入境旅游方面的积极影响，最近几个月尤为明显。The policy has streamlined the entry process, reduced visa costs, and provided greater certainty for foreign travelers wanting to explore China, he said.这项政策简化了入境流程，降低了签证成本，为想要探索中国的外国游客提供了稳定保障。Furthermore, the policy has catalyzed the growth of associated domestic industries, particularly the inbound tourism sector, which has faced tough challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. To expedite the recovery of the sector, government bodies and tourism enterprises have collaborated on innovative solutions, he added.该政策还促进了相关国内产业的发展，特别是入境旅游业，此前该行业面临着严峻的挑战，尤其是在疫情期间。为了加快入境旅游业的复苏，政府机构和旅游企业正合作开发新的解决方案。Xu also emphasized the role of the policy in dispelling misconceptions about China, saying that many visitors who experienced the country firsthand realized how different such experiences are from preconceived notions propagated by the Western media. He underlined the potential of travelers sharing their experiences on social media to counter misinformation more effectively.徐晓磊还强调该政策在消除（外国）对中国的误解方面的作用。许多亲临中国的游客都意识到中国与西方媒体传播的先入为主的观念截然不同。许多外国游客在社交媒体上分享中国旅游的相关经历也帮助更多游客了解真实的中国。"The policy is expanding gradually. ... Yunnan and Henan have their distinct attractions, with Yunnan renowned for its natural beauty and Henan celebrated as a cradle of Chinese culture, blending tradition with modernity. This is enhancing the impact of the policy," he said.徐晓磊称：“免签过境政策持续扩大。云南和河南各有特色，云南以其自然美景而闻名，而河南则被誉为中国文化的摇篮，将传统与现代融为一体。”。Xu stressed the importance of developing tailored inbound tourism products that resonate with foreign visitors, while showcasing Chinese culture and progress. Tailored marketing strategies are deemed essential to bolster China's international tourism standing, he said.开发量身定制的入境旅游套餐既要引起外国游客的共鸣，又要展示中国文化，这点至关重要。针对外国游客量身定制的旅游攻略也能提升中国的国际地位。visa-free transit policyn.免签过境政策

Over seven thousand people have been evacuated to safe locations after a dike breach in Hunan Province. Officials say they will complete closing the dike breach in Dongting Lake on July 9.

In episode 22 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast, join Tracy as she chats with Kerry Heaney, a travel writer from Brisbane, Australia.Discover Kerry's exciting experiences from her recent trip to Central China with Wendy Wu Tours. Learn about her adventures, including tasting raw giant salamander, exploring a 72-story building complex, and witnessing spectacular shows.Kerry also dives into the wonders of the Avatar Mountains, river cruises, and the world's longest cable car ride. Gain practical tips for travelling in Central China, insights into top attractions, and advice on navigating unique culinary and cultural experiences.⭐️ Guest - Kerry Heaney from  eatdrinkandbekerry.com.au

COVID-19 impacted the world. In December of 2019 news reports out of Wuhan, the capital of Central China's Hubei province, detailed the emergence of an atypical pneumonia-like illness that did not respond well to standard treatments. By January 2020 world health officials had identified the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. By February 2020 the World Health Organization had declared the 2019 Novel Coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and by March 2020 the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. By April 2020, more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed worldwide. Fast forward to 2023, as of late October there have been over 770 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 - almost 10% of the global population.   But it could have been much, much worse.      During the earliest days of the pandemic, hospital systems were flooded with patients and they simply didn't have the capacity to handle the burden of a global population fighting a mysterious new respiratory illness. Supplies were dwindling and they simply could not get enough of the critical devices they needed to treat their patients. While the world was on lockdown scooping up all the webcams and laptop computers it could find, medical device manufacturers were scrambling to keep people alive.    How did Microchip Technology help hospitals fight the COVID-19 pandemic?   Links from the episode: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-use-authorizations-medical-devices/covid-19-emergency-use-authorizations-medical-devices   Guests: Justin Wilson 

A popular children's game involving cigarette packets attracts controversy, but a principal in Central China masterfully handled the potentially lose-lose situation, by letting the students have a say. / Motivational Monday (17:40)! On the show: Laiming, Niu Honglin & Brandon Yates

The Mighty Wu-Tang ClanThe Wu-tang Clan formed in late 1992 and has proven to be the most revolutionary Hip-Hop group through their music produced in the mid-90s, which wasn't their most valuable aspect. The clan consisted of nine emcees, “The RZA,” “GZA,” “Ol' Dirty Bastard,” “Method Man,” “Raekwon,” “Ghostface Killa,” “Inspectah Deck,” “U-God,” and “Masta Killa.” Their obligation was furtherance to engulf the record industry in a profitable manner for their winning. So their plan was to release a strong group debut album, then collaborate with one another to release invaluable solo albums.The Wu-tang Clan received their title through the martial arts film, "Shaolin and Wu Tang," which portrayed multiple disciples of the temple to be disciplined in the Wu-tang form. The origin of the word "Wu-tang" derives from Wu Dang, the Taoist holy mountain located in the Central China in the Hubei Province. The word also is the name of the Emperor Yong Le's Ming Purple Imperial City, which was constructed during the time period of 1404-1420. Their debut album, "Enter the Wu-tang (36 Chambers)," was designed to contain a Shaolin vs. Wu-tang theme, and dialogue from the Wu-Tang films were used as skits. An emcee of the Wu-Tang Clan, Method Man, also notes that a sword cutting through air molecules results in a "Wu" sound effect and the "Tang" sound effect is the result of contact made with a shield.The Mighty Wu-Tang Clan MixPresented by: DJ Mike Nick's ... Your Forever DJ

Who's to blame for the 1931 Central China Floods?This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes friend and Amaro maker David Bly to discuss the devastating 1931 floods along the Yangtze River in China and the catastrophic loss of life that followed. There's only so much we can do when Mother Nature slaps us with a deluge of unprecedented weather events, but could better flood control measures have saved more lives? Perhaps the political turmoil at the time contributed to the poor relief efforts. Or was a lack of maintenance to blame? Fact Checker Chris Smith and Producer Clayton Early join the conversation. Join our Patreon!We have merch!Join our Discord!Tell us who you think is to blame at http://thealarmistpodcast.comEmail us at thealarmistpodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram @thealarmistpodcastFollow us on Twitter @alarmistThe Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/alarmist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News

In June, AmCham's China Business Committee Co-Chair, Matthew Hosford, joined a high-level delegation to Henan and Shaanxi organized by The Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in HKSAR. We sat down with him to hear his key takeaways and the business opportunities on the ground.  Background music by fiftysounds

In this very special episode of Tea Soup, we do something we've never done before, a two-person conversation between One River Tea Worker-Owners Derek Poskin and Alex Witherspoon. Alex is calling in from a mountain top in Hubei province (the Mayintai in Hefeng County to be precise), while Derek is sitting comfortably at home in Jiangsu, Yangzhou. In this episode, we talk about the origin of the One River Tea Cooperative, what brought both the American co-founders to China so many years ago, and the failures and successes along the way. Alex, who has been getting his Masters in Economics in Hubei for the past few years digs deep into the economic history of the rural agricultural lands out there. We cover the collectivization of the 1960s, the Land Redistribution Act of the 1980s, and the eventual dissolution of all things collectivized. We talk about the modern reintroduction of the steamed tea processing famous in the Hubei region and bring into question the validity of its historical lineage while ending on a positive note about new government incentives for cooperatives in the region. Next episode we will talk more closely about our actual time in Hefeng, our projects, and the people we work with on the mountain! As always, if you want to support us and our projects in anyway, check out the onerivertea.com website and consider buying some tea or signing up for some WWOOFing volunteer projects!

Heavy floods triggered by torrential rains have displaced thousands of people across the country as Beijing and areas nearby experienced a brief respite from recent scorching temperatures.由于暴雨引发的严重洪灾，致使全国各地数以千计的人口流离失所，而北京及其周边地区最近的炎热天气得到了暂时的缓解。The country may continue to simultaneously suffer floods and sweltering heat waves this month, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.根据中国应急管理部的数据，本月内，中国可能继续同时遭受洪涝灾害和酷热天气。Downpours have battered parts of Hunan province since Thursday, with the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture one of the worst-hit areas, according to the province's flood and drought control headquarters.湖南省防汛抗旱指挥部称，从6月29日开始，暴雨袭击了湖南省的部分地区，其中湘西土家族苗族自治州是受灾最严重的地区之一。Over 95,000 people in the prefecture have been affected, and more than 14,000 of them were relocated or evacuated, local authorities said on Sunday. Direct economic losses are estimated to be around 575 million yuan ($79.5 million).7月2日，当地政府表示，该自治州已有超过9.5万人受灾，其中超过1.4万人被重新安置或疏散。直接经济损失估计约为5.75亿元人民币（约合7950万美元）。"The rain was so heavy that the water level rose by over 1 meter within about 10 minutes," Luo Jiashun, a resident of Mengke village in the prefecture's Baojing county, recalled about the time when the rain started to pour down on Friday, triggering floods that left the lowlying village isolated.“好大的雨，眼看着水位十分钟猛涨出一米多高。”村民罗家顺回忆起6月30日雨势倾盆时的情景，湖南省湘西土家族苗族自治州保靖县阳朝乡猛科村被洪水包围沦为“孤岛”。Forty-four houses in the village were swamped, over 50 hectares of farmland were inundated and 163 residents were evacuated. Local authorities are still trying to restore water and power supplies to help get village life back to normal.猛科村里有44间房屋被淹，50多公顷的农田被淹，163名村民被紧急转移。当地政府仍在全力抢修，恢复水电供应，以加快恢复生产生活秩序。Shortly before 1 pm on Tuesday, the Xiangxi meteorological station issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall, warning of maximum hourly precipitation of 24 millimeters from noon to 6 pm in Fenghuang county. The alert was soon upgraded to orange, as the latest forecast showed that the largest hourly precipitation from 1 pm to 4 pm may reach 36 mm.7月4日下午1点前不久，湘西州气象台发布暴雨黄色预警信号，预计预计凤凰县12时至18时最大小时雨强24毫米。随后，最新预警显示，预计凤凰县13时至16时最大小时雨强36毫米，预警很快由黄色升级为橙色。China has a four-tier, color-coded weather alert system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.中国有一个四级色彩编码的天气预警系统，其中红色代表最严重的预警，其次是橙色、黄色和蓝色。Local observatories in at least four counties in the prefecture also issued yellow or orange alerts for downpours on Tuesday afternoon.该自治州至少四个县的地方气象台也在7月4日下午发布了暴雨黄色或橙色预警。In Zhenba county, Shaanxi province, downpours from 6 pm Sunday to 6 pm Monday forced the evacuation of more than 7,800 people, according to the emergency services bureau of Hanzhong city, where the county is located.陕西省汉中市镇巴县的应急管理局称，7月2日18时至7月3日18时，暴雨迫使全县撤离群众7800多人。The bureau said workers are still laboring round the clock to clear 80 roads cut by floods and restore power supply to affected areas. Luckily, the rain subsided in the county on Tuesday.镇巴县应急管理局表示，正在全力除险保畅受损中断的80条道路，并恢复受灾地区的供电。幸运的是，该县在7月4日雨势减弱。In Sichuan province, local authorities have evacuated more than 85,300 people as of 7 am on Tuesday to avoid potential dangers from a downpour forecast to strike vast stretches from Monday to Tuesday.在四川省，截至7月4日7时，当地政府已经疏散了85300多人，以避免7月3日到4日大范围暴雨带来的潜在危险。The rain was expected to affect five prefecture-level cities, including Guang'an, Luzhou and Panzhihua, and parts of Yibin city and Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, bringing a maximum precipitation of 100 to 120 mm, Sichuan meteorological station said.四川省气象台表示，预计降雨将影响广安、泸州和攀枝花等五个地级市，以及宜宾市和甘孜藏族自治州的部分地区，最大降水量将达到100至120毫米。In Henan province, 66 of its 157 county-level areas were pummeled by heavy rainfall from 8 am Sunday to 7 am Monday, and 26 of them received more than 100 mm of precipitation. Downpours continued in many of the counties till Tuesday morning, local authorities said.从7月2日8时到7月3日7时，河南省157个县级行政单位中有66个受到强降雨的袭击，其中26个县级行政单位的降水量超过100毫米。当地政府表示，许多县区的暴雨一直持续到7月4日上午。In Queshan county in the province, a car with five passengers was washed away by floods when it was passing a bridge on Monday evening. One of the passengers was saved, but the other four remain missing, according to media reports.7月3日晚，河南驻马店确山县发生事故，一辆载有五名乘客的汽车在经过一座桥时被洪水冲走。据媒体报道，其中一名落水人员获救，但其他四人仍处于失联状态。Many other regions were expected to experience torrential rains from Tuesday to Wednesday, according to the National Meteorological Center.根据国家气象中心的预报，预计从7月4日到5日，国内许多地区将迎来暴雨天气。On Tuesday, the center renewed a blue alert for downpours, warning of maximum hourly precipitation of 20 to 50 mm in parts of the Inner Mongolia and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous regions, and Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in the 24 hours starting 2 pm on Tuesday.7月4日，国家气象中心再次发布降雨蓝色预警，预计当天14时开始，未来24小时内，内蒙古和广西壮族自治区部分地区以及黑龙江、吉林、辽宁、云南和贵州等省的最大小时雨强将达到20至50毫米。Precipitation in northern Liaoning may even reach 100 to 120 mm, the center said, adding that some areas in these regions may be hit by severe convective weather — a sudden and destructive weather phenomenon that often includes thunderstorms, hail, gales and heavy rain.该中心表示，辽宁北部的降水甚至可能达到100至120毫米，并补充说，这些地区的部分地方可能会受到剧烈的对流天气影响，这是一种通常包括雷暴、冰雹、大风和大雨的突发和破坏性天气现象。Sometimes spanning only 10 kilometers, such events can produce intense precipitation.这种天气现象有时在只有10公里的范围内发生，可以产生密集的降雨。In contrast, a light rain that lasted from Monday night to Tuesday morning allowed Beijing to have some respite from heat waves with temperatures above 35 C. The capital, however, is forecast to be enveloped by sweltering heat with temperatures up to 38 C once again from Wednesday to Thursday.相比之下，从7月3日晚到7月4日早的一场小雨让北京从超过35摄氏度的热浪中得到了短暂的缓解。According to the National Climate Center, the number of days with temperatures above 35 C in June in Beijing outpaced the same month in all other years since 1961. A tour guide was reported to have died of heatstroke in the capital on Sunday at the Summer Palace, as the scorching heat wave lingered in the city.根据国家气候中心的数据，今年6月以来，北京35摄氏度以上的平均高温日数是自1961年以来同期最多的。据报道，7月2日，在北京市颐和园，一名导游因中暑而不幸身亡，而炎热的天气仍在城市中持续蔓延。The Ministry of Emergency Management has warned of a grim situation for flood control and drought relief this month.中国应急管理部警告称，本月的防汛抗旱形势严峻。The precipitation in central and eastern parts of Northeast China, the northern part of Central China, and western part of Southwest China will receive more precipitation than the yearly average in July, it said.该部门称，中国东北地区中部和东部、华中地区北部以及西南地区西部7月份的降水量将超过全年平均水平。It forecast floods in parts of the country's two longest watercourses — the Yangtze and the Yellow — and in some sections of Qiantang and Songhua rivers. Torrential rains may raise water levels in these rivers above their warning marks, it said.据预测，全国两大最长水系，即长江和黄河的部分地区，以及钱塘江和松花江的一些河段可能会发生洪水。暴雨可能导致这些河流的水位上涨超过警戒线。It said higher temperatures and less precipitation are expected in many other areas, including the northern part of North China and some areas in Inner Mongolia.据称，预计包括华北北部和内蒙古部分地区在内的许多其他地区将出现较高的气温和较少的降水量。"The supply of water and power will be relatively tight in these regions," it noted.并指出，“这些地区可能出现水电供应偏紧的情况。”Torrential英/təˈrenʃ(ə)l/ 美/təˈrenʃ(ə)l/adj.（水）奔流的；（雨）倾泻的Flood英/flʌd/美/flʌd/n.洪水，水灾

Zhengzhou, a major city in Central China, is planning to largely loosen its household registration for non-locals. What prompted the city to make this move (01:22)? / Why is it hard for some archaeology research institutes to recruit new talents (24:40)? / Heart to Heart - please send your audio questions to ezfmroundtable@foxmail.com (39:17)! On the show: Ningjing, Fei Fei & Josh Cotterill

Recalling Persecution of Falun Gong in China; Central China Sees Covid-19 Outbreak Amid Heatwave

Last time we spoke, Yang Sichang had enacted his “ten-sided net” plan and won a multitude of victories over rebels. However this plan proved to be a disaster overall and cost the Ming Dynasty more than it did any good. Now Li Zicheng had established himself as the de facto largest rebel leader amongst others who now held entire armies at their command. The Ming dynasty was rotting from within and its actions to prevent the rot simply delayed or sometimes even made it worse. With the allocation of so many resources to the northwest and center of China to deal with the rebels, the Ming northeastern frontier was weaker than ever. Seeing the absolute turmoil from within, the Qing soon realized they could allow the rebels to do much of the heavy lifting for them for now it was time for the Qing to overthrow one of the greatest dynasties in history.   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War.   This episode is the fall of the Ming Dynasty   As things only worsened within the Ming dynasty, soon the Qing would make their move in one of the most decisive engagements fought between the 2 empires. Given the Ming's recent ability to withstand the Qing raids over the past few years, the Ming Court remained a bit more optimistic that the northeast could hold out. Hong Chengchou continuously argued they should remain defensive despite many in the Ming court pushing for offensive operations. Despite this, the Qing were making massive efforts at digging trenches for some upcoming sieges. By some estimates some trenches were 8 feet deep and 6 feet wide, dug in several rows. The siege efforts represented an evolution in Qing warfare, many differing groups were being employed and specialization was being seen. For example Koreans were manning many of the firearms and Mongols were used more for mobile warfare. At Jinzhou some Ming relief forces began to advance and upon hearing the firing of their guns, the defenders burst out of the south gate. The Ming engaged the Qing who had sent 7000 cavalry to hit them. A fierce battle was fought, but the Qing were able to move their cannons and used them to devastate the Ming. The defenders were badly hurt, having 738 dead and 793 wounded, but the Qing eventually turned away by nightfall. Despite this being a slight victory for the Ming, they had only months worth of supplies and were advised by Zu Dashou not to enter any battles lightly. But the Ming Court kept demanding more offensive operations, pushing Hong Chengchou to go forth with a force of 60,000 in July of 1641 to hit the Qing. The Qing forces were around Mount Rufeng, due south of Jinzhou. When Dorgon heard the report of 60,000 Ming incoming he urgently sent a message to Hung for aid. Hung told Dorgon to stand firm and sent him 3000 cavalry immediately to help out. Estimates vary, but its possible the Qing had up to 100,000 men in many elevated positions amongst all the siege works. When Hung arrived to the scene he stated “They say Hong Chengchou knows how to use troops. I can see that those aren't empty claims. My generals should be concerned”. Some of Hong's commanders advised a retreat, stating their supply was short, but Hong stated “now today we have this opportunity and although our food supplies are growing short, you should listen to the order of your officers. If you defend, you may die, but if you don't fight, then you'll still die, but only in battle do you have any hope of a favorable outcome”. Thus Hong led the attack personally against Hung's forces. This is getting a big confusing eh with the Hung and Hong? Hong's left and right flanks advanced haphazardly and were quickly routed by the Qing. The next day the Ming left flank panicked and fled, trampling into another and abandoning many weapons and supplies while falling victim to more Qing ambushes along the way. Over 50,000 Ming troops were lost, literally being driven into the sea. Of the left flank it is said barely 200 men survived, being ambushed all the way to Ningyuan. The left flank commander, Wang Pu would be executed for this terrible conduct. Hong Chengchou and the right flank made a fighting retreat all the way to Songshan with only 10,000 troops. Hong vowed to hold Songshan to the death with these forces, but now Jinzhou was more isolated and thus in grave danger. As the Ming dug in further, Hung told his forces all they had to do was sever the Ming supply lines and defend the coast, because the Ming were short on food and soon would fall apart. Hung returned to Shenyang and left the siege in the hands of his commanders, Dodo, Jirgalang an Abatai. Upon hearing the news, Chongzhen ordered Hong to fight to the death if necessary to protect Songshan. As the siege continued the defenders pleaded with the court to send supplies while they had only a single bowl of rice per day to survive on. Things did not fare much better for the besiegers who were also low on food supplies. It would actually be Songshan that turned itself over to the Qing before Jinzhou, in march of 1642. At Jinzhou the defenders eventually resorted to cannibalism and this finally prompted Zu Dashou to surrender the city to the Qing. Next Tashan fell with 7000 of its defenders being massacred. Xingshan fell afterwards peacefully. Many of the Ming commanders were brought to Shenyang. Eventually Hong Chengchou after refusing to eat for several days agreed to defect to the Qing, becoming the newest most prominent Ming to do so. Hong Chengchou joined the Yellow banner, working under Dorgon.    These victories, now called the battle of Song-Jin allowed the Qing to acquire a ton of war equipment. They got their hands on 3683 cannons and 1515 various guns. Now it seemed the Qing had the necessary technological tools capable of toppling the Ming Dynasty. Hong Chongzhen just before the fall of Songshan and Jinzhou proposed opening up peace talks with the Qing. But knowing the emperor's temper, Hong had sent 2 envoys secretly and by the time they reached the Qing Songshan and Jinzhou had already fallen. Nonetheless the talks occurred and the Qing in a great position demanded territorial concessions, 1 million taels of silver per year in tribute and would pull their troops back away from Ningyuan as a gesture of good faith. The 2 states would be made equals and exchange ministers to conclude the agreements. All of this was relayed to Chongzhen who assembled his court who were deeply divided over the matter. On one hand agreeing to this would stabilize the frontier and allow the Ming to devote all their resources to deal with the rebels. But on the other hand, it was dangerous to publicly announce that the Ming dynasty was now treating with the Qing. The court decided not to go through with it and the envoys left Shenyang, thus from that point onwards no real peace talks would occur again between the 2 dynasties.    The Qing brushed this off, because now they understood how strong their position was. The conquest of the Ming dynasty was now a reality if they so desired it. Hung held a conference with his advisers who all came to the conclusion that peasant rebellion within the Ming Dynasty they had all had reports of could do much of the heavy lifting. Hung would continue his raids to plunder more supplies and booty, but he also ordered his men not to rape or plunder indiscriminately. In september of 1642, the Qing sent 50,000 troops hitting Ming defenses along the Great wall, winning a series of minor battles. Then they assaulted Dongchang but were repulsed by its defenders led by Liu Zeing. Despite the minor setback, they would eventually capture Dongchang 3 months later. It turned out the defenses of places in Shandong were oriented towards the sea and the defenders were equipped and trained to counter attacks from that direction, thus they were not as prepared for cavalry attacks. The Qing then attacked Jining, where Prince Lu courageously led the defense, but the city soon fell and Prince Lu commited suicide. Ming Grand secretary Zhou Yanru then told the emperor he would lead relief troops himself. He did, and they routed quickly and were defeated, though he would send reports back to Beijing stating he had won a great victory. Zhou also had not been in the actual battlefield, but rather dining at banquets with friends while simultaneously sending a stream of victory reports to the Ming court. He was not alone in this, many other Ming officials were lying or over exaggerating their war efforts, not wanting to face the wrath of the Emperor's temper.   During the raids into Nan Zhili, Shandong and Henan in 1642-1643 the Ming records estimated the Qing had attacked 3 superior prefectures, 18 regular prefectures, 67 counties and 88 towns. They had captured almost 400,000 people, 321,000 livestock, 12,000 taels of gold and 2.2 million taels of silver, a colossal sum. Alongside all of this they of course got their hands on more firearms. Matters were even worse than the plundering however, as the Qing raided more and more starving refugees fled into Shandong and Liaodong burdening local officials. Just about nothing the Ming did could hinder the Qing, until one thing put a dent in the Qing attacks, Hung Taiji died in August of 1643. Historians think it was a stroke that killed the great ruler.   On the rebel front, in October of 1642, the great city of Kaifeng in Henan, once a former capital of China was completely destroyed by a man-made flood. The flood submerged the city and its estimated 80% of its population died, over 370,000 people. This would be a setback not only for the Ming, but also for Li Zicheng who had hoped to use its capture as a springboard for his ultimate goal, a thrust at Beijing. After the capture of Luoyang, Li had grown more aware of the necessity for a strategic base of operations so he could hit the capital. Kaifeng was not just a strategic place it also was a symbolic one, as mentioned it was a previous capital.  Li Zichengs forces had actually assaulted Kaifeng a few times between 1641-1642, but each time they were repulsed and decided to attack other cities and return. By mid july of 1642, famine was spreading with Kaifeng and Li's forces had returned to try again. They expanded defensive moats around the city to siege and wait them out. Then they got the bright idea of utilizing the Yellow River to flood out the defenders. On july 29th, an impatient Li Zicheng killed a subordinate who proposed the idea of using the river, as his efforts to do so had not yet worked. The moats had only filled up with 5 inches of water. Then on August the 10th, the defenders of the city burst out to try and make a decisive victory against the rebels. The battle was ferocious and Li Zicheng fought in the very thick of it pushing the defenders back into the city. Kaifengs walls were beginning to crumble, food was scarce and no relief armies were able to come to its aid. The usual reports of people resorting to cannibalism began, thus things were quite dire. This got the defenders to think of anyway to escape this plight, one idea was to use the river. Water levels had risen to around 4 feet deep and heavy rains were adding to this. The defenders hoped that by diverting the river, it might provide them with fish and other food sources. The commander of kaifeng in desperation sent 3000 of his best troops out in the middle of the night to cut the dikes, but his men were caught and turned back. Then in the middle of the night on october 7th, the defenders were awakened by a great roar and the river suddenly came crashing right into the city. The rebels pulled back and watched the enormous power of the river doing all the work for them. Historians are not 100% sure if the rebels had ultimately cut down the dikes or perhaps heavy rains simply collapsed them. But in any case, the river smashed through the Cao gate in the north, sweeping everything before it and rushed out the south gate. People desperately climbed towers to avoid the raging waters or made rafts. The commander of the city built some 20 boats to evacuate, Prince Zhou and other high officials, as most commoners were forced to cling to tree branches and debris praying for rescue.By dawn of october 10th, the city was fully submerged. The rebels looted what was left of the city, but it was in such a sorry state there was no point trying to occupy it as a base of operations. Thus a disappointed Li Zicheng turned further south. It was a catastrophe for the Ming, Kaifeng was a base of operations used to coordinate defensive efforts for all of Henan and specifically to protect the southern approach to Beijing. Now as Li Zichengs forces moved south, also in august of 1642, Zhang Xianzhong was embarking on a new venture. His force had been camped in Lake Chao not too far from Luzhou where he began to recruit and train a naval force. Zhang planned to attack Nanjing via the Yangtze river. For Li Zicheng, he was turning his attention towards Nanyang where Sun Chuanting was leading Ming troops. Li and Sun's forces clashed a few times, but Li was able to bait, ambush and eventually force Sun's forces to retreat towards Shaanxi and the Tong Pass. This allowed Li to hit the last position of Ming strength left in Henan, Runing.    Runing was defended by commander Yang Wenyue with only 3000 troops. Yang also happened to be an old rival of Li's who had fought him a few times outside Kaifeng. As soon as the rebels approached the city, the defenders began to break and fled. Apparently the defenders threw corpses over their walls into the moat in desperation. When Li Zicheng entered the city he faced the captured Yang and said to him “Master is an important official of the dynasty who will not submit to us. But now that we've caught you, what is your wish?”  Yang replied “I myself, without any soldiers, only want to kill you. So today I'll die at you hands. What else can I say?”.Yang was then executed in front of the Sanyi temple. Li Zicheng followed this all up by taking Xiangyang, De'an and Chentian in early 1643. At Xiangyang, Li took new steps to building up his new order. He took the residence of Prince Xiang and made the prince and his siblings earls. Prince Xiangyang was renamed Xiangjing and Li took the title of “Long Accumulated Worshiping Heaven Leading-in-Righteousness Generalissimo”, and thank god he decided to shorten that all down to commander in chief. His secondhand man, Luo Rucai took the title “generalissimo whose virtue and awe pacifies the people on behalf of heaven”, what is with these guys and these ridiculously long titles? At this point Li Zichengs force began taking all men they captured between the ages of 15-40 and enrolled them in the army, and soon they were a goliath 600,000 man strong force. A few months later, Li Zicheng adopted the title of Prince of Xinshun and began procedures for taking future cities. Now if defenders resisted for 1 day, 30% of them would be killed, if resistance lasted 2 days, 70% would be killed and if after 3 days all would die. When Chongzhen heard reports about this he was utterly disgusted. Zhang Xianzhong also upted his anty by renaming and reclassifying captured towns and prefectures in Central China even when he did even not hold them. To add to the Ming's misery, some of Zuo Lingyu's subordinates attempted a mutiny to take Nanjing, raising a ton of tension. Zuo was eventually able to quell the mutiny, but it distracted him and his forces from Zhang's operations.    At the beginning of 1643, Zhang remained the only rebel leader not directly subordinate to Li Zicheng. Zhang knew the danger posed by this and started to consolidate and legitimize his own power lest he be swallowed up by Li. Thus Zhang decided to attack Nanjing and as we mentioned he built some naval power to do so. In may Zhang's force moved into eastern Huguang capturing several cities and he soon renamed himself Prince of Xin Shun. Then Zhang targeted the capital of Huguang, Wuchang. Many of Wuchangs forces were former mutineers under Zuo Lingyu's. The city's defenses did not fare too well to say the least and fell by July the 15th. In the chaos of its capture, thousands were massacred by Zhang's men and thousands more drowning in the local river. Prince of Chu himself was drowned in a bamboo cage by Zhang's orders. The river was allegedly so full of corpses that the fish were unfit for consumption months after. Zhang took all the captured men between 15-20 enrolled them as soldiers and killed the rest in quite a grisly manner. He renamed the city Tianshoufu meaning “received from heaven” and the capital of his new Western Kingdom. Zhang then elevated the late Prince Chu's younger brother to a position of nobility within his new order. Zhang went on to make all these proclamations and promises of restructuring so much, but he only really ended up occupying the city for barely a month before being chased off by Zuo Liangyu. As he withdrew he torched the city, I guess so long for all that? When Li Zicheng got report of all these ongoings he decided to place 1000 taels for Zhang's head, demonstrating the emerging rivalry. Zhang moved on to occupy Yezhou then used his boats to strike at Changsha. Like the poor souls of Wuchang, the defenders of Changsha did not take notice of the incoming rebel force and did not make any strong defensive points along the city's northern approach. When Zhang approached the city's gates he demanded their surrender and a brief effort was made by the defenders to repel them. Knowing it was fruitless, the commander of Changsha asked if he could give his life in return for the sparing of the people. Zhang accepted this, it is said the commander's eyes remained clear and bright and he did not cry out as he was cut to pieces. The Ming Court was feeling helpless towards the declining situation, now both the frontier and interior were in utter chaos. Officials were being impeached left right and center and some executed. More and more officials poured into the imperial palace as the Emperor demanded solutions.    In spring of 1643, Li Zicheng began to consolidate his movement by eliminating rival subordinates. The first to go was Ge Guoyan after he secretly met with Luo Rucai which prompted suspicion from Li. Li then invited Ge to a banquet, got him very drunk and killed him, thus taking all of Ge's forces as his own. Subordinates Zuo Jinwang and He Yilong were dispersed, in a similar fashion. And even Luo Rucai would face elimination, it seems he had grown to popular despite the fact, unlike Zhang he never expanded his political goals and prefered the life of a wandering bandit. There is some evidence to suggest Li took out Luo because rumor had it the Ming were trying to get Luo to kill Li and defect. Luo did not fall for the banquet affair, but later would be killed by a death squad sent by Li whom caught Luo asleep with his forces in camp. Luo's forces would be taken by Li who continued his purge, which prompted some subordinates to defect to the Ming. The great purging did not go unnoticed prompting Zhang to send Li gifts, probably hoping to get on his good side, but Li sent nothing in return.    In autumn of 1643, the Ming made a large offensive against Li Zicheng. The emperor ordered Sun Chuanting to conduct an operation in Henan towards the east to crush Li once and for all. The problem for a long time though was most military strength was in the northeast thwarting off the Qing, but now it seems the court decided to divert considerable resources from the northeast in the hopes of destroying Li Zicheng in Henan. Sun Chuanting was not loved by the local gentry in Shaanxi because he raised many taxes to pay for local defenses, despite them being successful. These gentry thought if they allowed Sun to lead Ming armies away from his defensive positions, he would no longer bother them with more taxation, so they supported the idea. Sun opposed the operation for many reasons, firstmost he thought his defensive plans were bearing fruit in Shaanxi. If Li's army swelled, their supply lines would become problematic and with winter on everyone's heels, Sun figured Li's army's morale would eventually break and they would have to go west, falling upon Sun's defenses. Sun was also concerned with supplying his force in the event of an offensive operation as in the past this proved to be fatal. He advised waiting until the following spring, but was completely ignored as all the gentry were now pushing for the operation. Sun eventually had to bow to local gentry and court pressures to lead the offensive, remarking “this is the path to ruin” as he did so. Sun marched down the yellow river valley gathering Ming remnant forces in Luoyang. Sun then ordered Zuo Liangyu to take a force and advance from Jiangxi and strike south upon Runing, hoping they could perform a pincer attack. However Zuo's force was still recovering from being smashed the year earlier and had to refuse this order, something increasingly being done by commanders in the field. So Sun had to advance alone and managed to smash a rebel force at Ruzhou to the utter delight of the Ming court. They were all jubilant, except for the Vice minister of War, Zhng Fengyi who reminded them the rebels might be feinting an illusion of weakness to lure Sun into a trap. Well Sun soon won victories at Baofeng and Jia pushing the rebels further towards Xiangcheng. Despite the victories, Sun was facing the very problems he had foreseen. His troops were running low on supplies, and years upon years of scorched earth tactics had devastated the agriculture of Henan. Thus Sun's troops were at the mercy of neighboring provinces for food supplies but the officials in those regions were either unable or unwilling to send the provisions. At that point Sun's 2 subordinate commanders argued if they should go back on the defensive or continue with the offense. Sun had a spy within Li Zichengs camp telling him that Li force was on the ropes, thus Sun decided they would continue. As November hit, things got really bad, supplies worsened and Sun troops began to raid local towns or eat their own horses. The rearguard of his army then got cut off by forces under Li who spread rumors to them that Ming relief forces were not coming to their aid. This all panicked the men and the rear began to rout. Upon seeing the chaos, Sun ordered a general retreat and told his subordinates Gao Jie to protect their rear and for Bai Guang'en to lay ambushes to cover the retreat. Bai took his forces and simply bolted for the Tong Pass. Unfortunately for his almost complete infantry force, do remember they began eating all their horses afterall, well Li's cavalry found them and smashed them to pieces. Sun's army was soon routed losing 40,000 men and abandoning an incredible amount of weaponry to the rebels. Sun tried to make a stand at the Tong Pass but his forces crumbled to the rebels. Bai Guang'en not only got his force smashed, but he ended up defecting to Li and became a commander for him. Sun proceeded to retreat up the Weir River valley where he would fight a final battle at Weinan and he would die with his men. Gao Jie took his remaining forces and fled north, leaving Beijing completely open to attack. All of this convinced Li that the time was ripe to declare his intent to overthrow the Ming dynasty and formally establish his own regime which would be at Xi'an.    While that was going down, Zuo Liangyu was fighting Zhang Xianzhong's forces further south. Although Zuo's men managed to recapture Xiangyang and Nanyang, Zhang as we mentioned had taken Changsha and now fortified it. The fighting between Zuo and Zhang would continue and before long Zhang found himself setting up in Sichuan where he established his Great Kingdom of the West. It was there as I mentioned that he took Yang Sichang's corpse and desecrated it. Back in Beijing, the court now made Yu Yingui supreme commander of Shaanxi. And Yu was very skeptical about any effort to turn the tide at this point, well no duh.    With Sun Chuanting dead, Li Zicheng had several options laid bare to him. One of his subordinates advised him to take Hebei's capital next, another said they should loop around Jinling to get supplies and hit Beijing, others suggested taking a position in Henan and capturing further cities to draw more troops then go across Shanxi to hit Beijing. In the end Li liked the last plan which was advised by his subordinate Gu Junen. Yet before Li would set out to do all of this he wanted to create his own administration in Xi'an. He also decided the attack on Beijing would be done from 2 directions. Li and his subordinate Liu Zongmin would advance on Beijing from the northwest, first heading from Xi'an and seizing Ming garrisons along the way through Shaanxi and the Great Wall at Juyong pass. His other subordinate Liu Fanglian would advance from the south, crossing through Henan to hit Beijing.    Xi'an was protected by some of the largest walls in all of China and would fall without a single fight as one of its leading officials was working with the rebels. At Xi'an Li made the Prince of Qin an administrator and renamed the city Chang'an, recalling its Tang dynasty name. Li followed this up by adopting many Tang Dynasty names for office positions and cities to add legitimacy to his own name and movement. Li also began wearing dragon robes and began to distribute wealth to the people. Li's armies fanned out and conquered numerous places renaming them. One place they took was his hometown of Mizhi which he renamed Tianbao “protected by Heaven” and he began to construct a palace there. On New Years day of 1644, Li Zicheng declared his rival Shun Dynasty within the city of Xi'an, now called Chang'an. Li took the reign title, Yongchang meaning “eternal prosperity”. Li then attacked the last remaining Ming stronghold in Shaanxi, that of Yulin. The fighting was fierce, but Li's cannons broke its walls. Next to fall was Ningxia, and Qingyang where Liu Zongmin suffered an astounding 30,000 casualties but took the city. Guyuan was handed over to Bai Guang'en without a fight and soon the rebels were marching towards Gansu. Meanwhile Beijing was in full panic, some even advising a retreat to the second capital of Nanjing. In response to Li's march, the court dispatched commanders to various routes going to the capital to hinder Li. Li Mingrui the Hanlin Academy lecturer advised the emperor in front of the court that he should have a quote “southern tour to Nanjing wherein by virtue of the monarch leaving the capital like a dragon rising or a tiger leaping the masses would spontaneously rise to quell the rebels”.  Emperor Chongzhen made no note of this at court, but in private told Li he agreed but feared what would befall the Ming subjects if they learnt the Emperor was fleeing to Nanjing. They then secretly went over the logistics of how to get the Emperor to Nanjing safely. Li suggested taking men from the 8 prefectures around the capital rather than any from the northeast which would look like they are abandoning territory to the Qing. In the midst of these plans another advisor came forward, Grand Secretary Li Jiantai who argued they should raise 1 million taels of silver to recruit and fund an army to take Shanxi back. The Emperor pressed him on this and Li stated he would work with the scholar Shi Long to gather supporters from all over the northwest. The Emperor in absolute desperation liked this plan and gave the go, giving Li the double edged sword of authority. It is claimed the force that was sent out was 100,000 strong. The problem was all these men was that they were in the words of a modern scholar “dandies, spoiled rich kids, space fillers and incompetents”. Around half the force deserted after marching only 30 miles and returned to Beijing. Before any serious fighting ever occurred most of the force simply scattered. Just 3 days after the army left Beijing, the Emperor asked his Minister of War about Li's whereabouts and the official had no idea prompting Chongzhen to exclaim “how can my Minister of War not know this?”. At this point the Emperor sat down with an official to look at the numbers. The officials told him the rebels claimed to have a 1 million man strong army, but reassured him it was probably around 100,000. Then he gave the emperor a sobering account that the Ming forces around Beijing were around 80,000 strong, but only around 30,000 of them could be somewhat trusted and of that only 3000 really trusted. It was at this point the emperor revisited the southern tour idea in private while putting on a face in public that he would not leave Beijing.   News from the front indicated Shun forces had just captured Taiyuan and Datong where they killed another Ming prince. Then the Shun took Xuanfu whose defenders simply turned the city over and the populace welcomed the Shun with cheers and burning incense. Then Changping fell in March without much of a fight. When the Emperor received news of Changping's capture he got up during a court meeting and simply walked out. It is alleged he paced around the forbidden city screaming out “my minister have failed me! Failed me!”. Li Zicheng sent envoys to Beijing asking for the city to be handed over without a fight and offering a deal with the emperor whereby he would be recognized as a prince and together they would face the Qing. This offer would mean that Li would be formally be made a Prince of Shun and all territory in the northwest would be his. Second the Shun would receive a tribute of 1 million taels. Third the Shun would not take orders from Chongzhen, but would help fight the Qing and assist in quelling other rebels. Emperor Chongzhen did not accept the proposal. Chongzhen ordered many of his children to flee south and issued a directive for all his civil officials to kill themselves since they had failed to save the dynasty.    When the rebels began to attack the gates of Beijing, the defenders fired powder shots as they had all reached an agreement with rebel agents. Li Zicheng made great efforts to break the will of the defenders at Beijing before his approach. On the afternoon of April the 24th, one of Emperor Chongzhen's eunuchs gave the orders to open the city gates. Li promised the people of Beijing amnesty to all those who surrendered. Emperor Chongzhen appointed Liu Wenbing in charge of rallying the populace to defend the city to which Liu replied “If your majesty cannot do it, then how can I?”. The Emperor then went to the Qianqing palace in the forbidden city and told the empress “All is lost. As you are the Mother of All Under Heaven, you should die” she replied “I have followed your highness for 18 years and I will die without a word; today we die together with the altars of state and we will have no more regrets”.  The emperor ordered the royal family remaining in Beijing to commit suicide and for the younger ones to try and escape. The empress and many other members were able to commit suicide, but Chongzhens youngest daughter Zhaowang he had to kill himself with a sword. Allegedly, Chongzhen by this point was so utterly drunk, he accidentally cut Zhaowang's arm off in the process and left her to die in a pool of her own blood. It is also furthermore rumored she would survive the wound and would live out the rest of her life as a buddhist nun. Chongzhen and his faithful eunuch servant, Wang Cheng'en went to the base of Coal Hill and hung themselves from a tree. The Emperor left a suicide note reading in part “My inadequate virtues and weak flesh have invited punishment from Heaven. Now the treacherous rebels are invading the capital. My officials have caused all this! I must die but I am ashamed to face my ancestors. Therefore I take off my crown and cover my face with my hair. Rebels! You can dismember my body, but do not harm the common people!”.    As the Emperor lay dead, several eunuchs of the Ming Court, alongside the Minister of War, Zhang Jinyan welcomed Li Zicheng into the city. Li Zicheng initially prohibited his men from plundering Beijing, but it was not too long until the populace was subjected to rape and looting. Afterall how could Li Zicheng stop his men from the ultimate prize that was Beijing.  The Shun Dynasty was beginning to be established, but unfortunately for Li Zicheng there loomed a rather large problem at hand. That problem was in the form of the Qing empires forces at the doorstep of the now dead Ming dynasty.    Li Zicheng had a major problem, the Qing had bided their time waiting for a moment to strike and it was coming any minute now. Li Zicheng's only hope to hold them off would be to try and rush to the northeast and win over as many of the Ming defenders in the area as possible and bolster them up. In May Li Zicheng had to set forth from Beijing to meet the enemy in the northeast, leaving his subordinate Niu Jinxing in command of Beijing. Over in Shanhaiguan was commander Wu Sangui who was very unsure what to do. Then Wu learnt that the forces of Li Zicheng had abused members of his family back home and decided he would defect to the Qing. Li Zicheng heard reports of Wu's resolve and begrudgingly sent a small force quickly to attack Wu who engaged that said force around Yongping. Wu smashed the force to pieces and fled back to Shanhaiguan. Now enraged, Li and Liu went forth with an army of around 100,000 to crush Wu. Now Wu realized the Qing military were most likely better off than the rebels and after some lengthy negotiations with Prince Dorgon, Wu arranged to allow the Qing to enter China proper through Shanhaiguan unmolested in exchange for their assistance in defeating the treacherous Li Zicheng. It seems Wu believed he might be able to score himself as the next ruler of the Ming state or atleast become a Prince under the Qing. Dorgon was quite suspicious of Wu however. The offer suited the Qing of course, it would allow them to look like they were avenging the Ming Dynasty against the rebels. Before Wu had come forward, Dorgon had been planning an attack on Beijing by coming through inner mongolia, but now the alliance solved that problem entirely.    A Qing force of 140,000 came to Shanhaiguan and joined forces with Wu's. Dorgon ordered Wu to take his army as a vanguard for their combined force. Dorgon's thinking was by doing so Wu's men would take the brunt of the hard fighting and this would ensure after their victory that his forces would not be strong enough to stand up to them if he had a change of heart. Li Zicheng had set out with 100,000 men, but many of his commanders were recent turncoats such as Tang Tong and Bai Guang'en. Also for many of the rebels, the ultimate goal had been achieved, they looted Beijing, many did not have the mind to continue fighting. Li Zicheng's ultimate mistake however was not that he was engaging in combat with Wu or the Qing, but that it never occurred to him that they would join forces.   In late May the Wu/Qing and Shun forces would do battle on a field just outside Shanhaiguan. Shanhaiguan had 3 outlying castles guarding the interior approach and Wu had prepared his main defensive line at the west bank of Shihe. 40,000 Shun troops crashed into Wu's main defensive line and Wu motioned his forces back into the main castle while simultaneously sending 20,000 men to the north and west to cut off the Shun's escape routes. In the initial clashes the battle was fairly even, with both Wu and the Shun losing considerable amounts of men. Wu grew concerned that the Qing were merely going to allow his force to be smashed to pieces and then sweep in afterwards, and he had every right to think this, they most likely were doing just that. Despite the odds, Wu's force seemed to be turning the tide somewhat and this prompted Dorgon to send 2 waves of 20,000 cavalry to envelop the Shun. The next day, Wu led a charge against the Shun formation but they repulsed him right back into the castle pass. Then the Qing cavalry of the White banner led by Ajige and Dodo smashed into the Shun. Wu's men saw the Shun morale crumble and charged upon them again, bursting out of the castle. Li Zicheng was directing the battle from a high tower position and upon seeing the cavalry, he simply assumed them to be Wu's forces. dust clouds made by the charging cavalry made it very hard to see what was going on, but as the battle heated up more, Li began to see swarms of arrows raining down on his men and he realized these were Manchu people, he screamed out “the tartars have come!”. The Shun force collapsed, many were driven towards the sea and drowned. The Shun force retreated scattered, with many running back to Beijing. Li and his forces then fled as fast as they could for Beijing where they staged a very quick enthronement ceremony for Li where as he declared himself emperor. Then Li and his army plundered Beijing and most of the rebel left the city the day after, carrying off their loot.   Prince Dorgon, serving as a regent for the child Emperor of the Qing, Shunzhi, entered Beijing in May of 1644 seeing all the rebel armies flee before his men. He announced to the populace they were now under Qing rule as Li Zicheng fled west to Xi'an. Over the next 6 months, Li's authority would disintegrate throughout all the territories he had conquered. Ming loyalists, some semi-independent warlords and the Qing swallowed up everything in sight. Eventually Li found himself in the summer of 1645 being pursued by the Qing prince Ajige to the vicinity of Mount Jiugong. How Li died is not exactly known, some say he hung himself after being surrounded by some angry peasants. Others say peasants beat him to death looking for food. What is known is that his corpse was badly mutilated when it was found. Li Zichengs body was sent south to Ming authorities who decaptitied it. Our old friend Zhang Xianzhong was in Sichuan and would hold out until 1647. Ming loyalists in the south would hold out on the mainland until 1662, ironically many of Zhang Xianzhong's subordinates would be their commanders. Some Ming loyalists famously would hold out in Taiwan until 1683 still trying to reclaim the dragon throne for the Ming.   History marks the fall of the Ming dynasty to be in 1644 with the death of Emperor Chongzhen. Many historians argue various reasons for why the Ming Dynasty ultimately fell. One history stated quote “could no longer manage its resources, utilize its strengths, and maintain its focus.”. And indeed the Ming Dynasty fell as a result of gradual political, strategic and tactical errors that simply grew so large they could not be overcome. Given proper leadership,  delegation of authority and allocation of resources, the Ming Dynasty most likely could have survived. The fall of the Ming dynasty has captivated people for centuries, for it was one of the wealthiest, most powerful and prosperous empire in the world, yet it fell to peasant rebels and some unified tribal peoples of the steppe, how? As is seen with most of China's history, the fall of the Ming is seen in terms of a dynastic cycle, whereby a dynasty eventually becomes so corrupt it simply collapses upon itself and another more diligent government thats over. It is of course not as so simple as that as any of you who lasted this long can already imagine. There are various reasons for its downfall. Take for example the unbelievable factionalism of the Ming bureaucracy which in turn politicized just about every aspect of the government. By the end of its rule it certainly seemed the politics were trumping the military when it came to defending themselves. Then these problems were only made worse when more and more competent officials were jailed or executed and more and more incompetent officials were the only ones left to fill roles. The last emperor Chongzhen certainly did not make things any easier, such as when he forced Sun Chuanting to go out into the field against Li Zicheng. Also the issue of climate was striking, during the 17th century the world was witnessing what we call the last of the little ice ages. The era was marked by less solar activity and tons of volcanic eruptions that shot into the atmosphere darkened the skies. The global temperatures got cooler by around 1.-2 degrees right around 1640 in the midst of many violent upheavals. Hell remember that story about the island of Juehua being attacked because the waters had frozen allowing Nurhaci's men to cross them? It was much to the shock of the defenders and for good reason, sometimes climate can have an incredible effect on such events. The amount of natural disasters and droughts which led to wide scale famines had an enormous effect on producing the sort of situation that allowed such a large rebellion to take place. Personally having studied quite a bit about the Taiping Rebellion that will occur in the 19th century, its all quite fascinatingly similar. And trust me the fall of the Ming dynasty is quite foreshadowing.   I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.  So at long last the Ming dynasty has fallen and now we have the Qing dynasty taking its seat upon the dragon throne. I thought it to be very important to explain how the Ming fell, because in many ways it will mirror how the next dynasty will fall. Stating that the Qing dynasty certainly took note of what befell the Ming and made their primary endeavor to root out corruption. But ironically it would be just that which would destroy them as well.  

Dragon Boat Festival food inventory, which one do you like best?The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the favorite festivals for foodies. During the Dragon Boat Festival, you can eat all kinds of delicious snacks, and these snacks have a lot of talk, let's take a look!Zongzi In Guangdong province, the dumplings are filled with five-spice coated fatty pork and plenty of mung beans cooked inside the rice. Often, traditional cooks also add a whole salted egg yolk. In Beijing and other northern provinces, the preference is for sweet dumplings, filled with sugary red-bean paste.Realgar Wine There is an old saying: 'Drinking realgar wine drives diseases and evils away!' Realgar wine, or xionghuangjiu, is a Chinese alcoholic drink consisting of fermented cereals and powdered realgar.Eggs Steamed with Tea It is a custom for people in Central China's Nanchang region to eat eggs boiled with tea at Dragon Boat Festival. The shells of the boiled eggs are then dyed red, put into colorful net bags, and hung round children's necks, which is believed to bring them good luck.Eggs with Garlic In the rural areas in Central China's Henan province and East China's Zhejiang province, people eat eggs with garlic on Dragon Boat Festival. Eggs are steamed with garlic and then shared with families as breakfast. Eating eggs with garlic is believed to promote health.Dagao - Glutinous Rice Cake Glutinous rice cakes are eaten by the Korean ethnic group, who live in Yanbian prefecture in Northeast China's Jilin province. Served with honey or sugar, it tastes delicious and chewy.Eel The custom of eating eel on Dragon Boat Festival day prevails in central China's Wuhan region. Eels are probably eaten simply because they are in season during the festival, fatty and tender, and rich in nutrition.Jiandui - Fried Cake Jiandui is a kind of fried round cake made of wheat and rice flour and something to sweeten them. In East China's Fujian province, every family eats jiandui on Dragon Boat Festival. A legend explains this custom. It is said that the area enters its rainy season during Dragon Boat Festival. People believed there were holes in the sky which, if not filled, would allow the rain to continue indefinitely. Eating jiandui is said to help mend the sky and fill the holes.Pancake In East China's Wenzhou area, every family eats a kind of thin pancake at Dragon Boat Festival. Green bean sprouts, leek, shredded meat, and mushrooms are then placed on the pancake, which is then rolled up and eaten as a wrap.Salted Duck Eggs Tradition has it that it is good to eat salted duck eggs during the Dragon Boat Festival as the burning summer is coming. The salted duck eggs are nutrient-rich and have some effect on the treatment of heat stroke.MianshanziMianshanzi is a kind of wheat flour food made in a fan shape. The custom of eating mianshanzi on the Dragon Boat Festival mainly prevails in Minqin county in Northwest China's Gansu province. This fan-shaped food is made up of five multi-colored layers, with each layer covered with fried sprinkles of pepper powder. The layers are pinched into a variety of patterns to make it appealing to eyes. This dietary custom is said to be trace back to the tradition of making and selling fans during Duanwu Festival in ancient times.What other traditional dishes of the dragon boat festival do you have in your hometown? Please tell us in the comments section!Thanks for watching~ Have a nice day!

El Gobierno firmó un acuerdo con China para la construcción de la cuarta central nuclear Argentina.

社评：坚持防控保民生，迎战奥密克戎｜Omicron rings alarmAnyang, a city with a population of 5 million in Henan province, was locked down on Monday. It is the third city to hit the pause button in China over the past month, highlighting the challenge the country still faces in its fight against the novel coronavirus.拥有500万居民的河南省安阳市已经于10日起进入封锁状态。安阳是在过去一个月里第三个按下暂停键的城市，这意味着中国在抗击新冠疫情上仍面临重大挑战。There were 110 locally transmitted infections reported in the Chinese mainland on Monday, among which 87 were in Henan, 13 in Shaanxi province and 10 in Tianjin. As of Tuesday noon, Tianjin has reported a total of 97 cases since last weekend.1月10日0至24时，31个省（自治区、直辖市）和新疆生产建设兵团报告新增本土病例110例（其中河南87例，陕西13例，天津10例）。截至11日12时，在过去一周内，天津市共报告新冠肺炎病毒感染者97例。 ▲ A medical worker takes swab sample for COVID-19 tests at a testing site in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan province, Jan 10, 2022. Photo/Xinhua2022年1月10日，在河南省郑州市的一个核酸检测点，一名医务人员进行核酸检测取样。新华社 摄It is not only the numbers themselves that have prompted the local authorities to make the decisions to lock down these cities but more importantly they have been spurred to do so by the potential of the virus to inflict damage on public health, social stability and the economy should the infections spread.当地政府决定封城考虑的不仅仅是感染人数本身，更重要的是一旦感染扩大，新冠病毒可能会给公众健康、社会稳定和经济发展造成巨大损失。Arguably the only major country to have adopted a zero-tolerance approach in its fight against the virus, China has always acted quickly so it can seize the initiative — which many countries have surrendered long ago. Thanks to its perseverance and inputs into its zero-case strategy, particularly the over 80 percent vaccinationrate, the last death caused by the virus on the mainland dates back to January last year.很多国家早已向新冠病毒投降，但中国作为唯一一个采用“清零”政策对抗新冠肺炎疫情的大国，一直凭借反应快速掌控着主动权。正是由于对“清零”政策的坚持和付出，尤其是疫苗接种率超过80%，从去年1月至今，大陆还未有死亡病例出现。As such, although the number of infections are low, the lockdowns are not unreasonable. Particularly since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games will soon open and the Lunar New Year holiday is just three weeks away and this is a peak travel period.同样地，尽管感染人数很少，决定封城仍然是合理的。特别是考虑到2022年北京冬奥会即将开幕，并且三周后的春节假期又将带来出行高峰。Notably, the cases in Tianjin and Anyang are the highly infectious Omicron variant of the virus, and according to the Tianjin epidemic prevention and control department, the variant might have been transmitting in the port city with a population of 14 million for at least two weeks before it was identified last weekend, with the origin of the infections remaining unknown. That the cases in Anyang can be traced back to Tianjin means the cross-region transmission of the Omicron variant is already a reality. Neighboring Beijing and Hebei provinces must be on the highest alert.值得注意的是，天津和河南安阳的感染病例属于高传染性的奥密克戎变异株。根据天津市疫情防控部门通告，这起疫情在被发现前，有可能已经在这个有1400万人口的港口城市传播了至少两周。此外，安阳的病例可以追溯到天津，这意味着奥密克戎变异株的跨区域传播已经成为现实。邻近的北京和河北省必须处于最高警戒状态。 ▲ A child accompanied by a parent gets a nucleic acid test in Tianjin's Xiqing district on Sunday. Tianjin has launched citywide mass testing for COVID-19. Photo/Xinhua9日，在天津市西青区，一名儿童在父母的陪伴下接受核酸检测取样。天津已经在全市范围内开展全员核酸检测。新华社 摄A national transport hub in Central China, Henan has every reason to take strict measures to cut the transmission chains of the virus in its jurisdiction as is being done in the provincial capital Zhengzhou and neighboring Xuchang. Without such efforts, Henan could easily become a steppingstone for the virus to extend its transmission chains nationwide, which would undo what the country has achieved over the past two years.作为中部地区的交通枢纽，河南完全有理由在其管辖范围内采取严格措施，切断病毒的传播链，就像其省会郑州及相邻的许昌所做的那样。如果没有这些疫情防控措施，河南很容易成为病毒传播链向全国延长的关键一环, 这将使得中国在过去两年中所取得的抗疫成就付诸东流。The tranquility of people's lives in the rest of the country is partly attributable to those bravely fighting on the front line in the affected regions. But the battle against the virus is a people's war, and people are either already engaged in the fight in some capacity or in reserve.全国其他地区人民生活的平静和安宁有一部分要归功于奋战在抗疫一线的工作人员。但与病毒的斗争是一场人民的战争。人们要么已经以某种身份参与战斗，要么正准备参与战斗。The whole country must raise its vigilance again and overcome any sluggishness or complacency, as now is another critical phase in the seesaw battle with the virus that treats all encounters as its first.目前正处于抗疫拉锯战的又一个关键阶段，全国上下要像初次面对疫情一样，提高警惕，克服任何懈怠或自满情绪。perseverance 英 [ˌpɜːsəˈvɪərəns]; 美 [ˌpɜːrsəˈvɪrəns]n. 毅力，不屈不挠的精神steppingstone 英[ˈstepɪŋˌstəʊn]；美 [ˈstep.ɪŋ ˌstoʊn]n.踏脚石；进身之阶；达到目的的手段tranquility英[træŋˈkwɪləti]；美[træŋˈkwɪləti]n.宁静，安宁vigilance英[ˈvɪdʒɪləns]；美[ˈvɪdʒɪləns]n.警戒，警觉；失眠症sluggishness 英[ˈslʌɡɪʃnəs]；美[ˈslʌɡɪʃnəs]n.迟缓；惰性；萧条complacency英[kəmˈpleɪsnsi];美[kəmˈpleɪsnsi]n. 自满，自鸣得意

河南同时迎战德尔塔和奥密克戎，一学校发现9名阳性病例|Henan is battling both the Delta and Omicron variants, 9 positive cases reported in a school Genome sequencing by the Henan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention found two locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 in Anyang were the highly transmissible Omicronvariant, Anyang Daily reported on Monday.据安阳日报10日报道，经河南省疾控中心实验室病毒基因测序显示，安阳市2例本土病例感染病毒均为高传染性的奥密克戎变异株。The coronavirus is from the same transmission chain as the current outbreak in Tianjin's Jinnan district, the center said.据疾控中心消息，安阳市病例与天津市津南区现有本地疫情属同一传播链。Tangyin county of Anyang city in Henan province reported nine new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, all of which were found in Yucai School, officials said at a news conference on Monday afternoon.10日下午的新闻发布会通报了河南省安阳市汤阴县发现了9例新增本土传播病例，均在育才学校。 "After Anyang reported the first two cases of the recent outbreak on Sunday, among them a school student, the county immediately launched nucleic acid testing in the school on Sunday," Yang Jian, deputy director of the county's Publicity Department said. "Nine of them tested positive and were diagnosed as confirmed cases on Monday after experts' consultation."安阳县委宣传部副部长杨健介绍说：“1月9日，在安阳市发现最初两例病例中一人为学生后，汤阴县立即对育才学校进行了全员核酸检测，发现该学校9名人员核酸检测阳性，1月9日，经复核和专家研判，确诊为新冠肺炎病例。”All the infected people have been shifted to the Anyang Fifth People's Hospital for quarantining and treatment. Over 430 of their close contacts in the county have also been traced.所有感染者已经被转移到安阳市第五人民医院进行隔离治疗，并已排查出430多名密接者。A medical worker takes swab sample for COVID-19 tests at a testing site in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan province, Jan 10, 2022. Photo/Xinhua2022年1月10日，在河南省郑州市的一个核酸检测点，一名医务人员进行核酸检测取样。新华社 摄To prevent further spread of the virus in the school, 4,040 people attached to the school are being kept under medical observation at three places.为了防止疫情在育才学校进一步扩散，汤阴县将育才学校封控管理的4040人，闭环转运至三个集中医学观察点。According to the county's epidemic prevention and control headquarters, the county completed the first round of nucleic acid testing covering 388,396 local residents on Sunday and has now launched the second round of tests.据汤阴县疫情防控指挥部通报，全县已经于10日完成了第一轮核酸检测，共采集样本388396个，目前已经启动第二轮全员核酸检测。The headquarters didn't mention the source of the nine new cases and said the result of the first round of tests would be published as soon as they get it.指挥部并没有说明9名新增病例的感染源头，并提到第一轮核酸检测结果会在结果出具后进行公告。genome 英 [ˈdʒiː.nəʊm]; 美 [ˈdʒiː.noʊm]n.基因组，染色体组sequencing英[ˈsiːkwənsɪŋ];美[ˈsiːkwənsɪŋ]n.排序；定序；排列程序v.定序（sequence的ing形式）；使...按顺序排列transmissible 英[trænsˈmɪsəb(ə)l];美[trænsˈmɪsəbl]adj.能传送的；能透射的；可传达的variant英[ˈveəriənt];美[ˈveriəntˌˈværiənt]n.变种，变形；（单词拼写或读音的）变异，变体adj.不同的，变体的，变种的nucleic 英[njuːˈkleɪɪk]；美[nuːˈkliːɪk; nuːˈkleɪɪk]adj.核的quarantine英[ˈkwɒrəntiːn];美[ˈkwɔːrəntiːn]n.隔离期，检疫期；隔离，检疫v.对（动物或人）进行检疫隔离

For most Chinese tourists, the mere mention of Luoyang in Central China's Henan province immediately brings to mind the famous Longmen Grottoes. However, the historic city, which dates back more than 5,000 years, has recently gained widespread attention for another reason — its starring role in a popular online series.河南洛阳有着5000多年的历史。提起这座古城，人们首先想到的是著名景点龙门石窟。不过，最近因为一部网络热播剧，洛阳再次引起了人们的关注。▲ 图源：豆瓣Starring actors Huang Xuan, Wang Yibo and actress Song Qian in the lead roles, Luoyang — a 39-episode historical mystery series currently running on the streaming site iQiyi — has racked up millions of clicks domestically, and is also drawing a wider viewership overseas in Thailand, South Korea and Singapore.历史悬疑剧《风起洛阳》由黄轩、王一博和宋茜领衔主演，共39集，目前正在爱奇艺视频上热播。该剧在国内获得了数百万的点击率，在泰国、韩国和新加坡等海外地区也吸引了诸多观众。Adapted from writer Ma Boyong's novel of the same title, the fictional story, set in ancient China, follows the mystery-solving exploits of an unlikely trio of "detectives" — a grassroots avenger struggling with his traumatic past; a rich, yet geeky, heir from a prestigious craftsman's family; and an ambitious female guard leader who's also a distant relative of the top ruler.《风起洛阳》改编自马伯庸的小说《洛阳》。这个故事以时值盛世的“神都”洛阳为背景，讲述了出身苦寒的高秉烛、官宦子弟百里弘毅和世家女子武思月三人因为各自的原因结成“神都小分队”，查明悬案的过程。▲ 图源：豆瓣It starts with the murder of a whistleblower and his young daughter, which unleashes a chain of mysterious incidents. The trio are forced to join forces to hunt down criminals and stop a horrible conspiracy that will threaten the security of the entire country.该剧由告密者父女被杀引出一连串神秘事件。“神都小分队”三人误打误撞联合起来追捕罪犯，并携手阻止一个威胁到整个国家安全的惊天大阴谋。The tale's overall aesthetic, from the ancient city's bustling streets to the costumes, is mostly inspired by the cultural height of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Luoyang is considered by some critics to follow a similar formula to that of the 2019 smash hit, The Longest Day in Chang'an, also adapted from a popular Tang Dynasty-inspired novel penned by Ma.从古城的繁华街道到人物的服化道，该剧整体的美学设计主要是受到盛唐时期文化的启发。一些评论认为，《风起洛阳》与2019年热播的《长安十二时辰》有异曲同工之处，后者也改编自马伯庸的原著小说。▲ 图源：爱奇艺As a prolific author, Ma is known for his talent in interweaving a profound knowledge of history with suspense stories filled with plot twists. With around 20 movies and TV series adapted from his novels, Ma has become one of the most sought-after novelists in the entertainment industry.作为一个多产的作家，马伯庸擅长将其对中国历史的深刻见解穿插在跌宕起伏的悬疑故事当中（如《古董局中局》和《两京十五日》）。目前为止，约有20部电影和电视剧改编自他的小说，部分还在筹备和制作当中。马伯庸因此成为最受影视界欢迎的作家之一。Responding to curious fans about how he has maintained a stable output of quality work, Ma reveals that his solution to solving a shortage of inspiration is "to stop writing and get outside to play and have fun".粉丝们很好奇他如何保持稳定高产的作品输出，他透露说，灵感不足的时候，他就“停止写作，到外面去玩，去享受乐趣”。"I will go jogging, play video games, or merely wander the streets. Personally, I believe that inspiration is like a kitten. If you try to catch it, it flees. If you ignore it and do something else, it may return and rub against your leg," says Ma.“我会跑步、打游戏，或者就在街上闲逛。我个人认为，灵感就像一只小猫，如果你试图抓住它，它就会逃走；如果你忽视它，转头去做其他的事情，它就可能会回来，在你腿上蹭来蹭去。”马伯庸说。Speaking about his inspiration to create Luoyang, Ma says he has been interested in the historic city — which served as the capital for more than 10 ruling dynasties — for a long time.谈到他创作《洛阳》的灵感，马伯庸说很长一段时间以来，他对十三朝古都洛阳这座历史悠久的城市深感兴趣。▲ 图源：豆瓣"For all those who are yearning to dive into Chinese history, it's impossible to avoid researching this historic city. There was not a sudden moment that lured me to start writing, but a yearslong accumulation of love and passion for the city of Luoyang finally pushed me to put pen to paper," Ma says.“对于所有渴望潜心研究中国历史的人来说，洛阳这座历史名城是绕不过去的。我写《洛阳》这部小说并不是出于一时兴起，而是我对洛阳这座城市经年累月的热爱，促使我提笔写作。”马伯庸说。Despite describing himself as an enthusiastic eater of delicious foods, Ma says he's not a good cook. "I once jokingly told the scriptwriters that I might be unqualified to describe the cooking techniques precisely (due to lack of practice), so I hoped they could make an effort to show me the details of the delicacies," recalls Ma.马伯庸说自己是个吃货，但他表示自己并不擅长做菜。“我曾跟编剧开玩笑说，我可能没法准确描述烹饪技巧（因为缺乏实践），所以我希望他们能够更详实地把美食佳肴在画面中呈现出来。”马伯庸回忆说。Living up to his expectations, the series features mouthwatering culinary delights, from street snacks such as mutton soup, to aristocratic family feasts, including a long, exquisitely designed table with its own water-filled "canal" for moving floating dishes from one end to the other.《风起洛阳》没有辜负他的期望。从羊肉汤等街头小吃到贵族家宴，这部剧给观众展现了令人垂涎欲滴的美食。其中有一张设计精美的长桌，其上装有一条“运河”，可将漂浮在水上的菜肴从一端传送到另一端。▲ 羊肉汤。图片来自网络Cooperating with Ma for many years, Xu Kang, founder of the production company Liu Bai Entertainment, recalls that the project was originally shaped in 2017. They believed a historic city like Luoyang would cater to a Chinese audience who have "a strong national pride "and love to watch stories set in a prosperous historical era.留白影视的创始人徐康与马伯庸合作多年。据他回忆，这个项目最初是在2017年成型的。他们认为，像洛阳这样的历史名城能吸引中国观众，因为它激发了民族自豪感。大家都喜欢看以历史上繁华盛世为背景的故事。"There are always many legends and anecdotes scattered throughout the historical chapters of an ancient city. Ma has a talent to discover the 'gaps' (referring to ambiguous or unwritten parts) in the history, so his tale — probably better to be defined as a 'possible history tale' — has lured us to explore Luoyang's past more deeply," says Xu, also one of the series' chief producers.徐康也是该剧的总制片人之一，他表示，“古城的历史总是充满着各种各样的奇闻逸事。马伯庸在发现历史‘空白'方面天赋异禀，所以他写的故事几乎可以被定义为‘过去有可能发生过的事'，这些故事牵动着我们更深入地去探究洛阳的过往。”Luoyang, the crew found during research into the city, has abundant water resources, with sections from the Huaihe, Yellow and Yangtze rivers flowing across the city, inspiring them to highlight this feature in the series.摄制组在对洛阳的研究中发现，洛阳水资源丰富，淮河、黄河和长江流经该地，因此在拍摄过程中也有着重突出洛阳的这一特点。Rivers can be seen in multiple settings, from the city's sprawling markets to a half-underground slum. In an effort to increase the visual appeal, the crew also designed a huge Buddha statue, comprising 2,400 crystal stones and able to rotate 360 degrees. They installed it as a pivotal artifact in a royal intelligence agency's headquarters.从城市里无序延伸的街市，到半地下的贫民窟，观众们可以在各种各样的场景里看到河流的踪影。为了更加吸引观众眼球，摄制组还设计了一尊巨型佛像，这尊佛像由2400块水晶石组成，能够360度旋转。在故事里，这尊佛像作为一个至关重要的文物，被安放在一个皇家情报机构的总部。Dai Ying, the other chief producer and senior vice-president of iQiyi, says the series is the first installment of iQiyi's "Chinese Historic Cities Universe", a franchise scheduled to create a series of stories in similar settings.爱奇艺另一位总制片人兼高级副总裁戴莹表示，《风起洛阳》是爱奇艺“华夏古城宇宙”系列IP第一部面世的电视剧，按计划会在类似背景下创作一系列故事。With such a franchise, Dai adds that they hope more viewers will enjoy the charm of China's traditional culture, raising their interest enough to learn more about the country's glorious history.戴莹还补充说，希望这部作品能够让更多观众感受到中国传统文化的魅力，提升他们对中国文化的兴趣，从而更多地了解中国的辉煌历史。"So far, the series has been well-received both domestically and overseas. We believe the chivalry reflected by the lead characters is also one of the main attractions of the show, conveying a core value cherished by Chinese people and, therefore, resonating with the audience," says Dai.“到目前为止，《风起洛阳》在海内外都大受欢迎。我们认为主演们展示出来的侠义精神也是这部剧的主要吸引力之一，传达了中国人所推崇的核心价值，因此引起了观众的共鸣。”戴莹说。编辑：商桢记者：徐帆录音：Stephanie Stone实习生：叶珍

Dennis is reporting live on TV about pandas who... roll in their own POOP?! Join Mindy, Guy Raz, and Dennis on an adventure to the mountains of Central China to learn WHY in the world these pandas are playing with their poop! It's the who, what, when, where, how, and WOW of panda poop!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1. China authorities force VAX on elderly, sick 2. Video: Chinese farmer forced to get vaccine 3. Heavy rains continue in central China 4. Insider: Beijing's crackdown on celebrities 5. Fake Chinese goods seized at U.S. airport

1. China authorities force VAX on elderly, sick 2. Video: Chinese farmer forced to get vaccine 3. Heavy rains continue in central China 4. Insider: Beijing's crackdown on celebrities 5. Fake Chinese goods seized at U.S. airport

1. Damaged river levee in Shaanxi causes flooding 2. Patient isolation wards appear in Shanghai 3. CCP control causes loss across industries 4. China passes strict data privacy law 5. China shuts down U.S. forced labor auditor

1. Damaged river levee in Shaanxi causes flooding 2. Patient isolation wards appear in Shanghai 3. CCP control causes loss across industries 4. China passes strict data privacy law 5. China shuts down U.S. forced labor auditor

Central China's Henan Province, which was hit hard by torrential rains in July, has issued the highest alert for rainstorms. The province has also launched an emergency response to floods.

2 halves of cross-sea bridge connect in Fujian福建跨海大桥成功合龙Two halves of the Quanzhou Bay cross-sea bridge — built simultaneously from both sides — were joined together on Friday in coastal Fujian province. It is the world's first bridge for high-speed trains over a sea body and will support speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour. 泉州湾跨海大桥的两端同时建造，于周五成功合龙，将福建省与沿海地区连接在一起。这是世界上第一座跨海高速铁路桥，支持高达350公里的时速。 The 20.29-km bridge, with a cross-sea segment spanning about 9 km, is a cable-stayed bridge that was chosen for its strength. Yan Aiguo, the bridge's chief designer from China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group Co, said that repeated trials found that the combination of a concrete deck slab and steel girders would meet all engineering requirements.它全长20.29公里，其中海上桥梁长约9公里，是一座斜拉桥，强度极高。铁四院桥梁院总工程师严爱国说，经反复试验，混凝土桥面板和钢梁的组合满足所有工程要求。Wind tunnel tests and related research conducted at Southwest Jiaotong University, showed that the bridge will be able to resist typhoons of up to Grade 12, and that trains are virtually vibration-free at 350 km/h. The bridge is an integral part of the 277-km Fuzhou-Xiamen high-speed railway, China's first cross-sea high-speed line. The railway, which connects Fuzhou with Xiamen, Fujian, is expected to be completed next year.在西南交通大学进行的风洞试验和相关研究表明，该桥将能够抵御高达12级的台风，而且列车在时速350公里时也几乎没有振动。该桥是277公里长的福州-厦门高速铁路的一部分，是中国第一条跨海高速铁路桥。这条连接福州和福建厦门的铁路预计将于明年完工。1.slab美 [slæb] 英 [slæb]v.使成厚板；铺石板；将(木材)锯去背板；在…涂上一厚层n.（石、木等坚硬物质的）厚板；厚片；厚块adj.半流体的网络：平板；板坯；楼板2.girder美 ['ɡɜrdər] 英 ['ɡɜː(r)də(r)]n.主梁网络：大梁；钢梁；桁架3.virtually美 ['vɜrtʃuəli] 英 ['vɜː(r)tʃʊəli]adv.几乎；实际上；事实上；虚拟网络：实质上；实际地；差不多World's oldest coin factory found河南发现世界最古老造币厂Archaeologists excavating the remains of Guanzhuang - an ancient city in Central China's Henan province - have discovered what they believe is the oldest-known coin mint, where miniature, shovel-shaped bronze coins were mass produced some 2,600 years ago. Their research, published in the journal Antiquity, gives weight to the idea that the first coins were minted not in Turkey or Greece, as long thought, but in China.考古学家在挖掘中国河南省古城官庄遗址时发现了目前世界已知的最古老的铸币工坊，那里曾在约2600年前大量铸造小型铲形铜币。他们的研究为这样一种观点提供了佐证，即最早的钱币不是像人们长期以来所认为的那样在土耳其或希腊铸造，而是在中国铸造。这一研究成果已在《古物》杂志上发表。Using radiocarbon dating, the team determined the mint began operating sometime between 640 BC and no later than 550 BC. During their excavation, the researchers found two spade coins and dozens of clay molds used to cast them. One coin was in near-perfect condition: Just shy of 6 inches long and about 2.5 inches wide, the bronze coin weighed about 27 grams.利用放射性碳定年法，研究小组确定铸币工坊在公元前640年至公元前550年之间的某个时间开始运作。在挖掘过程中，研究人员发现了两枚铲币和用于铸造这些钱币的数十枚陶范。其中一枚钱币的品相近乎完美：长度不到6英寸(约合15厘米)，宽度约2.5英寸，重约27克。 1. excavate美 ['ekskə.veɪt] 英 ['ekskəveɪt]v.挖掘；发掘网络：挖出；开凿；采掘2. Mint美 [mɪnt] 英 [mɪnt]n.薄荷；薄荷糖；铸币厂；大量的钱adj.完美的；新造的v.铸（币）；铸造（硬币）网络：薄荷色；造币厂；薄荷绿 3. antiquity美 [æn'tɪkwəti] 英 [æn'tɪkwəti]n.古；古老；文物；古迹网络：古代；古物；苍古 4. spade美 [speɪd] 英 [speɪd]n.铲；锹；（纸牌中的）黑桃；黑桃牌v.拿铲子铲；拿铲刀切开；〈方〉同“spay”网络：铁锹；纸牌中的黑桃；锄 5. shy美 [ʃaɪ] 英 [ʃaɪ]n.〈口〉尝试；机会；企图；目标adj.不足；羞怯的；腼腆的；怕生的v.被吓退；被惊走网络：害羞的；怕羞的；羞涩的Torrential rains affect Sichuan residents四川暴雨10余万人受灾Torrential rains have affected more than 100,000 residents in Southwest China's Sichuan province and forced the emergency evacuation of over 7,000 people, local authorities said Sunday.当地政府8月8日表示，四川省的暴雨已造成10余万人受灾，7000多人被迫转移避险。The heavy downpours lashed the northeastern part of Sichuan, including the cities of Bazhong, Nanchong and Dazhou, from 8 am Saturday to 8 am Sunday, flooding roads and raising the water levels of several local rivers above warning levels, according to the Sichuan provincial water resources department.据四川省水利厅表示，8月7日上午8点至8日上午8点，暴雨袭击了包括巴中、南充和达州在内的四川省东北部地区，道路被淹没，当地数条河流的水位超过警戒水位。A monitoring station in Yingshan county under Nanchong saw precipitation of 424.8 mm in the 24-hour period, the department said. Disaster relief and rescue efforts are underway.南充市营山县某监测站24小时降水量达到424.8毫米。目前有关部门正在开展救灾和救援工作。1. evacuation美 [ɪ.vækju'eɪʃ(ə)n] 英 [ɪ.vækju'eɪʃ(ə)n]n.撤退；抽空；排泄；腾出网络：撤离；疏散；排空2. precipitation美 [prɪ.sɪpɪ'teɪʃ(ə)n] 英 [prɪ.sɪpɪ'teɪʃ(ə)n]n.降水；沉淀；淀析网络：降雨量；析出；降水量 3. underway美 [.ʌndər'weɪ] 英 [.ʌndə(r)'weɪ]adj.在旅途[行进]中(发生,进行,使用)的；正在进行[工作]中的adv.进行中网络：在航；航行中的；起步的，进行中的Elephant herd approaches traditional habitat北移亚洲象群安全渡过元江The herd of 14 wild Asian elephants roaming in southwest China's Yunnan province is approaching their traditional habitat. At about 8 pm Sunday, the herd crossed the Yuanjiang River with artificial guidance, according to the headquarters in charge of monitoring their migration.云南北移亚洲象安全防范工作省级指挥部有关负责人表示，8月8日20时左右，14头野生亚洲象在人工引导下安全渡过元江干流，不断接近其原栖息地。More efforts will be made to ensure the security of the herd on their way back, according to the headquarters. It has been around 17 months since the herd bid farewell to their original habitat in a nature reserve in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture.后续，现场指挥部将继续全力保障象群安全，帮助其尽快回家。17个月前，象群从原栖息地——西双版纳傣族自治州一个自然保护区出走。Wild Asian elephants, a flagship species in the rainforest, are under A-level state protection in China. Thanks to stronger environmental and wildlife protection efforts, its population in the country has grown to about 300, mostly scattered in the province of Yunnan.野生亚洲象是我国一级保护动物，主要生活在热带雨林中。近年来我国不断改善环境，加大野生动物保护力度，境内野生亚洲象数量已增加到约300头，主要分布在云南省。1. herd美 [hɜrd] 英 [hɜː(r)d]n.牧群；兽群；人群；芸芸众生v.（使）向…移动；牧放（牲畜、兽群）网络：牛群；放牧；畜群 2. roam美 [roʊm] 英 [rəʊm]n.漫游v.徜徉；漫步；闲逛；摸遍网络：云游；在…漫步；游荡 3. autonomous美 [ɔ'tɑnəməs] 英 [ɔː'tɒnəməs]adj.自治的；有自治权的；自主的；有自主权的网络：自主性；自发的；自治性 4. prefecture美 ['pri.fektʃər] 英 ['priː.fektʃə(r)]n.县；（法、意、日等国的）地方行政区域；省网络：专区；地区；府 5. flagship美 ['flæɡ.ʃɪp] 英 ['flæɡ.ʃɪp]n.旗舰；王牌网络：旗舰店；旗舰系列；佼佼者COVID variant constellation names considered世卫考虑星座命名变异毒株New coronavirus strains could be named after constellations once the Greek alphabet is used up, a World Health Organization boss has suggested. The agency started naming new mutations after letters of the Greek alphabet back in May. So far, 11 variants have been named - including the Delta, Beta and Alpha strains.世界卫生组织官员表示，一旦希腊字母用完，考虑用星座来命名新的新冠变异毒株。世卫组织自今年5月开始用希腊字母来命名新冠变异毒株。截至目前，世卫组织已经用希腊字母命名了11种新冠变异毒株，包括阿尔法变异病毒、贝塔变异病毒、德尔塔变异病毒。Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's COVID-19 technical lead, said the WHO is looking at new names in case they go through all 24 letters of the Greek alphabet. At the moment, constellations are being considered. The WHO is looking at proposals to make sure no one is upset with the names, she added.世卫组织新冠疫情技术部门负责人范科霍夫表示，世卫组织正在为新冠变异毒株寻找新的命名方式，以防24个希腊字母不够使用。目前，该组织正在考虑以星座命名。范科霍夫称，世卫组织正在研究提案，确保没有人对新的命名感到不满。1. strain美 [streɪn] 英 [streɪn]n.压力；品系；应力；张力v.扭伤；拉紧；滤；损伤网络：应变；紧张；菌株 2. mutation美 [mju'teɪʃ(ə)n] 英 [mjuː'teɪʃ(ə)n]n.变异；改变网络：突变；基因突变；变种 3. constellation美 [.kɑnstə'leɪʃ(ə)n] 英 [.kɒnstə'leɪʃ(ə)n]n.星座；一系列（相关的想法、事物）；一群（相关的人）网络：星群；星群效果；星座图

As floods struck the city of Zhengzhou, hundreds of commuters were left trapped inside a subway train as the waters rose. Fourteen died. Sixth Tone investigates how the tragedy unfolded — and how it could have been prevented.Read the article by Yuan Ye: https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1008196/inside-the-subway-disaster-that-killed-14-in-central-chinaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Flood-stricken Henan province in Central China is battling a Covid-19 outbreak. The floods that hit the province are expected to cost insurers billions of yuan. Two of the country's largest U.S.-listed private tutoring firms cancell the release of their latest earnings reports. Plus, Yongcheng Coal and its executives are fined for fraud.

1. 60-foot-bus submerged in central China flood 2. Survivor recounts escaping flooded tunnel 3. Analysts: disaster caused by authoritarianism 4. 'Hope we're still alive by the time you air this' 5. U.S. drops charges against 5 Chinese researchers

1. 60-foot-bus submerged in central China flood 2. Survivor recounts escaping flooded tunnel 3. Analysts: disaster caused by authoritarianism 4. 'Hope we're still alive by the time you air this' 5. U.S. drops charges against 5 Chinese researchers

Plus, Beijing unveils its self-developed maglev; shares of education firms collapse; and the state releases support measures for the three-child policy SPECIAL OFFER To enjoy 7-day complimentary access to caixinglobal.com and the English Caixin app visit this link: https://www.caixinglobal.com/institutional-activity/?code=J3XVJC

Happy episode 30!! Today in news, we'll look at the extreme flooding in Europe and Central China, the G.O.P. blocking the bipartisan infrastructure debate, updates on the Olympic games + Covid-19, and more in just five minutes!

Central China grapples with torrential rain; behind the new, home-built maglev; and Nanjing on alert after new Covid cases detected SPECIAL OFFER To enjoy 7-day complimentary access to caixinglobal.com and the English Caixin app visit this link: https://www.caixinglobal.com/institutional-activity/?code=J3XVJC

From the BBC World Service: A “thousand-year storm!” has caused widespread damage across China’s Henan province, home to millions of people and big business. Plus: Protests in France over new measures requiring COVID-19 vaccine or test results before visiting museums, theme parks, or movie theaters. And: Threats of Christmas disruption if part of the U.K. and E.U. Brexit arrangements aren’t worked out.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will visit China. The country roll out financial measures to encourage people to have more children. A provincial banking regulator is fired over bribery allegations. Plus, Nanjing begins testing nearly 2 million residents after new cases emerged.

Extremely heavy rainfall hit Henan on Tuesday, with precipitation in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, exceeding the highest level on local weather records. Deaths from the heavy downpours rose to at least 33. Eight people are missing, and over 1.2 million people have been affected by the disaster.

Twelve people have died after subway cars in flood-hit Central China filled with water and they were unable to escape. More revelations from the Pegasus Project show the phone numbers of world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, were among those potentially targeted. And questions are being asked about the shape of Jeff Bezos' rocket.

From the BBC World Service: A “thousand-year storm!” has caused widespread damage across China’s Henan province, home to millions of people and big business. Plus: Protests in France over new measures requiring COVID-19 vaccine or test results before visiting museums, theme parks, or movie theaters. And: Threats of Christmas disruption if part of the U.K. and E.U. Brexit arrangements aren’t worked out.

In this episode, CBBC examines China's latest census data in the context of the emerging economic divide between the country's North and South. While entrepreneurship flourishes in the South, a rust-belt malaise appears to be deepening in the North, in the provinces surrounding Beijing and across Central China. China's Southern provinces are outperforming the North in nearly every economic dimension: The South's share of GDP has risen to 65% of GDP; the provinces around the Greater Bay Area now maintain a foreign trade surplus of around 7%, while the North runs a -2% deficit; and while the South is home to China's richest city in nominal GDP terms, the North is home to China's poorest. But why is China's regional gap worsening? Does it represent an irreversible decline for the economies of the North? How should British businesses investing in the market interpret the data coming out of China? Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank - China, explains why UK companies should continue paying attention to business news coming out of Northern and Central China, despite the census and economic data; where UK companies are already finding opportunities in these markets; and how the North/South divide affects the local business culture.

This episode will provide a broad analysis of existing and emerging opportunities in China's Anhui Province which is strategically located in Central China. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vithiyapathy-purushothama/message

Recently, a group from our Beijing office headed to Shanxi province in central China for some forums and some private meetings. To get a roundup from the meetings, we’re on the line with our vice president for China operations, Matt Margulies. Get in touch with Matt about upcoming meetings Learn more about USCBC on our […]

Tara, Adam & Dave travel deep into the China countryside and comes face to face with a family film that tries to out hairy Harry & The Hendersons.Here’s how IMDB Describes JOURNEY INTO THE FORBIDDEN VALLEY:After a small airplane crash lands in a remote area of Central China, several passengers survive, including a Zhi Yu, a Chinese boy who’s mother recently passed away, his American guardian, Sasha Jackson and JJ Abrahams lookin’ man-o-industry Joshua and others. As they wait to be rescued, they quickly encounter the mysterious Yeren-- an elusive ape-man creature rumored to have inhabited the Shennongjia mountains for many centuries. When ruthless poachers arrive to capture the Yeren, our heroes must decide if the unique creature is their friend or foe. Spoiler Alert – The answer is “friend”.This month is Women’s History Month and we’re supporting The Black Women’s Agenda whose mission is to empower women to step up and mitigate the gender gaps that affect women in our society. You can find out more information at BWA-INC.ORG.Intro and outro music: https://www.purple-planet.com “Silver Sparkles”

This episode is a must listen! This week on One Small Bite I interview Tai Chi Master Gu and apprentice George Thompson from Tai Chi, Qi Gong & Taoist Academy in Central China’s Wudang Mountains. We recorded this podcast via technology, in different countries on different continents which to me is SO cool! During our interview Master Gu gives us insight into his story, his lineage, and the philosophies of his teachings; George tells us how he found Master Gu and what lessons he has gained from his learnings; and much more. Master Gu Shining is the director of Wudang Taoist Culture Centre (WTCC) and headmaster of the Wudang Taoist Wellness Academy (WTWA). Among the martial artists in the Wudangshan area, he is one of the few who was born here, and perhaps the only one who can teach in fluent English. While most institutions focus primarily on movement teaching, Master Gu has been directing his academy to follow the Taoist Way: not only movement but also internal alchemy and cultural exploration.Gu Shining's Chinese name is Gu Shiyi. Shining is his Taoist name, as he belongs to the 15th generation of Wudang Sanfeng Pai or sect, His shīfu (fatherly feacher) is Grandmaster Zhong Qingwei (Taoist name) or Zhong Yunlong.Master Gu aims to spread the wisdom and wellness practices of Taoism, and to help all who wish to learn and explore deeper into the Taoist culture. He teaches primarily at the WTWA in the Wudang Mountains, but also teaches abroad when invited.Have you heard about the new One Small Bite Facebook community? Come and join the great conversation and be a part of a community that’s chopping diet culture, asking thought provoking questions about Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size, and building positive relationships with food.If you want to reach me, please go to One Small Bite podcast website at that link and leave me a 90sec or less audio message. Or, feel free to reach me at info@tdwellness.com I'd love to hear from you. Remember - Chop the diet mentality; Fuel Your Body; and Nourish Your Soul

Do people travel just because they got rich enough to afford a trip? “The world is so big, and I want to look at it,” says  a middle school teacher from Central China's Henan Province, in her letter of resignation in 2015.  “A person has to be impulsive twice in their life: to fall head over heals in love and to go on a trip without any hesitation,”said another popular online post in 2016. So do we really need a good reason to travel? For ancient Chinese scholars, they did need a good reason to travel. But the most famous ventures in ancient China happened in the dreams of China's great poet and a young lady in a classic drama. 

The new, young (and the last) Emperor took the Qing Dynasty throne. He is most famously known by his Western name, Henry Puyi. He would be Emperor for less than three and a half years.What started out as a benign issue over the ownership and control of some railways in Central China metastasized into the Xinhai Revolution. The Manchus badly managed both the railway issue and the reactions and revolution resulting from it. The young Emperor abdicated in early 1912, ending the Qing Dynasty and Imperial China. Henry Puyi goes down in history as one of the most tragic and saddest figures in history. After World War II, he was returned to China as a prisoner of war. He eventually became a citizen of Communist China.The year of the rat is a significant feature of this episode. It also plays a role in Chinese culture. It not only relates to the events that happened in China at the end of the Qing Dynasty. I produced and published this podcast series in 2020, and during the global pandemic. Also the year of the rat. It may portend the future.

Mongke Khaan was dead. Over his 8 year reign, he had ruled the Mongol Empire firmly, strengthening government and renewing the conquests. Yet had not solved the tensions and problems which had been simmering below the surface since the death of Ogedai. Having not designated a successor, Mongke’s brothers Kublai and Ariq Böke would stand in to fill the void, with disastrous results for the empire. In the aftermath of Mongke’s death, the Mongol Empire was irrevocably torn apart, ending the dreams of Chinggis Khan for Mongolian unity. I’m your host David, and this is Kings and Generals: Ages of Conquest.   Before we carry on with our narrative, we must note that following events are highly coloured by who won- quite literally a case of history being written by the victors seeking to justify their victory. Based on recent scholarship and recognition of these biases, we will try to offer a slight reinterpretation of the events, though the outcome remains the same.   Mongke died in August 1259 while on campaign in China, fighting the Song Dynasty in Sichuan. His plan to overwhelm the Song came to a crashing halt, bogged down in sieges and mud, before his demise caused his army to fall back. Perhaps the sole safe guard left in place in event of his death was his youngest brother, Ariq Böke, left as regent in the imperial capital, Karakorum, while Mongke marched on China. Intended to keep the empire running smoothly in Mongke’s absence, it’s possible Mongke, as with so much of his reign, had tailored this as reaction to the regencies after the deaths of Ogedai and Guyuk. Rather than repeat the chaotic periods of control by Torogene and Oghul Qaimish, Mongke may have wanted Ariq to seamlessly step up and guide the empire to an organized quriltai, rather than rely on conniving mothers to do it themselves. Thus was Ariq brought to the forefront of the world stage.   So who was Ariq Böke? The youngest son of Tolui and Sorhaktani Beki, he was born sometime in the early 1220s, putting him in his early forties at Mongke’s death. Unlike his older brother Kublai, Ariq never showed any affinity to Chinese culture, despite being provided Confucian advisers. Instead, he is generally portrayed as a proud supporter of Mongolian culture, priding himself as a nomad uncorrupted by the sedentary world. The second part of his name, Böke, is an epithet, which means variously ‘bull, strong/unbreakable, wrestler.’ Evidently, he was a man of quite some physical prowess, perhaps a star in that favourite Mongol pastime of wrestling. He seems to have had an affinity to Christianity: the Franciscan Friar, William of Rubruck, during his visit to Mongke’s court in 1254 interacted with Ariq and noted that he listened to Christian oratory several time, made the sign of the cross and stated that he knew the Messiah is God. Considering that Rubruck remarked on Mongke’s own refusal to convert to Christianity or Islam and his personal failures to convert anyone, there’s no reason to think he lied on Ariq’s interest in the religion. Ariq’s mother Sorhaktani and at least one of his sons, Mingliq-Temur, were Christians. His chief wife was an Oirat princess, Elchiqmish (el-chiq-mish), described as very tall and as a granddaughter of Chinggis Khan via his daughter Chechiyegen (Chech-ee-yeg-en), she was also Ariq’s cousin. They had no children, but Ariq is said to have loved her very much.    One of Mongke’s sons who accompanied him on the campaign into China, Asutai, brought his father’s body to Mongolia in autumn 1259. Immediately, Ariq Böke stepped into his duties as regent. Messages were sent across the empire to alert princes and notables of the Great  Khan’s demise: Kublai, Mongke’s brother closest in age and also campaigning in China, learned of his death in September. Their third brother, Hulegu, learned of it in spring 1260. Representatives of the family were told to come to Mongolia in order for Ariq to arrange a quriltai and decide who would succeed Mongke. But trouble came from a perhaps expected direction: Kublai, their brother who had often butted heads with Mongke, now refused to return to Karakorum.    Over Mongke’s reign, Kublai had been a repeated problem for both the Khan and his chief officials. After his return from the Dali campaign in 1254, Kublai began administering a large swath of northern China. There he showed what some modern authors interpret as inclinations to independence; or at the very least, pretensions to greater autonomy. The first sign was Kublai butting heads with the head of the Secretariat for China, the long-time servant of the Central Government, Mahmud Yalavach. Yalavach was reappointed to the position in 1251, and nominally in charge of tax assessment and collection, but found his efforts challenged by Kublai and his Chinese advisers who desired a more ‘Confucian,’ and local method of taxation and governance. Yalavach was never on good terms with the Chinese, and found many enemies among Kublai’s faction. Accused of malfeasance by Kublai’s followers, around 1254 Yalavach was removed from his post and soon died, though the exact details are murky. So ended the long career of a man who had once served as Chinggis Khan’s envoy to the Khwarezmshah.   Without Yalavach’s meddling, Kublai could strengthen his local influence and position. Most apparent was in the building of a city in 1256 in what is modern Inner Mongolia, on the very edge of the steppe and north China. Called Kaiping, it was built in Chinese style and looked rather suspiciously like a capital city, a rival to Karakorum. The next year, some of Mongke’s ministers under Alandar led an investigation into Kublai’s administration, finding numerous infractions. Kublai’s authority was curtailed, his powers of tax collection rescinded, and some of his men executed. But there were further concerns, most identifiable in Kublai’s affinity for Chinese culture. Filling his staff with Buddhist and Confucians, Kublai’s administration looked a little too Chinese for Mongke’s tastes. The Mongol Empire needed to be ruled by Mongols, afterall, and placing more power into the hands of the Chinese simply would not do. Kublai remained in Mongke’s bad graces until 1258, when Mongke needed him for the oncoming campaign against the Song Dynasty. Provided one of the main armies, Kublai led his force through Central China to O-chou, modern Wuhan, where he learned of Mongke’s death in September 1259. Ariq Böke’s officials were there to get Kublai to move north for the quriltai, only for Kublai to spurn them.     While Kublai’s official excuse was that he could not depart with his task unfinished, an alternative explanation is often provided by modern authors. That is, that Kublai saw this as his chance to take the throne, but needed to beef up his military credentials with victories- so far unearned in that campaign. Ariq Böke, to our knowledge, had not led any armies, making this perhaps the one area Kublai could one-up his brother in the eyes of the Mongol aristocracy. Keep in mind how Ariq’s epithet stressed his strength and ability as a wrestler. In comparison, Kublai suffered from gout and may have already been overweight. Already seen as soft for his interest in Chinese culture and known for having lost Mongke’s trust as an administrator, Kublai needed every advantage he could get in an election against Ariq. If he could paint himself as the better, more experienced military commander, that could be all the edge he needed. Since elections took a while to be called to allow for the appropriate princes and representatives to return to Mongolia, Kublai e predicted he had plenty of time to take a few cities and score some victories of his own.   Kublai spent the next two month crossing the Yangzi River and taking O-chou, linking up with another commander, Uriyangqadai, the son of the illustrious Subutai. The news of Kublai’s continued campaigning was not well met back in Karakorum. Two members of Mongke’s keshig were particularly displeased by this: Alandar, the official who investigated Kublai’s administration, and most importantly, Bulghai, the chief judge of the empire, a Nestorian Christian and Mongke’s #2. Neither was friendly with Kublai. As brother closest in age to the late Khan, Kublai was a prime candidate for the throne, albeit one too interested in Chinese culture and a threat to the current top men of the empire. Therefore, Bulghai and Alandar began to organize the election of Ariq as the next Khan of Khans, if Ariq had not already begun to encourage this himself. With the burial of Mongke, his son Asutai and his generals returned and presented Mongke’s jade seal to Ariq.    Part of organizing a quriltai was getting the appropriate bribes -again, sorry, gift giving- out in time to ensure the princes voted for the right candidate. It had taken Torogene a matter of years to organize the proper support for Guyuk’s coronation, and this was not a process done in secret. That Ariq was left as regent in Karakorum suggests he had a good relationship with those top officials of the Central Secretariat. Having these men and their government institutions on his side made for a powerful campaigning apparatus. Quickly, it seems Ariq gathered widespread support, particularly from the imperial administration and Mongke’s family, especially his sons Asutai and Urungtash who, for reasons we cannot discern, do not seem to have ever been considered as candidates.   In November 1259, messages reached Kublai from his wife, Chabi, at that time in Kaiping. Kublai highly valued Chabi’s advice, and when she sent word that Ariq looked to be moving to claim the Khanate, Kublai was forced to give up his advance to China. That this exchange occurred suggests Kublai’s primary interest was not carrying out the expansion, but securing his own claim for the throne. Withdrawing north to Kaiping, he left only a token force behind to guard his conquests, which was soon crushed when an army was sent by the Song chancellor, Jia Sidao. Sidao portrayed it as a great victory, playing it up to secure his newly taken place at the head of the Song court. Kublai could only send envoys seeking a diplomatic settlement, who were imprisoned by the chancellor, an anticlimactic end to Kublai’s effort at military glory in time for the election.   Returning to Kaiping in Inner Mongolia in the first days of 1260, Kublai watched the support for Ariq’s election continually grow. Having been forced to give up his military conquests in the south, and therefore not creating a reputation as a great conqueror, Kublai may have felt he lost the chance to win an election on Ariq’s term. Perhaps fearful that Ariq may try to arrest him if he approached Karakorum with a small entourage, yet knowing approaching with a larger escort would look like he was attacking the city, Kublai felt he had only one choice: declare himself Khan first, on ground of his choosing. In April or May 1260, at his own city of Kaiping, did Kubla Khan a stately reign decree, and in doing so signed the death warrant for Mongol imperial unity. By all standards, it was illegal: Kublai had neither the support of the four branches of the family and the election was not in the Onon-Kerulen region, the homeland of Chinggis Khan, but in his Chinese-style city. Kublai Khan had just usurped the throne.    He had one small feather in his cap; Kublai could boast he was already recognized by a foreign power. When moving northwards, Kublai met the travelling Crown Prince of Korea, Wang Chon. Having been sent as a royal hostage to Mongke’s court, his timing was poor: while on the road, both Mongke and Wang Chon’s father, King Kojong, died. Korean sources assert that upon learning of Mongke’s death, like a good loyal subject Wang Chon sped to recognize Kublai as the rightful Khan. The idea that Wang Chon had any choice of the matter is generally dismissed by modern scholars. As part of Kublai’s entourage, he witnessed Kublai’s election and was soon sent back to Korea to be installed as the new King, Wonjong. A powerful opening move, it was the beginning of a decades-long close relationship between Kublai, Wonjong and their descendants. Kublai followed up his election with official messages to the Song and official proclamations; that his goals were to feed the hungry, reduce taxes and burdens on the people. Within days of becoming Great Khan, Kublai took a Chinese era name. In Chinese imperial tradition, emperors denoted sections of their reign as eras, which was used for year identification. It’s the kind of thing one does if they want to be associated with Chinese customs of leadership. From the start, Kublai Khan did not just hold an illegal election, but a shockingly Chinese one as well.  For Ariq’s faction in Karakorum, this was a shocking demonstration against the legacy of Chinggis Khan. More immediately, it was a dangerous grab for power.   In reaction, in July of 1260 Ariq Böke finally held his election and was declared Khan in an appropriately placed, decidedly non-Chinese process. Ariq held a better claim to legitimacy, for it seems he actually had the support of the branches of the family. The regent of the Chagatai Khanate was the popular Orghina Khatun, sister of Ariq’s beloved wife Elchiqmish, who gave her support. The Jochid Khan, Berke, sent his support, as did some Ogedeid princes, and it seems so did Kublai and Ariq’s brother, Hulegu, whose son Jumqhur attended.  Mongke’s sons Asutai and Urungtash, his widows, his keshig and the Central Secretariat led by Bulghai and Alandar, sided strongly with Ariq, and so did the venerable Shigi Qutuqu, an adopted son of Chinggis Khan now well into his 70s.    Over summer 1260, as tensions heightened, messengers sped between the two brothers. Each wanted the other to submit and recognize their rule. Neither yielded. While Ariq had the official support, Kublai was decidedly in the advantage in terms of position. Kublai could exert his hold across northern China, ousting officials who had declared for Ariq and allying with  Qadan, a son of Ogedai and the prince holding the Uighur territories around Beshbaliq. Between them, they sought to close off access to north China to Ariq. For Ariq in Karakorum, this placed him in an unsustainable position. Karakorum could not support itself, requiring hundreds of cartloads of supplies daily, largely from northern China. With his army stationed there, this was even more imperative. In a contest of resources, Kublai’s hold of north China was a trump card.    To further starve out Karakorum, Kublai sought to install a new Chagatai Khan loyal to him, a great-grandson of Chagatai named Abishgha. With a small party, Abishgha was sent to oust Orghina Khatun and take power there, denying the Chagatai ulus’ resources and men to Ariq. Abishgha and his small party were captured and brought to Ariq. Tensions boiled. It was a diplomatic impasse. By autumn, it was war. Kublai began to occupy Mongolia, while Ariq sent an army under Alandar to seize the former Tangut territory, the Gansu corridor, the conduit which links north China to Central Asia. In October, Alandar was killed and his  army defeated by Kadan and Kublai’s loyalists. Kublai could now exert control across the northern Chinese right to Kadan in Uighuria. At a similar time, part of Ariq’s army was also defeated by Kublai’s troops at an unknown site called Baski. A panicked Ariq had Ahishgha executed, then moved his army from the untenable position at Karakorum, falling back to the Yenisei River valley. Northwest of Mongolia proper, the Yenisei is a valuable region producing wheat, millet, barley and craftsmen, but no place to conquer China from. Sending messages of peace to Kublai, Ariq managed to diplomatically hold off Kublai, stopping him from seizing Karakorum and providing Ariq time to think of new plans.   With the start of 1261, Ariq implemented his new schemes. While popular in the Chagatai ulus, Orghina Khatun, regent for her young son Mubarak Shah, was not a war leader. Ariq had her replaced by Alghu, a grandson of Chagatai who could hopefully rally the ample resources of the Middle ulus for Ariq’s needs with loss of access to resources of China. In the summer, Ariq sought to wrest control of Mongolia from Kublai’s men. Ariq won the first engagement, but Kublai merely sent another army against his brother. In November 1261, at Shimu’ultu Lake in southeastern Mongolia, Ariq Böke Khan’s army was defeated and forced to retreat. Ariq had to abandon Mongolia for good, falling back to the Yenisei River.    Ariq could never come back from the defeat at Shimu’ultu. He lacked the manpower to engage in any attrition with Kublai, and over 1262 the chance of victory was wrenched from his grasp. That year Kublai’s forces entered Karakorum, though his direct actions against Ariq were limited due to an uprising within his Chinese territory. In the west, Ariq’s ally Berke was unable to provide support with the opening of war between him and Hulegu over the Caucasus.  Alghu, Ariq’s appointee in the Chagatai realm, started to attack Jochid possessions in Khwarezm and Tranosxiana, ousting Berke’s representatives. Killing Ariq’s envoys, by the end of the year Alghu declared for Kublai. Ariq’s only chance at securing anything depended on the resources of the Chagatais, and in 1263 from his base on the Yenisei he attacked Alghu. Alghu won in the first two engagements, but Ariq had the better of the third, forcing Alghu to flee to Kashgar.    Ariq took the Chagatai capital of Almaliq, in modern Xinjiang close to the border with Kazakhstan. It was here that Ariq spent the final days of his reign. An incredibly harsh winter in 1263 brought famine to men and horses on the steppe. A frustrated Ariq Böke took his anger out on captured Chagatai prisoners. Harsh treatment of fellow Mongols alienated Ariq’s supporters and coupled with the conditions, led to desertion. Hulegu’s son Jumghur left, as did Mongke’s son Urungtash, who brought his father’s seal to Kublai. The omens were bad: harsh winds tore Ariq’s tent right from its pegs, causing it to crash about and injure many. At its end and with an ever decreasing circle of supporters, Ariq knew the gig was up. In August of 1264, he came in person before Kublai at Kaiping, now renamed to Shangdu. Per the account of the Ilkhanid historian and vizier Rashid al-Din, Ariq waited in front of Kublai’s ger for permission to enter, and upon coming face to face with his brother burst into tears. An emotional Kublai asked, “my dear brother, during this strife and contention, were we right or were you?”   To which, as written by Rashid al-Din, Ariq Böke replies “we were then. But you are today.”   Blame was placed onto Ariq’s generals, who were accused of instigating Ariq’s “revolt.” 10,  including Bulghai, were executed. Ariq was to be put on trial before the other heads of the family, but all of them- Berke, Hulegu and Alghu, refused to come. Yet Kublai’s generals demanded punishment. The problem was fixed when illness very conveniently struck down the erstwhile healthy Ariq Böke. The timing was certainly handy, and accusations fall on Kublai. Yet it’s possible that a depressed Ariq, brought down by a difficult and fruitless civil war, drunk himself to an early grave. So it was that Kublai was the sole claimant as Khan of Khans.    Having won the war, Kublai lost the empire. Only Hulegu provided his nominal support, but neither he nor Berke or Alghu ever made an attempt to submit in person. Over 1265 and 1266, the three of them died. Hulegu’s successor, his son Abaqa, received an official investiture from Kublai, but Kublai had no power to depose or appoint him or his successors. Kublai sent another descendant of Chagatai, Baraq, to take Alghu’s place, but Baraq soon operated independent of the Great Khan, and fought with the rising prince of the Ogedeids, Qaidu. By 1269, a brief peace was organized between Baraq, Qaidu and the new Jochid Khan, Mongke-Temur. The Peace of Qatwan as it’s known, saw territorial distribution and allotment totally without Kublai’s consideration, circumventing utterly the Great Khan’s authority. Kublai’s rule as Great Khan was nominal in the western half of Mongol territory, a spectre of illegitimacy hanging over him. By 1271, we can speak in earnest of the divisions of the Empire as independent entities, khanates:  the Golden Horde, the Chagatai Khanate, the Ilkhanate and the Yuan Dynasty, the latter being the Chinese dynastic name Kublai gave to his reduced empire. As well, there is the matter of the Ogedeid Khanate under Qaidu, the Neguderis and the Blue and White Horde, but we will illuminate these in future episodes.   Most of our sources from within the Mongol Empire come from areas ruled by the descendants of Kublai and Hulegu, the Yuan Dynasty and the Ilkhanate. In the Yuan Dynasty, the need to justify Kublai’s election as legitimate is obvious. The most influential of Ilkhanid authors was the vizier Rashid al-Din, whose Compendium of Chronicles is among the most valuable of all medieval sources on the Mongols. Writing around 1300, Rashid was personally informed of the events of the 1260s from Bolad Chingsang, one of Kublai’s judges who took part in the trials against Ariq and his generals. This pro-Kublai bias strongly affected Rashid al-Din’s work, who dubbed the war as “Ariq’s revolt.” Like so many other figures of the Mongol Empire, only by carefully sifting through the surviving sources can we hope to see through the biases of the winning side. Doubtless, had Ariq had won, Kublai’s name would have been the one tarnished. But Kublai secured his empire, and now the long reign of Kublai Khan was to begin.    The Mongol Empire as a united entity ceased to exist by Kublai Khan’s victory in 1264, but it’s history does not end there. Our future episodes will discuss the other great breakup of the empire, the Berke-Hulegu war, and the continued histories of the successor Khanates, so be sure to subscribe to our podcast. If you’d like to help us continue bringing you great content, consider supporting us on patreon at www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. I’m your host David, and we’ll catch you on the next one!

For everyday pick up learning some Chinese , feel free to follow me on Instagram : @ymc_learn_chinese 你比想象中更美 You are more beautiful than you think Zhou Wenjuan, a beautician in Yongzhou city, Central China's Hunan province, went viral by helping rural women in their 40s achieve stunning transformations in their appearance. 周文娟是来自中国湖南永州的一位美妆师，她为40多岁的农村女性化妆，因变妆前后对比惊人，在网上获得了大量关注。 Zhou Wenjuan, a 32-year-old lady,studied makeup skills in Beijing and now runs a beauty salon in Yongzhou city. 32岁的周文娟早些年在北京学习了化妆技术，之后回到永州开了自己的化妆工作室。 The makeup artist later found many middle-aged women in her hometown showed great interest in her cosmetics but didn't dare to try them. Having witnessed the amazing transformation of Zhou's granny, many female villagers grew more eager to wear makeup. 周文娟发现家乡的很多中年女性虽然对化妆很感兴趣，但却不敢尝试。直到她们看到奶奶变妆后的模样，许多人才更加积极地表示愿意尝试化妆。 Zhou was determined to help them free of charge, although it turned out to be a time-consuming job. 尽管这项工作非常耗时，但周文娟还是决定免费帮她们化妆。 "Many middle-aged women in the countryside are usually engaged in housework all day long and hardly have time to take care of themselves, therefore all efforts are worthy as long as they can appreciate the beauty of change," Zhou said. 周文娟说：“很多农村的中年女性平日里总是整天操持家务，都忘了好好爱自己。因此当看到村里的阿姨们化完妆后在镜子前惊喜又兴奋的样子，我觉得这一切都值了。" key words: 1. 美妆师: beautician ; makeup artist 2. 农村 女性 rural women 3. 变妆=改变 妆容 transform appearance by makeup 4. 关注 to follow something closely; attention 5. 化妆 技术 makeup skills 6. 化妆 工作室 beauty salon 工作室 studio ; workshop 7. 中年 女性middle-aged women 8. 积极地 positively 9. 耗时time-consuming 10. 操持 = 处理 to manage; to handle 11. 家务 household chores 12. 惊喜 be pleasantly surprised ( n. adj. ) 13. 兴奋 excited; excitement adj. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ymc-learn-chinese/message

From Anatolia to Central China; from northern Korea to the eastern edge of Europe; from the forests of Siberia to the borders of India.  This was the empire of Grand Khan Mongke, perhaps the single most powerful monarch in history. No other king, sultan or emperor could compare to the sheer swath of humanity that Mongke ruled over, a man who reformed, centralized and expanded the empire even further. Yet, he was to be the last as uncontested Khan of the Empire, and on his death, the dream of Mongol unity was to be shattered. Today’s episode will present the reign of Mongke Khaan and his efforts to strengthen the Mongol Empire in the 1250s, while our following episodes will take us through the conquests launched and completed under his orders. I’m your host David, and this is Kings and Generals: Ages of Conquest.   Mongke, as we covered in episode 21, came to the throne in what historians call “the Toluid Revolution.” On Chinggis Khan’s death back in 1227, it seemed the throne was to remain in the line of his third son, Ogedai. After the death of Ogedai’s son, Guyuk Khaan in 1248,  the next Khan was the son of Ogedai’s brother Tolui, supported by the descendants of Jochi. Mongke, the oldest son of Tolui and his wife Sorqaqtani Beki, was enthroned in 1251 in Mongolia. A failed attempt to oust Mongke resulted in a great purge against the line of Ogedai, seizing most of their territory. Several figures of the Chagatai lineage were killed and the Chagatai Khan replaced, while top officials were forced into a very bloody retirement. The new line of the Great Khans held the throne with the permanent animosity of many of the surviving Ogedaids and Chagatayids. But with the full support of the Toluids and the Jochids under Batu Khan, Mongke had the strength to keep everyone in line. A Toluid Khan without that support would find it very difficult to extend his authority westwards, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves…   Enthroned as the fourth Great Khan in summer 1251, Mongke immediately set out reorganizing government. Mongke came to the throne with a view of ‘getting things back on track,’ since the death of Ogedai. The empowerment of the ortoq merchants as tax collectors, the strengthening of regional Mongol princes at the expense of the central government and infighting was a distraction to the Empire’s true purpose: bringing everything under Heaven under Mongol rule. That this had not yet been accomplished was an embarrassment as far as Mongke was concerned. Everything Mongke did was for this goal, this destiny, and none would stand in his way. The house of Ogedai had shown resistance, and for this had been crushed. Though raised to the throne by the efforts of Batu and Sorqaqtani, Mongke was no puppet. Sorqaqtani died soon after her son became Khaan, and Batu and Mongke reached an agreement, wherein Batu was essentially viceroy of the west. Given great autonomy and little imperial interference in his affairs with the integrity of the Jochid realm confirmed, Batu, until his death in 1255, was a staunch supporter of the new Khaan.   Mongke presented himself as the ideal Mongol ruler in the mould of Chinggis Khan. With his brother closest in age, Kublai, the two had a proudly shared experience with their famous grandfather. On a hunting trip with the old Chinggis, the young boys had fat from the kill spread on their fingers by the Great Khan himself. Considering how many grandchildren Chinggis had in his final years, to be singled out in any manner was a proud thing. Mongke’s father Tolui was often on campaign, leaving Mongke to be raised under the auspices of Sorqaqtani. Alongside the necessary riding, hunting and warfare abilities ingrained into all Mongol children, Mongke and his brothers were also taught leadership skills, administration, how to read and write Mongolian and were introduced to foreign cultures. Mongke was groomed to be a ruler. Taking part in the great western campaign, Mongke made it as far as Kiev, and led in various theaters, battles and sieges, forging a reputation as a skilled general. By Guyuk’s death in 1248, Mongke was a well respected and leading figure among the third generation of Chinggisids. Intelligent, brave, and ambitious, he stepped into the mantle of leadership easily. Vengeful, domineering and merciless to those he deemed as standing in his way, he was a dangerous foe.  Mongke’s reign from 1251 to the beginning of 1258 was largely focused on political and administrative needs in order to support large military campaigns across Asia. In contrast to the campaigns of his grandfather Chinggis, the conquests of the 1250s come across almost as an institutionalized form. For Chinggis Khan, government was somewhat of an accidental creation out of military-tribal structures and conquests: necessary, but minimal. For Mongke, the government served as a tool of organizing conquest, an arm of the Khan with which to pursue his will. Mongke’s control was not totalitarian by any modern sense, but it dominated the system in its most influential levels. Not constrained by any pesky constitutions or parliaments to pass laws through, Mongke wielded a level of power that perhaps no other figure in history could truly compare to.   To complete the conquest of the world, Mongke needed a stable and efficient government to take stock of the resources and materials necessary for expansion at an enormous scale.  For this project, Mongke had a fine group of men to fall upon. The top officials of the empire came from each Khan’s keshig, the imperial bodyguard. Part guard, part retinue, part administration, the men in Mongke’s keshig were a varied lot, a number of whom had served in the keshig of Tolui, and even Chinggis Khan. Intensely loyal, they had eaten, drank, lived and fought alongside one another for years. They had also prepared for the possibility of stepping into the lead roles of state.    It’s no surprise than that Mongke’s #1 and #2 were both from his keshig. The first was Menggeser Qorchi, a Jalayir Mongol who was inquisitor, judge, and executor in Mongke’s purges. He served as chief judge of the empire, head of the imperial guard and head of the Central Secretariat; essentially, Mongke’s Chancellor, replacing the late Chinqai. #2 was Bulghai of the Kereyit, a Nestorian Christian in charge of the many, many scribes and chamberlains of the Central Secretariat and the capital. An entire third of Karakorum was set aside for them. A good many were translators. Every edict of the Great Khan was translated into the main languages of the empire- Mongolian, Uighur, Persian, Chinese, Tangut and Tibetan, in order for them to be distributed properly. Upon Menggeser’s death in 1253, Bulghai was promoted to his position as well. From Mongke’s keshig, the holes made by the destruction of Ogedaid officials were filled. In the words of historian Thomas Allsen, describing Mongke’s keshig: “These people, recruited from his own household staff, were the only individuals with whom Mongke ever willingly shared power.”   With the Central Secretariat in reliable hands, Mongke looked to the regional Secretariats. Here Mongke kept some continuity with Guyuk. Mahmud Yalavach was reinstated as the head of the Secretariat for North China, and his son Mas’ud Beg back to the Central Asian Secretariat. Under Guyuk, a Secretariat for Iran, the Caucasus and Anatolia was created, headed by the Oirat Mongol Arghun Aqa, who Mongke confirmed in this position. Another secretariat was ordered for the Rus’ territory in 1257, headed by a man called Kitai.  All were competent enough and not too closely associated with the Ogedeids to have survived the purges. Mongke envisioned a return to the regular taxation system under the early years of Ogedai proposed by Yelu Chucai. The tax farming of ‘Abd al-Rahman could not do; not out of a sense of empathy to the civilian populations of Asia, but because it was terribly inefficient. Beggaring the taxbase in a single year reduced revenues for years to come, simply unacceptable when armies needed to be supported for long campaigns. Yalavach, Mas’ud Beg and Arghun Aqa were able bureaucrats associated with economic rebuilding and reliable taxation, rather than personal enrichment. But to tax efficiently, the government needed to know what resources and how many people lived in each region, to ensure the most efficient demands could be made.   For this end, Mongke ordered an empire wide census. This was not unusual: the Mongols had employed censuses for decades. Guyuk had made such an order shortly before his untimely demise. The new Khan did not just want a population count though. He wanted to know the resources of the empire, numbers and locations of skilled craftsmen, who could provide what and what could be mobilized. Knowing the local population, their economic status and quality of local resources allowed the government to set taxes at appropriate levels- and made it harder for government intermediaries to skim off the top, when the Central Secretariat had its own registers to compare to. At the same time, if the population was found to be too low or too poor to pay their current rate, it could be adjusted to fit the location. This also affected recruitment, allowing the government to allocate skilled craftsmen and engineers to each army as needed.    The census moved relatively quickly given the scale of the operation: beginning in north China and Central Asia in late 1252, by 1259 Novgorod, the northernmost Rus’ principality and furthest outpost of the empire, was registered. After being surveyed, supplementary censuses were launched to catch the floating population or accommodate newly conquered territories, ensuring the Central Secretariat had reasonably up-to-date information for setting their demands. Registers were carried out by imperial agents alongside representatives of the regional Mongol prince and local rulers, for assistance and protection.  In Novgorod, the famed prince Alexander Nevsky had to provide military protection for the census takers against an agitated Rus’ populace.    Under Mongke, three main categories of taxation existed, varying if the given population was nomadic, agricultural or urban. The first was the qubchir, a head tax. For nomads, 1 in every 100 head in a herd was paid in tax. Less than 100 animals, and no tax was paid. In most of the Muslim territories, this was imposed on all adult males and paid in silver dinars; in China, this was assessed on household, and could be paid in silver or precious goods like silk. For populations without coinage like the Rus’, furs and other valued commodities were accepted tender. Khalan was an agricultural tax, paid in kind in rural areas based on local tradition, while tamgha was basically a sales tax, collected in urban markets and customs stations. This tax was placed on services and products manufactured, including artisans, fisherman and prostitutes! In general the Mongols encouraged payment in coinage, and local mints were established throughout Iran, the Caucasus and Central Asia to produce large volumes of coins. In 1253, they even began circulating paper money in China, each stamped with the seal of Mongke Khaan. No effort was made to collect unpaid taxes from before Mongke’s enthronement, setting everyone on a clean slate. Tax exemptions for clergy continued, but many who had gained exemption under Guyuk, such as a fair number of merchants, had their exemptions rescinded. Mongke was not going to disregard the merchants though; he paid the outstanding debts of Guyuk and the regents, despite the resistance of some top ministers, leading to the Persian writer Rashid al-Din to remark “in what history has it ever been read that a king paid another king’s debt?”   Also rescinded were numerous paizas and gerege, that is, the passports allowing an individual use of the yam system, the vast continental messenger stations. The gerege, depending on the material it was made from, granted an individual use of the horses and resources of a given station to allow them swift passage over the empire, changing horses and getting provisions at each station to continue at speed. Intended for members of the dynasty, envoys and messengers of the Khan, under Guyuk and the regents many a merchant had been given a gereg, and thus saw fit to travel the yam leisurely, enriching himself as he went. On Mongke’s order, all gerege were handed back to the Central Secretariat and redistributed on a more limited basis, greatly reducing the pressure on the local populations who supplied the resources for the stations. The yam itself was improved and routes set up by regional Khans were tied into the main imperial system. For these regional Mongol princes, new restrictions were forced on them, forbidding them to intervene on fiscal matters or set new taxes without approval from the Central Secretariat. These measures helped reduce the power of local forces who could compete with Mongke’s interests.   The rebuilding of devastated regions was ordered and destruction while on campaign was to be limited. How successful these initiatives were is hard to measure, but a few Mongol officers were punished for transgressions in these areas. Mongke placed agents who reported directly back to him across the Secretariats to keep him informed of such matters and enforce his will. This was not an innovation of government, but a domination of it. The Central Secretariat wielded greater authority than ever, supported by a highly energetic and motivated emperor.    Mongke, certainly more than his predecessor, understood the value of image. Knowing that the movement from the line of Ogedai to Tolui brought shade upon his legitimacy, Mongke strived to portray himself as the very embodiment of the words and laws of Chinggis Khan. Guyuk, Torogene and Oghul Qaimish were portrayed in as negative a light as possible, while Mongke and his father Tolui were elevated. Posthumously, Tolui was promoted to Great Khan, a position he had never held in life. In 1252, Mongke established an official Cult of Chinggis Khan and his worship. An entire department of government was made responsible for dealing with sacrifices, shamans, fortune tellers and more, suggested by Thomas Allsen to have been the ‘managers’ of the Chinggis cult. We might say these propaganda efforts were successful: almost all of our written sources from the empire come from regions ruled by the Toluids, and as such Mongke seems ever the greater and his predecessors all the more inept.    Per the suggestion of historian Christopher Atwood, the famed Secret History of the Mongols may have been a result of this program, written at a quriltai in 1252. As our only surviving Mongolian language history from the 13th century, the Secret History of the Mongols was a chronicle intended for the royal family, and is hugely influential on how we view the early Mongol empire. Further, it influenced several of the later histories we also rely upon. In the Secret History, several embarrassing stories are told of Jochi, Chagatai, Ogedai, and Guyuk, the last appearing as a peutlent, whiny brat. Tolui and Mongke are treated much more reverently in the Secret History, which has Chinggis Khan give allowance for another branch of the family to take over should the line of Ogedai prove incapable. A rather useful clause to suddenly uncover; one, we may note, not found in other sources.   In this vein, he also understood the importance of maintaining the Mongol policy of religious toleration. Mongke was quite effective at it, as there were both Christians and Muslims at the time convinced Mongke had converted to their religion. Mongol religious toleration was not the same as our modern liberal sense of toleration, but more in the sense it was literally tolerated, as long as the given religion did not oppose the Mongols. The Mongols generally wanted to ensure religious figures were on their side: their prayers, and those of their followers, were useful for ensuring divine favour for the Khaan. Having religious leaders and priests persuade and preach about how important it was to be a loyal subject of the Mongol Khaan also served as a useful means of maintaining order. Our previous episode briefly detailed the encounter of the European Franciscan Friar, William of Rubruck, with Mongke, and that probably best encapsulates Mongke’s own view on religion. Just as there are five fingers leading to the palm, Heaven had provided multiple means to the same end. To Mongke, no religion was more true than another, but all were equally useful for his goals. While Mongke’s armies would destroy the ‘Abbasid Caliphate, this was not done out of a need to spite Islam, but because the Caliph had failed to submit to the Khaan. As Mongke firmly believed Heaven had decreed the world to belong to the Chinggisids, resistance against the Chinggisids was therefore resistance against Heaven’s decree. Everything Mongke did was through this worldview and the belief in the eventuality of Mongol dominion.   With internal matters set and the resources of the empire being recorded, Mongke could plan for outward expansion- the topics of the next episodes in our series. In early summer 1252, a quriltai was held to plan for the subjugation of the rest of the world. It is this quriltai that Dr. Atwood suggests the Secret History was composed at, where Mongke made his plans for the future. His brothers were to lead armies both to the south and the west.    To the south lay the Song Dynasty, controlling southern China. Warfare with the Song had begun in the 1230s, but progress was slow and the fighting inconclusive. Mongke’s brother Kuublai was granted much of north China under his princely jurisdiction, and then was to lead the opening move of the new round of warfare with the Song. Kublai was not to move directly against them, but against the smaller Kingdom of Dali, in what is now China’s Yunnan province. On the Song Dynasty’s southwesten border, the conquest of Dali would open a second front against the Song. In the west, their younger brother Hulegu was to lead a massive army against the remaining independent Muslim powers, first the Order of the Assassins, and then the Caliph in Baghdad. From there, presumably Hulegu would drive right to the Meditteranean. Both brothers set out in later 1253, and we will pick up with their campaigns in following episodes. Armies were also sent to complete the conquests of Tibet and Korea. By the mid 1250s, Tibet was mostly subjugated, though Korea was a bit more complicated. Our next episode will cover the Mongol-Korean wars from start to finish, and look at how this peninsula managed to prove such a thorn in Mongol efforts for decades.   Kublai was to be the prince overseeing most of China, and Hulegu most of the Muslim world west of the Chagatai Khanate. It was hardly a coincidence that Mongke’s two closest brothers were being situated to command two of the most valuable economic regions of the continent.  Mongke envisioned a sort of Toluid axis across Asia, keeping tight imperial control across distant regions through brotherly ties. But if they overstepped their bounds, Mongke was not above reproaching them.    After Kublai completed the conquest of Dali by the early months of 1254, he returned to oversee matters in North China, promoting government reform and reconstruction efforts. Lil’ Kublai started to get a bit too big for his britches however. In 1256 Kublai began building a summer residence in what is now Inner Mongolia- in time it would be called Shangdu, the Xanadu of Marco Polo. It suspiciously looked a bit too much like a capital, though. Rumours of Kublai’s ambitions reached Mongke, and on pretexts of irregularities in Kublai’s revenue collection, Mongke sent investigators into his brother's domains. Administrative records were seized, Kublai’s officials harshly tortured and numerous infractions found. Some of Kublai’s officials were executed, others dismissed, extraordinary levies placed on his domains and Kublai himself saw his administrative power reduced. We are told Kublai had to be convinced out of a hasty retaliation by his advisers, and was not able to get Mongke’s forgiveness until the start of 1258.  While the Chinese sources depict it as an act of brotherly attachment, the two weeping in each others’ arms, the reality is that Mongke had need of Kublai again. The Khaan was about to launch an invasion of the Song Dynasty, and needed to secure loose ends. One such loose end was well suited to Kublai and his inclination to Chinese culture: a rather violent, ongoing conflict between Buddhists and Taoists in Northern China threatening to undermine local stability. Kublai was ordered to bring this matter to a close, which he largely accomplished at a famous debate between leading members of both creeds in later 1258. The Buddhists had the better of the debate, no doubt aided by Kublai’s own Buddhist leanings and support of his ardent Buddhist wife, Chabi. The result was an end to the ascendency of the Taoists, begun, somewhat accidentally, by Chinggis Khan and his support of the Taoist Master Qiu Chuji back in the 1220s. Taoist texts deemed forgeries were destroyed, they were forced to return occupied Buddhist temples and other privileges were lost. In turn, Buddhism saw an ascendence in influence among the Mongols, not for the last time.   Mongke also needed Kublai to lead one of the armies in the multi-pronged assault on the Song, in what was to be a massive operation. Planning for the Song campaign was thorough, intending to completely overwhelm the Dynasty from multiple points. The census efforts came to full fruition: Mongke had an enormous, well prepared army drawn from across Asia. Contingents from as far west as the Alans of the Northern Caucasus were mobilized for this assault. Setting out in 1258, nothing would quite go as expected, putting true the old adage that no battle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy. One area Mongke’s foresight proved remarkably poor was his failure to nominate an heir to succeed him. Not that we’re foreshadowing anything in that regard… But, we’ll return to Mongke’s war with the Song in a few episodes time. Prior to that, we will be exploring the other campaigns launched during his reign, first in Korea and then his brother Hulegu’s western campaign, so be sure to subscribe to the Kings and Generals podcast and to continue helping us bring you more outstanding content, please visit our patreon at www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. Thank you for listening, I am your host David and we will catch you on the next one

My guest is Mr. Mike Shook, creator and host of the wildly popular and always informative podcast, The Thoughtful Counselor. Mike is a mental health counselor in China, where he provides counseling to English speaking cross-cultural workers and immigrants living in Beijing. He is a National Certified Counselor and a licensed mental health counselor in the State of Florida. Prior to becoming a counselor, Mike worked in Central China for an NGO that provided care for children with medical needs. Mike discusses what it's like to live and practice counseling in China, explains how he strives to apply ethical counseling practices in a country where the profession is still emerging and unregulated, and describes what he's learned about health and well-being from his Chinese colleagues. He also shares about the challenging and humbling nature of striving to become a more culturally competent clinician, highlights his strategies for receiving and integrating corrective feedback, and reflects on how hosting a mental health podcast has influenced his clinical work and professional identity.

After the initial outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), conspiracy theories and misinformation emerged online regarding the origin, scale, and various other aspects of the disease.[1][2] Various social media posts claimed the virus was a bio-weapon with a patented vaccine, a population control scheme, or the result of a spy operation.[3][4][5] Medical misinformation about ways to prevent, treat and self-diagnose coronavirus disease also circulated rampantly in social media.[6] weki A number of provincial-level administrators of the #CommunistPartyofChina (CPC) were dismissed over their handling of the quarantine efforts in Central China, a sign of discontent with the political establishment's response to the outbreak in those regions. Some experts believe this is likely in a move to protect Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping from people's anger over the #coronavirusoutbreak .[674] In early March, the Italian government criticized the European Union's lack of solidarity with coronavirus-affected Italy.[675][676] On 22 March 2020, after a phone call with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Russian president Vladimir Putin arranged the Russian army to send military medics, special disinfection vehicles and other medical equipment to Italy.[677] The planned NATO “Defender 2020” military exercise in Germany, Poland, and the Baltic states,[678] the largest NATO war manoeuvres since the end of the Cold War, will be held on a reduced scale.[679] The Iranian government has been heavily affected by the virus.[680][681] Iran's President Hassan Rouhani wrote a public letter to world leaders asking for help on 14 March 2020, saying that his country doesn't have access to international markets due to the United States sanctions against Iran.[682] The outbreak has prompted calls for the United States to adopt social policies common in other wealthy countries, including universal health care, universal child care, paid family leave, and higher levels of funding for public health.[683] #Politicalanalysts anticipated it may negatively affect Donald Trump's chances of re-election in the 2020 presidential election.[684] The outbreak has also led to bipartisan praise for both Republican and Democratic Governors.[685] Diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea worsened due to the pandemic.[686] South Korea criticized Japan's "ambiguous and passive quarantine efforts".[687] --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vegansteven/message

Wuhan is in Central China bordering the Yangtze River.

The Utah State legislature is on track to decriminalize polygamy. Step away from the stereotypes for a moment and it's easier to see that this is actually a good thing. The most dangerous words in the human language? "I was just following orders." Ready for some authentically good news? The battle to feed humanity has been won. Thoughts on the Coronavirus situation from Kevin Walmsly (retired Special Forces living in China): The Corona Virus has shut down all of East and Central China and is now moving across other countries in Asia. This is going to have deep and almost immediate effects on goods and products that are for sale in the US, on everything from auto parts to zippers. Of greatest concern for now is what it will do to supplies of medical equipment and drugs, everything from band aids and cotton swabs and vitamins and prescription drugs of all kinds. Also, protective gear like face masks and hazmat suits. I strongly advise that you prepare your families accordingly, and consider begin stocking up on some of these items that will be in very high demand, very soon. China makes of 90% of the drug ingredients and about 80% of the medical supplies used in the United States, and right now, nobody in China is making them at all. I have been living in China for eight years and am on Wechat (a social networking app) with about 800 expatriate business executives across China. The economy here no longer exists, basically. It’s been closed for 3 weeks, and nobody really knows when the manufacturing sector or any of the factories will reopen. Martial law has been declared in eight provinces with a total population of 500 million people, and the rest of us outside these zones have had our movements proscribed to going out to get groceries once every two days. Army and police in the Eastern provinces (where most of the industry is) are arresting people who are outside their homes, though even that isn’t as effective as before because now so many military and police units are infected and unable to function. There are very few flights available in; the roads and ports are closed, railroads shut down. Even if a factory owner can get permission to open, his workers aren’t allowed to move, and he can’t ship product out. This will go on for an indeterminate period. The customs officials have been ordered to seize any medical supplies for use in hospitals. With respect to the disease itself, I don’t think this disease can be stopped anything short of supernatural means. Infections continue to soar, even under military-enforced quarantines that have been in place for almost a month. You have to see the Army response here to believe it, and yet nothing has worked. You mercifully haven’t had many cases there, yet, but I fear that you’re just six or seven weeks behind where we are in China, and four to five weeks behind Japan. Only a miracle can stop it, and that’s what we need to be praying for. If you're a man or woman of faith, get some more. If at some point you left it or lost it, go back to where you saw it last, and pick it up again. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loving-liberty/support

Episode 209: MAYOR OF AMERICA Jim Fetzer joined the program, buckle up.  If there’s one last hit to the economy that China doesn’t need right now, it’s a global pandemic that ‘supposedly’ originated in Wuhan, the sprawling capital of Central China’s Hubei province (see map below with the red marker identifying Wuhan). See how Wuhan is located right in the center of China’s highly productive southeast region—the economic powerhouse of the nation.  This strategic location was selected for the biological attack because of the easily engineered vectors of disease dissemination as depicted by the map above.  Paralyzing China’s economic and financial sectors is, after all, a primary goal of this essentially Anglo-American black operation. In light of the US-staged Hong Kong protests, U.S. tariff regime against China, threat of economic sanctions against nations working with Huawei, CIA-inflamed Xinjiang conflict involving the Muslim Uyghurs, provocative sailing of US Navy warships through the Taiwan Strait, transparent political prosecution of Huawei’s CFO, ravaging of China’s pig farms by a bioengineered virus, etc., the Chinese government has been under withering attack since 2018. When so many debilitating assaults are suspiciously happening at once, what can China do except deal with them in a manner so as to expose the true culprits?  However, China is not likely to do that in the case of this intensifying bio-war being waged by the West. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Episode 209: MAYOR OF AMERICA Jim Fetzer joined the program, buckle up.  If there's one last hit to the economy that China doesn't need right now, it's a global pandemic that ‘supposedly' originated in Wuhan, the sprawling capital of Central China's Hubei province (see map below with the red marker identifying Wuhan). See how Wuhan is located right in the center of China's highly productive southeast region—the economic powerhouse of the nation.  This strategic location was selected for the biological attack because of the easily engineered vectors of disease dissemination as depicted by the map above.  Paralyzing China's economic and financial sectors is, after all, a primary goal of this essentially Anglo-American black operation. In light of the US-staged Hong Kong protests, U.S. tariff regime against China, threat of economic sanctions against nations working with Huawei, CIA-inflamed Xinjiang conflict involving the Muslim Uyghurs, provocative sailing of US Navy warships through the Taiwan Strait, transparent political prosecution of Huawei's CFO, ravaging of China's pig farms by a bioengineered virus, etc., the Chinese government has been under withering attack since 2018. When so many debilitating assaults are suspiciously happening at once, what can China do except deal with them in a manner so as to expose the true culprits?  However, China is not likely to do that in the case of this intensifying bio-war being waged by the West.

An idol of Lord Vishnu has been excavated from the premises of Cotton University on Thursday. As per reports, the idol is expected to be around 11 to 12 centuries old and was found during a construction site inside the university. The recovered idol has been handed over to the Archaeological Department for examination. Boxer Shiva Thapa (63 kg) of Assam outpunched Ireland's George Bates at the quarter-final clash to earn a place at the semi-finals at 71st Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament in Bulgaria. Indian boxers Sonia Lather (57kg), Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Mohammed Hussamuddin (57kg) earned a place at the semis. Nikhat Zareen (51kg) lost to America's Christina Cruz in the quarters. Last year, boxer Nikhat Zareen kicked off her 2019 season on a high note, winning the 51kg gold at the 70th Strandja Memorial International tournament. A festival of Bodo folk song and dance was held with a day-long colourful programme at the premises of Kalbari Bathou Temple recently under Tamulpur subdivision in the district of Baksa. It was organized by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs in association with Tamulpur Cultural Centre. As a part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the State Bank of India (SBI) Tinsukia Regional Office (RO) is providing regular assistance to Purbottar Vikash Parishad (PVP) in running a male orphanage at Balupara, Tinsukia. Besides donating grocery items, they celebrate various festivals with orphan children. In June last year during a free health check-up camp, three heart-related diseases were detected among three orphan children of PVP destitute home. As per SBI's advice, PVP approached the Government of Assam and because of this effort, two of the children were operated in Guwahati and Kolkata for their heart ailment. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi took a dig at BJP over ‘Halwa' ceremony organised recently. Owaisi while speaking to a gathering of people at Karimnagar said, “Halwa is an Arabic word and not a word of either Hindi or Urdu. Now you have become Arab." Owaisi was talking about BJP's naming/renaming of places of significance, an effort that contending parties say is aimed towards saffronisation of the country. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday kicked off the countdown to the Union Budget on February 1 by joining the ‘Halwa' ceremony and with this, the Budget paper printing starts under utmost secrecy. Writer-activist Arundhati Roy touched upon the current mood of the country and spoke about a whole range of issues at the seventh edition of the Kolkata People's Film Festival on Thursday. She condemned rising Islamophobia in the country and slammed the communal tone of politics that has taken prominence in the current political scenario. The Election Commission has sought a report from Delhi chief Electoral Officer on BJP leader Kapil Mishra for violating the Model Code of Conduct in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls. The district election office under the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer has issued a notice to Mishra. Mishra had tweeted, ” India vs Pakistan on 8 February. There will be a contest on Delhi roads between these two countries. ” Mishra has been asked to explain his remarks, failing which actions will be taken against him by the commission. Following the panic triggered by the outbreak of a new coronavirus, China has locked down its Wuhan city with a population of around 11 million people. Sources in Beijing said that the government has shut down the city's airport, railway stations, short-distance ferries and long-distance coaches in Central China's Wuhan city. The symptoms of infection include fever, cough and breathing problems.

This is NOT your physician's podcast. Hosts Shane Garrettson and Cal Vandergrift dive into the pharmacy world with fun, interesting, and downright weird topics! This episode goes into the recent Zantac Recall (a popular heartburn drug), the unknown DEADLY infectious outbreak of a virus in Central China, a look into the history of the infamous drug Laudanum, and the science behind the FEAR toxin from the movie Batman Begins and how you could make it! NOTE: Since the recording of this podcast, there has been an additional death related to the new Chinese virus. In addition, there has been a confirmed case of the infection found in Japan. Tune in every two weeks for NEW episodes, available on Spotify, Apple, Anchor, Podbay, and more! Check out our Facebook page at Let's Pharmonize to view videos and images relevant to every episode! If you have any questions, comments, or even corrections, e-mail us at pharmonization@gmail.com. PLEASE READ: Shane and Cal are NOT medical professionals. DO NOT USE the information presented in this podcast to aid in your own personal health or medicinal benefit. This is a light-hearted podcast that should not be taken with the same seriousness as your own personal health, A special thanks to Kelly Kerr for creating the music used throughout the podcast. Here are some links for you to read on the scientific topics presented in the episode: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-and-press-announcements-ndma-zantac-ranitidine https://www.sciencealert.com/japan-reports-case-of-mystery-virus-behind-china-outbreak https://www.businessinsider.com/china-coronavirus-spreads-japan-thailand-2020-1 https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/89268/lure-laudanum-victorians-favorite-drug https://www.cheminst.ca/magazine/article/opium-and-laudanum-historys-wonder-drugs/ All Rights Reserved --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/calvin-vandergrift8/support

In this episode of Further Reflections we welcome back Pamela French to the show. Pamela is the woman behind the Authentic Relating Ottawa community, which can be found on facebook and meetup. Pamela recaps her last year full of exciting changes. Pamela has taken leave from her job to focus on creating authentic experiences for people whether at games nights, edgy or otherwise, or weekend workshops or in the workplace. Find out what is alive for Pamela in this new interview . In the second part of the episode Mark returns to talk about his time in China teaching English. This time he recounts a memorable three weeks in Western and Central China in the summer of 2005. He reflects on time spent in Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Xi’An and Bejing among other interesting stops along the way. In the Final Five minutes Mark talks about Oscar Romero.

The post A 66-year-old street sweeper in central China was attacked after she tried to stop a boy from defecating in public appeared first on DAPULSE.

We're midway through the halfway point in Season 3. China History Podcast fans will all know this story from which our Chengyu was derived. These is the early years of the Warring States period. Kings Goujian of Yue State and Fuchai of Wu were slugging it out down in Central China. From this epic struggle between these two neighboring rivals came one of the great stories from ancient Chinese history that has been told and re-told throughout the centuries. Let's hear it one more time in this episode and learn what's up with "lying on brushwood and tasting bile." For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Want to support the CSP? Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/ChinaHistoryPodcast Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/chinahistorypodcastSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-chinese-sayings-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We're midway through the halfway point in Season 3. China History Podcast fans will all know this story from which our Chengyu was derived. These is the early years of the Warring States period. Kings Goujian of Yue State and Fuchai of Wu were slugging it out down in Central China. From this epic struggle between these two neighboring rivals came one of the great stories from ancient Chinese history that has been told and re-told throughout the centuries. Let's hear it one more time in this episode and learn what's up with "lying on brushwood and tasting bile." For a full list of the terms used in this episode, please visit the website at teacup.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Long ago, in ancient China, there were four magnificent Dragons: the Long Dragon, the Black Dragon, the Pearl Dragon, and the Yellow Dragon.  They lived in palaces under the only sea in China.One day, they emerged from the Sea to fly high above the clouds to see the beautiful world from above.  The Pearl Dragon heard the voices of the people and called upon his brothers to hear them. He heard them crying and praying desperately for help.An old woman held a young child close and cried, “Please bring us rain, so that our crops won’t die! We are starving, and if we don’t eat soon, we’ll also die!”The dragons felt sympathy for the people and decided to ask the Jade Emperor, the supreme ruler of Heaven and Earth, to send rain to them, but when they went to ask the great Emperor, he became angry that the dragons disturbed his fun.  He had been enjoying a performance and was enthralled at the beauty of a fairy dance that he was watching.The dragons respectfully asked for the rain to be sent for the people, to which the king replied, “Go back to your palace, and I will send them rain tomorrow.”  The dragons were happy, so they complied. The Emperor, however, forgot about their request as soon as they left, as he got lost in watching the beautiful performance.After 10 days had passed, the dragons ventured out again, only to find that the people were even more desperate than before.  They were so hungry that they had to resort to eating bark from the trees, roots, and clay.The dragons despaired for the people and felt anguish for having an Emperor that cared more about his selfish pleasure than about the people he ruled.That’s when the Black Dragon remarked, “I wish there was a way that we can help them.”The Long Dragon had an idea.  He said let’s scoop up water from the sea and spray it into the clouds.  Surely, it will fall back to the Earth as rain and save the people?”His brothers agreed, but the Long Dragon warned that the Emperor may be angry with them for overstepping their bounds.  The other dragons were not deterred and agreed that they’d do anything for the people.The Black Dragon said, “Let’s begin brothers”, and they took large mouthfuls of the sea water and sprayed it into the clouds, and the rain fell on the land.  The people rejoiced as the grass grew green again and the crops became fertile and thrived.  The dragons were overjoyed.Their joy was not to last long, however, as the Sea God became angry that they had stolen a large amount of his water, so he went to complain to the Jade Emperor.The Jade Emperor was livid and stormed, “How could they bring rain without my permission!?!?”He used powerful magic and ordered his Generals to capture the dragons.  They managed to outnumber and overwhelm them, and the dragons were helpless to escape.The Sea God was commanded to bring four mountains to place on top of them so that they’d never be able to escape again.The Dragons never forgot their love for the people though and decided to turn themselves into rivers that would never let the people thirst again, and these rivers run through the valleys and fields and run into the Sea, thus becoming the four rivers of China.  The Heilongjiang, or Black Dragon, flows through the North. The Huanghe, or Yellow River, flows through Central China. The Changjiang, or Long River, flows through Southern China. And finally, the Zhujiang or Pearl Ri

This is Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news. China's unmanned submarine has dived to a depth of 10,767 meters, setting a new record for the country. The Chinese Academy of Sciences said the "Haidou-1" set the record in the West Pacific. During a scientific expedition between June and August, the submarine dived more than 10,000 meters below the sea surface twice. The new record makes China the third country after Japan and the United States to have built submarines capable of reaching depths in excess of 10,000 meters. During the expedition, scientists also collected more than 2,000 biological samples in the deep sea, including some unidentified species. In 2012, China's manned submarine the "Jiaolong" reached a depth of 7,000 meters, marking a breakthrough for China's deep sea experiment. This is Special English. China has unveiled the design of its Mars probe, hours after announcing that one of its unmanned submarines had dived to a depth of more than 10,000 meters in the ocean. The Mars probe will consist of three parts, which are the orbiter, the lander and the rover. The rover will have six wheels and four solar panels. China plans to send an unmanned probe to Mars to orbit and land on the planet around 2020. Officials of China's Mars exploration program said the mission is on schedule, with Chinese scientists having completed their technological preparations and finalizing the probe's design. Scientists have begun to produce the probe's subsystems. The mission will be accomplished in 2020 without delay. The officials explain that the favorable launch time for a Mars mission appears once every 26 months, so there will be three such opportunities before the end of 2020. The distance between the Earth and Mars is around 400 million kilometers, and it will take the probe almost seven months before it reaches the Martian atmosphere. The orbiter will then release the lander and the rover and continue to orbit Mars to survey the planet. The lander will soft-land on the Martian surface and deploy the rover. The entire process will require good communication among each craft and between them and Earth. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Four major cities in Northeast China have announced in a joint statement that they will work together to build a world-class city cluster in a bid to boost the region's economy. Harbin in Heilongjiang province, Shenyang and Dalian of Liaoning province and Changchun in Jilin province will consolidate their leading roles in Northeast China and build a large urban cluster of major cities in the region. The cities aim to break a new path in revitalizing the old northeastern industrial bases and collaborate in accelerating regional economic integration. According to the plans, they will carry out structural reforms and foster emerging industries and new engines for economic growth, as well as enhance cooperation and exchange. This is Special English. Shanghai has invited its residents to contribute ideas to its ambitious plan for development through 2040, aiming to lift the living, working and learning conditions of the city's people to a new high. The public can provide opinions through September 21. The basic philosophy of the development plan is to prioritize people as well as to further make Shanghai "a city of prosperity, innovation, happiness and humanity". Shanghai's planning bureau said many changes are planned by which Shanghai will strive to place itself in the world's first echelon of economic, financial and cultural centers. According to the Shanghai Master Plan for the period between 2016 and 2040, Shanghai will pursue a path of meticulous growth. The ceilings will be set for the city's permanent resident population and the overall land planned for construction. The ceiling for the city's permanent resident population is targeted for around 25 million by 2040, an increase of 850,000 from the current figure. Overall land planned for construction will be kept within 3,200 square kilometers, an increase of around 100 square kilometers from the present. Researchers at Tongji University say that Shanghai is ranked in the world's top 10 regarding economic development, but it lags far behind when it comes to cultural and environmental indicators. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. As giant panda cub Bei Bei in the Washington National Zoo turns one year old, Chinese President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan sent a message to wish him a healthy and happy childhood. Peng said in the message that as Bei Bei's first birthday draws near, she is sending greetings from China, the home country of pandas, half way around the world. She said giant pandas are China's national treasure. Bei Bei's birth is the fruit of collaboration between China and the United States and a strong symbol of their friendly relations. She also thanked the staff of the National Zoo for taking good care of Bei Bei and to all American friends who love and cherish pandas. Peng recalled her visit last September with the U.S. first lady Michelle Obama to the zoo and jointly named Bei Bei, which means "precious treasure" in Chinese. She was in town accompanying her husband, President Xi, who was on his first state visit to the United States at the time. U.S. first lady Michelle Obama also celebrated Bei Bei's birthday via social media. This is Special English. Around 900 Malaysians rode the bullet train from Beijing to Tianjin to experience the trademark Chinese technology in the wake of the announcement of a planned Malaysia-to-Singapore high-speed rail link. Fauwati Abdul Rahman, a businesswoman from Malaysia, said she was excited to ride the train. Rahman was part of a trip organized by the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, which invited Malaysians, especially those with high social and economic status, to visit China and experience its high-speed rail. Malaysia is planning to invest in a new urban transportation system, including the Malaysia-Singapore high-speed rail plan. Last month, the Singapore and Malaysia governments announced plans for a high-speed rail linking Singapore with the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Chinese companies have shown an interest in bidding on the project, as are others from Japan, Europe and South Korea. In recent years, China has eyed many high-speed rail projects. It built the Jakarta-Bandung railway in Indonesia and the Moscow-Kazan railway in Russia. China Railway Corporation said China has mastered world-leading technology to build high-speed railways. In addition, it has experience in various environments, including extremely hot and cold weather conditions. China's high-speed rail network covers more than 19,000 kilometers, accounting for 60 percent of the world's high-speed rail tracks. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Effective pollution control measures adopted in 160 major Chinese cities have greatly improved air quality. A green organization said that of the cities, 90 percent have reached their goals, and 14 cities have managed to cut their PM2.5 concentration by over 20 percent. Clean Air Asia is an environmental group headquartered in Manila in the Philippines. It released an annual assessment of the Chinese government's efforts to fight air pollution. Last year, major pollutants including sulfur dioxide were reduced by 22 percent year-on-year, and the average PM2.5 reading was lowered by 14 percent in the cities. However, the report said eight cities saw increases in PM2.5 levels. PM2.5 refers to airborne particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 microns that poses risks to human health. An environment expert at Tsinghua University says reducing pollution is not a simple issue that only needs strong determination. It also requires scientific and technological support. The expert said cities didn't realize the importance of the technology behind their ambitious targets. The report said that among the thorny issues concerning environment protection is the increasing ground-level ozone, making it the second biggest pollutant in the country. Environmental experts agreed that most of the cities can reach the targets set for 2017. This is Special English. The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, has begun to renovate one of its major former imperial courtyard houses. The move aims to better protect the building that is almost 500 years old and to set an example for preserving other historical buildings. The Yangxin Dian, or the Hall of Mental Cultivation, was built in 1537, and hasn't been renovated in around 35 years. It is expected to be reopened in 2020 with almost 2,000 ancient artifacts on display. The courtyard compound was the residence and office of eight emperors in China's last dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, which ended in 1911. It was where the emperors managed state affairs and received senior officials. The Palace Museum said that as a pivotal place for the former Qing authorities, the heritage has enormous historical value with the finest Chinese paintings, collections of ancient books and decorations of bronze, porcelain and jade. A comprehensive plan has been made for the three-year renovation project after a year of thorough investigation into the history and culture of the heritage. The renovation includes preserving the building itself and setting up a database for the collections in the compound. According to previous media reports, 220 million yuan, roughly 33 million U.S. dollars, is slated for the renovation project. The funds were mostly from donations. This is Special English. Tourists who suffer from vertigo need not apply. The world's highest glass-bottom bridge has opened in Zhangjiajie, one of the most popular tourist destinations in China. The bridge spans the canyon between two mountain cliffs in the national park in Central China's Hunan province. It is 430 meters long and 300 meters above ground. The bridge is six meters wide and made of 99 panels of clear glass. It is capable of holding up to 800 people at the same time. Tourists can walk across the bridge, which is the longest glass-bottom bridge in the world. It is designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan. After another glass bridge cracked in Central China's Henan province last year, authorities in Zhangjiajie were eager to demonstrate the safety of the structure. They organized a string of media events, including one where people were encouraged to try to smash the bridge's glass panels with a sledgehammer, and another where they drove a car across it. Only 8,000 people are allowed to walk across the bridge each day. （全文见周日微信。）

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a major focus for Jacky Chung, Regional Director of Eastern & Central China, HKTDC. His team commissioned a study to see how this China-led development opportunity is viewed from an exporter’s perspective. The study explores how business models and supply chains have evolved for mainland exporters. Mr Chung also highlights an upcoming regional event to help promote Hong Kong brands and products in the China market.

This is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. World-renowned British scientist Stephen Hawking has opened an account on Chinese microblog Weibo.com, attracting 1.3 million followers in 8 hours. His first entry on April 12 said "Greetings to my friends in China! It has been too long!" Hawking is very popular in China, especially among young people, for his work developing the Big Bang Theory and perseverance in overcoming the difficulties of his disabilities. Hawking's A Brief History of Time has long been a bestseller in China's bookshops. Hawking said he can now regularly communicate with Chinese people through social media and that he hopes to share more about his life and work while also learning from his followers. Hawking's account attracted more than 1.3 million followers only eight hours after his first entry at 10:12 a.m. Beijing Time. He had more than 220,000 comments and 440,000 thumbs-up. It also became a hot topic on Weibo.com, affiliated with China's largest internet company Sina.com, as over 20 million read the entry. Hawking said his first trip to China was in 1985 when he travelled across the country by train. He last visited China in 2006 for a physics conference in Beijing. Sina says Hawking's team contacted them earlier this year to verify his application. The account says in the introduction that it is jointly operated by Hawking's team and U.S. social media company Stradella Road. Sina has more than 220 million live accounts. This is Special English. The rich can no longer pay to get an Executive Master of Business Administration, or EMBA diploma. China's Ministry of Education made the statement after raising enrollment credentials to require high scores at national exam and political awareness. According to the guideline on streamlining the MBA programs issued by the ministry, the 64 institutes of higher learning currently running EMBA programs can no longer organize entrance exams beginning in December this year, and candidates must take a national entrance exam. Candidates need to score above a required level designated by the ministry in order to be recruited. The guideline notes that apart from academic credentials, candidates will also be assessed for their personality and capability, particularly in the area of political awareness, during an interview session. Those who fail ideological and political assessment will be disqualified. Moreover, the guideline prohibits colleges from awarding diplomas to under-performers, or those not attending enough classes, adding that bribery cases which popped up in academic evaluation will be seriously investigated. The guideline also tightened management over overseas study tours offered by MBA programs, saying colleges running these programs must establish an approval procedure, and study tours can by no means morph into sightseeing tours. China launched its EMBA programs in 2002. This is Special English. An Australian University has embarked on an ambitious push to further strengthen ties with its Chinese tertiary-education partners, as "Australia Week in China" gets underway. The University of Tasmania has revealed that it will sign agreements with three Chinese institutions this month, the largest of which will lead to the creation of a Sino-Australian college based in both countries. The university announced a tripartite collaboration between the prestigious Tasmanian institution, the University of Western Australia and the highly regarded Chongqing-based Southwest University to launch the Westa College. The bi-lateral deal will result in the construction of a purpose-built campus in Chongqing to cater for 200 new Australian and Chinese students. It is understood that teaching at Westa College will commence in September this year. The students will come from a range of diverse four-year courses. They will spend their first two years in China before transferring to either Perth or Tasmania, and receive a Bachelor's degree from both the Southwest University and the Australian institution of their choice. The University of Tasmania has experienced a 50 percent increase in international-student enrollments in the past 12 months. It is set to pull in an extra 80 students under the arrangement. You are listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. China will further deepen reform in healthcare this year with key factors for the reform discussed at a meeting of the central government recently. The State Council, the country's cabinet, convened a regular executive meeting and determined that healthcare reform should benefit more people. Key sectors for healthcare reform this year were decided at the meeting. Plans discussed include increasing the number of cities piloting urban public hospital reform from 100 to 200, implementing a tiered medical care pilot project in 70 percent of the country's prefectural-level areas, and improving the compensation system in a bid to abolish the drug price addition policy of public hospitals in new pilot cities. Other focuses include implementing the centralized procurement of drugs used by public hospitals, improving the performance-based remuneration system in grassroots health institutions, and building a national network for basic health insurance settlement so that people can have their medical expenses reimbursed in different places. Critical disease insurance will cover all people within the year, and subsidies per capita for basic health insurance and basic public health services will be raised. The number of resident physicians receiving standardized training will be increased by 70,000, including 5,000 pediatricians. This is Special English. China has strengthened its efforts to crack down on piracy in recent years, culminating in the closure of hundreds of illegal content-sharing websites. However, Internet users still manage to find ways to download content without payment or punishment. On Chinese social networking sites including Baidu, users post messages containing torrent sharing files, most of which are stored in cloud services or online file-hosting services. In 2012, a court in Beijing heard a case brought by writer Han Han against search engine Baidu, with the novelist suing the website for copyright infringement of his works. Han accused Baidu of stealing his works by publishing them online and offering his writing as free downloads as part of the site's literary database. He said the website provided a channel for disseminating pirated works, resulting in copyright violations. Baidu's lawyer said the literary database is simply a place for Internet users to store data, distancing the site from responsibility for copyright protection. The court awarded Han 80,000 yuan in compensation, but didn't rule in favor of his other demands, including removal of Baidu's cloud storage data. A judge with the special IPR court in south China's Shenzhen City says such a minor penalty won't do much to a corporation worth tens of billions of U.S. dollars, but an individual writer definitely cannot afford the prolonged legal tussle. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. China's ambassador to France, Zhai Jun, suggests adding the Chinese language to billboards and instructions in tourist attractions every time he is consulted by the French about improving tourist services. According to the ambassador, one of the reasons is that soon China will become the largest source of travelers outside Europe for France. Outside Europe, China was France's second biggest tourist market in 2013 after the United States, with 1.7 million visitors and 680 million U.S. dollars of revenue. The ambassador says that previously, the instructions at tourist attractions were full of French, English and Japanese, while the Chinese language was absent. Currently the major museums in Paris provide instructions in Chinese, and he said the conditions are still being improved. French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius said in August last year that the goal is to quickly reach 5 million Chinese tourists. The Chinese ambassador noted that the French side has responded proactively by offering more convenience to Chinese tourists. Welcoming 84 million tourists in 2014, France confirmed its position as the world's most visited country. The United States and Japan accounted for a major portion of the travelers, while the number of Chinese tourists has surged rapidly in recent years. This is Special English. Hong Kong's embattled Asia Television has shut down, ending its 59 years of broadcasting service. After broadcasting its final program, a rerun of the 2013 Miss Asia Pageant, ATV bade farewell to its audience by showing a card on the screen at midnight on April 1st. Local people gathered at ATV's headquarters in Tai Po to take pictures and witness the last moment of the broadcaster. One local resident surnamed Ma said she had been ATV's viewer for decades and would watch it until the end. ATV's senior public affairs manager Jeff Wong told the media that he believed the station will find alternative ways to operate, by for example, providing internet TV services. However, that will be subject to the decision of the broadcaster's investors. Last year, the Hong Kong government decided not to renew ATV's free-to-air TV license. The license expired on April 1 according to the law. The public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong took over ATV's two analogue channels, and launched a television broadcast at noon the following day after ATV ceased its signals. Launching as Rediffusion Television in 1957, ATV was a pioneer of entertainment in Hong Kong's broadcasting history. The station experienced its golden era in the 1980s. However, in the late 1990s, it was hit by a financial crisis after experiencing several ownership shifts. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Police in the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong have arrested almost 3,000 illegal immigrants in a joint operation to crack down on growing human smuggling. According to the Ministry of Public Security, among the detained immigrants, 2,860 were from Southeast Asia and more than 80 from South Asia. Most of the illegal immigrants were trying to sneak into Hong Kong from the mainland to seek employment. Since the 17-month campaign started in February, police in the southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan have dismantled three cross-border smuggling syndicates with the help of Hong Kong police. During the first phase of the crackdown, a total of 142 suspects from the three syndicates were apprehended by police, including 29 from countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia. The cross-border smuggling rings are well organized with clear division of labor. The smugglers in Southeast and South Asia recruit immigrants, while those on the mainland transfer them to Guangdong and then sneak them into Hong Kong. The smugglers in Hong Kong take control of the whole process. The Public Security Ministry says the illegal immigrants have also commit crime including thefts, robbery and drug smuggling, which result in seriously harming public security in both Hong Kong and Guangdong. This is Special English. Next year's entire harvest from a 410-year-old tea tree has sold for 600,000 yuan, roughly 92,000 U.S. dollars, at an auction in Central China's Hunan province. The tree is 4-and-a-half meters high and located in a village in Hunan. The village has more than 2,000 ancient tea trees. （全文见周六微信。）

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Here is the news. China has begun a national key research and development plan to streamline numerous state-funded scientific and technological programs. The plan focuses on research in fields vital to the country's development and people's well-being. The research fields cover agriculture, energy, the environment and health, as well as strategic fields key to industrial competitiveness, innovation and national security. The plan now covers 59 specific projects. It merges several prominent state sci-tech programs focused on key fields including biotechnology, space, information and energy. Breakthroughs of the programs included supercomputer Tianhe-1, manned deep-sea research submarine Jiaolong, and super hybrid rice. The plan aims to address low efficiency resulting from redundant programs. More than 100 projects will be merged into five plans, namely, natural science, major sci-tech, key research and development plan, technical innovation and the sci-tech human resources. The national key research and development plan is the first to be started. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Chinese scientists have developed a system to measure the leak rate for a vacuum environment which will be used in the country's third step moon exploration program. The measurement system will help scientists work out a better way to preserve samples from the moon, which are stored in a vacuum capsule, increasing the accuracy of research. The third step of the lunar exploration project involves taking samples from the surface of the moon and bringing them back to earth. The samples will be packed in a vacuum environment. The accuracy of measuring the finest leak in a vacuum capsule will have direct impact on the research result of the samples. The system will ensure a similar vacuum environment as found on the moon. It will also make sure that the two kilograms of samples remain uncontaminated on their way back to earth, preventing them from being affected by any kinds of environment changes, including extremely high or low temperatures. China has a three-step moon exploration project, namely, orbiting, landing and returning from the moon. Chang'e-5 lunar probe is expected to be launched around 2017 to finish the last chapter of the project. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Chinese researchers have successfully created autistic monkeys by implanting autism-related genes into monkey embryos. The monkeys are the world's first nonhuman primates to show the effects of autism. The study will play an important role in studying the pathology of the condition and exploring effective intervention and treatment. The research has demonstrated the feasibility of studying brain disorders with genetically engineered primates. That's according to neuroscientist Muming Poo, a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States. Poo says for quite a long time, there has been little good drug innovation in autism due to the lack of suitable animal models. This work will allow researchers to conduct deeper studies into autism and the brain's working mechanism. Autism spectrum disorder is one of a range of neurodevelopment problems. People with the condition usually exhibit defects in social interaction, stereotyped repetitive behaviors, anxiety and emotional difficulties. In recent years, the incidence of autism has continued to rise globally, and there is no effective treatment. Around four in every 1,000 Chinese children between ages 6 and 12 have the condition. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Southwest China's Guizhou Province is expected to evacuate more than 9,000 people for the protection of the world's largest ever radio telescope before its completion in September. The evacuation is facilitated by a proposal delivered last year by members of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body. The proposal asks the provincial government to remove local homes less than 5 kilometers away from the Aperture Spherical Telescope, to create a sound electromagnetic wave environment. Guizhou is expected to resettle people from two counties in four settlements by the end of September. Each of the involved residents will get 12,000 yuan, roughly 1,800 U.S. dollars subsidy for the resettlement; and each ethnic minority household with housing difficulties will get 10,000 yuan subsidy. Construction of the telescope began in March 2011 with an investment of 1.2 billion yuan. Upon completion, the telescope, which is 500 meters in diameter, will become the world's largest of its kind. It will overtake the one in Puerto Rico, which is 300 meters in diameter. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Central China's Hunan Province is offering a reward to anyone who can decode the inscription on the back of six ancient gold coins. The Cultural Relics Bureau of Jinshi City has offered 10,000 yuan, roughly 1,500 U.S. dollars, to anyone who can explain the mystery of the coins, housed in the city's museum. A small white glazed pot containing six foreign gold coins was discovered at a farm in the 1960s and was sent to the museum in the 1980s. They are classified as top-level national cultural relics. These coins were manufactured using ancient Greek coinage method at least 650 years ago. The inscription on the front, in a rare type of Arabic, is the name of a King, but the information on the back remains unexplained. Cultural relics officials have consulted Chinese and foreign experts, but to no avail. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Online retailer Amazon China has unveiled its annual list of most romantic cities, with Zhengzhou in Henan Province declared the most romantic Chinese city of 2015. Zhengzhou led the country in the proportion of books sold last year on the topics of romance, relationship and marriage. Cities of Erdos and Baotou, both in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, ranked second and third. Among the top ten, northern Chinese cities outnumbered the southern for the first time. According to Amazon, the result does not necessarily mean that people in northern China are more romantic than their southern counterparts; and the ranking reveals many factors, not just the cultural environment of a city. China's four first-tier cities, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, did not feature in the top 40. Amazon says it appears that residents in smaller cities are under less pressure and have more leisure time to enjoy romantic literature. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. You can access the program by logging onto NEWSPlusRadio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. Fewer fireworks were used across China in the Lunar New Year, as it was banned in many places over air pollution concerns. Two thirds of people polled in 35 major Chinese cities last year were in favor of fireworks bans at Spring Festival. The research was done by the center for public opinion research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Public concerns over air quality means people routinely check air quality and wear masks, and many own air purifiers at home. Data from the Ministry of Environmental Protection suggests that air quality only improved marginally last year in the area around Beijing. In Shanghai, fireworks are banned completely downtown, and firework purchases require real name registration to track violators. A total of 140 cities in China have banned fireworks, while another 540 cities have restrictions in place. Fewer fireworks have made sanitation workers' life easier. They cleaned up 80 percent less firework waste in Shanghai this year. In nearby Hangzhou, the host city of this year's G20 summit, fireworks have been banned for the whole year, and police have offered rewards for reporting any sales, storage, transportation or setting off of fireworks. But some people are concerned that the ban kills off a tradition, calling fireworks makers to develop more environmentally friendly alternatives. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Giant panda researchers in southwest China's Sichuan Province have named a pair of panda cubs, after receiving more than 3,000 responses. The winning names are "Olympia" and "Fuwa", and were posted by the president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach. Both names came out on top after five pairs of names were put up for a final vote. "Fuwa" is the name of the mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. After the twins were born in June, the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center launched the project to solicit names for the cubs between July and September. More than 3,000 responses, including 900 from outside the Chinese mainland, were submitted through Sina Weibo microblog, messaging app WeChat and e-mail. The twin sisters have attracted great attention worldwide because of their famous family. Their mother "Kelin" is well known for a photo showing her watching a "panda porn" video. The photo was chosen by the United States' Time Magazine as one of the "Most Surprising Photos of 2013". The twins' grandfather "Cobi" was named by former president of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch in 1992. This is NEWS Plus Special English. China's box office totaled 3 billion yuan, roughly 460 million U.S. dollars, during the Spring Festival holiday week, the highest compared with previous holidays. The film authority says the box office from Feb. 8 to 13 increased by 67 percent over the same period of last year. Three Chinese movies contributed to almost 94 percent of the box office in this period. Among them, "Mermaid", directed by Hong Kong comedian and director Stephen Chow, led the box office by making 1.5 billion yuan. "From Vegas to Macau III", starring Hong Kong actors Chow Yun-fat and Andy Lau, scored 680 million yuan, while "The Monkey King 2" took the third place with 650 million yuan. "Kung Fu Panda 3" was also a success, profiting 812 million yuan, since its screening on Jan. 29. China's box office earnings reached 44 billion yuan last year, up almost 50 percent over that of 2014. The number of audience totaled 1.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 51 percent. China has been one of the most fast-growing film markets across the world. As more cinemas open in smaller cities and towns, going to watch movies becomes a lifestyle in those places. Experts say China may overtake the United States to be the world's largest film market in the next two to three years. This is NEWS Plus Special English. （全文见周日微信。）

This week: we travel from the front lines of forest fires to the trailer parks of outer space. It's all in a day's work for the Labor Day weekend.Graphic Novelist Craig ThompsonWe start with the singular Craig Thompson. His incredible, 600-page autobiography “Blankets,” about growing up in a fundamentalist Christian family in Wisconsin, was a game-changer, sweeping the awards and redefining the literary depths a graphic novel memoir could reach. Then Thompson completely changed gears with “Habibi,” an epic set in a modern Arabian Nights fantasia. Now Thompson has released “Space Dumplins.” It’s the zany adventure of a girl who has to save her family from giant planet-eating whales whose excrement has replaced oil as the universe’s fuel. Did we mention there are sartorial, talking chickens?How Do Bands Decide?As you check out the fall concert calendar — you probably noticed we have some big acts coming to town, like Madonna’s first visit in years — have you ever wondered how bands decide where to book stops on their tours? Our pal Mitchell Hartmann looked into it for Marketplace.Musician Craig FinnBest known as the frontman of the Hold Steady, Craig Finn is famous for his storytelling, both in his songs and between them. He’s on tour this summer to promote his new solo album, “Faith In The Future.” During a live session for OPB Music, Finn performed the song “Newmyer’s Roof” and told the story behind the music. Alien SheThis weekend the Museum of Contemporary Craft and the Pacific Northwest College of Arts opens the exhibition called “Alien She” designed to unlock the history and impact of the Riot Girl Movement. The curators tell us about it.Painter Rachel DavisRachel Davis’s newest exhibition, “A Trace History,” explores the interplay of ancient and modern China. In her whimsical watercolors, skyscrapers spring up as tall as mountains, and trucks go barrelling over land while terra cotta warriors wait buried below the surface. It’s a juxtaposition close to Davis’s heart. Both of her adopted daughters were born in Central China. Davis told us about how she’s riveted by the speed with which China has hurtled ahead during her daughters’ childhood here. The Astoria Music Festival Gets A New BoardThe festival’s onstage presence can be peaceful and sublime. But offstage, there’s been some drama. The Festival’s entire board announced in late July they were resigning, en masse. This week, a new board has signed on. We talk check in with “Daily Astorian” reporter Erick Bengel for an update.A Jazz LifeOur sister station KMHD runs a series called “A Jazz Life,” where jazz artists and fans talk about moments when a musical experience changed their lives. They’re starting up a new season with this story from Jennifer Mayerle, a Portland-based marketing content strategist, who happened to sit behind an idol at a small New York jazz club.Wallowa Fiddle Tunes CampOne day in July we were driving through the small town of Wallowa in the far Northeast corner of Oregon on our way to Joseph to record a show from the Fishtrap writers’ retreat. As we drove past the school, we couldn’t help but notice the front lawn was filled with tents. What was the reason for a full-scale summer camp out at school? Meet Fiddle Tunes Camp.Fire Fighting Meets PhotographyAlan Thornton’s photography career has taken him from the deserts of the Southwest U.S. to distant lands like Turkey and Cambodia, but there was one shot that he could never get close enough to snap: a forest fire. So this spring, Thornton took a wildland firefighting course. Since then, he has found a new job working as a photographer and a firefighter. You can hear to the full conversation on Think Out Loud.

An increasingly wealthy elderly population and “public partnership” development projects are among the strongest opportunities for Hong Kong businesspeople on the Chinese mainland, according to Jacky Chung, Regional Director, Eastern & Central China with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

完整文稿请关注周末微信，或登录以下网址： http://english.cri.cn/7146/2014/08/22/2582s841404.htm This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. A nature reserve in Central China's Henan Province is to build two cable bridges over a reservoir to allow macaques to migrate. Each bridge will be more than 250 meters long and 10 meters above the water, allowing 150 macaques to pass at the same time. Construction is due to be completed in October. More than 3,000 macaques live in Jiyuan Nature Reserve and at least 500 of them move between forests on both sides of the Qinhe River, a tributary of the Yellow River. However, this journey is cut off by the Hekou Reservoir, which is a key to flood control on the river and the lower reaches of the Yellow River. There used to be four bridges for monkeys over the Qinhe River, but as the reservoir was filled up, all the bridges became submerged. If the monkey population is broken up to two separate groups, it will affect their breeding behavior and eventually their survival. The project costs 5 million yuan, or around 814,000 US dollars. It also includes the construction of monitoring bases and food stations for the macaques. This is NEWS Plus Special English. The assembly of China's next mega metropolis may leave architects and civil engineers feeling left out. Developers with China's Tianhe-1A, one of the world's fastest supercomputers, are tapping into the binary brain's higher functions, moving it beyond animation and Internet financing to help in the construction of new "smart cities". According to the National Supercomputer Center in Tianjin, a port city more than 100 kilometers southeast of Beijing, the Tianhe-1A can digitize the planning, designing, construction and property management of buildings in a city. The costs and building materials, down to which types of cement and steel are needed, can be figured out through the computer's virtual design software prior to the completion of a building. For example, big data-based modeling of a subway project can reduce construction costs by 10 to 20 percent. The big data platform has been used in underground construction projects. With a sustained computing speed of 2,500 trillion calculations per second, in the future, Tianhe-1A will be widely used in urban planning, meteorological forecasting, bio-medicinal research and equipment production. Tianhe-1A has had more than 600 users and is carrying out more than 1,000 computing tasks per day. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. In 2025, self-driving cars could be the norm, people could have more leisure time, and merchandise could become cheaper. Or, there could be chronic unemployment and an even wider income gap; human interaction could become a luxury, and the wealthy could live in walled cities with robots serving as labor. Or, very little could change. A new survey in the United States found that, when asked about the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, almost 1,900 experts and other respondents were divided over what to expect 11 years from now. Almost half of the respondents said robots will kill more jobs than they create, and others said technology will create more jobs than it destroys. Respondents also varied widely when asked to elaborate on their expectations of jobs in the next decade. Some said that self-driving cars would be common, eliminating taxi cab and long-haul truck drivers. Others said that people should expect the wealthy to live in seclusion, using robot labor. Experts concluded that even as technology removed jobs such as secretaries and operators, it created brand new jobs, including Web marketing. And, as the experts and other survey responders noted, 11 years isn't much time for significant changes to take place, anyway. This is NEWS Plus Special English. There may be itsy-bitsy aliens among us. Scientists say seven microscopic particles collected by the United States Space Agency's comet-chasing spacecraft, Stardust, appear to have originated outside our solar system. If this is confirmed, they will be the world's first sampling of contemporary interstellar dust. The dust collectors were exposed to what is believed to be the interstellar dust stream in the early 2000s and returned to Earth in 2006. Since then, scientists worldwide have reviewed more than 1 million images in search of elusive tracks made by incoming particles. The researchers said the suspected interstellar particles are very precious. They are surprisingly diverse, and some are fluffy like snowflakes. The particles are going fast, at 10 miles per second. The dust is around 50 or 100 million years old and is considered young by cosmic standards. Additional testing is needed before concluding these seven specks are truly from outside our solar system. NASA launched Stardust in 1999 to collect debris from Comet Wild-2. The Stardust capsule parachuted back to Earth, landing in the Utah desert in the United States seven years later.

Join us as we have a conversation with our first guest, “Smile” a young Buddhist man in Central China. We discuss not only the history of Buddhism in the Middle Kingdom, both it’s beginnings and it’s state in modern Communist China, but Smile’s own personal journey as well.

Peter Iliyn spoke at our October Night of Missions. He spoke about taking seriously our divine appointments that God gives us, keeping up with the people whom God has put in our lives. He weaves a wonderful story, and holds his audience captive, all the while challenging us in our missional thinking.http://ywamchico.com/Podcast/Tuesday-10-22-13-Peter-Ilyin.mp3Peter was born in Paraguay to parents who emigrated from Russia. Raised in the Russian culture and language, he continued his education at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his BS in electrical engineering and material science. Peter joined Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in 1976, and has been able to cross barriers throughout the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe with his ministry. Peter has traveled and ministered in over seventy-five countries across Asia, South America, Australia, and throughout Eastern and Western Europe. Currently he is the North American Director for YWAM. He and his wife Luba have four children and live in Jefferson, Oregon. He has authored a book, Out of the Far Corners, recounting the story of his father’s emigration from Russia. Vanya Iliyn’s formative years were spent on the move, traveling the far corners of the world—Russia, Central China, and the Americas—amid seemingly impossible hardships. His journey crossed the landscape of his heart as well. Orphaned and alone, Vanya could look only to God for protection, guidance, and grace. His remarkable story speaks to the power and majesty of God.

One of the most exciting approaches in the contemporary study of China is emerging from work that brings together archaeological and historical modes of reading texts and material objects to tell a story about the past. In Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River (Cambridge University Press, 2013), Rowan... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most exciting approaches in the contemporary study of China is emerging from work that brings together archaeological and historical modes of reading texts and material objects to tell a story about the past. In Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River (Cambridge University Press, 2013), Rowan...

One of the most exciting approaches in the contemporary study of China is emerging from work that brings together archaeological and historical modes of reading texts and material objects to tell a story about the past. In Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River (Cambridge University Press, 2013), Rowan K. Flad and Pochan Chen draw from extensive archaeological fieldwork, supplemented by careful analysis of textual accounts of early China and a thoughtful rendering of the historiography of Chinese archaeology, to trace some major transformations in Central China from the late third millennium BC through the late first millennium BC. By reading the remains of walls, oracle bones, tiger teeth, burial chambers, sacrificial pits, ceramics, saline traces, weapons, figurines, and other objects, Flad and Chen reframe how we think about the spaces of history. In the late prehistorical and early historical period, two political cores developed in Central China: the Sichuan Basin and the Middle Yangzi. At the same time peripheral regions between and around them were both developing their own trajectories and were becoming central in their own right, with the Three Gorges region as a paramount example. Arguing that a focus on “political centers” and “archaeological cultures” has dominated the way we think about the history and prehistory of China, Ancient Central China offers a different way to map Chinese history by reading environmental, historiographical, economic, ritual, and material landscapes of these three regions as part of a coherent story.  The analysis potentially has wide-ranging implications for how we understand other regions and eras of East Asian history, and how we conceptualize and study the topographies of the past. Flad was kind enough to talk with me about the book, and I hope you enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most exciting approaches in the contemporary study of China is emerging from work that brings together archaeological and historical modes of reading texts and material objects to tell a story about the past. In Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River (Cambridge University Press, 2013), Rowan... Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

One of the most exciting approaches in the contemporary study of China is emerging from work that brings together archaeological and historical modes of reading texts and material objects to tell a story about the past. In Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River (Cambridge University Press, 2013), Rowan... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most exciting approaches in the contemporary study of China is emerging from work that brings together archaeological and historical modes of reading texts and material objects to tell a story about the past. In Ancient Central China: Centers and Peripheries Along the Yangzi River (Cambridge University Press, 2013), Rowan... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices