Podcasts about Chengdu

Jeremy Goldkorn joins for this largely unedited throwback to the early, sweary days of the show. We talk about the announcement made on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, on the "aggressive" revocation of Chinese student visas for students with Party "connections" or who study "critical fields." You've been warned!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To comprehensively enhance residents' consumption capacity and market vitality, the city of Mianyang in Southwest China's Sichuan Province has proposed piloting a 4.5-day flexible workweek system, encouraging eligible regions to implement a "Friday afternoon plus weekend" 2.5-day leave model.为全面提升居民消费能力和市场活力，位于中国西南部的四川省绵阳市提出试行4.5天弹性工作制，鼓励符合条件的地区实行“周五下午+周末”2.5天的休假模式。The Mianyang Municipal Commerce Bureau recently issued the 2025 work plan for the city's consumption revitalization initiative, proposing seven core actions comprising 29 specific measures to enhance local residents' consumption capacity and market vitality, the Xinhua News Agency reported.据新华社报道，绵阳市商务局近日印发了《绵阳市提振消费专项行动2025年工作清单》，提出了七大核心行动，共29项具体措施，旨在提升居民消费能力和市场活力。The sixth action focuses on the optimization of consumption environments with the implementation of leave initiatives, said the report.报道称，第六项行动重点是优化消费环境，落实休假举措。Relevant departments are asked to ensure full implementation of annual leave and paid leave systems, encourage flexible scheduling for companies and promote simultaneous leaves for couples, Xinhua reported.据新华社报道，要求有关部门确保全面落实年休假和带薪休假制度，鼓励企业灵活安排工作时间，并推行夫妻双方同步休假。Notably, the plan also advocates for a 4.5-day flexible workweek and encourages eligible regions to adopt a "Friday afternoon plus weekend" 2.5-day leave model, per Xinhua.值得注意的是，据新华社报道，该方案还倡导每周4.5天弹性工作制，并鼓励符合条件的地区实行“周五下午加周末”2.5天的带薪休假模式。An official from the Mianyang Municipal Commerce Bureau, who requested to remain anonymous, told the Global Times on Monday that, as the lead authority for consumption promotion, the bureau proposed the model as an exploratory initiative under the framework of implementing central and provincial government policies to boost consumption.绵阳市商务局一位不愿透露姓名的官员周一向《环球时报》表示，作为消费促进工作的牵头部门，该局提出该模式是在落实中央和省级促进消费政策框架下的一项探索性举措。The proposal quickly became a trending topic on social media platform Sina Weibo, generating 210 million views and 55,000 discussions by 1 pm Monday. Many netizens expressed hopes for province-wide implementation.该方案迅速成为社交媒体平台新浪微博的热门话题，截至周一下午1点，阅读量已达2.1亿次，讨论量达5.5万次。许多网友表示希望该方案能在全省范围内推广。A Mianyang resident surnamed Yang told the Global Times that extended weekends would allow more leisurely travel. "It takes about five hours to drive from Mianyang to the Siguniang Mountain scenic area, which is equivalent to half a day," noting that an extra half day would mean the sightseeing time wouldn't be so rushed, and they could better enjoy the local scenery.一位姓杨的绵阳居民告诉《环球时报》，延长周末将使人们有更多时间享受休闲旅行。“从绵阳开车到四姑娘山景区大概需要5个小时，相当于半天时间。”他表示，多出半天时间，观光时间就不会那么紧张，可以更好地欣赏当地的风景。A Chengdu-based employee surnamed Xu, whose child currently lives in Mianyang, said that he currently drives to Mianyang every Saturday morning and returns to Chengdu Sunday afternoon, adding that, excluding travel time, he and his wife only have about a day to spend with their child.一位目前在成都工作、孩子住在绵阳的徐性员工表示，自己现在每周六早上开车去绵阳，周日下午返回成都。除去路上的时间，他和妻子能陪伴孩子的时间只有一天左右。"The time is really short, just when we start to get close to our child, we have to head back," Xu said, expressing a strong hope that this initiative can be further implemented, so that he can spend more time with his child.“时间真的太短了，刚刚和孩子亲近一点，就得离开了。”徐先生说，他非常希望这项举措能够进一步落实，这样他就能有更多时间陪伴孩子了。However, some netizens question the practical implementation of this initiative, wondering whether it will be put into effect and whether implementing this initiative in some public service institutions would cause an inconvenience.然而，一些网友对这项举措的具体实施情况提出了质疑，他们担心这项举措是否会真正落地，以及在一些公共服务机构实施这项举措是否会造成不便。The official from the bureau clarified that the specific implementation rules for the 2.5-day weekend leave have not yet been introduced. 该局负责人澄清，周末2.5天休假的具体实施细则尚未出台。"We need to combine specific circumstances and conduct discussions and research with other departments," the official noted.“我们需要结合具体情况，与其他部门进行讨论研究。”该工作人员指出。The 2.5-day weekend initiative is not novel in China. Over the past years, more than 10 provinces including North China's Hebei Province, East China's Jiangxi Province and Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality have proposed similar initiatives, China Central Television (CCTV) News reported.周末2.5天休假在中国并非新鲜事。据中国中央电视台（CCTV）新闻报道，过去几年，包括河北省、江西省和重庆市在内的10多个省份都提出了类似的举措。According to the report, Longnan in Gansu Province also encouraged that all administrative and public institutions should facilitate Friday afternoon leave for officials and employees after essential services, provided they complete required working hours through schedule adjustments, CCTV News reported.据报道，甘肃省陇南市也鼓励所有行政事业单位，在通过调整作息时间完成规定工作时间的前提下，为干部职工提供周五下午的休假。Professor Yang Haiyang, dean of the Research Institute of Social Development at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said that reducing working hours is an inevitable trend of social and economic development and civilizational progress, but its promotion needs to be combined with practical conditions to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, according to the People's Daily.西南财经大学社会发展研究院院长杨海洋教授在接受《人民日报》采访时表示，缩短工作时间是社会经济发展和文明进步的必然趋势，但推广时应结合实际情况，避免“一刀切”。flexible workweek弹性工作周municipal/mjuːˈnɪsɪpl/adj.市政的；地方政府的leave model休假模式one-size-fits-alladj.一刀切的

①The 20th Western China International Fair is underway in Chengdu. What are the highlights of this year's event, and how is it promoting western China's role in the global market? (00:49)②Chinese Premier Li Qiang has visited Indonesia and called for the two countries to uphold the Bandung Spirit. (13:43)③French President Emmanuel Macron is on a six-day visit to Southeast Asia. What's driving France's growing interest in the region? (24:34)④The U.S. House of Representatives has narrowly passed a sweeping tax and spending bill. (33:54)⑤Harvard is fighting Trump in court again. (43:27)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the 20th Western China International Fair, which opened on Sunday in Chengdu.

A bonus episode this week. On May 22, I moderated a panel organized by Vita Golod and the UNC Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies. The focus was on the U.S.-Ukraine Mineral Security Partnership, and it features Ivan Us, Chief Consultant at the Center for Foreign Policy at the National Institute for Strategic Studies; Jim Mullinax, a Senior Foreign Service Officer and former Consul General at the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu (closed in 2020); Grzegorz Stec, Senior Analyst and Head of the Brussels Office at MERICS; and Xu Qinduo, journalist at CGTN and Senior Fellow at the Pangoal Institution. The panel explores the background and the implications of the minerals deal, signed on May 1, 2025, for the ongoing war in Ukraine, and prospects for post-war reconstruction. I hope you enjoy what I thought was a fascinating conversation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica, I chat with Eva Dou, technology reporter for the Washington Post, about her terrific new book about Huawei. From its prehistory to its fight for its life under tremendous U.S. pressure, she tells its story in a way that's both deeply engaging and very evenhanded. 04:53 – Meng Wanzhou's case and its impact on media interest in Huawei07:13 – How did Ren Zhengfei's experiences in the PLA shape the corporate culture of Huawei?10:21 – The impact of his father on Ren Zhengfei 13:42 – Women in Huawei's leadership and Sun Yafang as a chairwoman 18:41 – Is Huawei a tool of the state?23:21 – Edward Snowden's revelations and how they influenced the perception of Huawei 26:34 – The Cisco lawsuit influence on the company's approach to foreign markets 28:07 – Reasons for Huawei working with embargoed or sanctioned states30:46 – Huawei's international expansion 33:04 – Huawei's management style and internal competition 36:33 – Meng Wenzhou's detainment as a turning point for Huawei and China-U.S. relations38:09 – Ren Zhengfei's media campaign and narrative shift after the Meng affair40:44 – Huawei's involvement in Xinjiang's surveillance 43:09 – Huawei's success in shaping 5G standards despite global pushback46:27 – The “Huawei index”: tracking Chinese investment abroad through Huawei's market presence48:35 – Huawei's push into chip development amid sanctions: real progress or just hype?52:23 – Huawei: a proxy, a leading or lagging indicator, or just a bellwether?54:11 – Huawei's “too big to fail” status: benefits and risks amid U.S. government pressure56:29 – Huawei's perspective on the backlash from sanctions58:19 – Concluding question: about Huawei's ownership and governancePaying it forward: Raffaele Huang at The Wall Street JournalRecommendations: Eva: The Party's Interests Come First by Joseph Torigian; Yang Jie at The Wall Street Journal; Piranesi by Susanna ClarkeKaiser: Adolescence on Netflix; Kyle Chan's high-capacity.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

City sounds too exciting? Don't worry—Chengdu's sprawling history, panda diplomacy, and ancient irrigation systems are somehow still perfect for insomnia relief. Settle in for a bedtime story about tea, temples, and very slow urban development. Want More? Request a topic: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/request-a-topic Listen ad-free & support: https://icantsleep.supportingcast.fm/ Shop sleep-friendly products: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/sponsors Join the discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/DD9bPShH This content is derived from the Wikipedia article on Chengdu, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. Read the full article: Wikipedia - Chengdu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sinica Network proudly presents a new podcast: China Talking Points, featuring Kaiser Kuo (host of the Sinica Podcast), Eric Olander (host of the China-Global South Podcast and China In Africa Podcast) and Andrew Polk, co-founder of Trivium China and host of its podcast. We'll be joined regularly by Lizzi Lee, Fellow on Chinese Economy at the Asia Society Policy Institute's (ASPI) Center for China Analysis. Tune in live every other week for unscripted thoughts on the major China-related news of the week.This week, we focused on the truce in the trade war that Donald Trump launched with the so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs of April 9. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with top Chinese trade negotiator He Lifeng and his team in Geneva over the weekend, and we look at what came out of those meetings and what we can expect to happen next. We also discussed the dogfight that took place between India and Pakistan last week, in which the Pakistani air force claims to have downed as many as five Indian planes, significant for China because the Pakistani planes were Chinese-made J10-C fighters. Eric, who wrote about the Chinese reaction to this and offered his take on the reasons for their success, managed to incur a lot of online Indian wrath — an occupational hazard — but presents a compelling case for why the fully integrated Chinese military systems gave Pakistan the edge.Watch us live on YouTube starting May 28th. Check out the new Sinica Network YouTube channel here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I had scheduled a show to record while I was in Providence last week, but it fell through and had to be rescheduled, so please give this talk I delivered at Carnegie Mellon last month a listen!Hope you enjoy.KaiserSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

【欢迎订阅】 每天早上5:30，准时更新。 【阅读原文】 标题：‘How Do I Survive?': Tariffs Threaten U.S. Market for Traditional Chinese Medicine 副标题：Dispensary owners say a protracted trade war would harm a niche but popular sector in which imported herbs are prescribed to treat colds, pain and other ailments. 正文：At a pharmaceutical factory in Chengdu, China, an order that Thomas Leung placed from Manhattan in January is sitting on hold. The shipment includes a variety of concentrated herbal granules used in traditional Chinese medicine. There's dang gui, also known as angelica root, which is used to treat gynecological ailments; chai hu, or bupleurum root, an herb that is often used to calm nerves; and huang qi, or astragalus root, a tonic herb that promotes immune strength. 知识点：pharmaceutical adj. /ˌfɑːrməˈsuːtɪkl/ related to the production and sale of medicinal drugs. 制药的；药物的 e.g. The pharmaceutical industry invests heavily in research and development. 制药行业在研发上投入巨大。 获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记，请关注微信公众号「早安英文」，回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！ 【节目介绍】 《早安英文-每日外刊精读》，带你精读最新外刊，了解国际最热事件：分析语法结构，拆解长难句，最接地气的翻译，还有重点词汇讲解。 所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。 【适合谁听】 1、关注时事热点新闻，想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者 2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者 3、想快速掌握表达，有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者 4、参加各类英语考试的应试者（如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等） 【你将获得】 1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程，拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景 2、逐词、逐句精确讲解，系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法 3、每期内附学习笔记，包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等，帮助扫除阅读障碍。

Sie sind eine Art Nationaltier in China, fast schon heilig: Die Pandabären. Hoch kompliziert in der Nachzucht, gelten die Tiere immer noch als gefährdet. China unternimmt große Anstrengungen, um den Bestand zu sichern und auszubauen. Gleichzeitig sind sie ein Milliardengeschäft und ein Mittel der Diplomatie. Seit Jahrzehnten verschickt China Pandas in die ganze Welt, schmiedet damit Allianzen und nutzt die Tiere, um das eigene Image zu stärken. Meist werden sie gegen eine Millionengebühr verliehen, der Nachwuchs muss zurück nach China. Bekannt ist das auch als Panda-Diplomatie. Was drückt die chinesische Staatsführung damit aus, wenn sie Pandabären verleiht, wie politisch sind diese Leihgaben? Wir sprechen mit unseren ARD-Korrespondent*innen in Peking und Shanghai über die Aufzuchtstation in Chengdu, den Artenschutz und die Panda-Diplomatie. Und wir fragen den Panda-Kurator im Berliner Zoo, Dr. Florian Sicks, wie die Nachzucht funktioniert. Der Berliner Zoo ist Deutschland einziger Tierpark mit Pandabären und steht regelmäßig in Kontakt mit China. "Welt.Macht.China" ist der China-Podcast der ARD. Aktuelle und ehemalige Korrespondent*innen und Expert*innen haben sich zusammengetan, um einen vielfältigen Einblick zu geben in das riesige Land. Es geht um Politik, Wirtschaft, Kultur, das Leben und den Alltag in der Volksrepublik, außerdem um Klischees und Chinas Rolle in der Welt. Eine neue Folge gibt es jeden zweiten Dienstag in der ARD Audiothek und in allen anderen Podcast-Apps. https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/welt-macht-china/10494211/ Ihr habt Anmerkungen, Lob und Kritik? Schreibt uns an weltmachtchina@rbb-online.de Unser Podcast Tipp: Wenn ihr täglich auf dem Laufenden bleiben wollt, auch in Sachen Nachrichten: dann empfehlen wir euch noch einen anderen Podcast: "0630 - der News-Podcast". In um die 20 Minuten gibts da Montag bis Freitag die wichtigsten Nachrichten für den Tag. Manchmal wird's persönlich, manchmal witzig, manchmal emotional. Es geht um Politik, Gesellschaft und andere Themen. www.wdr.de/0630

Kim jest Valentina Riasova, zwyciężczyni z Pucharu Świata w Chengdu? Co na jej temat myśli druga na mecie Roksana Słupek i pozostałe dziewczyny stające wspólnie na linii startu? Nie ograniczmy się jednak tylko do kontrowersyjnych elementów mijającego weekendu. O Chengdu opowiada Roksana, ale również Maciek Bruździak. O St. George i trudnym procesie powrotu do ścigania mówi Robert Wilkowiecki. A to wszystko okraszone analizami Filipa i statystykami Marka. Zapraszamy!#tripowersportpodcast   #ironman  #swimbikerun #kolarstwo #worldtriathlon   #triathlon #swimbikerun  #aloneindrag #ironmantexas #chengdu #ironmanstgeorge 

This week on Sinica, I chat with veteran Wall Street Journal reporter Bob Davis, who has covered the U.S.-China relationship for decades. He recently published a new book called Broken Engagement, which consists of interviews with U.S. policymakers who were instrumental in shaping American policy toward China from the George H.W. Bush administration through the Biden administration. It's an eye-opening look at the individuals who fought for — and against — engagement with China.2:58 – Bob's thoughts on engagement: whether it was doomed from the start, when and why there was a shift, people's different aspirations for it and retrospective positioning, and whether it could have a transformative effect 13:28 – The Nancy Pelosi interview: her approach, her Taiwan visit, and her critique of capitulation to business interests17:18 – Bob's interviews with Charlene Barshefsky, Lawrence Summers, and Bob Zoellick: the WTO accession, the China shock, Zoellick's “responsible stakeholder” concept, and diplomacy as an ongoing process 27:24 – The Robert Gates interview: security-focused engagement, and his shift to realism 31:14 – Misreading Xi Jinping34:42 – Bob's interviews with Stephen Hadley and Ash Carter regarding the South China Sea 39:19 – The Matt Pottinger interview: his view on China and how COVID changed everything 46:14 – Michael Rogers' interview: cyber espionage and cyber policy 51:25 – Robert O'Brien's interview: the “reverse Kissinger” and Taiwan 54:14 – Bob's interview with Kurt Campbell: his famous Foreign Affairs essay, differentiating between decoupling and de-risking, and technology export restrictions and trade deals 59:28 – The Rahm Emanuel interview: his response to wolf warrior diplomacy1:01:57 – Bob's takeaways: the long-term vision of engagement, introspective interviewees, and his own increased pessimism Paying It Forward: Lingling Wei at The Wall Street Journal; Eva Dou at The Washington Post and her book House of Huawei: The Secret History of China's Most Powerful Company; and Katrina Northrop at The Washington Post Recommendations: Bob: The TV series Derry Girls (2018-2022) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2024); and Margaret O'Farrell's novels, including Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait Kaiser: The BBC and Masterpiece series Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China's inbound tourism market saw strong recovery and growth during the just-concluded May Day holiday, with smaller cities attracting more foreign visitors seeking cultural experiences, according to industry insiders.业内人士表示，在刚刚结束的五一假期期间，中国入境旅游市场强劲复苏并实现增长，不少寻求文化体验的外国游客开始青睐小城市。During the five-day break, inbound travel bookings surged 130 percent from a year earlier, said Trip.com Group, China's largest online travel agency. While top-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai remained popular, destinations including Chengdu in Sichuan province, Chongqing, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Zhuhai in Guangdong province, and Xi'an in Shaanxi province also made the list of top inbound choices.中国最大的在线旅行平台携程集团表示，在为期五天的假期期间，入境游预订量同比增长130%。虽然北京和上海等一线城市依然受欢迎，但四川成都、重庆、浙江杭州、广东珠海和陕西西安等目的地也跻身热门入境游目的地之列。China has been opening its doors wider to international travelers. In 2024, the country expanded its unilateral visa-free policy to include 38 countries, allowing visits of up to 30 days, according to the National Immigration Administration.中国持续扩大对国际游客的开放。据国家移民管理局消息，2024年中国将单方面免签政策扩大至38个国家，允许最多停留30天。Favorable tax refund policies have also boosted inbound travel. In late April, China lowered the tax refund threshold from 500 yuan ($68.80) to 200 yuan and raised the cash refund limit from 10,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan. There is no limit on refunds processed by bank transfer, according to a guideline issued by the Ministry of Commerce and five other departments.优惠的退税政策也促进了入境游的蓬勃发展。根据商务部等六部门发布的指导意见，4月下旬中国将退税起征点从500元人民币（68.80美元）降至200元人民币，并将现金退税限额从1万元人民币提高至2万元人民币。银行转账退税不受限额限制。"We encourage relevant institutions to provide tax refund services through various means such as mobile payments, bank cards and cash, and to better meet the diverse payment service needs of overseas travelers," said Sheng Qiuping, vice-minister of commerce, at a recent news conference in Beijing.商务部副部长盛秋平在最近于北京举行的新闻发布会上表示：“我们鼓励相关机构通过移动支付、银行卡、现金等多种方式提供退税服务，更好地满足境外旅客多样化的支付服务需求。”During the holiday, tourists from the United States, South Korea and Japan made up the largest share of inbound visitors. The number of travelers from Australia, Vietnam and Canada also rose significantly, according to Beijing-based travel platform Qunar.假期期间，美国、韩国和日本游客占入境游客的最大份额。据北京旅游平台去哪儿网的数据，来自澳大利亚、越南和加拿大的游客数量也大幅增长。Foreign visitors are venturing beyond major cities. Hotel bookings by foreign tourists in Zhuhai rose 70 percent year-on-year, while Qingdao in Shandong province and Wuhan in Hubei province saw increases of 60 percent and 50 percent, respectively, Qunar reported.外国游客开始深入探索非一线城市。据去哪儿网报道，珠海的外国游客酒店预订量同比增长70%，山东青岛和湖北武汉的酒店预订量分别增长了60%和50%。China's picturesque landscapes and rich culinary culture have frequently been featured in South Korean TV dramas and variety shows, piquing travel interest. The May Day holiday also coincides with a public holiday in South Korea, encouraging young travelers to visit China.中国风景如画的自然风光和丰富的饮食文化频繁出现在韩国电视剧和综艺节目中，激发了人们的旅游兴趣。五一假期恰逢韩国的公共假期，吸引了大量年轻游客赴华旅游。South Korea's leading travel agency, Hana Tour, said January trips to China rose 77 percent year-on-year, outpacing a 20 percent increase for trips to Japan. The surge was mainly driven by China's visa-free policy.韩国知名旅行社哈拿多乐表示，1月份赴华旅游同比增长77%，超过赴日旅游20%的增幅。这一增长主要得益于中国的免签政策。Major South Korean airlines have responded by expanding their international flight offerings to China to meet rising demand.韩国各大航空公司纷纷扩大赴华国际航班服务，以满足日益增长的需求。Meanwhile, more foreign visitors are seeking immersive cultural experiences in rural areas. A Trip.com resort in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, reported a surge in bookings from tourists from the US, Italy and Spain since April.与此同时，越来越多的外国游客正在寻求乡村地区的沉浸式文化体验。据携程网报道，湖南省张家界一家度假村自4月份以来，来自美国、意大利和西班牙的游客预订量激增。"Besides sightseeing, foreign tourists have shown increasing interest in in-depth tours and diverse experiences, such as participating in farming activities and attending ethnic concerts," said Fang Zexi, a Trip.com Group researcher.携程集团研究员方泽茜表示：“除了观光，外国游客对深度游和丰富多彩的体验项目也越来越感兴趣，例如参与农耕活动、聆听民族音乐会等。”Their cultural curiosity extends into everyday life. In Chengdu, a popular southwestern city, more foreign visitors are booking culinary experiences, visits to local farmers' markets, cooking sessions, table presentations and food tasting, Trip.com said.他们对文化的好奇心延伸到了日常生活中。携程表示，在西南热门城市成都，越来越多的外国游客预订了美食体验、参观当地农贸市场、参加烹饪课程、体验餐桌演示和品尝美食等活动。In the first three days of the holiday, more than 5,700 inbound passenger trips were recorded by Chengdu's border inspection authority, a year-on-year increase of over 170 percent, according to the Sichuan provincial entry and exit bureau.据四川省出入境管理局统计，假期前三天，成都边检部门共接待入境旅客超过5700人次，同比增长超过170%。surge/sɜːrdʒ/n.激增，猛涨unilateral visa-free policy单方面免签政策immersive/ɪˈmɜːrsɪv/adj.沉浸式的culinary/ˈkʌlɪnəri/adj.厨房的，烹饪的

This week on Sinica, I chat with SCMP Senior Europe Correspondent Finbarr Bermingham, who joins from Brussels where he's been covering the EU-China relationship in fantastic depth and with great insight.3:17 – EU-China relations in early 2025: the effect of the 2021 sanctions, who advocated for engagement versus confrontation with China, and the importance of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI)13:49 – How Brussels initially reacted to the rupture in the transatlantic alliance 17:14 – China's so-called charm offensive 21:03 – The idea of de-risking from Washington 23:10 – The impact of the Oval Office meeting with Zelensky 24:55 – Europe's dual-track approach with China and shift toward pragmatism 29:35 – National interests versus EU unity regarding Chinese investment, and whether Brussels could extract concessions 35:20 – Brussels' worry over Trump cutting a deal with China 38:06 – Possible signs of China's flexibility on different issues40:25 – The lifting of the sanctions on European parliamentarians 42:21 – The decrease in calls for values-based diplomacy, and whether securitization is happening in Europe47:05 – How the EU might address tensions over China's industrial overcapacity 50:17 – The possible future of EU-China relations, and whether the transatlantic relationship could go back to normal55:50 – The knee-jerk element of looking past EuropePaying It Forward: Ji Siqi at SCMP, Cissy Zhou at Nikkei, and Kinling Lo and Viola Zhou at Rest of WorldRecommendations:Finbarr: The Stakeknife podcast series; Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe; and the 20th anniversary edition of Wilco's album, A Ghost Is Born Kaiser: The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars, and Caliphs by Marc David Baer See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Defence expenditure rose by 9.4 percent worldwide in 2024 amid wars in Ukraine and Gaza, with researchers warning that rising military budgets will mean less funding for social welfare and humanitarian aid. Also in this edition: France aims to merge or eliminate one third of its government agencies amid a deficit crisis. Plus, the Chinese city of Chengdu sees a boom in panda tourism.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Cherry Blossoms and Coffee: A Creative Spark in Chengdu Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-04-24-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在成都的一个春天，有一个地方总是充满了咖啡的香气。En: In a springtime in Chengdu, there was a place always filled with the aroma of coffee.Zh: 那是一个温馨的咖啡烘焙店，墙壁是红砖砌成的，窗子宽大，外面可以看见开满樱花的小街。En: It was a cozy coffee roasting shop, with walls made of red bricks and large windows through which you could see a small street full of blooming cherry blossoms.Zh: 这一天，天气有些凉，还有点拥挤。En: On this day, the weather was a bit cool and somewhat crowded.Zh: 简，一个喜欢摄影的年轻人，正站在吧台前排队。En: Jian, a young photography enthusiast, was standing in line at the bar counter.Zh: 他来成都是为了寻找新项目的灵感，但是一切似乎都变得很困难。En: He had come to Chengdu to seek inspiration for a new project, but everything seemed to have become difficult.Zh: 他的心情有些沉重，因为一直找不到合适的拍摄对象。En: He felt a bit heavy-hearted because he couldn't find a suitable subject for his photography.Zh: 此时，一个女孩走进了咖啡店。En: At this moment, a girl walked into the coffee shop.Zh: 她叫梅，是本地的作家，正在寻找灵感完成她的新小说。En: Her name was Mei, a local writer, looking for inspiration to complete her new novel.Zh: 尽管对创作充满热情，但她同样感到迷茫。En: Although she was passionate about creating, she also felt lost.Zh: 两人都在寻找，但似乎都卡在了一个相似的地方。En: Both were searching, but seemed stuck in a similar place.Zh: 人群中，简注意到了紧随其来的梅。En: In the crowd, Jian noticed Mei, who had arrived shortly after.Zh: 她同样在等咖啡。En: She was also waiting for coffee.Zh: 简犹豫了一会儿，鼓起勇气开口：“你好，我是简。En: Jian hesitated for a while, and then gathered the courage to speak: "Hello, I'm Jian.Zh: 你也是来找灵感的吗？En: Are you also here looking for inspiration?"Zh: ”梅似乎有些惊讶，但还是微笑着回答：“是的，我叫梅。En: Mei seemed a bit surprised but smiled and replied, "Yes, I'm Mei.Zh: 我在写一本小说，但是写到了瓶颈。En: I'm writing a novel, but I've hit a bottleneck."Zh: ”简对这个回答产生了共鸣。En: Jian resonated with her response.Zh: 他告诉梅，自己也是如此，他们慢慢聊起了城市和摄影。En: He told Mei that he was experiencing the same, and they gradually started chatting about the city and photography.Zh: 梅对简摄影的想法感兴趣，而简对梅的写作故事也颇有好奇。En: Mei became interested in Jian's photography ideas, and Jian was quite curious about Mei's writing stories.Zh: 两个人如同找到了共同的语言。En: It was as if they had found a common language.Zh: 就在此时，店外突然下起了大雨。En: Just at this moment, it suddenly started raining heavily outside the shop.Zh: 两人一起跑到了咖啡店外的雨棚下避雨。En: They both ran to the awning outside the coffee shop to shelter from the rain.Zh: 在雨声的伴奏下，他们的交谈逐渐深入。En: Accompanied by the sound of the rain, their conversation gradually deepened.Zh: 梅坦诚地分享了她的创作困惑，而简则诉说了他对照片的期待。En: Mei candidly shared her creative dilemmas, while Jian expressed his expectations for his photographs.Zh: 两人发现彼此在创作上的困难竟有相似之处。En: They discovered that they faced similar difficulties in their creative endeavors.Zh: 随着雨停，简和梅都感觉到内心的负担减轻了不少。En: As the rain stopped, both Jian and Mei felt that the burden in their hearts had lightened considerably.Zh: 他们决定交换联系方式，以后一起分享更多想法和灵感。En: They decided to exchange contact information and share more ideas and inspirations in the future.Zh: 这次偶然的相遇，让简开始相信和更多人分享他的旅程可以带来新的灵感；而梅也找到了信心，敢于更大胆地披露自己的创作过程。En: This chance encounter made Jian begin to believe that sharing his journey with more people could bring new inspiration; and Mei found the confidence to boldly disclose her creative process.Zh: 在樱花与咖啡香气中，他们各自感到焕然一新，准备重新投入各自的创作世界。En: Amid the cherry blossoms and the aroma of coffee, they each felt revitalized, ready to plunge back into their own creative worlds. Vocabulary Words:aroma: 香气cozy: 温馨roasting: 烘焙bricks: 砖difficult: 困难heavy-hearted: 沉重suitable: 合适的novel: 小说bottleneck: 瓶颈resonated: 产生共鸣dilemmas: 困惑endeavors: 努力revitalized: 焕然一新enthusiast: 爱好者subject: 对象gathered: 鼓起curious: 好奇awning: 雨棚accompanied: 伴奏disclose: 披露chance: 偶然burden: 负担plunge: 投入creative: 创作的blossoms: 樱花crowded: 拥挤hesitated: 犹豫surprised: 惊讶conversation: 交谈gradually: 逐渐

Two giant pandas, He Feng and Lan Yun, departed from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, on Wednesday for Austria, where they will spend the next 10 years at the historic Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna.大熊猫"和风"与"兰云"于周三从四川省会成都启程前往奥地利，将在维也纳历史悠久的"美泉宫动物园"开启为期10年的旅居生活。Both born in 2020, the pandas are from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.这两只2020年出生的熊猫均来自中国大熊猫保护研究中心。To ensure a smooth and safe journey, a Chinese veterinarian and an Austrian caregiver accompanied them on the flight, according to a media release from the center.据该中心发布的通告，为了确保旅途顺畅安全，中国兽医专家与奥地利饲养员随机全程护送。Fresh bamboo, bamboo shoots, specially made steamed buns, drinking water and medications were also packed for the trip, the release said.通告称旅途中配备了新鲜竹材、竹笋、特制窝头、饮用水及应急药品等物资。A Chinese caregiver and veterinarian will remain with the pandas for a period to help them adapt to their new environment at Schoenbrunn Zoo, one of the world's oldest zoos with a history of more than 270 years.中国饲养员和兽医专家将在奥地利驻留一段时间，协助这对大熊猫适应美泉宫动物园新环境。该园作为全球最古老的动物园之一，迄今已有逾270年历史。He Feng, the male panda, has a name symbolizing lotus-infused freshness, while Lan Yun, the female, is named to reflect the fragrance of orchids, the center said.中国大熊猫保护研究中心特别说明，雄性大熊猫"和风"之名取意"荷风送爽"的清新意象，而雌性大熊猫"兰云"则寓含"幽兰吐蕊"的芬芳意境。The release outlined a range of preparations jointly undertaken by China and Austria ahead of the pandas' arrival.通报详细介绍了中奥双方为大熊猫安家所做的共同准备工作。In March, a team of Chinese experts visited Austria to inspect the upgraded facilities at the zoo and provided technical guidance on aspects such as habitat, diet and health care.今年3月，中方专家组专程赴奥对维也纳美泉宫动物园升级改造后的设施进行实地考察，并就大熊猫的栖息环境、饮食方案及健康护理等方面提供了专业指导。The renovated indoor enclosure features new climbing structures and an advanced system for controlling temperature and humidity. The outdoor space includes tall trees, shrubs, wooden perches, rock formations, caves, a pond and a creek with automatically filtered water.升级改造后的室内馆舍配备有专业攀爬架及智能温湿度调控系统，而室外活动区不仅有高耸的乔木与低矮灌木，还设置了原木栖架、仿真岩群、生态洞穴、观景池塘以及拥有自动净水系统的小溪等景观设施。A bamboo plantation has also been established to provide a stable and sufficient food supply for the pandas, according to the release.据通告所说，新建的竹园能够为熊猫提供稳定充足的食物补给。China and Austria began official collaboration on giant panda conservation and research in 2003. The partnership has yielded achievements in panda breeding, protection and disease treatment, as well as technical exchanges, personnel training and public education.中奥大熊猫保护研究合作始于2003年，双方在大熊猫繁育、保护及疾病治疗领域取得丰硕成果，同时持续推进技术交流、人才培养与公众教育工作。As a highlight of the collaboration, pandas Yang Yang and Long Hui, who lived at Schoenbrunn Zoo from 2003, successfully produced five cubs through natural mating—a record for panda breeding in Europe, the center noted.作为合作亮点，自2003年起旅居美泉宫动物园的大熊猫"阳阳"和"龙徽"通过自然交配成功诞下五只幼崽，创下欧洲大熊猫自然交配产仔纪录。 the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda中国大熊猫保护研究中心bamboo shoots竹笋Schoenbrunn Zoo美泉宫动物园wooden perches栖架natural mating自然交配

This week on Sinica, in a show recorded at the University of Pittsburgh, I speak with Benno Weiner, Associate Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon University, about how China's policy toward its minority nationalities (or minzu) have shifted from their older, Soviet-inspired form to the policies of assimilation we now see.2:29 – How the so-called second-generation minzu policy evolved, and its shift away from the first-generation policy17:15 – China's language policy, comparisons to other historical cases, and the difficulty in striking a balance between language autonomy and the state interest of economic equality25:26 – Debating the assumption of Uyghur forced labor 28:20 – How the minzu policy shift is driven by economic and political stability concerns 30:07 – The limited ability of minzus to make themselves heard32:01 – The difficulty of advocacy in the face of accusations of U.S. hypocrisy 37:30 – Han guilt as a galvanizing idea 40:21 – Whether the shift in minzu policy is reversible, and the effect of external pressure 43:46 – Why Xinjiang has received greater global attention than other places 45:50 – How future historians may view minzu policy under Xi JinpingPaying It Forward: Guldana Salimjan, at the University of Toronto Recommendations:Benno: The Red Wind Howls by Tsering Döndrup, translated by Christopher PeacockKaiser: The Six: The Untold Story of the Titanic's Chinese Survivors by Steven SchwankertSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on the Sinica Podcast, I chat with Yawei Liu, Senior Advisor for China at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and Yukon Huang, former China country head of the World Bank and now Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The show was taped live at the 2025 Columbia China Summit at Columbia University, put on by the Columbia University Greater China Society, on April 13,. Special thanks to them for inviting us to attend!3:53 – Columbia University's history with China 7:52 – How Beijing views the current trade war 11:32 – Yawei's idea of “the clash of misperceptions”18:18 – The actual origins of America's trade deficits and China's trade surpluses 23:14 – How the inevitable talk between Trump and Xi Jinping may play out32:04 – Sinophobia versus changing attitudes toward China 35:43 – How the current trade war is related to innovation in China 45:31 – How we can wage peace Paying It Forward: Nicholas Zeller and his Substack newsletter, The U.S.-China Perception MonitorRecommendations:Yawei: Americans in China: Encounters with the People's Republic ed. by Terry Lautz, and Chinese Encounters with America: Journeys That Shaped the Future of China ed. by Terry Lautz and Deborah DavisYukon: David Brooks' April 2022 article, “The End of Globalization: The Dominance of Global Cultural Wars” Kaiser: The Weimar Years: Rise and Fall 1918-1933 by Frank McDonough See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eating spicy ice cream, getting a haircut, dancing with local grandmas, trying intelligent NEV cars, and taking the Yangtze River Cableway and a night cruise, Darren Watkins Jr, the 20-year-old US internet celebrity better known to his 37 million YouTube followers and those on other platforms as iShowSpeed, had shown the world another interesting city through his lens.吃辣味冰淇淋、体验重庆剪发、与当地老奶奶共舞、试驾智能新能源汽车、打卡长江索道和夜游两江……近日，这位被3700万YouTube粉丝称之为iShowSpeed的20岁美国网红博主小达伦·沃特金斯通过他的镜头向世界展示了另一座有趣的城市。"This is (a) cyber city that looks crazy on camera," the YouTube sensation said in great excitement as he enjoyed the breathtaking view during a night river cruise in Chongqing."这简直是一座赛博之城，在镜头中看起来太疯狂了！"这位YouTube网红在重庆乘坐夜航游轮欣赏令人惊叹的美景时激动地说"Beautiful, beautiful. This is Chongqing. This city doesn't look real.""太美了，太美了！这就是重庆。这座城市看起来太不真实了！"From 3 pm to 9:30 pm on Wednesday, he did a marathon livestream in Chongqing city center after visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Shaolin Temple in Henan province and Chengdu in Sichuan province.从周三下午3点到晚上9点半，这位博主在重庆市中心完成了一场马拉松式直播。此前他已到访北京、上海、河南少林寺和四川成都等地。The livestream in Chongqing has attracted over 7.3 million viewers on YouTube so far, as well as over 8,000 comments.截至目前，这场重庆直播在YouTube平台已吸引超730万人次观看，评论超8000条。This metropolis of more than 30 million people in Southwest China, which boasts a multidimensional landscape, futuristic architecture, spicy hotpot and glittering night scenes, has attracted many foreign internet influencers amid the recent "China Travel" trend.这座位于中国西南的超级都市坐拥3000万人口，以魔幻立体地貌、未来感建筑群、麻辣火锅和璀璨夜景闻名，在近期"中国旅游热"中吸引了许多外国网红博主的注意。A gateway to a vast inland and a major manufacturing hub, it became China's fourth municipality in 1997 after Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.作为西部内陆开放门户和先进制造业重镇，重庆于1997年成为继北京、上海、天津之后中国第四个直辖市。As large as Austria and five times bigger than Beijing, this city of mountains and rivers has witnessed rapid development into a modern metropolis with advanced transportation systems, outstanding architecture and eye-catching features.重庆幅员辽阔，面积与奥地利相当，是北京的五倍之多。这座山水之城已迅速发展成为一座交通发达、建筑卓越、特色鲜明的现代化大都市。The city looks futuristic with its skyscrapers, while at the same time, with some 3,000 years of history, it still preserves a distinct culture and lifestyle.这座城市摩天大楼鳞次栉比，看起来充满未来感，但与此同时，这座拥有约3000年历史的城市仍然保留着独特的文化和生活方式。The live show started in the Jiefangbei area, which is the equivalent of Times Square in New York, surrounded by giant billboards and brand-name retailers.直播首站选在重庆解放碑商圈，该地区相当于纽约时代广场，被巨型广告牌和奢侈品旗舰店所包围。The US celebrity had attracted millions of fans in China soon after he started his China livestreaming tour on March 24, with his short videos going viral online.自3月24日开启中国直播之旅以来，这位美国顶流网红迅速收获百万中国粉丝，其短视频持续引爆社交平台。His appearance in Chongqing immediately drew large crowds, and he had to urge them to calm down.在重庆期间，他的亮相立即吸引了大批观众，他不得不数次呼吁粉丝保持冷静。Accompanied by local English-speaking internet celebrity Chen Rui, the American tasted ice cream with spicy chili oil, visited Kuixinglou Square, which has become a global sensation due to its unique architectural features, and took metro Line 2 to the famous Liziba Station where the train passes through a 19-story residential building.在重庆英语达人@毒角show陈睿陪同下，美国博主挑战了辣椒油冰淇淋，探访因"魁星楼空中天桥"爆红全球的魔幻建筑，并乘坐地铁二号线前往著名的李子坝站，列车从一栋19层高的居民楼中穿过。He then took a ride on the 112-meter-long Huangguan Escalator, the highest single-grading escalator in China and Asia when it was built. He also experienced Chongqing's dazzling transportation infrastructure, including the highest overpass in the country at 72 meters and Huangjuewan Overpass which connects more than 20 ramps and eight different roads.随后，他乘坐了全长112米的皇冠大扶梯，这是当时中国乃至亚洲最高的单级自动扶梯。他还体验了重庆令人眼花缭乱的交通基础设施，包括全国最高的72米立交桥和连接20多条匝道和8条不同道路的黄桷湾立交桥。"It (the tour) is very hectic and it has a lot of energy. Everyone is full of passion," Chen said. "It is a very meaningful trip and a good opportunity to introduce Chongqing to the world.""这次行程非常紧凑，能感受到整座城市的活力，重庆人骨子里都透着热情。"陈睿表示，"这是一次特别有意义的旅行，也是一个向世界介绍重庆的好机会。"As one fan on YouTube put it after watching the Chongqing livestream, "Growing up in America I was told entirely wrong things about China. But after watching these Speed streams I'm definitely visiting soon!"正如YouTube上的一位粉丝在观看完重庆的直播后所说："在美国长大的我对中国的了解完全是错误的。但看了这些直播后，我肯定会很快来中国！""These videos have completely flipped my perception of China on its head. Our French media had painted a wildly inaccurate picture of it. I'd absolutely love to travel to China with my friends sometime soon!" said another YouTube user."这些视频完全颠覆了我对中国的认识。我们的法国媒体对中国的描述严重失真。我非常想尽快和朋友们一起去中国旅游！"另一位YouTube用户说。cyber city赛博城市；赛博朋克城市skyscrapersn.摩天大楼modern metropolis现代化大都市Kuixinglou Square魁星楼Huangguan Escalator皇冠大扶梯transportation infrastructure交通基础设施overpassn.立交桥

This week on Sinica, I chat with Hazza Harding, a young Australian who began learning Chinese and made his way to China where he became a pop singer with hits on Chinese pop charts and a state media newscaster — and also lost his husband tragically, suffered through the COVID lockdowns while grieving for his loss. Yet he remains committed to furthering understanding and engagement, and has shown admirable resilience. Read his remarkable essay on his experiences here.6:51 – How Hazza started in China, and how his career changed throughout his time there 19:27 – Hazza's experiences feeling alienated in China 27:00 – Hazza's experience working in Chinese state media 34:04 – How China shaped Hazza and Wayne's love story, and how grief has shaped Hazza's perspective on life56:08 – The loveliness of everyday interactions 58:43 – Hazza's advice on giving oneself time and leniency 1:02:38 – How Hazza may find his way back to China in the future Paying It Forward: James Laurenceson at UTS Sydney Recommendations:Hazza: China Blonde: How a newsreader's search for adventure led to friendship, acceptance… and peroxide pandemonium in China by Nicole Webb Kaiser: The TV series Xi Bei Sui Yue (Into the Great Northwest) (2024 - )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

主播：Flora (中国) + 梅莉 (法国) 片头音乐：阳光彩虹小白马 片尾音乐：Kung Fu FightingNowadays, internet celebrities (网红) are very common. 但是今天介绍给大家的是最近火到出圈的——IShowSpeed！也就是网友口中的“甲亢哥”！01. Who is “甲亢哥” ? 他是谁？Speed (“甲亢哥”网名) is a 20-year-old YouTuber from the U.S., who went absolutely viral (走红) during his recent trip to China. His videos from this trip got millions of views (浏览量)—and not just on YouTube, but also reposted (转发) across Chinese social platforms like Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin! One of his livestreams (直播) from China hit three million views, 有一场直播甚至长达6个小时！People call him “甲亢哥” because he is extremely energetic (活力满满) in front of the camera, always jumping around and shouting. Netizens gave him this nickname as a playful joke (玩笑话) , but it also carries a sense of affection (喜爱). The literal meaning of “甲亢哥” is hyperthyroidism.Basically, hyper energy + chaotic charm =甲亢哥hyperthyroidism 甲状腺功能亢进症02. Speed's China Tour “甲亢哥”的中国行Speed has been traveling for a while—Japan, Korea, Portugal (葡萄牙)—but his China trip hits different (有所不同). He wore a big floral padded jacket (东北大花袄), tried stinky tofu (臭豆腐), danced in public squares (跳广场舞) with kids, walked the streets of Chengdu, got mobbed (围住) by fans...He wasn't just a tourist snapping pics (打卡拍照的游客). 他真的不是“走马观花”的那种游客，而是深入体验了中国文化。当尝试臭豆腐时，他说“This smells horrible... but tastes amazing (闻起来臭，吃起来香) !”。Even though he's an international star, in China, he was completely natural—zero “celebrity distance.” (完全没有名人的那种“距离感”) 比如他会在街头吃路边摊、跟路人跳广场舞，还会用超搞笑的方式学中文。People find him really down to earth and relatable (接地气又让人有共鸣).Netizens say he's “crazy but real (疯得很真实)”. You feel like he's that hilarious (搞笑的) friend everyone has.And the way he genuinely explored China made a lot of people think: “Maybe we should be more open to other cultures, too.”03. Iconic Moments from the Comment Section 评论区名场面他的评论区有很多人留言。There is a funny comment from his kung fu video, “2% kung fu, 95% bald, 3% screaming”. 意思是他的主要“成分”是秃头和吼叫，还有一点点功夫（视频里他戴了一个光头套——bald cap）。And here's another really sweet comment from YouTube:“China stream has been by far the best stream ever for IShowSpeed. The people. The authenticity (真实). The vibe (氛围). It was all right. Never judge a book by its cover (封面). He went up against a lot of pressure not to go to China, but he did—and it turned out amazing.”“Organic interactions will always trump forced ones （自然的互动总是胜过被迫的）.”He's sincere—you can feel his genuine curiosity and reactions (真正的好奇心和互动). 04. Embassy Notices Speed's Viral Fame! “甲亢哥”火爆出圈，惊动大使馆！The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. posted about IShowSpeed's trip on X (原推特). IShowSpeed's China trip really showed people a different side of China—warm, real, full of life (温暖、真实、充满活力).IShowSpeed, an American YouTuber, has garnered (获得) immense (巨大的) attention for his travel experiences in China. He not only visited multiple cities but also immersed himself in the local culture (沉浸式体验当地文化).欢迎在评论区告诉我们： Have you watched Speed's China streams? What was your favorite part? 你有没有看过Speed的中国直播，最喜欢哪一段呢？

This week on Sinica, I chat with Jeffrey Ding, author of Technology and the Rise of Great Powers, a book that argues that a nation's ability to invent foundational technologies matters ultimately less in its overall national power than its ability to diffuse those "general purpose technologies," like electricity, digital technology, the internet, and — in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution — Artificial Intelligence. I ask Jeff whether he thinks that China, with its powerful tech companies and its new enthusiasm for open source, may at last be closing what his book identifies as a diffusion deficit.2:19 – Jeff's argument for the power of diffusion in technological leadership6:07 – China's diffusion deficit 12:09 – Institutional factors that affect technology diffusion, and how culture can also play a role 19:49 – China's successes in (non-GPT) diffusion 24:29 – China's open source push 29:55 – Discussing He Pengyu's piece on semiconductors 32:19 – How Jeff might tweak his chapter on China in a second edition of Technology and the Rise of Great Powers Paying It Forward: Matt Sheehan of the Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceRecommendations:Jeff: The TV series The Pitt (2025 - ); and James Islington's The Will of the Many Kaiser: The album Perpetual Change by Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks; and Steven Wilson's new album, The OverviewSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on the Sinica Podcast, I chat with Jeremy Garlick, Director of the Jan Masaryk Centre for International Studies, Prague University, and a scholar of China's international relations. Jeremy is the author of the book Advantage China: Agent of Change in an Era of Global Disruption, but the book we're talking about this week is his new Cambridge Element titled Evolution in International Relations. It's a fascinating attempt to apply ideas from evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology, and archaeogenetics to further our understanding of how nations interact.6:13 – Why Jeremy decided to apply an evolutionary framework to IR 15:34 – Why evolutionary science hasn't really been integrated into IR19:32 – How Jeremy views his project as refining the IR field 22:43 – The risk of the misappropriation of Jeremy's work, and the evolutionary elements of cooperation and intergroup competition 28:54 – How to avoid the trap of viewing evolution as teleological 34:07 – The idea of self-domestication 39:55 – Morality and human rights 45:17 – How emotions affect decision-making and diplomacy 50:32 – Hierarchy and status-seeking in IR 56:56 – Applying an evolutionary framework to the IR phenomena of alliances, nuclear deterrence, and strategic balancing 1:01:31 – Altruism toward out-groups 1:05:57 – The inevitability of competition with China 1:08:19 – The intellectual challenges Jeremy faced while working on this project, and what he would develop further in the future1:12:51 – Jeremy's thoughts on what IR as a discipline should address, integrating evolutionary science Paying It Forward: Richard TurcsányiRecommendations:Jeremy: The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous by Joseph Henrich; and The Expanse novels by James S. A. CoreyKaiser: Playground by Richard Powers See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, a special episode taped live at the University of California, Berkeley — my alma mater — on March 6 and featuring Jessica Chen Weiss of Johns Hopkins SAIS and Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution, both well-known to people who follow U.S.-China relations. This episode was made possible by the Center for Chinese Studies at UC Berkeley's Institute for Asian Studies, and will be available on video as well — I'll update with the link.5:32 – Looking back on the Biden administration's approach to China12:28 – Attempting to outline the new Trump administration's approach to China20:34 – The view from Beijing of Trump 2.026:54 – The Kindleberger Trap (and other "traps")29:35 – China, the U.S., and the Russo-Ukrainian war, and the idea of a “reverse Kissinger” 34:23 – The problem with framing objectionable Trump policy moves as ceding victories to China 36:51 – How countries in the Western Pacific region are responding to the new administration 38:48 – Taiwan's concerns for Trump's shift on Ukraine41:45 – Predictions for how the Trump administration will handle technology competition with China, and the apparent abandonment of industrial policy 48:14 – What the affirmative vision for U.S.-China policy should look like Paying It Forward:Ryan: Patricia Kim and Jon Czin at BrookingsJessica: Jeffrey Ding at George Washington University and Jonas Nahm at Johns Hopkins SAIS Recommendations:Jessica: The movie Conclave (2024)Ryan: Derek Thompson's piece in The Atlantic, “The Anti-Social Century,” and Robert Cooper's The Ambassadors: Thinking about Diplomacy from Machiavelli to Modern Times Kaiser: The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From lotus root dishes to fiery hotpot, the animated blockbusterNe Zha 2 has ignited nationwide culinary trends, turning meals inspired by the film into social media sensations.从藕菜到火辣辣的火锅，动画大片《哪吒2》点燃了全国范围内的烹饪潮流，以电影为灵感的美食也成为了社交媒体上的热点。The feature has surpassed Avengers: Infinity War to become the sixth highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide, according to the Lighthouse Professional Edition, a box office data provider owned by Alibaba.根据阿里巴巴旗下票房数据提供商灯塔专业版(Lighthouse Professional Edition)的数据，这部动画电影已经超过《复仇者联盟3:无限战争》，成为全球有史以来票房第六高的电影。In the movie, the body of Ne Zha, a mythical demon child, is reborn from lotus root starch. Off-screen, sales of lotus root starch, lotus root soup and other dishes featuring the plant have surged, with restaurants embracing the ingredient in new and inventive ways.在这部电影中，神话中的魔童哪吒的身体是用莲藕重生的。银幕外，藕粉、藕汤和其他以这种植物为特色的菜肴的销量激增，餐馆以新的、创造性的方式接纳了这种食材。Meanwhile, a scene featuring the Octopus General — who speaks in a Tianjin dialect — being roasted in the furnace has turned the local specialty of stir-fried squid tentacles into a viral hit.与此同时，一个讲天津方言的章鱼将军在炉子里被烤的场景，使当地的特色菜炒鱿鱼足火了。Across the country, restaurants are rolling out Ne Zha-themed drinks, dishes and set meals, blending cinematic fantasy with real-world flavors.全国各地的餐馆都在推出哪吒主题的饮料、菜肴和套餐，将电影中的幻想与现实世界的味道融合在一起。One of the most memorable aspects ofNe Zha 2 is Taiyi Zhenren's distinctive Sichuan-accented Mandarin. This linguistic touch has unexpectedly turned hotpot — a Sichuan province culinary staple — into a marketing success, with restaurants seizing the opportunity to attract customers.《哪吒2》最令人难忘的一点是太乙真人的四川口音。这种语言的接触出人意料地使火锅——四川的一种美食——成为一种营销上的成功，餐馆抓住机会吸引顾客。In Sichuan's Yibin, Zha Hotpot eatery — already designed with Ne Zha-themed decor — has become a hot spot for fans eager to snap photos with installations inspired by the character's iconic huntianling (red armillary sash) and fenghuolun (wind-fire wheels).在四川宜宾，一家以哪吒主题为装饰的哪吒火锅店，已经成为粉丝们争相拍照的热点，店内的装置灵感来自哪吒标志性的“混天绫”和“风火轮”。The restaurant has also introduced a Ne Zha-inspired menu featuring meatballs, lotus root starch and seafood, all of which have quickly become favorites.这家餐厅还推出了受哪吒启发的菜单，包括肉丸、藕粉和海鲜，所有这些都迅速成为人们的最爱。In Sichuan's Chengdu, Feng Xiao Zhang Hotpot launched a promotional campaign where diners who posted a video wishing the restaurant success on social media could win aNe Zha 2 movie ticket if their post received over 30 likes.在四川成都，冯校长火锅推出了一项促销活动，食客只要在社交媒体上发布祝福该餐厅成功的视频，并获得30个点赞，就能赢得一张《哪吒闹海2》的电影票。"I love a good hotpot, but when it's both delicious and fun, that's even better," said Zhang Xuan, a tourist from Xi'an, Shaanxi province.“我喜欢好吃的火锅，但如果火锅既美味又有趣，那就更好了，”来自陕西西安的游客张轩说。Meanwhile, the hotpot chain Banu markedNe Zha 2 surpassing 10 billion yuan ($1.38 billion) at the box office by introducing the Honghu lotus root dish across its locations nationwide.与此同时，火锅连锁店巴努在全国各地推出了洪湖莲藕，来纪念《哪吒2》的票房突破了100亿元人民币(13.8亿美元)。The dish was an instant success, with strong sales from the moment it launched, according to staff.据工作人员介绍，这道菜一经推出就大获成功，销量强劲。In Sanya, Hainan province, Cinker Pictures Mega has taken the trend a step further by offering a hotpot-and-movie experience, allowing guests to enjoy a meal while watchingNe Zha 2 in a special screening room.在海南三亚，Cinker Pictures Mega将这一趋势更进一步，提供火锅和电影的体验，让客人在特殊的放映室里一边吃饭一边看《哪吒2》。"The hotpot wasn't particularly outstanding, but the ingredients were fresh," wrote a Dianping user, Yuxiaoman. "I cried just as much during my second watch — such a great film! Finally got to experience eating hotpot while watching a movie — absolutely amazing!"“火锅味道不出彩，但食材很新鲜，”大众点评网用户于晓曼写道。“我第二次看的时候还是哭了——这么棒的一部电影!终于可以一边看电影一边吃火锅了，太棒了!”Coffee shops and dessert cafes are also embracing the Ne Zha phenomenon. In Dalian, Liaoning province, JY & Sweetime has launched Ne Zha-themed cakes and coffee, featuring an illustration of the character and the motto, "My fate is determined by me, not by the heavens."咖啡店和甜品店也在追捧哪吒现象。在辽宁省大连市，JY & Sweetime推出了哪吒主题的蛋糕和咖啡，上面印有哪吒的形象和座右铭:“我命由我不由天"The Oreo cream filling was decent, but the design was incredible — super fitting for the theme!" wrote a Dianping user named "Woconglaimeiheguoshui".一位名叫“我从来没喝过水”的大众点评用户写道：“奥利奥奶油馅还可以，但设计太不可思议了--超级符合主题！”。Meanwhile, Cotti Coffee has announced an official collaboration withNe Zha 2, rolling out a new product series on March 17, complete with themed packaging and limited-edition merchandise.”与此同时，库迪咖啡宣布与《哪吒2》正式合作，于3月17日推出新系列产品，包括主题包装和限量版商品。Pop culture boost流行文化助推AsNe Zha 2 continues to attract large audiences, its impact on the food and beverage industry highlights how pop culture is reshaping consumer trends — one meal at a time.随着《哪吒2》继续吸引大批观众，它对餐饮行业的影响凸显了流行文化如何重塑消费趋势——一餐一景。"The film has not only gone viral but has also driven the growth of the entire lotus root supply chain," said Zhao Jinqiao, a 42-year-old restaurant industry researcher.42岁的餐饮业研究员赵金桥表示:“这部电影不仅火了，还推动了整个藕供应链的增长。”Zhao said it is not the first time film and television have driven food trends. In recent years, popular productions have frequently sparked demand for regional delicacies.赵说，这不是电影和电视第一次推动饮食潮流。近年来，受欢迎的影视作品经常引发对地方美食的需求。The 2019 TV dramaThe Longest Day in Chang'an boosted interest in fire crystal persimmons and water basin lamb from China's northwest. In 2022, the hit seriesA Dream of Splendor brought Song Dynasty (960-1279) tea culture into the spotlight, leading tea brands to introduce themed drinks that became consumer favorites. Similarly, animated films and TV shows have increasingly collaborated with tea and coffee brands to launch limited-edition beverages.2019年，电视剧《长安十二时辰》提高了人们对中国西北地区火晶柿子和水盆羊肉的兴趣。2022年，热播剧《梦华录》将宋代（960-1279年）茶文化推向聚光灯下，促使茶叶品牌推出主题饮品，成为消费者的最爱。同样，动画电影和电视节目也越来越多地与茶叶和咖啡品牌合作，推出限量版饮品。Behind this phenomenon, Zhao sees two key forces at play.在这一现象背后，赵看到了两股关键力量在起作用。First, restaurants are becoming more adept at leveraging pop culture to attract consumers and convert online buzz into sales. "With fierce competition in the industry, businesses are focusing on product innovation rather than price wars. They are enhancing their offerings with cultural, experiential, and emotional value," Zhao said.首先，餐厅越来越善于利用流行文化来吸引消费者，并将网上的热词转化为销售额。“随着行业竞争的激烈，企业正专注于产品创新，而不是价格战。他们正在用文化、体验和情感价值来提升他们的产品，”赵说。"Over the past few years, restaurant operators have learned how to integrate entertainment and youth culture into their strategies to draw traffic," he added.他补充说:“在过去的几年里，餐馆经营者已经学会了如何将娱乐和青年文化融入到他们的策略中来吸引客流量。”Second, consumer expectations for dining experiences have evolved. "People no longer just eat to satisfy hunger or pursue healthy choices. They now seek emotional connections through their dining experiences," Zhao said.其次，消费者对就餐体验的期望也在发生变化。“人们不再只是为了充饥或追求健康的选择而吃饭。他们现在通过就餐体验寻找情感联系。”赵说。WhileNe Zha2 has sparked a wave of themed offerings, Zhao believes the trend is also rooted in the character's deep cultural significance.虽然《哪吒2》引发了一波主题产品的热潮，但赵认为，这一趋势也植根于该角色深厚的文化意义。However, he cautioned businesses to be mindful of intellectual property concerns when using Ne Zha's image for promotions, warning of potential legal risks. He also noted that Ne Zha, as a traditional Chinese figure, has multiple representations beyond the one depicted inNe Zha 2.然而，他提醒企业在使用哪吒的形象进行宣传时要注意知识产权问题，并警告潜在的法律风险。他还指出，哪吒作为中国传统人物，除了《哪吒2》中所描绘的形象外，还有多种表现形式。For restaurant owners looking to capitalize on the trend, Zhao stressed the importance of both speed and long-term vision. "To seizeNe Zha 2's momentum, businesses must react quickly.对于希望利用这一趋势的餐馆老板来说，赵强调了速度和长远眼光的重要性。“为了抓住《哪吒2》的势头，企业必须迅速做出反应。But beyond short-term gains, they should also consider how to retain customers. The goal is not just to draw diners in with a trendy product, but to build lasting consumer habits," he said.但除了短期收益，他们还应该考虑如何留住客户。我们的目标不仅仅是用时髦的产品吸引食客，而是要养成持久的消费习惯。”Root cause of frenzy热潮的根本原因Lotus root has emerged as one of the biggest winners in the food industry boom sparked byNe Zha 2.在《哪吒2》引发的食品行业热潮中，藕已经成为最大的赢家之一。The humble ingredient, central to the film's storyline, has seen a surge in demand, driving remarkable growth across the food and e-commerce sectors.作为电影故事情节的核心，这种不起眼的食材需求激增，推动了食品和电商行业的显著增长。According to data from the short video-sharing platform Douyin, searches for "lotus root starch" have surged by over 200 percent year-on-year since the film's release on Jan 29, with interest continuing to climb.根据短视频分享平台抖音的数据，自1月29日该片上映以来，“藕粉”的搜索量同比飙升了200%以上，而且兴趣还在继续攀升。Online delivery platform Eleme has reported a 330 percent spike in related searches.在线外卖平台“饿了么”的相关搜索量飙升了330%。China Post's Hubei branch reported that between Jan 29 and Feb 11, approximately 170,000 packages of lotus root starch and lotus root stems were shipped from the province — 1.7 fold more than the same period last year.据中国邮政湖北分公司报道，在1月29日至2月11日期间，约有17万包藕淀粉和藕茎从该省运出，是去年同期的1.7倍。The impact is even more pronounced in Honghu, a major lotus root production hub in Hubei province.在湖北主要的莲藕生产中心洪湖，这种影响更为明显。Zhang Xianzhong, head of the Honghu Lotus Root Industry Development Center, said from Jan 29 to Feb 23, the industry's total sales revenue surpassed 582 million yuan, marking a 51 percent year-on-year increase.洪湖藕产业发展中心主任张献忠表示，从1月29日到2月23日，藕产业总销售收入超过5.82亿元，同比增长51%。Fresh lotus root sales alone reached 18,700 metric tons, while processed products like lotus root starch, lotus root stems, and lotus root soup also saw significant gains.仅新鲜藕的销量就达到1.87万吨，而藕淀粉、藕茎和藕汤等加工产品也取得了显著增长。"Fresh lotus root is selling out daily, over 200 tons of lotus root starch have already been snapped up, and e-commerce orders have risen 1.5 fold compared with last year," Zhang said.“新鲜莲藕每天都销售一空，200多吨莲藕淀粉已被抢购一空，电商订单比去年增加了1.5倍。At the Orsun century city mall branch in Wuhan, Hubei, of Laoxiangji fast food chain, takeout orders have surged during dinner hours with staff packing container after container of lotus root chicken soup.在湖北武汉的老乡鸡快餐连锁店奥森世纪城分店，晚餐时段的外卖订单激增，店员们将一箱又一箱的莲藕鸡汤打包。"Since the Spring Festival, sales of our lotus root chicken soup have risen about 30 percent compared with pre-holiday levels," said store manager Yuan Fangfang.店长袁芳芳说：“春节以来，我们莲藕鸡汤的销量比节前增长了约30%。”Laoxiangji's signature old hen soup, made with mineral water and stewed chicken, has long been a customer favorite.老乡鸡的招牌老母鸡汤，用矿泉水和焖鸡熬制而成，一直深受顾客的喜爱。But in Hubei, where lotus root is a staple, diners have frequently asked if the restaurant offers a lotus root version. In response to the demand, Laoxiangji introduced lotus root chicken soup in its Hubei outlets in September 2024.但在以莲藕为主食的湖北，经常有食客询问餐厅是否提供莲藕版本。为满足这一需求，老乡记于2024年9月在湖北分店推出了莲藕鸡汤。"The response has been overwhelming — nearly half of our soup orders are now for the lotus root version," Yuan said.袁说：“反响非常热烈--现在我们近一半的汤订单都是莲藕版的。”She noted that September and October, when lotus roots are at their softest and most flavorful, is the peak season for the dish. "For us in Hubei, drinking lotus root soup is a tradition. Growing up, the aroma of lotus root soup filled the alleys during autumn and winter. A bowl of it carries a sense of home," Yuan said.她指出，9月和10月是莲藕最柔软、味道最鲜美的时候，也是这道菜的旺季。“对于我们湖北人来说，喝莲藕汤是一种传统。在我们的成长过程中，每到秋冬季节，小巷里就弥漫着莲藕汤的香气。一碗藕汤承载着家的味道。This year, Laoxiangji remained open throughout the Spring Festival holiday period. "I never expected lotus root soup to become such a hit during Spring Festival," Yuan said.今年，老乡记在整个春节假期期间一直营业。“没想到春节期间莲藕汤会这么火。”Taking advantage of a rare break, she went to seeNe Zha 2 with her 15-year-old daughter, a high school student and fan of the film. After the holiday rush, the two returned for a second viewing.趁着难得的休息时间，她和15岁的女儿一起去看《哪吒2》，女儿是一名高中生，也是《哪吒2》的影迷。假期结束后，两人又去看了第二场。Located inside a shopping mall, Yuan's restaurant often welcomes moviegoers looking for a meal after screenings. "Maybe some of them, after watching Ne Zha 2, find themselves craving a bowl of lotus root soup," she said.袁的餐厅位于一家购物中心内，经常有观众在电影放映后前来就餐。“她说："也许有些人看完《哪吒2》后，会想喝一碗莲藕汤。Lotus' elan莲花的魅力Riding the success ofNe Zha 2, lotus root has emerged as a culinary sensation beyond its home in Hubei.借助《哪吒2》的成功，莲藕在湖北以外的地方引起了美食界的轰动。On the third day of the Chinese New Year, as the film's box office takings soared, Qingshuiting Hubei cuisine outlets in Beijing introduced a Ne Zha-themed meal set. The two-person set, featuring pork rib lotus root soup, fried stuffed lotus root, and lotus root starch, quickly attracted food lovers. Diners who presented aNe Zha 2 ticket stub could also enjoy a 12 percent discount on lotus root soup.大年初三，随着票房的飙升，北京的清水亭湖北菜门店推出了哪吒主题套餐。排骨藕汤、炸藕酿、藕粉等二人套餐迅速吸引了美食爱好者。凭《哪吒2》门票票根就餐的食客还可享受藕汤12% 折的优惠。Li Simei, co-founder of Qingshuiting, anticipated lotus root's surge in popularity, given its deep connection to the investiture of the gods scene in the movie, where Ne Zha's body is reborn from lotus root. Since the ingredient has always been a staple at her restaurant, she had planned to introduce themed dishes based on the audience response.清水亭的创始人之一李思梅预料到莲藕会大受欢迎，因为莲藕与电影中哪吒投胎的场景有很深的联系。由于莲藕一直是她餐厅的主打食材，她计划根据观众的反应推出主题菜肴。The restaurant's signature lotus root soup is made from Honghu's renowned starchy lotus roots. "October to March is when lotus root reaches peak flavor," Li explained.餐厅的招牌藕汤是用洪湖著名的淀粉质莲藕制作的。“十月到三月是莲藕味道最鲜美的时候，"李解释道。"During this period, it stores starch in the mud, creating a rich, glutinous texture."“在此期间，它将淀粉储存在泥中，形成丰富的糯米质地"。To appeal to younger diners, Qingshuiting has also re-imagined traditional lotus root starch desserts, offering flavors like green tea and orange, paired with lotus slices and lotus balls. The modern twist transforms the classic street treat into a trendy, Instagram-worthy dessert.为了吸引更多年轻食客，清水亭还对传统的藕粉甜点进行了重新设计，推出了绿茶和橙子等口味，并搭配了藕片和藕球。这种现代的变化将经典的街头小吃转变成了一种时尚的、值得在Instagram上分享的甜点。"Our restaurant aims to showcase high-quality Hubei ingredients, including Honghu lotus root, and bring delicious Hubei cuisine to diners in Beijing," Li said.“我们的餐厅旨在展示包括洪湖莲藕在内的优质湖北食材，为北京的食客带来美味的湖北菜。”李说The growing demand for Hubei's lotus root was also evident at a Feb 21 agricultural showcase hosted by the Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Hubei Government's Beijing Office.在2月21日由湖北省农业农村厅和湖北省政府驻北京办事处主办的农业展示会上，湖北莲藕日益增长的需求也显而易见。The event brought Beijing restaurateurs face-to-face with Hubei suppliers, with Honghu lotus root emerging as a star ingredient. Li noted that many Beijing restaurants are now incorporating Honghu lotus root into their menus and hopes that more establishments will follow suit in show-casing the region's high-quality produce.此次活动让北京的餐馆老板与湖北的供应商面对面，洪湖莲藕成为其中的明星食材。李指出，许多北京餐馆正在将洪湖莲藕纳入他们的菜单，并希望更多餐馆效仿，展示该地区的优质产品。Demonn.魔鬼；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念Tentaclesn. 触手( tentacle的名词复数)；触角；触须；触毛Frenzyn.狂乱，狂暴；极度的激动；狂怒Signaturen.签名；鲜明特色

This week, I'm proud to announce a new collaboration with Trivium, a China-focused strategic advisory firm you've probably heard of. They've got offices in DC, London, Shanghai, and Beijing, and they focus on analyzing and forecasting Chinese policy developments for multinational companies and institutional investors across a range of verticals -- including macroeconomics, technology, automotive, resources, renewable energy, critical minerals, and green technology. They put out a terrific podcast each week, and you'll be able to listen to it here or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for the Trivium China Podcast.On today's show, you'll hear a half-hour chat between me and the two co-founders, Andrew Polk and Trey McArver, which we taped ahead of the Two Meetings — the NPC and the CPPCC. Then you'll hear a conversation between Andrew and his colleague Dinny McMahon, who you've heard on the show before in an episode we did on the digital yuan, talking about what came out of the Two Meetings.You'll be hearing from lots of the great folks at Trivium in coming episodes, so be sure to tune in.Beginning next week, or possibly sooner, we'll also be running a regular economy-focused roundup put together by Andrew and the team at Trivium. That will come out on Fridays.A warm welcome to Trey, Andrew, and all the excellent people at Trivium!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes all of the training and preparation in the world doesn't get you to the Paralympic podium. Boccia player Alison Levine experienced that firsthand during the Paris 2024 Paralympics, when tournament bracket design forced her to face the other top player early on in the elimination rounds. Play didn't go her way, and she didn't get the results she wanted. It didn't get better in the mixed doubles tournament, when she and teammate Iulian Ciobanu lost to Thailand in the bronze medal match. Even with the disappointment, Alison's Paris experience was, on the whole, a good one. Along with talking about the tournament and how she regrouped after the Paralympics, Alison tells us about life in the Athletes' Village, how accessible design made life a lot easier for a couple of weeks, and the infamous Paris 2024 chocolate muffin. Learn more about Alison at her website, and follow her on Insta and X. This week, we're also celebrating one year to go until the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympics! Tickets for the Paralympics go on sale March 6. We also have another installment of our Milan-Cortina 2026 slidingnovela--this time, with good news!  Plus, news from the International Olympic Committee, the World Games (with a Games-first event for Chengdu 2025), and an update from Team Keep the Flame Alive. And finally, this month, we'll have a special feature on our Patreon for all members, free and paying. Check it out and join us there! For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.   Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!   *** Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.   Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod Hang out with us online: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348      

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Bonds: A Brotherly Reunion in Chengdu's Lantern Glow Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-02-28-23-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在成都的一家温馨茶馆里，空气中弥漫着茉莉花茶的香气。En: In a cozy tea house in Chengdu, the air is filled with the fragrance of jasmine tea.Zh: 即便是冬季，茶馆内依旧温暖如春，窗外的五彩灯笼随着风轻轻晃动，为夜晚的城市增添了一抹浪漫的色彩。En: Even in winter, the tea house remains warm like spring, while the colorful lanterns outside the window gently sway in the breeze, adding a touch of romance to the night cityscape.Zh: 这个晚上，对明来说尤为重要，因为他邀请了长久未见的弟弟梁。En: This evening is particularly significant for Ming because he has invited his long-unseen younger brother, Liang.Zh: 在外多年，一直让兄弟俩之间有些生疏。En: Having been away for many years has created a bit of estrangement between the brothers.Zh: 灯节将至，成都的街头夜空中挂满了耀眼的灯笼。En: With the Lantern Festival approaching, the streets of Chengdu are filled with dazzling lanterns.Zh: 正是这样充满童年记忆的时节，明觉得这是和梁再次连结的好机会。En: During this season, rich in childhood memories, Ming feels this is a good opportunity to reconnect with Liang.Zh: 他希望在这如诗如画的氛围中，能够打破那些年积累的隔阂。En: He hopes that in this picturesque atmosphere, they can break through the barriers that have accumulated over the years.Zh: 梁推开茶馆的木门，看到兄长已经坐在角落的位置，手边一杯热腾的茉莉花茶。En: Liang pushed open the wooden door of the tea house and saw his elder brother already seated in a corner spot, with a steaming cup of jasmine tea beside him.Zh: 面带微笑的明站起身，招呼梁坐下。En: With a smile on his face, Ming stood up and invited Liang to sit down.Zh: 虽然心里有些紧张，但梁感受到了一丝家的温暖，他点了点头，缓慢坐下。En: Although a bit nervous inside, Liang felt a hint of warmth and nodded, slowly taking a seat.Zh: “好久不见，你变化不小啊。”明微笑着，用温和的语气开口。En: "Long time no see, you've changed quite a bit," Ming said with a smile, using a gentle tone.Zh: 梁点头，却一时不知道该如何回应。En: Liang nodded but for a moment wasn't sure how to respond.Zh: 沉默片刻，明指了指身后的墙壁，上面挂着一幅画。En: After a brief silence, Ming pointed to the wall behind them, where a painting was hung.Zh: 那是一幅他们小时候常去的老房子的画。En: It was a painting of the old house they used to visit as children.Zh: 画中的老式庭院，以及庭院里那棵大枣树，勾起了两兄弟的共同回忆。En: The old-style courtyard in the painting, along with the large jujube tree in it, evoked shared memories for the brothers.Zh: “还记得那棵树吗？我们总是在树下玩。”明轻声说道。En: "Remember that tree? We always played under it," Ming said softly.Zh: 这一刻，梁的思绪回到了小时候的无忧无虑，过往的负担似乎轻了一些。En: In this moment, Liang's thoughts drifted back to the carefree days of childhood, and the burdens of the past seemed to lighten.Zh: “记得，那是我们最爱的地方。”梁终于放松下来，语气中透着怀念。En: "I remember, it was our favorite place," Liang finally relaxed, nostalgia in his voice.Zh: 慢慢地，他开始述说在国外的生活和经历。En: Slowly, he began to speak about his life and experiences abroad.Zh: 他的歉意逐渐化解成对兄长的感谢。En: His initial apology gradually turned into gratitude for his elder brother.Zh: 灯火通明的小路上，两兄弟漫步而行。En: On a brightly lit path, the two brothers strolled.Zh: 说着，笑着，兄弟俩之间的陌生感逐渐消融。En: Talking, laughing, the unfamiliarity between them gradually faded.Zh: 梁感谢明的包容和理解，而明则已经尝试接纳弟弟不同的经历。En: Liang thanked Ming for his understanding and acceptance, while Ming was trying to embrace his brother's different experiences.Zh: 回到老屋门前，他们相视一笑。En: Back at the door of the old house, they exchanged smiles.Zh: 明与梁都知道，尽管无法改变过去，但他们可以共同迎接新的开始。En: Ming and Liang both knew that, although they couldn't change the past, they could welcome a new beginning together.Zh: 灯笼的光芒照亮了他们的回家之路，也照亮了他们重新建立起来的纽带。En: The glow of the lanterns lit their way home and also illuminated the bond they were rebuilding.Zh: 故事在他们的笑声中结束，象征着新年的新开始，也代表着兄弟情谊的再次连接。En: The story ends with the sound of their laughter, symbolizing a new beginning of the new year and representing the reconnection of their brotherly bond. Vocabulary Words:cozy: 温馨fragrance: 香气estrangement: 生疏picturesque: 如诗如画breeze: 风reconnect: 连结barriers: 隔阂courtyard: 庭院jujube tree: 大枣树carefree: 无忧无虑burdens: 负担nostalgia: 怀念strolled: 漫步unfamiliarity: 陌生感acceptance: 包容embrace: 接纳rebuilding: 重新建立illuminated: 照亮glow: 光芒bond: 纽带drifted: 思绪飘回steam: 腾significant: 尤为重要gently: 轻轻dazzling: 耀眼lantern festival: 灯节signifying: 象征relaxed: 放松apology: 歉意gradually: 逐渐

This week: Part 2 in a series of podcasts in conjunction with the China Research Center at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The series, titled "Studying China in the Absence of Access: Rediscovering a Lost Art," ran from September to November 2021, and featured four eminent "Pekingologists," or specialists in Chinese elite politics: Joseph Fewsmith, Thomas Fingar, Alice Miller, and Fred Teiwes. The talks were later published in a volume you can download here. The series is introduced by Andrew Mertha, George and Sadie Hyman, Professor of China Studies and director of the SAIS China Research Center, and each lecture includes a moderated discussion with Andy. After this series, I'll also be sharing with you a second series of lectures titled "Studying China from Elsewhere," which will include talks by Maria Repnikova, Mike Lampton, William Hurst, and Maggie Lewis — many of whom Sinica listeners will know from the show.Alice Lyman Miller is a leading scholar of Chinese politics and foreign policy. A research fellow at the Hoover Institution and lecturer in East Asian Studies at Stanford University, she previously served as an analyst at the CIA and editor of China Leadership Monitor. Miller's work has been instrumental in decoding the opaque world of Chinese elite politics, with a particular focus on political discourse and leadership transitions. Her major publications include Becoming Asia: Change and Continuity in Asian International Relations Since World War II (2011).Joseph Fewsmith is one of the foremost experts on contemporary Chinese politics, known for his in-depth analysis of political reform, elite competition, and policy shifts under the Chinese Communist Party. A professor of international relations and political science at Boston University, Fewsmith has authored seminal books such as China Since Tiananmen: The Politics of Transition (2001) and Rethinking Chinese Politics (2021), which challenge conventional wisdom on China's political system. His work blends rigorous historical analysis with close readings of official discourse. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China's foreign minister has met with his New Zealand counterpart, calling on the two sides to keep their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the right path (01:08). Ukraine's parliament has approved an agreement with the United States regarding minerals that are critical for technology (10:08). Chengdu's low-altitude economy is improving rural medical care and boosting tourism (21:12).

This week on Sinica: February 24 marks the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and as I've done for the last two years, I moderated a panel organized by Vita Golod, a Ukrainian China scholar who happens to be here in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at UNC as a visiting scholar. She's worked tirelessly to promote awareness of the war, and I'm honored again to have been asked to moderate this panel.The guests you'll hear from are:Dr. Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova, Director of the China Studies Centre at Riga Stradins University in Latvia. Fluent in Chinese, Russian, and English, she has collaborated with scholars like Kerry Brown of King's College London and has done extensive work on China's role in Europe and beyond.Dr. Dmytro Yefremov, Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at the National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" in Ukraine. A board member of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists, he specializes in China's foreign relations and has traveled extensively to China, providing firsthand insight into Ukraine's perspective on China's role in the war and beyond.Dr. Qiang Liu, Director of the Energy Economics Division at the Institute of Quantitative & Technical Economics within the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). He also serves as the Co-chair and Secretary-General of the Global Forum on Energy Security. His research focuses on energy security, energy economics, and policy, with a particular emphasis on China's Belt and Road Initiative and its global energy partnerships.Dr. Klaus Larres, Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor of History and International Affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An expert on transatlantic relations, U.S., German, and EU foreign policy, and China's role in the post-Cold War order, he has a profound interest in the history of the Cold War and the politics of Winston Churchill.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Move over, Jedi! China's moviegoers have spoken! Nezha 2 has dethroned Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the highest-grossing film in a single market. However, beyond the impressive numbers, there's another surprise—this record-breaking hit was produced entirely in the Chinese city of Chengdu.What is driving this city's emergence as a new force in animation and beyond? On the show: Heyang, Steve Hatherly & Yushan

This week on Sinica, I chat with David Zweig, a veteran China scholar who is Professor Emeritus from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We discuss Davis'd latest book, The War for Chinese Talent in America, which looks at Chinese efforts to harness the intellectual firepower of Chinese scientists and engineers who studied abroad, especially in the United States, and bring them — or at least their knowledge —back to China. David's book takes a balanced look at both the very real problems generated by Chinese policies as well as the overreaction by the U.S. Department of Justice in the form of the infamous China Initiative. 3:40 – Why got David interested on this particular topic 7:07 – The diaspora option12:09 – The Thousand Talents Program/Plan18:28 – How the talent programs operate23:48 – Motivations for Chinese to participate in the talent programs, how geopolitics now impacts these decisions, and what the effect of the China Initiative has been on collaboration 36:29 – The China Initiative's climate of fear and the concern for racial profiling 49:40 – The extent of the validity of U.S. security concerns57:24 – David's suggestions for balancing national security interests and open scientific exchange Paying It Forward: Dan Lynch and his book, China's Futures: PRC Elites Debate Economics, Politics, and Foreign PolicyRecommendations:David: It's a Wonderful World — The Louis Armstrong Musical in New YorkKaiser: The Invention of Yesterday: A 50,000-Year History of Human Culture, Conflict, and Connection by Tamim Ansary, especially the audiobook read by the authorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode we kick off a series of episodes following the famous monk Xuanzang, aka the Tripitaka Master of the Law, Sanzang Fashi.  Known in Japanese as Genjo, and founder of the Faxiang school of Yogacara Buddhism, also known as the Hosso school, it was brought back to the archipelago by students who studied with the master at his temple north of the Tang capital of Chang'an.  He was particularly famous for his travels across the Silk Road to India and back--a trip that would last 16 years and result in him bringing back numerous copies of sutras from the land of the Buddha, kicking off a massive translation work.  It also would see his recollections recorded as the Record of the Western Regions, which, along with his biography based on the stories he told those working with him, give us some of the best contemporary information of the various places along the Silk Road in the 7th century. Part 1 focuses on Xuanzang's journey out of the Tang empire, braving the desert, and somehow, against the odds, making it to the country of Gaochang. For more, check out the blogpost page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-120 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is Episode 120:  Journey to the West, Part 1 The monks from far off Yamato were enthralled.  They had journeyed across the waves on a foreign vessel, traversed a greater distance than they probably thought possible growing up in the archipelago, and had finally arrived at the capital of the Great Tang Empire, Chang'an.  They had then been sent north, to a temple where they met others from Yamato. They had come to study the Law, the Dharma, with some of the most famous teachers of the Tang dynasty, and there were few more famous than the Tripitaka Master Genjou himself.   Everyone in the monastery knew his story—he had traveled all the way to India, the birthplace of the Buddha, and returned with copies of the sutras in Sanskrit, which he and the other monks were translating. In between sessions of meditation, sutra readings, and various lectures, the students would gather round the feet of the master as he recounted his journeys.  The stories themselves were fantastic stories, telling of far off cities and people.  There were stories of bandits, and meetings with kings.  The students must have thought about how it mirrored what they, themselves, had gone through—their own Journey to the West. Last episode we talked about Tukara and what that mysterious placename might mean—and where it could be referring to.  For that we traveled all the way to the end of the Silk Road.  In this episode and continuing into the next, we are going to travel that same road with a different perspective, as we take a look at one of the most famous travelers of the Silk Road:  the monk Xuanzang, or Genjou in Japanese.  And as I hinted at in the introduction, if you're at all familiar with the famous Journey to the West, well, this and the following episodes will explore the actual history behind that story, and how intertwined it is with the history of the archipelago. For those who don't know, Xuanzang was a monk, born Chen Hui near present-day Luoyang in Henan.  He is known by many names, but one of his most famous comes from the title “Sanzang Fashi”, aka “Tripitaka Master of the Law”, from which we get the simplified name in some English sources of just “Tripitaka”.  Sanzang, or “Tripitaka”, literally translates to “Three baskets” or “Three storehouses”, referring to the Buddhist canon.  It is quite fitting, given Xuanzang's incredibly famous Journey to the Western Regions and, eventually, to India, where he journeyed to obtain the most accurate version of the Buddhist scriptures to ensure that they had the most accurate versions.  On his journey, Xuanzang apparently took detailed records of the trip, and his   “Records of the Western Regions”  provides a lot of what we know of the towns and cultures that existed there back in the 7th century – even if not all of it was experienced firsthand and  may have come through translators and second or third-hand sources. In addition, Xuanzang's biography and travelogue add a lot more information to his journey, even if they weren't necessarily written by him, but instead by his fellow monks based on his recitations to them  combined with various records that they had access to at the time.  As such, it isn't always the most reliable, but it is still highly detailed and informative.  Xuanzang would return to China and teach for many years, translating the works that he had brought back, and founding a new school of Yogachara Buddhism, known as Faxiang in Chinese, but “Hossou” in Japan.  The Hossou school was particularly popular in the 8th and 9th centuries, having been transmitted by Yamato students who had actually studied at the feet of the venerable teacher.  These included the monk Doushou, who travelled over to the continent in 653.  In 658, there are two others who came over, named Chitatsu and Chiitsu. They had travelled to the Tang court in the 7th month of that year, where they are said to have received instruction from none other than Xuanzang himself.  If this indeed was in 658, it would have been only 6 years before Xuanzang's death. Their journey had almost not happened.  The year previous, in 657, envoys were sent to Silla to ask that state to escort Chitatsu to the Tang court, along with Hashibito no Muraji no Mimumaya and Yozami no Muraji no Wakugo, but Silla refused.  They must have relented, however, as they apparently were escorting at least the monks a year or so later. Chitatsu and Chiitsu would eventually return to Yamato, as would Doushou.  Doushou is also said to have been introduced to a student of the second patriarch of the Chan, or Zen school as well.  He would return to teach at Gango-ji, the later incarnation of Asukadera, spreading the Hossou teachings from master Xuanzang. In fact, Xuanzang's impact would be felt across Asia, and much of the Buddhist world.  He would continue to be known in Japan and in the area of China, Korea, and beyond.  Japanese translations of his journeys were made between the 8th and 10th centuries from texts that had come from Xuanzang's own monastery. Nine centuries after his death, during the Ming Dynasty, Xuanzang would be further immortalized in a wildly popular novel:  Journey to the West.  The “Journey to the West” is an incredibly fantastical retelling of Xuanzang's story.  In it, Xuanzang is sent on his task by none other than the Buddha himself, who also provides three flawed traveling companions.  There is  Zhu Bajie, aka “Piggy”—a half human half pig who is known for his gluttony and lust.  Then there is Sha Wujing, aka “Sandy”—a man with a red beard and blue skin who lived in a river of quicksand.  Despite a rather frightful backstory, he was often the straight man in the story.  And then there is the famous Sun Wukong, aka “Monkey”, the most famous of the three and often more famous than Xuanzang himself.  In fact, one of the most famous English versions of the story is just called “Monkey”, an abridged telling of the story in English by Arthur Waley in 1942. “Journey to the West” is perhaps the most popular novel in all of Asia.  It has spawned countless retellings, including numerous movies and tv series.  The character of “Monkey” has further spun off into all sorts of media.  Of course, his addition was all part of the novel, but nonetheless, that novel had an historical basis, which is where we really want to explore.  Because for all of the magic and fantasy of the Ming novel, the real story is almost as fascinating without it. We are told that Xuanzang was born as Chen Hui—or possibly Chen Yi—on the 6th of April in 602 CE in Chenliu, near present-day Luoyang.  Growing up, he was fascinated by religious books.  He joined the Jingtu monastery and at the age of thirteen he was ordained as a novice monk.  However, he lived in rather “interesting times”, and as the Sui dynasty fell, he fled the chaos to Chengdu, in Sichuan, where he was fully ordained by the age of 20. Xuanzang was inspired reading about the 4th century monk Faxian, whom we mentioned back in Episode 84.  Faxian had visited India and brought back many of the earliest scriptures to be widely translated into Chinese.    However, Xuanzang was concerned, as Faxian had been, that the knowledge of the Chinese Buddhist establishment was still incomplete.  There were still works that they knew about but didn't have, and there were competing Buddhist theories in different translations of the texts.  He thought that if he could go find untranslated versions of the texts then he could resolve some of the issues and further build out the corpus of Buddhist knowledge. Around the age 25 or 27, he began his journey.  The exact date is either 627 or 629, based on the version that one reads.  That has some importance for the events that his story tells, as some of the individuals whom he is said to have met are said to have died by 627 CE, meaning that either the dates of the journey are wrong or the dates we have in other sources are wrong.  As you can imagine, that's rather important for an accurate history, but not so much for our purposes, as I think that we can still trust the broad brush strokes which paint an image of what the Silk Road was like at the time. For context, back in Yamato, this was around the time that Kashikiya Hime—aka Suiko Tenno—passed away, and Prince Tamura was placed on the throne, passing over Prince Yamashiro no Oe, the son of the late Crown Prince, Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.  Whoever was on the throne, Soga no Emishi was actually running things, and the Soga family were heavily involved in the establishment of Buddhism in the archipelago.  This is relatively around the time of Episode 103. When Xuanzang took off to the West, his intentions may have been pure, but truth be told, he was breaking the law.  Tang Taizong had come to power in 626, and the routes along the Tarim Basin were under the control of the Gokturks, whom the Tang were fighting with.  As such, travel to the Western Regions was strictly controlled.  Xuanzang and several companions had all petitioned Emperor Taizong for permission to leave, but the Emperor never replied. So Xuanzang did not have permission to leave—but he decided to head out, anyway.  His companions, however, lost their nerve, and so he set out alone. Of course, he didn't simply set off for the West.  At first he went city to city, staying at local Buddhist monasteries and sharing his teachings.  To all intents and purposes, this probably seemed like normal behavior for a monk, traveling from monastery to monastery, but it was actually taking him towards the western border. And it was going well until he reached Liangzhou—known today as Wuwei.  Li Daliang, governor of Liangzhou, enforced the prohibition that "common" people were not permitted to go to the regions of the western tribes.  Word had spread about Xuanzang, and when the governor caught wind of what was going on, he called Xuanzang into an audience to find out what he was planning to do.  Xuanzang was honest and told him he was going to the West to search for the Dharma, but the governor ordered him to return to Chang'an instead. Fortunately, there was a Buddhist teacher, Huiwei, who heard about all of this this and decided to help Xuanzang.  He had two of his own disciples escort Xuanzang to the west.  Since the governor had told him not to go, this was illegal, and so they traveled by night and hid during the day until they reached Guazhou. In Guazhou, the governor, Dugu Da, was quite pleased to meet with Xuanzang, and either hadn't heard about the order for him to return to Chang'an or didn't care.  From there, Xuanzang's path was largely obstructed by the deep and fast-flowing Hulu river.  They would have to travel to its upper reaches, where they could go through Yumenguan--Yumen Pass--which was the only safe way to cross, making it a key to the Western regions. Beyond Yumenguan there were five watchtowers, roughly 30 miles apart.  These watchtowers likely had means to signal back and forth, thus keeping an eye on the people coming and going from Yumen Pass.  Beyond that was the desert of Yiwu, also known as Hami. Xuanzang was not only worried about what this meant, his horse died, leaving him on foot.  He contemplated this in silence for a month.  Before he continued, though, a warrant arrived for his arrest.  They inquired with a local prefect, who happened to be a pious Buddhist.  He showed it to Xuanzang, and then ended up tearing up the document, and urged Xuanzang to leave as quickly as possible. Yumenguan lies roughly 80-90 kilometers—roughly 50 miles or so—from the town of Dunhuang, the last major outpost before leaving for the Western Regions.  Dunhuang had a thriving Buddhist community, and the paintings in the Mogao caves are absolutely stunning, even today—one of the most well-preserved of such collections, spanning the 4th to the 14th century.  However, at this point, Xuanzang was a wanted man, and stopping in at Dunhuang might very well have curtailed his journey before it had even begun.  Instead, he would likely need to find a way to sneak across the border without alerting anyone and then, somehow, sneak past five watchtowers, each 30 miles or so apart, with no water except what he could carry or steal at each point. At this point, one of Xuanzang's escorts had traveled on to Dunhuang, and only one remained, but Xuanzang wasn't sure his remaining companion was up to the strain of the journey, and he dismissed him, deciding to travel on alone.  He bought a horse, and he fortunately found a guide--a "Hu" person named "Shi Pantuo".  "Hu" is a generic term often translated simply as "foreigner" or "barbarian" from the western lands, and the name "Shi" referred to Sogdians from Tashkent.  The Sogdians were a people of Persian descent living in central Eurasia, between the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers.  That latter was also known as the Oxus river, hence another name for the region: Transoxiana.  Sogdiana appears as early as the 6th century BCE as a member of the Achaemenid Empire, and the region was annexed by Alexander the Great in 328 BCE.  It continued to change hands under a succession of empires. The Sogdian city-states themselves were centered around the city of Samarkand, and while they did not build an empire themselves, the Sogdians nonetheless had a huge impact on cultures in both the east and the west.  Sogdians became famous as traders along the silk roads, and they built tight knit communities in multiple cities along the route.  Families kept in touch over long distances, setting up vast trading networks.  In fact, there were even Sogdian communities living in Chang'an and elsewhere in the Tang Empire.  The Sogdian An Lushan would eventually rise through the ranks of the Tang dynasty court—but that was almost a century after Xuanzang's travels. There are many material items that the Sogdians helped move across the silk road, but perhaps one of the most striking things were a style of patterned textiles.  Sassanid Persia was known for its silk textiles, often woven in images surrounded by a border of pearl-shapes:  Small circles in a circular pattern around a central figure, often duplicated due to the way the fabrics were woven.  This pearl-roundel pattern was especially taken up by the Sogdians, and their fashion sense made it popular across Eurasia.  Large pearl roundel designs were used on caftans, popular throughout the Gokturk qaghanate, and the Tang court would eventually pick up the fashion of these foreigners—generally classified as “hu” by those in Chang'an.  With a round neck, closing at the side, this western-style caftan-like garment eventually found its way into Japan as the people of the Japanese archipelago adopted Tang dynasty clothing and fashion.  In fact, Japan boasts one of the most impressive collections of silk road artifacts at the Shosoin repository of Todaiji temple in Nara, and it includes clothing and fabric that show the influence of Sogdian and Turkic merchants.  The Shosoin collection contains multiple examples of those pearl roundel patterns, for example, and you can even buy reproductions of the design today in Nara and elsewhere.  The garments themselves would continue to influence the fashion of the court, indeed giving rise to some of the most popular court garments of the Nara period, and the design continued to evolve through the Heian period until it was almost unrecognizable from its origins. Sogdians were so influential that their language—an Eastern Iranian language known simply as “Sogdian”—was the lingua franca, or the common tongue, through most of the Silk Road.  If you knew Sogdian, you could probably find a way to communicate with most of the people along way.  Today, Sogdian is extinct, with the possible exception of a single language that evolved from a Sogdian dialect. Sogdians are often known in Sinitic sources by their names—by the time of the Tang dynasty, it was common practice to give foreigners, whose names didn't always translate well into Chinese dialects, a family name based on their origin.  For the Sogdians, who were quite well known and numerous, they weren't just classified with a single name, but rather they were divided up by seven names based on where they were from.  So the name “Shi”, for instance, indicated that someone was from the area of Tashkent, while the name “An” referred to a Sogdian who was descended from people from the Bukhara, and so on.  This was a practice that went at least as far back as the Han dynasty. So, returning to the story, Xuanzang's new Sogdian guide's name is given as “Shi Pantuo”.  The name "Pantuo", which would have likely been pronounced more like "b'uan d'a" at the time, is likely a version of the name "Vandak", which was indeed a very common Sogdian name meaning something like “servant” and was often used to indicate things like religious devotion, which could be related to his status as a devout Buddhist, though it also might just be coincidental.  Xuanzang was so happy with his guide's offer to help, that he bought him clothes and a horse for his troubles. And so they headed out towards Yumenguan, the Jade Pass or Jade Gate, so called because of the caravans of jade that would head out from the Middle Country ever since the Han dynasty.  In fact, the Jade Gate was originally established as part of the western end of the Han dynasty “Great Wall”.  This was not necessarily the famous Ming Dynasty wall that most people are familiar with, but the Han Dynasty wall would have been impressively high enough, with regular patrols and beacon towers.  So if you tried going over the wall, someone was likely to see you and give chase.  There is also the issue that if you had any amount of supplies you have to bring those as well—this isn't just hopping a fence.  The wall was augmented by natural features—mountains and deep and fast-flowing rivers, for example, which made walls unnecessary.  And then there was also the fact that in many places, it was just open wilderness, which was its own kind of barrier.  Trying to go off the beaten path meant wandering through uncharted territory, which someone like Xuanzang was probably not prepared to do.  It isn't like he had GPS and Google Maps to help him find his way, and if you got lost in the desert, then who knows what might happen to you. By the way, this was true even in relatively settled places, like the Japanese archipelago, up until modern times.  While there were some areas where it was relatively flat, and you could navigate by certain landmarks, if you left the roads and trails you might easily find yourself lost without access to food or shelter.  Maps were not exactly accurate.  The safest way to travel was to stick to the more well-traveled routes. Unfortunately, that meant going through the Yumen Gate itself.  There was a garrison where the road left the territory of the Tang Empire , and that garrison would be responsible for checking the papers of anyone coming into or leaving the empire.  Xuanzang, of course, didn't have the proper papers, since he didn't have permission to be there.  Fortunately, he had a guide, who seemed to know the area, and that would allow him to bypass the official checkpoint, which Xuanzang recalls seeing off in the distance.  Together, Xuanzang and Vandak snuck past the Yumen gate, and traveled several miles up the river.  There, they found a spot where the river was only about 10 feet across, near a grove of trees, and so they chopped down a few of them and made an impromptu bridge for them and their horses to cross. From that point on, until they reached Yiwu, they would have to get past the watchtowers.  Not only were these watchtowers garrisoned with men of the Tang army, but they were also the only place to get fresh water.  The travelers would need to sneak in at night to steal water from the watchtowers without getting caught. The farther they traveled, the more Vandak seemed to be getting cold feet.  Normally, this wouldn't have been an issue had they been normal travelers, but in trying to avoid the watchtowers they were making themselves into fugitives.  If they were caught they could both be killed.  He protested several times that they should just go back, and at one point Xuanzang seemed worried that Vandak was contemplating how much easier this would be for him if he just killed the old monk.  Finally, Xuanzang told Vandak that he should leave, and solemnly swore that if he was caught he wouldn't rat out Vandak for his help.  Vandak, who had been worried about just such a scenario, nonetheless took Xuanzang's word and the two parted ways. From that point on, Xuanzang recounted that the trail through the desert was marked by nothing but skeletons and horse droppings.  He thought at one point he saw an army in the desert, but it turned out to be a mirage.  Finally, he saw one of the watchtowers he had been warned about.  Not wanting to get caught, he lay down in a ditch and hid there until the sun went down. Under cover of darkness, he approached the tower, where he saw water.  He went to have a drink, and maybe wash his hands, but as he was getting out his water bag to refill it and arrow whizzed through the air and he almost took an arrow to the knee.  Knowing the jig was up, he shouted out: "I'm a monk from the capital!  Don't shoot!" He led his horse to the tower, where they opened the door and saw he really was a monk.  They woke up the captain, who had a lamp lit so he could see whom it was they had apprehended.  Right away it was clear that this traveler wasn't from around those parts—not that anyone really was, it seems. The Captain had heard of Xuanzang, but the report that had been sent said Xuanzang had gone back to Chang'an.  Xuanzang, for his part, showed a copy of the petition he had sent to the Emperor--one that he hadn't actually heard back from.  He then told the captain what he planned to do.  The captain was moved, and decided to look the other way.  He gave him a place to stay for the night and then showed him the way to the fourth watchtower, where the captain's brother was in charge, and would give him shelter. Sure enough, Xuanzang made it to the fourth watchtower, but he wasn't sure if he could entirely trust the captain, so again he tried to just secretly steal the water, but again he was caught.  Fortunately, the captain there was also sympathetic.  He let Xuanzang stay and then actually told him how to get around the fifth watchtower, since the captain there might not be as lenient.  He also told Xuanzang about an inconspicuous oasis where he could get water for himself and his horse. Reinvigorated, Xuanzang had another challenge to face.  Beyond the watchtowers was a long stretch of desert.  It was a journey of several hundred miles, and it started poorly.  First off, he missed the oasis that the captain of the fourth watchtower had indicated he could use without anyone firing arrows at him.  Then, he dropped his water bag, such that he was left with nothing.  He thought of turning back, but he continued, chanting mantras to himself.   He was dehydrated and exhausted, but he continued onward.  Some days into his journey, his horse suddenly changed course of its own accord.  Despite his efforts, it kept going, eventually coming to a pasture of grass around a pond of clean, sweet water.  That ended up saving him, and he rested there for a day, before traveling on.  Two days later, he arrived at Yiwu, aka Hami.  He had made it.  He was free. Or at least, he was until he returned to the Tang empire.  After all, Xuanzang did plan to come back, and when he did, he would have to face the music.  That was a problem for future Xuanzang.  Of course, he was also a lone traveler.  He might be free, but he was far from safe.  He was now entering the Western regions, and he would need to be on the lookout. The people of Hami, also known as Yiwu, were known to the Han dynasty as members of the Xiao Yuezhi—the kingdom or coalition that once controlled much of the northern edge of the Tarim basin.  They had been displaced by the Xiongnu, and the area would go back and forth between different hegemons, so that by the time of the Sui and early Tang dynasties they were under the sway of the Gokturks.  Still, as close as it was to the Tang borders, they no doubt had contact, and indeed, Xuanzang was given lodging at a monastery with three other monks who were “Chinese”, for whatever that meant at the time. If you've heard of Hami today you may know it for something that it was famous for even back in the 7th century:  their famous melons.  You can sometimes find Hami melons in stores to this day. Regarding the melons and other such fruits and vegetables—the area of Hami is a fairly arid land.  Hami does get some water from the Tianshan mountains, but in order to have enough for agriculture they instituted a system that is still found today in Hami, Turpan, and other parts of the world, including arid parts of northwest India and Pakistan through the middle east to north Africa.  It is called a Karez, or in Persian it is called a Qanat, and it is thought to have originated in ancient Persia around the first millennium BCE and spread out through the various trade routes. The idea is to basically create underground aqueducts to take water from one place to another.  This would keep them out of the heat and dry air above ground to allow them to continue to flow without losing too much to evaporation.  To do that, however, required manually digging tunnels for the water.  This would be done by sinking wells at regular intervals and connecting the wells to each other with tunnels.  But it wasn't enough for the tunnels to be connected, they had to also slope slightly downwards, but not too much.  You want enough flow to keep the water clear, but if it flows too quickly or creates waves, the water might erode the underground channels in ways that could cause problems, such as a collapse.  All in all, they are pretty amazing feats of engineering and they can carry water a great distance.  Many are under 5 km, but some are around 70 km long. These karez would have been the lifelines of many towns, creating a reliable oasis in the desert.  Rivers were great, but the flow could vary from floods to a mere trickle, and the karez system provided relatively constant flow.  This allowed for agriculture even in the dry areas of the Western Regions, which helped facilitate the various kingdoms that grew up in this otherwise inhospitable region. While eating his melons in Hami and chatting it up with his fellow eastern priests, Yiwu was visited by an envoy from the neighboring kingdom of Gaochang.  Now Hami, or Yiwu, sits at the eastern edge of the Turpan-Hami basin, aka the Turfan depression, a large desert, much of which is actually so low that it is below sea level.  In fact, the basin includes the lowest exposed point in the area of modern China at Ayding Lake, which is 158 meters below sea level.  From Yiwu to Gaochang, you would follow the edge of the mountains west, to an area near a small break in the mountain range.  Follow that break northwest, and you would find yourself at the city of Urumqi, the current capital of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in modern China. Xinjiang covers much of the area known in ancient times as the “Western Regions” that remains within the modern political boundaries of the PRC. The envoy from Gaochang heard about Xuanzang, and reported back to his lord, King Qu Wentai, who immediately sent a retinue out to escort the Buddhist monk across the desert to his city.  They included multiple horses for Xuanzang, so he could change at regular intervals.  His own horse was left behind, to be brought along later.   After six days on the road, they came to the city of Paili, and since the sun had already set, Xuanzang asked to stop for the night, but the escorts urged him on to the Royal City, which was not much farther on. And so he arrived around midnight, which means he likely couldn't immediately take in the size of the city.  Gaochang was an immense walled city, and even today, ruined as it is, the site of it is quite formidable, and it is so well preserved it is considered a UNESCO world heritage site.  Perhaps since wood was relatively scarce, this is why so much of the construction was made of brick and earthworks.  Fortunately, this means that many of the walls remain, even today—eroded and crumbling, but still towering over those who come to see them.  In places they have also been rebuilt or reinforced.  And in a few, very rare instances, you can still see some of the traces of paint that would have once been so prevalent throughout a city like this.  At this time in history, Gaochang, also known as Karakhoja, was under the command of the Qu family.  The population was largely Han Chinese, and it had often been overseen or at least influenced by kingdoms in the Yellow River basin.  But it was also the home of Turks, Sogdian merchants, local Turfanians, and more.  It was even called “Chinatown” by the Sogdians, and yet attempts to further sinicize the region had provoked a coup only a couple of decades earlier.  Even though he showed up in the middle of the night, Xuanzang is said to have been welcomed by the ruler of Gaochang, Qu Wentai, as he entered the city.  Perhaps this is why the escorts had been pushing so hard—the King himself was awake and waiting for Xuanzang to make an appearance.  The King and his attendants came out with candles in their hands, and they were ushered behind curtains in a multi-storey pavilion.  The king apparently grilled him through the night, asking about his journey until it was almost daybreak, at which point Xuanzang requested rest.  He was finally shown to a bedroom that had been prepared for him and allowed to sleep. The next day king assembled the leading monks of his kingdom before his guest.  These included the monks Tuan Fashi and Wang Fashi.  Tuan Fashi had studied in Chang'an for many years, and he knew his Buddhist scholarship. And Wang Fashi was a superintendent, and it was his duty to look after Xuanzang and butter him up with the hope that he might stay and provide the king with the prestige of having such an esteemed monk.  They put him up at a monastery next to the royal palace—the “daochang”, aka “dojo” in Japanese, which would be a whole different diversion. Ding Wang suggested that this might be the same as the Chongfu Monastery mentioned in a colophon on a 7th century copy of the Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom for Benevolent Kings. It was found by a German expedition at a site in the Turfan basin in the early 20th century, and now sits in the possession of Shitenno-ji, in Osaka—rather appropriate given that Shitenno-ji was around at the same time all of this was happening.  The colophon is attributed to a “Xuanjue”, and a “Xuanjue” from Gaochang, in the Turpan basin, was associated with helping Xuanzang in his later years.  Perhaps this Xuanjue first met Xuanzang during this first trip to Gaochang. Qu Wentai tried his best to dissuade Xuanzang from continuing on.  This may be simple platitudes from his biographers, but it also may have been genuine.  Having a learned foreign monk from the Tang dynasty staying at the palace monastery would likely have added to Qu Wentai's prestige by association, and it would have potentially brought more individuals to the city of Gaochang. Speaking of which, all of this first part of the journey—up to Gaochang—comes primarily from Xuanzang's biography by the monk Huili.  Xuanzang's own “Records of the Western Regions” didn't include much on it, probably because by the time that he returned to the Tang empire, Tang Taizong had annexed Yiwu and Gaochang, so all those were now considered part of the empire, rather than foreign regions to the West. After staying a month at Gaochang, Xuanzang decided it was time to continue his journey.  Disappointed though Qu Wentai may have been that his guest would be leaving, he nonetheless outfitted him handsomely.  He provided goods, including coins, as well as 24 letters to the 24 countries that he would pass along the road, adding a roll of silk to each as a sign that they came from the King of Gaochang.  He also gave him food, a small retinue, and horses to help carry everything.  Letters of introduction would have been important across the Silk Road.  There was, after all, no way to contact someone ahead of time, unless you sent runners. Merchant communities, in particular, would often be connected across long distances through regular caravans, which carried letters to their relatives, facilitating communication across vast distances.  Merchants who were bringing in a caravan of goods would know that there was a friendly community waiting to help them when they arrived, and would likely even have an idea of what was happening and what to bring. For someone traveling alone, however, having a letter of introduction would have been important, as they didn't necessarily have access to those communities by themselves.  The letters would provide introduction and let people know who you were and may even ask for assistance on your behalf.  It may seem a small thing, but it was the kind of gesture that was likely a great help to a traveler like Xuanzang.  Remember, he was not on an official mission from the Tang court—almost expressly the opposite, as he had not been given permission to leave.  So he wouldn't have had anything identifying him, and after Gaochang he likely couldn't count on being able to communicate with his native tongue. And so he was sent on his way.  As he left the city of Gaochang, the king and others accompanied Xuanzang about 10 li, or about 3 or 4 miles, outside of the city.  As they watched him head off, who could have known if he would complete his quest?  Or would he just end up another ghost in the desert? Next episode, we'll pick up Xuanzang's story as he strikes out for Agni and beyond.  Until then thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

I'm delighted to bring you today the first in a series of conversations from a remarkable day-long session put on by the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs, or ACF, at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The session was held on Monday, February 3, and was called “Getting China Right.” On today's show, we've got U.S. Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey, one of the best-informed and sensible legislators focused on China today. He'll be in conversation with James Steinberg, dean of SAIS, who also served as Deputy Secretary of State from 2009 to 2011. You'll hear introductory remarks from Jim and from Jessica Chen Weiss, inaugural faculty director ACF and David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at SAIS, who listeners certainly know from her appearances on Sinica. More to come in this series, so stay tuned! Please enjoy Senator Kim's very thoughtful remarks.Watch the morning sessions on YouTube here.The Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) of the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) was established in 2024 to add rigor and reason to public and policy discussions on China and the range of domestic and international issues that intersect China's global role, bringing together experts and practitioners to foster informed public dialogue, promote evidence-based research, and support the next generation of scholars and practitioners. ACF was founded with the support of Johns Hopkins University and philanthropic contributions from across the United States.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica, I chat with economic historian Andrew B. Liu of Villanova University about how to understand Trump's thinking on China and tariffs. Andy wrote about this in an excellent piece on N+1 called "Back to the 80s? Trump, Xi Jinping, and Tariffs." Check it out and then listen to the show!3:59 – How the U.S.'s current trade anxieties echo those of the ‘80s9:34 – How Cold War geopolitics shaped U.S.-Japan trade relations18:23 – The lessons China learned from Japan's experience and how it has shaped its recent economic strategy 21:03 – What Xi Jinping's vision for the Chinese economy actually looks like 34:26 – Why China is favoring a more Ford-like model of industrial structure41:28 – Michael Pettis's ideas from Trade Wars Are Class Wars and points of critique 52:44 – The Trump administration's use of tariffsPaying It Forward: Viola Zhou's reporting on Rest of World (especially her piece on Foxconn in India) and Dong Yige Recommendations:Andrew: Hetty Lui McKinnon's Substack for vegan modern Cantonese recipes Kaiser: The Substack of the Carter Center's U.S.-China Perception Monitor; and the essay “The new frontline: The US-China battle for control of global networks” on the Transnational Institute websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to this special episode of the China Compass Podcast, #17 in the weekly “Prison Pulpit” series! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). To learn more about our various ministry endeavors and to get any of the missionary biographies I’ve helped to publish, please visit PrayGiveGo.us! My little book Unbeaten tells the story of my arrest, interrogation, and deportation from China in 2018. One of the appendices, Remember My Chains, is a message I’ve given all over the world about praying for the persecuted church. You can get both the book and the accompanying sermon, at Unbeaten.vip, or read the latter for free on my China Call Substack: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/remember-my-chains In the Face of Persecution, What Will I Do? The original article was posted on Wang Yi’s personal blog in October of 2018, then shared widely the week after his arrest in December of 2018. Please continue to earnestly pray for Pastor Wang Yi and the other brothers and sisters in Chengdu. Read this podcast on Substack: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/in-the-face-of-persecution-what-will-1d8 Final Petitions of the Prisoner May the Lord bless me with so much reverent fear for him to the point where I am not afraid of any power that does not fear him. May the Lord grant me peaceful resistance, positive perseverance and joyful disobedience in all matters of conscience, faith and the church, and in everything that relates to the flesh, and damage to external rights, may he grant me the power of patience and silence. May the Lord remove the potential in this process to lash out in hate and resentment. May he have mercy on me and support me in my weakness when I am in isolation. May the Lord help me so that from the day of my detention I will pray every day for all those in power related to my case, as well as officials in the police force, national security, the prosecutor’s office, the court and other government agencies. May the Lord choose among them repentant and believing children and have mercy on their lowly souls. May [he] lead at least one of them to faith through this process, and give my heart great joy and comfort. I also ask the Lord Jesus to remove the burden and concerns for my wife, family, the church, and everything else during my detention, so that I will entrust everything to the Lord, be faithful only to the Lord, and focus on practicing these fourteen resolutions as my longings for and service to my family, as shepherding and teaching my congregation, and as fulfilling my responsibility to the kingdom of God. For More Info: Richard Wurmbrand Resources: https://richardwurmbrandfoundation.com/ Who is Pastor Wang Yi? https://chinapartnership.org/who-is-wang-yi/ Faithful Disobedience (Book): https://a.co/d/7oNGPO4 Persecution is a Test (Sermon Clip): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKZJBbtckeA

Welcome to this special episode of the China Compass Podcast, #16 in the weekly “Prison Pulpit” series! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). To learn more about our various ministry endeavors and to get any of the missionary biographies I’ve helped to publish, please visit PrayGiveGo.us! My little book Unbeaten tells the story of my arrest, interrogation, and deportation from China in 2018. One of the appendices, Remember My Chains, is a message I’ve given all over the world about praying for the persecuted church. You can get both the book and the accompanying sermon, at Unbeaten.vip, or read the latter for free on my China Call Substack: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/remember-my-chains 14 Decisions: In the Face of Persecution, What Will I Do? This article was originally posted on Wang Yi’s personal blog in October 2018 and shared elsewhere online. Please earnestly pray for your brothers and sisters in Chengdu. (December 17, 2018) Read this on Substack here: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/in-the-face-of-persecution-what-will-506 Persist in sharing the gospel Refusal to accept government designated defense lawyer Refusal to appear on TV or contact official media Demand of public trial Here’s the link to the Crosspolitic News article about my friend Dennis Green, who literally got “carried away” at an abortion clinic: https://www.crosspoliticnews.com/news/deported-by-china-prosecuted-by-biden-pardoned-by-trump Who is Wang Yi? Here’s some more info: https://chinapartnership.org/who-is-wang-yi/ https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Disobedience-Writings-Chinese-Movement/dp/1514004135 Wang Yi Sermon Clip: Persecution is a Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKZJBbtckeA

This week as we enter the Year of the Snake, Sinica co-founder Jeremy Goldkorn makes a re-appearance on the show. It's been a year since his last, and much has changed — and indeed, if Jeremy is right, we may be at an inflection point in American attitudes toward China. With the "TikTok Refugees" on Xiaohongshu or "RedNote" taking in a view of China that contrasts starkly with the image presented by the U.S. Government and by many American media outlets, and with DeepSeek now having upended some ideas about American tech primacy, the "vibes" on China among young people seem to have changed for the better. Will it endure? Jeremy and I plunge into that question on this week's episode of the Sinica Podcast.2:55 – What Jeremy has been up to lately 4:19 – What has been driving the recent narrative/vibe shift in China discourse in the U.S., and why human rights rhetoric around Xinjiang has died down 14:11 – Whether the narrative/vibe shift will be long-lasting and the role of young people in driving it 23:06 – Predictions for future changes within China29:40 – The concern that the narrative/vibe shift could go too far, or that the copium will overwhelm the positive of the shift 33:24 – Previous narrative shifts around freedom of speech, the internet, and China, and technological innovation 43:57 – What recent developments reveal about Chinese soft power, and Jeremy's predictions for how everything will play out 49:34 – Whether the narrative/vibe shift will change how American politicians talk about China, and the Chinese government has reacted to the shift so farPaying It Forward: Savannah Billman's Career China email newsletter Recommendations:Jeremy: Paul Cooper's Fall of Civilizations podcast series; David Kidd's Peking Story: The Last Days of Old China; and The 404's podcast interview with a PornHub exec (which includes discussion of real-name registration requirements) Kaiser: The TV miniseries American Primeval (2025) on Netflix; and Paul Triolo's Substack See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy Chinese New Year! This week, while I'm decompressing from 10 days in the Alps, my friends at the Asia Society of Switzerland have graciously offered to let me share a podcast recorded just after the U.S. presidential election in November at their annual State of Asia event. "The State of China" features three terrific guests: Wang Qing (王卿), the host of the popular Chinese podcast "The Weirdo" (不合时宜), Zichen Wang of the Center for China and Globalization, and Adam Tooze, one of the truly great public intellectuals of our time. It's all skillfully moderated by the South China Morning Post's Europe editor, Finbarr Bermingham, and it covers a lot of ground. I'll be back next week in conversation with my dear friend Jeremy Goldkorn, and we'll be asking (and answering) the big question — Are we in the middle of a narrative shift on China?May the Year of the Snake be prosperous and full of happiness and success for all you Sinica listeners!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to this special episode of China Compass, the fifteenth (15!) in the weekly “Prison Pulpit” series! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). If you want to see the missionary biographies I’ve helped to publish and learn more about our work, you can find links to everything @ PrayGiveGo.us! My little book Unbeaten tells the story of my arrest, interrogation, and deportation from China in 2018. One of the appendices, Remember My Chains, is a message I’ve given all over the world about praying for the persecuted church. You can get both the book and the accompanying sermon, at Unbeaten.vip, or read the latter for free on my China Call Substack: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/remember-my-chains 14 Decisions: In the Face of Persecution, What Will I Do? This article was originally posted on Wang Yi’s personal blog in October 2018 and shared elsewhere online. Please earnestly pray for your brothers and sisters in Chengdu. (December 17, 2018) Not plead guilty Disobeying ideological reform Refusal to pay penalties or fines Refusal to accept the additional penalty of deprivation of political rights https://chinacall.substack.com/p/in-the-face-of-persecution-what-will-515 More on Wang Yi: https://chinapartnership.org/who-is-wang-yi/ https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Disobedience-Writings-Chinese-Movement/dp/1514004135 Wang Yi Sermon Clip: Persecution is a Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKZJBbtckeA

This week, I bring you the first in a series of podcasts in conjunction with the China Research Center at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The series, titled "Studying China in the Absence of Access: Rediscovering a Lost Art," ran from September to November 2021, and featured four eminent "Pekingologists," or specialists in Chinese elite politics: Joseph Fewsmith, Thomas Fingar, Alice Miller, and Fred Teiwes. The talks were later published in a volume you can download here. The series is introduced by Andrew Mertha, George and Sadie Hyman, Professor of China Studies and director of the SAIS China Research Center, and each lecture includes a moderated discussion with Andy. After this series, I'll also be sharing with you a second series of lectures titled "Studying China from Elsewhere," which will include talks by Maria Repnikova, Mike Lampton, William Hurst, and Maggie Lewis — many of whom Sinica listeners will know from the show.This week's talk is from FrederickTeiwes, truly a legend in the field. The American-born Australian sinologist is best known for his analysis of Chinese Communist Party elite politics. He served as a professor emeritus in Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney until his retirement in 2006. Teiwes has frequently collaborated with Warren Sun, producing seminal works such as The Tragedy of Lin Biao (1996) and China's Road to Disaster: Mao, Central Politicians and Provincial Leaders in the Great Leap Forward, 1955-59 (1999). In this talk, he focuses on forthcoming work on the transition following Mao Zedong's death in 1976.Great thanks to Andy and to Hasta Colman, who first suggested this collaboration when we met in Shanghai recently.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I wanted to put this out quickly as it's one of those rare, news-pegged episodes of the show. The full show notes and transcript will be available later this week. I know I'd said last time there would be no show this week, but that was before this fascinating episode involving TikTok users signing up en masse to Xiaohongshu. Hilarity ensued, and my two guests — Ivy Yang, who runs Wavelet Strategy, an expert in cross-cultural communication, and David Fishman, Shanghai-based senior manager at Lantau Group who specializes in the Chinese energy sector and writes wonderfully about his excursions into the Chinese countryside. They've both been following this fascinating episode closely and have really smart things to say, so enjoy!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica, I'm joined by Lizzi Lee, fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute and by my lights one of the most astute, well-informed people writing on China in the English-speaking world today. She has fascinating perspectives on China's preparations for the Trump administration, on China's reluctance to roll out large-scale cash stimulus, and Xi Jinping's challenges. Don't miss this one! (I will update the show notes and publish the transcript early next week — thanks for your patience!)3:39 – Lizzi's argument from her op-ed, “Counting the Hawks in the Trump 2.0 Administration is Pointless”: the importance of which country will be able to get its act together 10:25 – U.S.-China competition as a long game, from China's perspective14:22 – How China views the current state of division in American politics19:00 – The main risks and opportunities for China presented by Trump's return, including opportunities in the geopolitical realm with the Europeans 28:09 – The state of China's domestic economy33:28 – Counterarguments to critiques of China's cautious deployment of stimulus, and where Lizzi stands on the issue 43:46 – Lizzi's thoughts on deflation in the Chinese economy 49:30 – The idea of accepting short-term pain for long-term gain in economic recovery 53:59 – Xi Jinping's vision for China's economy 58:46 – How Xi Jinping's ideological language can be challenging for officials and markets 1:03:57 – How China's political calendar has hindered execution of policy 1:06:42 – What Lizzi thinks the Chinese leadership should prioritize nowPaying it Forward: Lizzi recommends the work of Barclay Bram, especially his series on Chinese youth at the Asia Society here.Recommendations:Lizzi: Grazia Ting Deng's book Chinese Espresso: Contested Race and Convivial Space in Contemporary ItalyKaiser: More historical fiction by Robert Harris, including An Officer and a Spy and Munich.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to this special episode of China Compass, the thirteenth (13!) in a weekly series which I have been calling “The Prison Pulpit”! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). If you want to see the missionary biographies I’ve helped to publish and learn more about our work, you can find links to everything @ PrayGiveGo.us! Each week, I mention my little book, Unbeaten, which tells the story of my arrest, interrogation, and deportation from China in 2018. Also, one of the appendices, Remember My Chains, is a message I’ve given all over the world about praying for the persecuted church. You can get my book and the sermon, Remember My Chains, at Unbeaten.vip, or read the sermon text for free on my China Call Substack: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/remember-my-chains I will be working through Wang Yi’s 14 “resolutions” in 3 or 4 installments both here on the podcast and on the China Call Substack. Please continue to pray for Wang Yi and the other brothers and sisters in Chengdu. In the Face of Persecution, What Will I Do? (Part I) Pastor Wang Yi Shares 14 Resolutions He Made Before His Arrest in December, 2018 Read the source text (without my commentary) of today’s podcast here: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/in-the-face-of-persecution-what-will

This week on Sinica, I speak with Nicole Hong and Michael Rothfeld, both investigative reporters at the New York Times, about a series of stories they've done, stretching between August and December 2024, on the Falun Gong-run performance troupe Shen Yun, and the Falun Gong-affiliated newspaper The Epoch Times. Read the latest two articles in that series here and here. There will be links to the other stories on the transcript page.4:33 – Nicole and Michael's collection of pieces on Falun Gong 6:26 – Background on [the?] Falun Gong: Li Hongzhi, the context out of which the movement emerged, its international spread, and the CCP's crackdown in the '90s12:00 – Shen Yun performances, and audience reactions 18:46 – Following the money: Falun Gong's dramatic financial growth, gray areas, and where the money goes 29:03 – Spiritual project or big grift?31:39 – What Nicole and Michael uncovered 36:23 – Memorable individuals: Chang Chun-ko, Kate the performer, and Josh the violinist41:10 – The dynamics within [the?] Falun Gong, and what has been alleged45:34 – The Epoch Times, and their editorial changes 53:02 – The appeal of Falun Gong, and the level of scrutiny it getsPaying It Forward:Nicole: Researchers/freelancers/translators Yi Liu and Peiyue Wu Michael: New York Times colleague Susan Beachy Recommendations:Nicole: Connie: A Memoir by Connie Chung Michael: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel; One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (and the new One Hundred Years of Solitude TV series (2024)); and the TV series Gomorrah (2014-2021)Kaiser: TikTok accounts workplace_doodles (a former Shen Yun performer born into a Falun Gong family) and cocolarkincooks (a fantastic cooking resource)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica, I welcome back Michael Cerny — formerly of the Carter Center and now a Ph.D. student at Harvard — and Rory Truex of Princeton University to discuss a new working paper they've co-authored. They undertook a large-scale survey of foreign policy professionals at U.S. think tanks to ascertain whether there is a "consensus" on China policy, as is often claimed, and whether people working in think tanks feel pressure to take on more "hawkish" positions on China policy. We also introduce a new segment called "Paying it Forward."5:04 – What motivated Michael and Rory to write their paper together 7:30 – Groupthink vs. consensus10:08 – The methodology: combining surveys and interviews, and the sampling frame 14:35 – Trying to avoid leading questions 17:58 – Creating the “China Confrontation Index” 20:25 – Different levels of acceptance of the labels “hawk” and “dove” 23:33 – The issue of preference falsification 25:43 – Mechanisms behind disparities in perceived pressure 29:01 – Tying in Rory's previous research on self-censorship 32:42 – How Michael and Rory decided on interviews 34:10 – What Michael believes were the most important and robust findings36:09 – The distinction between the beliefs of think tankers vs. elected officials, and why people tend to believe there is a bipartisan consensus on China 40:34 – Pressure on hawks 42:35 – Specific policy questions44:18 – Feedback on the paper so far, and what Michael and Rory may tweak in a subsequent draft 49:47 – The possible role of personality in hawkishness or dovishness 51:58 – Discussing Mike Mazarr's concerns about the potential parallels between current Chinese discourse and the lead-up to the Iraq War 55:06 – Advice to younger professionals entering the foreign policy/China field New segment: Paying It Forward:Rory: Michael Cerny and Edi Obiakpani-Reid Recommendations:Rory: Edi Obiakpani-Reid's Sinobabble podcast about Chinese historyMichael: Jeffrey Ding's Technology and the Rise of Great Powers: How Diffusion Shapes Economic CompetitionKaiser: Imperium by Robert Harris See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to this bonus episode of China Compass, the 9th in a weekly series called “The Prison Pulpit”. I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share new Chinese cities to pray for daily. You can learn more about that at PrayforChina.us. You can also check out my Substack (ChinaCall.substack.com) where I write mostly about China and missions. I have already posted the updates that I shared on this podcast, including this one: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/testimonies-from-a-chinese-jail This month is the 6th anniversary of the attack and forcible closure of Early Rain Church in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, and the arrest of Pastor Wang Yi, who is the primary contributor to this podcast series, The Prison Pulpit. (Find all the episodes on PubTV, Spotify, or Podbean) Two weeks ago I read the Wang Yi family newsletter that was published just 12 days before his arrest on Dec 9, 2018. Last week I shared a handful of updates that were put out by unnamed Early Rain Church members in the immediate aftermath of the attack and arrest of the pastor and most of the leadership. As one of last week's updates reminded us, there was no guarantee that the next update would ever come. Arrests were ongoing. So it was an exciting answer to prayer when the following testimonies were released on December 15th, 2018: Early Rain Urgent Prayer Update (12/15/18) According to some testimonies of brothers and sisters that have emerged, they have been sharing the gospel while under guard. They have been using their suffering as a beautiful testimony for the Lord… (listen to the podcast for the full update and my comments) Resource of the Week: The Memoirs of William Milne (PrayGiveGo.us)