Podcasts about Forbidden City

Art museum, Imperial Palace, Historic site in Beijing, China

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X-Band: The Phantom Podcast
#316 - Phans phav Phantom stories

X-Band: The Phantom Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 35:08


Something a little different this fortnight with a bunch of phans, publishers & creators from around the world telling us what their phavourite Phantom stories are. If you would like to tell us your own phavourite Phantom stories, send us an email - ChronicleChamber@gmail.com. Here are the stories chosen from the phans, creators and publishers:Sal Velluto. "Danger in the Forbidden City""The Ghost Who Walks Returns" by Peter David and Sal Velluto"Clash of the Immortals" by Peter David and Sal Velluto"Duel in the Skies" by Peter David and Sal Velluto"Free Fall" by Peter David and Sal Velluto"Trapped" by Peter David and Sal Velluto"The End?" by Peter David and Sal VellutoScott Waldyn. "The Singh Brotherhood" (Daily story 1) by Lee Falk and Ray MooreEoin McAuley. Avon Novel #1 "The Ghost Who Walks" by Lee Falk Jaime Diaz. "The Fence" (Daily story 112) by Lee Falk and Sy BarryGlaucio Cardoso. DC Mini Series"The Ghost Who Walks" by Peter David, Joe Orlando and Dennis Janke"Across the Great Divide" by Peter David, Joe Orlando and Dennis Janke"In Over Their Heads" by Peter David, Joe Orlando and Dennis Janke"The Phantom Strikes Back" by Peter David, Joe Orlando and Dennis JankeJuan Munari Rousselot. "Death of a Phantom" by David Bishop and César SpadariMatt Kyme.  "The Singh Brotherhood" (Daily story 1) by Lee Falk and Ray Moore"The Raid in Sanloi" by Michael Tierres and Kari Leppänen"The Beanstalk" by Donne Avenell and Hans LindahlPirate Dave. "The Aviatrix Part 1 & 2" by Ben Raab, Pat Quinn, and Ken WheatonWhat do you think about the stories chosen from the creators, phans and publishers from around the world? We love your comments and feedback from the Phantom phans from around the world. Our next podcast will be a comics and news podcast for the last month and a half.You can either email us, leave your comments at our YouTube Channel, and leave them at our social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. Make sure you stay with us, and do not forget to subscribe and leave a review on our podcast and/or our YouTube Channel. Support the show

The Pacific War - week by week
- 198 - Pacific War Podcast - Japan's Surrender - September 2 - 9, 1945

The Pacific War - week by week

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2025 45:33


Last time we spoke about the Soviet Victory in Asia. After atomic bombings and Japan's surrender, the Soviets launched a rapid Manchurian invasion, driving toward Harbin, Mukden, Changchun, and Beijing. Shenyang was taken, seeing the capture of the last Emperor of China, Pu Yi. The Soviets continued their advances into Korea with port captures at Gensan and Pyongyang, and occupation of South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, ahead of anticipated American intervention. Stalin pushed for speed to avoid US naval landings, coordinating with Chinese forces and leveraging the Sino-Soviet pact while balancing relations with Chiang Kai-shek. As fronts closed, tens of thousands of Japanese POWs were taken, while harsh wartime reprisals, looting, and mass sexual violence against Japanese, Korean, and Chinese civilians were reported.  This episode is the Surrender of Japan Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  With the Manchurian Campaign over and Japan's surrender confirmed, we've reached the end of the Pacific War and the ushering of a new era. This journey took us 3 years, 8 months, and 27 days and it's been a rollercoaster. We've gone over numerous stories of heroism and horror, victory and defeat, trying to peel back a part of WW2 that often gets overshadowed by the war in Europe. Certainly the China War is almost completely ignored by the west, but fortunately for you all, as I end this series we have just entered the China war over at the Fall and Rise of China Podcast. Unlike this series where, to be blunt, I am hamstrung by the week by week format, over there I can tackle the subject as I see fit, full of personal accounts. I implore you if you want to revisit some of that action in China, jump over to the other podcast, I will be continuing it until the end of the Chinese civil war. One could say it will soon be a bit of a sequel to this one. Of course if you love this format and want more, you can check out the brand new Eastern Front week by week podcast, which really does match the horror of the Pacific war. Lastly if you just love hearing my dumb voice, come check out my podcast which also is in video format on the Pacific War Channel on Youtube, the Echoes of War podcast. Me and my co-host Gaurav tackle history from Ancient to Modern, often with guests and we blend the dialogue with maps, photos and clips. But stating all of that, lets get into it, the surrender of Japan. As we last saw, while the Soviet invasion of Manchuria raged, Emperor Hirohito announced the unconditional surrender of the Japanese Empire on August 15. Public reaction varied, yet most were stunned and bewildered, unable to grasp that Japan had surrendered for the first time in its history. Many wept openly as they listened to the Emperor's solemn message; others directed swift anger at the nation's leaders and the fighting services for failing to avert defeat; and some blamed themselves for falling short in their war effort. Above all, there was a deep sympathy for the Emperor, who had been forced to make such a tragic and painful decision.  In the wake of the Emperor's broadcast, war factories across the country dismissed their workers and shut their doors. Newspapers that had been ordered to pause their usual morning editions appeared in the afternoon, each carrying the Imperial Rescript, an unabridged translation of the Potsdam Declaration, and the notes exchanged with the Allied Powers. In Tokyo, crowds of weeping citizens gathered all afternoon in the vast plaza before the Imperial Palace and at the Meiji and Yasukuni Shrines to bow in reverence and prayer. The shock and grief of the moment, coupled with the dark uncertainty about the future, prevented any widespread sense of relief that the fighting had ended. Bombings and bloodshed were over, but defeat seemed likely to bring only continued hardship and privation. Starvation already gripped the land, and the nation faced the looming breakdown of public discipline and order, acts of violence and oppression by occupying forces, and a heavy burden of reparations. Yet despite the grim outlook, the Emperor's assurance that he would remain to guide the people through the difficult days ahead offered a measure of solace and courage. His appeal for strict compliance with the Imperial will left a lasting impression, and the refrain “Reverent Obedience to the Rescript” became the rallying cry as the nation prepared to endure the consequences of capitulation. Immediately after the Emperor's broadcast, Prime Minister Suzuki's cabinet tendered its collective resignation, yet Hirohito commanded them to remain in office until a new cabinet could be formed. Accordingly, Suzuki delivered another broadcast that evening, urging the nation to unite in absolute loyalty to the throne in this grave national crisis, and stressing that the Emperor's decision to end the war had been taken out of compassion for his subjects and in careful consideration of the circumstances. Thus, the shocked and grief-stricken population understood that this decision represented the Emperor's actual will rather than a ratified act of the Government, assuring that the nation as a whole would obediently accept the Imperial command. Consequently, most Japanese simply went on with their lives as best they could; yet some military officers, such as General Anami, chose suicide over surrender. Another key figure who committed seppuku between August 15 and 16 was Vice-Admiral Onishi Takijiro, the father of the kamikaze. Onishi's suicide note apologized to the roughly 4,000 pilots he had sent to their deaths and urged all surviving young civilians to work toward rebuilding Japan and fostering peace among nations. Additionally, despite being called “the hero of the August 15 incident” for his peacekeeping role in the attempted coup d'état, General Tanaka felt responsible for the damage done to Tokyo and shot himself on August 24. Following the final Imperial conference on 14 August, the Army's “Big Three”, War Minister Anami, Chief of the Army General Staff Umezu, and Inspectorate-General of Military Training General Kenji Doihara, met at the War Ministry together with Field Marshals Hata and Sugiyama, the senior operational commanders of the homeland's Army forces. These five men affixed their seals to a joint resolution pledging that the Army would “conduct itself in accordance with the Imperial decision to the last.” The resolution was endorsed immediately afterward by General Masakazu Kawabe, the overall commander of the Army air forces in the homeland. In accordance with this decision, General Anami and General Umezu separately convened meetings of their senior subordinates during the afternoon of the 14th, informing them of the outcome of the final Imperial conference and directing strict obedience to the Emperor's command. Shortly thereafter, special instructions to the same effect were radioed to all top operational commanders jointly in the names of the War Minister and Chief of Army General Staff. The Army and Navy authorities acted promptly, and their decisive stance proved, for the most part, highly effective. In the Army, where the threat of upheaval was most acute, the final, unequivocal decision of its top leaders to heed the Emperor's will delivered a crippling blow to the smoldering coup plot by the young officers to block the surrender. The conspirators had based their plans on unified action by the Army as a whole; with that unified stance effectively ruled out, most of the principal plotters reluctantly abandoned the coup d'état scheme on the afternoon of 14 August. At the same time, the weakened Imperial Japanese Navy took steps to ensure disciplined compliance with the surrender decision. Only Admiral Ugaki chose to challenge this with his final actions. After listening to Japan's defeat, Admiral Ugaki Kayō's diary recorded that he had not yet received an official cease-fire order, and that, since he alone was to blame for the failure of Japanese aviators to stop the American advance, he would fly one last mission himself to embody the true spirit of bushido. His subordinates protested, and even after Ugaki had climbed into the back seat of a Yokosuka D4Y4 of the 701st Kokutai dive bomber piloted by Lieutenant Tatsuo Nakatsuru, Warrant Officer Akiyoshi Endo, whose place in the kamikaze roster Ugaki had usurped, also climbed into the same space that the admiral had already occupied. Thus, the aircraft containing Ugaki took off with three men piloted by Nakatsuru, with Endo providing reconnaissance, and Ugaki himself, rather than the two crew members that filled the other ten aircraft. Before boarding his aircraft, Ugaki posed for pictures and removed his rank insignia from his dark green uniform, taking only a ceremonial short sword given to him by Admiral Yamamoto. Elements of this last flight most likely followed the Ryukyu flyway southwest to the many small islands north of Okinawa, where U.S. forces were still on alert at the potential end of hostilities. Endo served as radioman during the mission, sending Ugaki's final messages, the last of which at 19:24 reported that the plane had begun its dive onto an American vessel. However, U.S. Navy records do not indicate any successful kamikaze attack on that day, and it is likely that all aircraft on the mission with the exception of three that returned due to engine problems crashed into the ocean, struck down by American anti-aircraft fire. Although there are no precise accounts of an intercept made by Navy or Marine fighters or Pacific Fleet surface units against enemy aircraft in this vicinity at the time of surrender. it is likely the aircraft crashed into the ocean or was shot down by American anti-aircraft fire. In any event, the crew of LST-926 reported finding the still-smoldering remains of a cockpit with three bodies on the beach of Iheyajima Island, with Ugaki's remains allegedly among them. Meanwhile, we have already covered the Truman–Stalin agreement that Japanese forces north of the 38th parallel would surrender to the Soviets while those to the south would surrender to the Americans, along with the subsequent Soviet occupation of Manchuria, North Korea, South Sakhalin, and the Kurile Islands. Yet even before the first atomic bomb was dropped, and well before the Potsdam Conference, General MacArthur and his staff were planning a peaceful occupation of Japan and the Korean Peninsula. The first edition of this plan, designated “Blacklist,” appeared on July 16 and called for a progressive, orderly occupation in strength of an estimated fourteen major areas in Japan and three to six areas in Korea, so that the Allies could exercise unhampered control over the various phases of administration. These operations would employ 22 divisions and 3 regiments, together with air and naval elements, and would utilize all United States forces immediately available in the Pacific. The plan also provided for the maximum use of existing Japanese political and administrative organizations, since these agencies already exerted effective control over the population and could be employed to good advantage by the Allies. The final edition of “Blacklist,” issued on August 8, was divided into three main phases of occupation. The first phase included the Kanto Plain, the Kobe–Osaka–Kyoto areas, the Nagasaki–Sasebo area in Kyushu, the Keijo district in Korea, and the Aomori–Ominato area of northern Honshu. The second phase covered the Shimonoseki–Fukuoka and Nagoya areas, Sapporo in Hokkaido, and Fusan in Korea. The third phase comprised the Hiroshima–Kure area, Kochi in Shikoku, the Okayama, Tsuruga, and Niigata areas, Sendai in northern Honshu, Otomari in Karafuto, and the Gunzan–Zenshu area in Korea. Although the Joint Chiefs of Staff initially favored Admiral Nimitz's “Campus” Plan, which envisioned entry into Japan by Army forces only after an emergency occupation of Tokyo Bay by advanced naval units and the seizure of key positions ashore near each anchorage, MacArthur argued that naval forces were not designed to perform the preliminary occupation of a hostile country whose ground divisions remained intact, and he contended that occupying large land areas was fundamentally an Army mission. He ultimately convinced them that occupation by a weak Allied force might provoke resistance from dissident Japanese elements among the bomb-shattered population and could therefore lead to grave repercussions. The formal directive for the occupation of Japan, Korea, and the China coast was issued by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on August 11. The immediate objectives were to secure the early entry of occupying forces into major strategic areas, to control critical ports, port facilities, and airfields, and to demobilize and disarm enemy troops. First priority went to the prompt occupation of Japan, second to the consolidation of Keijo in Korea, and third to operations on the China coast and in Formosa. MacArthur was to assume responsibility for the forces entering Japan and Korea; General Wedemeyer was assigned operational control of the forces landing on the China coast and was instructed to coordinate his plans with the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek; and Japanese forces in Southeast Asia were earmarked for surrender to Admiral Mountbatten. With the agreement of the Soviet, Chinese, and British governments, President Truman designated MacArthur as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers on August 15, thereby granting him final authority for the execution of the terms of surrender and occupation. In this capacity, MacArthur promptly notified the Emperor and the Japanese Government that he was authorized to arrange for the cessation of hostilities at the earliest practicable date and directed that the Japanese forces terminate hostilities immediately and that he be notified at once of the effective date and hour of such termination. He further directed that Japan send to Manila on August 17 “a competent representative empowered to receive in the name of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender.” General MacArthur's stipulations to the Japanese Government included specific instructions regarding the journey of the Japanese representatives to Manila. The emissaries were to leave Sata Misaki, at the southern tip of Kyushu, on the morning of August 17. They were to travel in a Douglas DC-3-type transport plane, painted white and marked with green crosses on the wings and fuselage, and to fly under Allied escort to an airdrome on Lejima in the Ryukyus. From there, the Japanese would be transported to Manila in a United States plane. The code designation chosen for communication between the Japanese plane and US forces was the symbolic word “Bataan.” Implementation challenges arose almost immediately due to disagreements within Imperial General Headquarters and the Foreign Office over the exact nature of the mission. Some officials interpreted the instructions as requiring the delegates to carry full powers to receive and agree to the actual terms of surrender, effectively making them top representatives of the Government and High Command. Others understood the mission to be strictly preparatory, aimed only at working out technical surrender arrangements and procedures. Late in the afternoon of August 16, a message was sent to MacArthur's headquarters seeking clarification and more time to organize the mission. MacArthur replied that signing the surrender terms would not be among the tasks of the Japanese representatives dispatched to Manila, assured the Japanese that their proposed measures were satisfactory, and pledged that every precaution would be taken to ensure the safety of the Emperor's representatives on their mission. Although preparations were made with all possible speed, on August 16 the Japanese notified that this delegation would be somewhat delayed due to the scarcity of time allowed for its formation. At the same time, MacArthur was notified that Hirohito had issued an order commanding the entire armed forces of his nation to halt their fighting immediately. The wide dispersion and the disrupted communications of the Japanese forces, however, made the rapid and complete implementation of such an order exceedingly difficult, so it was expected that the Imperial order would take approximately two to twelve days to reach forces throughout the Pacific and Asiatic areas. On August 17, the Emperor personally backed up these orders with a special Rescript to the armed services, carefully worded to assuage military aversion to surrender. Suzuki was also replaced on this date, with the former commander of the General Defense Army, General Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, becoming the new Prime Minister with the initial tasks to hastily form a new cabinet capable of effecting the difficult transition to peace swiftly and without incident. The Government and Imperial General Headquarters moved quickly to hasten the preparations, but the appointment of the mission's head was held up pending the installation of the Higashikuni Cabinet. The premier-designate pressed for a rapid formation of the government, and on the afternoon of the 17th the official ceremony of installation took place in the Emperor's presence. Until General Shimomura could be summoned to Tokyo from the North China Area Army, Prince Higashikuni himself assumed the portfolio of War Minister concurrently with the premiership, Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai remaining in the critical post of Navy Minister, and Prince Ayamaro Konoe, by Marquis Kido's recommendation, entered the Cabinet as Minister without Portfolio to act as Higashikuni's closest advisor. The Foreign Minister role went to Mamoru Shigemitsu, who had previously served in the Koiso Cabinet. With the new government installed, Prince Higashikuni broadcast to the nation on the evening of 17 August, declaring that his policies as Premier would conform to the Emperor's wishes as expressed in the Imperial mandate to form a Cabinet. These policies were to control the armed forces, maintain public order, and surmount the national crisis, with scrupulous respect for the Constitution and the Imperial Rescript terminating the war. The cabinet's installation removed one delay, and in the afternoon of the same day a message from General MacArthur's headquarters clarified the mission's nature and purpose. Based on this clarification, it was promptly decided that Lieutenant General Torashiro Kawabe, Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff, should head a delegation of sixteen members, mainly representing the Army and Navy General Staffs. Kawabe was formally appointed by the Emperor on 18 August. By late afternoon that same day, the data required by the Allied Supreme Commander had largely been assembled, and a message was dispatched to Manila informing General MacArthur's headquarters that the mission was prepared to depart the following morning. The itinerary received prompt approval from the Supreme Commander. Indeed, the decision to appoint a member of the Imperial Family who had a respectable career in the armed forces was aimed both at appeasing the population and at reassuring the military. MacArthur appointed General Eichelberger's 8th Army to initiate the occupation unassisted through September 22, at which point General Krueger's 6th Army would join the effort. General Hodge's 24th Corps was assigned to execute Operation Blacklist Forty, the occupation of the Korean Peninsula south of the 38th Parallel. MacArthur's tentative schedule for the occupation outlined an initial advance party of 150 communications experts and engineers under Colonel Charles Tench, which would land at Atsugi Airfield on August 23. Naval forces under Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet were to enter Tokyo Bay on August 24, followed by MacArthur's arrival at Atsugi the next day and the start of the main landings of airborne troops and naval and marine forces. The formal surrender instrument was to be signed aboard an American battleship in Tokyo Bay on August 28, with initial troop landings in southern Kyushu planned for August 29–30. By September 4, Hodge's 24th Corps was to land at Inchon and begin the occupation of South Korea. In the meantime, per MacArthur's directions, a sixteen-man Japanese delegation headed by Lieutenant-General Kawabe Torashiro, Vice-Chief of the Army General Staff, left Sata Misaki on the morning of August 19; after landing at Iejima, the delegation transferred to an American transport and arrived at Nichols Field at about 18:00. That night, the representatives held their first conference with MacArthur's staff, led by Lieutenant-General Richard Sutherland. During the two days of conference, American linguists scanned, translated, and photostated the various reports, maps, and charts the Japanese had brought with them. Negotiations also resulted in permission for the Japanese to supervise the disarmament and demobilization of their own armed forces under Allied supervision, and provided for three extra days of preparation before the first occupying unit landed on the Japanese home islands on August 26. At the close of the conference, Kawabe was handed the documents containing the “Requirements of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers,” which concerned the arrival of the first echelons of Allied forces, the formal surrender ceremony, and the reception of the occupation forces. Also given were a draft Imperial Proclamation by which the Emperor would accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and command his subjects to cease hostilities, a copy of General Order No. 1 by which Imperial General Headquarters would direct all military and naval commanders to lay down their arms and surrender their units to designated Allied commanders, and the Instrument of Surrender itself, which would later be signed on board an American battleship in Tokyo Bay. After the Manila Conference ended, the Japanese delegation began its return to Japan at 13:00 on August 20; but due to mechanical problems and a forced landing near Hamamatsu, they did not reach Tokyo until August 21. With the scheduled arrival of the advanced party of the Allied occupation forces only five days away, the Japanese immediately began disarming combat units in the initial-occupation areas and evacuating them from those areas. The basic orders stated that Allied forces would begin occupying the homeland on 26 August and reaffirmed the intention ofImperial General Headquarters "to insure absolute obedience to the Imperial Rescript of 14 August, to prevent the occurrence of trouble with the occupying forces, and thus to demonstrate Japan's sincerity to the world." The Japanese government announced that all phases of the occupation by Allied troops would be peaceful and urged the public not to panic or resort to violence against the occupying forces. While they sought to reassure the population, they faced die-hard anti-surrender elements within the IJN, with ominous signs of trouble both from Kyushu, where many sea and air special-attack units were poised to meet an invasion, and from Atsugi, the main entry point for Allied airborne troops into the Tokyo Bay area. At Kanoya, Ugaki's successor, Vice-Admiral Kusaka Ryonosuke, hastened the separation of units from their weapons and the evacuation of naval personnel. At Atsugi, an even more threatening situation developed in the Navy's 302nd Air Group. Immediately after the announcement of the surrender, extremist elements in the group led by Captain Kozono Yasuna flew over Atsugi and the surrounding area, scattering leaflets urging the continuation of the war on the ground and claiming that the surrender edict was not the Emperor's true will but the machination of "traitors around the Throne." The extremists, numbering 83 junior officers and noncommissioned officers, did not commit hostile acts but refused to obey orders from their superior commanders. On August 19, Prince Takamatsu, the Emperor's brother and a navy captain, telephoned Atsugi and personally appealed to Captain Kozono and his followers to obey the Imperial decision. This intervention did not end the incident; on August 21 the extremists seized a number of aircraft and flew them to Army airfields in Saitama Prefecture in hopes of gaining support from Army air units. They failed in this attempt, and it was not until August 25 that all members of the group had surrendered. As a result of the Atsugi incident, on August 22 the Emperor dispatched Captain Prince Takamatsu Nabuhito and Vice-Admiral Prince Kuni Asaakira to various naval commands on Honshu and Kyushu to reiterate the necessity of strict obedience to the surrender decision. Both princes immediately left Tokyo to carry out this mission, but the situation improved over the next two days, and they were recalled before completing their tours. By this point, a typhoon struck the Kanto region on the night of August 22, causing heavy damage and interrupting communications and transport vital for evacuating troops from the occupation zone. This led to further delays in Japanese preparations for the arrival of occupation forces, and the Americans ultimately agreed to a two-day postponement of the preliminary landings. On August 27 at 10:30, elements of the 3rd Fleet entered Sagami Bay as the first step in the delayed occupation schedule. At 09:00 on August 28, Tench's advanced party landed at Atsugi to complete technical arrangements for the arrival of the main forces. Two days later, the main body of the airborne occupation forces began streaming into Atsugi, while naval and marine forces simultaneously landed at Yokosuka on the south shore of Tokyo Bay. There were no signs of resistance, and the initial occupation proceeded successfully.  Shortly after 1400, a famous C-54  the name “Bataan” in large letters on its nose circled the field and glided in for a landing. General MacArthur stepped from the aircraft, accompanied by General Sutherland and his staff officers. The operation proceeded smoothly. MacArthur paused momentarily to inspect the airfield, then climbed into a waiting automobile for the drive to Yokohama. Thousands of Japanese troops were posted along the fifteen miles of road from Atsugi to Yokohama to guard the route of the Allied motor cavalcade as it proceeded to the temporary SCAP Headquarters in Japan's great seaport city. The Supreme Commander established his headquarters provisionally in the Yokohama Customs House. The headquarters of the American Eighth Army and the Far East Air Force were also established in Yokohama, and representatives of the United States Pacific Fleet were attached to the Supreme Commander's headquarters. The intensive preparation and excitement surrounding the first landings on the Japanese mainland did not interfere with the mission of affording relief and rescue to Allied personnel who were internees or prisoners in Japan. Despite bad weather delaying the occupation operation, units of the Far East Air Forces and planes from the Third Fleet continued their surveillance missions. On 25 August they began dropping relief supplies, food, medicine, and clothing, to Allied soldiers and civilians in prisoner-of-war and internment camps across the main islands. While the advance echelon of the occupation forces was still on Okinawa, “mercy teams” were organized to accompany the first elements of the Eighth Army Headquarters. Immediately after the initial landings, these teams established contact with the Swiss and Swedish Legations, the International Red Cross, the United States Navy, and the Japanese Liaison Office, and rushed to expedite the release and evacuation, where necessary, of thousands of Allied internees.  On September 1, the Reconnaissance Troop of the 11th Airborne Division conducted a subsidiary airlift operation, flying from Atsugi to occupy Kisarazu Airfield; and on the morning of September 2, the 1st Cavalry Division began landing at Yokohama to secure most of the strategic areas along the shores of Tokyo Bay, with Tokyo itself remaining unoccupied. Concurrently, the surrender ceremony took place aboard Halsey's flagship, the battleship Missouri, crowded with representatives of the United Nations that had participated in the Pacific War.  General MacArthur presided over the epoch-making ceremony, and with the following words he inaugurated the proceedings which would ring down the curtain of war in the Pacific “We are gathered here, representatives of the major warring powers, to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace may be restored. The issues, involving divergent ideals and ideologies, have been determined on the battlefields of the world and hence are not for our discussion or debate. Nor is it for us here to meet, representing as we do a majority of the people of the earth, in a spirit of distrust, malice or hatred. But rather it is for us, both victors and vanquished, to rise to that higher dignity which alone befits the sacred purposes we are about to serve, committing all our peoples unreservedly to faithful compliance with the understandings they are here formally to assume. It is my earnest hope, and indeed the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past — a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice. The terms and conditions upon which surrender of the Japanese Imperial Forces is here to be given and accepted are contained in the instrument of surrender now before you…”.  The Supreme Commander then invited the two Japanese plenipotentiaries to sign the duplicate surrender documents : Foreign Minister Shigemitsu, on behalf of the Emperor and the Japanese Government, and General Umezu, for the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters. He then called forward two famous former prisoners of the Japanese to stand behind him while he himself affixed his signature to the formal acceptance of the surrender : Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright, hero of Bataan and Corregidor and Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur E. Percival, who had been forced to yield the British stronghold at Singapore. General MacArthur was followed in turn by Admiral Nimitz, who signed on behalf of the United States. Alongside the recently liberated Generals Wainwright and Percival, who had been captured during the Japanese conquest of the Philippines and Singapore respectively, MacArthur then signed the surrender documents, followed by Admiral Nimitz and representatives of the other United Nations present. The Instrument of Surrender was completely signed within twenty minutes. Shortly afterwards, MacArthur broadcast the announcement of peace to the world, famously saying, “Today the guns are silent.” Immediately following the signing of the surrender articles, the Imperial Proclamation of capitulation was issued, commanding overseas forces to cease hostilities and lay down their arms; however, it would take many days, and in some cases weeks, for the official word of surrender to be carried along Japan's badly disrupted communications channels. Various devices were employed by American commanders to transmit news of final defeat to dispersed and isolated enemy troops, such as plane-strewn leaflets, loudspeaker broadcasts, strategically placed signboards, and prisoner-of-war volunteers. Already, the bypassed Japanese garrison at Mille Atoll had surrendered on August 22; yet the first large-scale surrender of Japanese forces came on August 27, when Lieutenant-General Ishii Yoshio surrendered Morotai and Halmahera to the 93rd Division. On August 30, a British Pacific Fleet force under Rear-Admiral Cecil Harcourt entered Victoria Harbour to begin the liberation of Hong Kong; and the following day, Rear-Admiral Matsubara Masata surrendered Minami-Torishima. In the Marianas, the Japanese commanders on Rota and Pagan Islands relinquished their commands almost simultaneously with the Tokyo Bay ceremony of September 2. Later that day, the same was done by Lieutenant-General Inoue Sadae in the Palaus and by Lieutenant-General Mugikura Shunzaburo and Vice-Admiral Hara Chuichi at Truk in the Carolines. Additionally, as part of Operation Jurist, a British detachment under Vice-Admiral Harold Walker received the surrender of the Japanese garrison on Penang Island. In the Philippines, local commanders in the central Bukidnon Province, Infanta, the Bataan Peninsula, and the Cagayan Valley had already surrendered by September 2. On September 3, General Yamashita and Vice-Admiral Okawachi Denshichi met with General Wainwright, General Percival, and Lieutenant-General Wilhelm Styer, Commanding General of Army Forces of the Western Pacific, to sign the formal surrender of the Japanese forces in the Philippines. With Yamashita's capitulation, subordinate commanders throughout the islands began surrendering in increasing numbers, though some stragglers remained unaware of the capitulation. Concurrently, while Yamashita was yielding his Philippine forces, Lieutenant-General Tachibana Yoshio's 109th Division surrendered in the Bonins on September 3. On September 4, Rear-Admiral Sakaibara Shigematsu and Colonel Chikamori Shigeharu surrendered their garrison on Wake Island, as did the garrison on Aguigan Island in the Marianas. Also on September 4, an advanced party of the 24th Corps landed at Kimpo Airfield near Keijo to prepare the groundwork for the occupation of South Korea; and under Operation Tiderace, Mountbatten's large British and French naval force arrived off Singapore and accepted the surrender of Japanese forces there. On September 5, Rear-Admiral Masuda Nisuke surrendered his garrison on Jaluit Atoll in the Marshalls, as did the garrison of Yap Island. The overall surrender of Japanese forces in the Solomons and Bismarcks and in the Wewak area of New Guinea was finally signed on September 6 by General Imamura Hitoshi and Vice-Admiral Kusaka Jinichi aboard the aircraft carrier Glory off Rabaul, the former center of Japanese power in the South Pacific. Furthermore, Lieutenant-General Nomi Toshio, representing remaining Japanese naval and army forces in the Ryukyus, officially capitulated on September 7 at the headquarters of General Stilwell's 10th Army on Okinawa. The following day, Tokyo was finally occupied by the Americans, and looking south, General Kanda and Vice-Admiral Baron Samejima Tomoshige agreed to travel to General Savige's headquarters at Torokina to sign the surrender of Bougainville. On September 8, Rear-Admiral Kamada Michiaki's 22nd Naval Special Base Force at Samarinda surrendered to General Milford's 7th Australian Division, as did the Japanese garrison on Kosrae Island in the Carolines. On September 9, a wave of surrenders continued: the official capitulation of all Japanese forces in the China Theater occurred at the Central Military Academy in Nanking, with General Okamura surrendering to General He Yingqin, the commander-in-chief of the Republic of China National Revolutionary Army; subsequently, on October 10, 47 divisions from the former Imperial Japanese Army officially surrendered to Chinese military officials and allied representatives at the Forbidden City in Beijing. The broader context of rehabilitation and reconstruction after the protracted war was daunting, with the Nationalists weakened and Chiang Kai-shek's policies contributing to Mao Zedong's strengthened position, shaping the early dynamics of the resumption of the Chinese Civil War. Meanwhile, on September 9, Hodge landed the 7th Division at Inchon to begin the occupation of South Korea. In the throne room of the Governor's Palace at Keijo, soon to be renamed Seoul, the surrender instrument was signed by General Abe Nobuyuki, the Governor-General of Korea; Lieutenant-General Kozuki Yoshio, commander of the 17th Area Army and of the Korean Army; and Vice-Admiral Yamaguchi Gisaburo, commander of the Japanese Naval Forces in Korea. The sequence continued with the 25th Indian Division landing in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan on Malaya to capture Port Dickson, while Lieutenant-General Teshima Fusataro's 2nd Army officially surrendered to General Blamey at Morotai, enabling Australian occupation of much of the eastern Dutch East Indies. On September 10, the Japanese garrisons on the Wotje and Maloelap Atolls in the Marshalls surrendered, and Lieutenant-General Baba Masao surrendered all Japanese forces in North Borneo to General Wootten's 9th Australian Division. After Imamura's surrender, Major-General Kenneth Eather's 11th Australian Division landed at Rabaul to begin occupation, and the garrison on Muschu and Kairiru Islands also capitulated. On September 11, General Adachi finally surrendered his 18th Army in the Wewak area, concluding the bloody New Guinea Campaign, while Major-General Yamamura Hyoe's 71st Independent Mixed Brigade surrendered at Kuching and Lieutenant-General Watanabe Masao's 52nd Independent Mixed Brigade surrendered on Ponape Island in the Carolines. Additionally, the 20th Indian Division, with French troops, arrived at Saigon as part of Operation Masterdom and accepted the surrender of Lieutenant-General Tsuchihashi Yuitsu, who had already met with Viet Minh envoys and agreed to turn power over to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.  When the Japanese surrendered to the Allies on 15 August 1945, the Viet Minh immediately launched the insurrection they had prepared for a long time. Across the countryside, “People's Revolutionary Committees” took over administrative positions, often acting on their own initiative, and in the cities the Japanese stood by as the Vietnamese took control. By the morning of August 19, the Viet Minh had seized Hanoi, rapidly expanding their control over northern Vietnam in the following days. The Nguyen dynasty, with its puppet government led by Tran Trong Kim, collapsed when Emperor Bao Dai abdicated on August 25. By late August, the Viet Minh controlled most of Vietnam. On 2 September, in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. As the Viet Minh began extending control across the country, the new government's attention turned to the arrival of Allied troops and the French attempt to reassert colonial authority, signaling the onset of a new and contentious phase in Vietnam's struggle.  French Indochina had been left in chaos by the Japanese occupation. On 11 September British and Indian troops of the 20th Indian Division under Major General Douglas Gracey arrived at Saigon as part of Operation Masterdom. After the Japanese surrender, all French prisoners had been gathered on the outskirts of Saigon and Hanoi, and the sentries disappeared on 18 September; six months of captivity cost an additional 1,500 lives. By 22 September 1945, all prisoners were liberated by Gracey's men, armed, and dispatched in combat units toward Saigon to conquer it from the Viet Minh, later joined by the French Far East Expeditionary Corps, established to fight the Japanese arriving a few weeks later. Around the same time, General Lu Han's 200,000 Chinese National Revolutionary Army troops of the 1st Front Army occupied Indochina north of the 16th parallel, with 90,000 arriving by October; the 62nd Army came on 26 September to Nam Dinh and Haiphong, Lang Son and Cao Bang were occupied by the Guangxi 62nd Army Corps, and the Red River region and Lai Cai were occupied by a column from Yunnan. Lu Han occupied the French governor-general's palace after ejecting the French staff under Sainteny. Consequently, while General Lu Han's Chinese troops occupied northern Indochina and allowed the Vietnamese Provisional Government to remain in control there, the British and French forces would have to contest control of Saigon. On September 12, a surrender instrument was signed at the Singapore Municipal Building for all Southern Army forces in Southeast Asia, the Dutch East Indies, and the eastern islands; General Terauchi, then in a hospital in Saigon after a stroke, learned of Burma's fall and had his deputy commander and leader of the 7th Area Army, Lieutenant-General Itagaki Seishiro, surrender on his behalf to Mountbatten, after which a British military administration was formed to govern the island until March 1946. The Japanese Burma Area Army surrendered the same day as Mountbatten's ceremony in Singapore, and Indian forces in Malaya reached Kuala Lumpur to liberate the Malay capital, though the British were slow to reestablish control over all of Malaya, with eastern Pahang remaining beyond reach for three more weeks. On September 13, the Japanese garrisons on Nauru and Ocean Islands surrendered to Brigadier John Stevenson, and three days later Major-General Okada Umekichi and Vice-Admiral Fujita Ruitaro formally signed the instrument of surrender at Hong Kong. In the meantime, following the Allied call for surrender, Japan had decided to grant Indonesian independence to complicate Dutch reoccupation: Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta signed Indonesia's Proclamation of Independence on August 17 and were appointed president and vice-president the next day, with Indonesian youths spreading news across Java via Japanese news and telegraph facilities and Bandung's news broadcast by radio. The Dutch, as the former colonial power, viewed the republicans as collaborators with the Japanese and sought to restore their colonial rule due to lingering political and economic interests in the former Dutch East Indies, a stance that helped trigger a four-year war for Indonesian independence. Fighting also erupted in Sumatra and the Celebes, though the 26th Indian Division managed to land at Padang on October 10. On October 21, Lieutenant-General Tanabe Moritake and Vice-Admiral Hirose Sueto surrendered all Japanese forces on Sumatra, yet British control over the country would dwindle in the ensuing civil conflict. Meanwhile, Formosa (Taiwan) was placed under the control of the Kuomintang-led Republic of China by General Order No. 1 and the Instrument of Surrender; Chiang Kai-shek appointed General Chen Yi as Chief Executive of Taiwan Province and commander of the Taiwan Garrison Command on September 1. After several days of preparation, an advance party moved into Taihoku on October 5, with additional personnel arriving from Shanghai and Chongqing between October 5 and 24, and on October 25 General Ando Rikichi signed the surrender document at Taipei City Hall. But that's the end for this week, and for the Pacific War.  Boy oh boy, its been a long journey hasn't it? Now before letting you orphans go into the wild, I will remind you, while this podcast has come to an end, I still write and narrate Kings and Generals Eastern Front week by week and the Fall and Rise of China Podcasts. Atop all that I have my own video-podcast Echoes of War, that can be found on Youtube or all podcast platforms. I really hope to continue entertaining you guys, so if you venture over to the other podcasts, comment you came from here! I also have some parting gifts to you all, I have decided to release a few Pacific War related exclusive episodes from my Youtuber Membership / patreon at www.patreon.com/pacificwarchannel. At the time I am writing this, over there I have roughly 32 episodes, one is uploaded every month alongside countless other goodies. Thank you all for being part of this long lasting journey. Kings and Generals literally grabbed me out of the blue when I was but a small silly person doing youtube videos using an old camera, I have barely gotten any better at it. I loved making this series, and I look forward to continuing other series going forward! You know where to find me, if you have any requests going forward the best way to reach me is just comment on my Youtube channel or email me, the email address can be found on my youtube channel. This has been Craig of the Pacific War Channel and narrator of the Pacific war week by week podcast, over and out!

united states american europe china japan fall americans british french war chinese government australian fighting japanese kings army public modern chief indian vietnam tokyo missouri hong kong navy singapore surrender dutch boy philippines indonesia korea minister governor independence marine premier korean south korea united nations pacific ancient republic thousands constitution elements beijing negotiation north korea swiss palace throne shanghai prime minister lt southeast asia soviet requirements emperor cabinet allies echoes joseph stalin corps newspapers instrument implementation vietnamese seoul chief executives parallel bombings ww2 imperial nguyen java indonesians proclamation fleet manila naval truman suzuki big three allied south pacific burma democratic republic blacklist okinawa halsey united states navy commander in chief kuala lumpur generals saigon hodge macarthur soviets rota hanoi deputy chief starvation nationalists joint chiefs endo governor general red river yokohama pyongyang army corps atop mao zedong gaurav airborne divisions sumatra bandung foreign minister hokkaido malay sapporo new guinea percival nagoya formosa concurrently marshalls korean peninsula nauru kanto ho chi minh carolines yunnan solomons meiji harbin eastern front manchurian marianas foreign office opium wars forbidden city manchuria chongqing padang commanding general kochi pacific war kyushu sendai indochina yamashita asiatic bougainville gracey shikoku western pacific vice chief honshu nanking chiang kai keijo lst bataan pacific fleet supreme commander japanese empire hirohito guangxi international red cross kuomintang niigata tokyo bay okayama dutch east indies mountbatten infanta chinese civil war yokosuka cavalry division general macarthur imperial palace japanese government high command sukarno shenyang corregidor selangor puyi wake island imperial japanese navy kuching imperial japanese army truk emperor hirohito viet minh french indochina tench allied powers china podcast sino soviet hamamatsu ijn ryukyu inchon changchun general order no rescript rabaul pahang samarinda imperial family craig watson admiral nimitz mukden bismarcks atsugi admiral halsey ryukyus nam dinh
True Hauntings
Case 184: The Forbidden City China - The Emperor's Palace

True Hauntings

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2025 56:08


In the heart of Beijing lies a sprawling palace complex shrouded in imperial grandeur… and eerie whispers of the supernatural. The Forbidden City, once home to China's mighty emperors, has stood for over 600 years as a symbol of power, mystery, and intrigue. But beyond its red walls and golden roofs, this UNESCO World Heritage site hides chilling secrets—phantom soldiers patrolling moonlit corridors, ghostly court ladies drifting through shadowed halls, and inexplicable sounds echoing in the dead of night. These tales are not just the stuff of legend—they are whispered even today by guards, visitors, and historians alike.For centuries, the Forbidden City was a world unto itself—closed to outsiders, governed by strict rules, and steeped in rituals that blurred the line between the living and the dead. Tragic love stories, political betrayals, and sudden deaths unfolded within these walls, leaving behind an atmosphere heavy with unresolved energy. From mysterious footsteps that follow you down empty passageways to spectral processions spotted in the courtyards, every corner of this ancient palace seems to hum with a presence from another time.In this episode, we'll unlock the palace gates after dark and take you deep into the haunted heart of the Forbidden City. You'll discover the legends that have endured for generations, hear spine-tingling accounts from those who claim to have seen the impossible, and uncover the cultural beliefs that keep these ghost stories alive in modern China. So, light a lantern, steady your nerves, and step with us into the shadows of history—you might just find that the spirits of the emperors are still watching.

Media Watch
Prison peacock; Forbidden City; Achilles' heel

Media Watch

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2025


Media Watch 2025 Episode 24: Prison peacock; Forbidden City; Achilles' heel

222 Paranormal Podcast
471. China Hauntings, Ghosts, and Haunted Locations The land of the Dragon

222 Paranormal Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2025 44:18


Please hit subscribe and leave a positive review.   Click here for Jen's book. https://a.co/d/4Q11Kko Click here to go to our Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/222ParanormalPodcast Click here to go to our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/222paranormal Click here to go to Joes Book. https://a.co/d/3GeUd5x   This week on the 222 Paranormal Podcast, we take you on a chilling journey to the Far East as we explore the haunted side of China. From ancient dynasties to bustling megacities, China is a land steeped in history, legend, and superstition. Behind the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and neon-lit skylines lies a shadowy world of ghost stories and haunted places that have terrified generations. In this episode, we'll uncover eerie tales of restless spirits, cursed buildings, and paranormal hotspots that make China one of the most fascinating—and haunted—countries on Earth. We begin with the Forbidden City in Beijing, perhaps the most famous haunted location in China. Built in the 1400s, it was the seat of emperors for nearly 500 years. Countless executions, murders, and palace intrigues have left behind a legacy of hauntings. Guards and visitors report seeing ghostly women in white, strange apparitions at night, and hearing unexplained screams echoing through the massive courtyards and darkened halls. Next, we travel to Chaonei No. 81, known as “Beijing's Most Haunted House.” This crumbling French Baroque-style mansion dates back to the early 20th century and is the stuff of urban legend. Rumors swirl about a woman who hanged herself after being abandoned by her lover. Locals claim to hear weeping inside, see her shadow moving behind boarded windows, and even feel violently ill when approaching the building at night. We'll also discuss the Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai. Though famous for its beautiful classical design, it's also home to centuries of bloodshed from rebellions and wars. Locals speak of encountering spirits in traditional garb, shadowy figures slipping between rockeries and bridges, and disembodied whispers after dark. Our episode wouldn't be complete without exploring China's rich ghost lore. We'll talk about the Hungry Ghost Festival—a time when spirits are believed to roam the Earth seeking offerings and revenge. Families burn paper money and leave food for the dead, hoping to appease them and prevent misfortune. We'll also examine some chilling modern hauntings, including ghostly subway stations in Beijing where passengers report spectral encounters, phantom trains, and even deadly urban legends about portals to the afterlife hidden in plain sight. Throughout this episode, we'll discuss why China's deep respect for ancestors, Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, and folklore about vengeful spirits shape the way these hauntings are understood. You'll learn how Chinese ghost stories differ from Western ones, yet tap into the same primal fears about betrayal, loss, and the unknown. So turn down the lights, grab your tea (or your favorite ghost-hunting gear), and join us as we explore the darker side of China—a land where history and the paranormal go hand in hand. Whether you're fascinated by ancient curses, tragic love stories, or modern urban legends, this episode is sure to haunt your imagination. Tune in now to the 222 Paranormal Podcast for a spine-tingling tour of China's most haunted places and ghostly legends. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave us a review if you enjoyed this week's journey into the paranormal!   Welcome to the 222 Paranormal Podcast, your gateway to the captivating world of the supernatural. Immerse yourself in our expertly crafted episodes, where we delve deep into a wide range of paranormal phenomena, including ghostly hauntings, cryptid sightings, and unexplained mysteries that defy logic. Each episode is meticulously researched and features engaging discussions with leading experts, seasoned ghost hunters, and renowned paranormal investigators. We cover the latest advancements in ghost hunting technology, offer practical tips for both amateur and experienced investigators, and review essential equipment for your paranormal adventures. Our podcast also explores the rich history of haunted locations, sharing true stories and firsthand accounts that will send chills down your spine. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the paranormal or just curious about the unknown, our content is designed to entertain, inform, and ignite your imagination. Stay tuned as we uncover secrets from the most haunted places around the world and analyze the most intriguing supernatural events. We also provide in-depth interviews with notable figures in the field and explore theories that challenge conventional understanding of reality. By subscribing to our Paranormal Podcast, you'll stay updated with the latest episodes, allowing you to join a community of like-minded individuals who share your fascination with the unexplained. Don't miss out on our exclusive content and special features, which bring you closer to the mysteries that lie beyond our everyday experiences. Dive into the world of the unknown with our Paranormal Podcast and experience the thrill of discovering what lies just beyond the veil of reality.

Mummy Movie Podcast
The Mummy Animated Series: Season 1 Episode 10

Mummy Movie Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2025 15:16


A trip to China, a meeting with the boy emperor, and a terrifying dragon. In this episode, we examine Season 1, Episode 10 of The Mummy: The Animated Series, titled The Boy Who Would Be King.Email: mummymoviepodcast@gmail.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/MummyMoviePodcast?Bibliography:Bracken, G., & Orum, A. (2019). Forbidden City, The. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Studies, 1-6.Chunhua, Y. A. N. G. (2015). China's Emperor Culture in Subtitle Translation: A Case Study of The Last Emperor. Cross-Cultural Communication, 11(3), 73-77.Zhang, Q. (2015). An introduction to Chinese history and culture. Heidelberg: Springer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese
Secrets Beneath the Silk: A Healer's Journey in Ancient Beijing

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2025 16:01


Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Secrets Beneath the Silk: A Healer's Journey in Ancient Beijing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-11-22-34-00-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京故宫的深院中,春末的阳光透过朱红色的大门,洒在青砖地面上。En: In the deep courtyards of the Beijing Forbidden City, the late spring sunlight filtered through the vermilion gates, sprinkling over the gray brick ground.Zh: 空气中飘荡着端午节的节日气息,街道两旁挂满了五彩的装饰,竹叶包裹的粽子和温热的药草茶香气四溢。En: The air was filled with the festive spirit of the Dragon Boat Festival, and the streets were adorned with colorful decorations, while the fragrance of bamboo-leaf-wrapped zongzi and the warmth of herbal tea filled the air.Zh: 明哲是个年轻的学者,对中医药有浓厚的兴趣。En: Mingzhe is a young scholar with a keen interest in traditional Chinese medicine.Zh: 他的祖母最近身体不好,他希望能找到药方来治愈她。En: His grandmother has been unwell lately, and he hopes to find a prescription to cure her.Zh: 在朋友的推荐下,明哲来到北京,想见一位据说医术高超的草药医生——李花。En: On a friend's recommendation, Mingzhe came to Beijing hoping to meet a highly skilled herbal doctor—Li Hua.Zh: 李花是个技艺高超的医生,以其神秘的药方和古老的知识闻名于京城。En: Li Hua is a highly skilled doctor known for her mysterious prescriptions and ancient knowledge, famous throughout the capital.Zh: 然而,她守护自己的医学秘密,总是担心被那些心术不正的人利用。En: However, she guards her medical secrets closely, always worried they might be exploited by those with ill intentions.Zh: 这是个特别的日子,明哲怀揣着希望,走进故宫的一处院落,小心翼翼地靠近李花的药铺。En: On this special day, Mingzhe, full of hope, walked into a courtyard of the Forbidden City, cautiously approaching Li Hua's herbal shop.Zh: 铺子外,悬挂着浓淡相宜的药材,药香在微风中轻轻荡漾。En: Outside the shop, a harmonious array of herbs hung, with their aromas gently swirling in the breeze.Zh: 明哲礼貌地问是否可以见李花,说明了自己的来意,他的眼神中满是诚恳。En: Mingzhe politely asked if he could see Li Hua, explaining his purpose with sincere eyes.Zh: 李花看着这个年轻人,她的心中有些犹豫。En: Li Hua looked at this young man, feeling some hesitation in her heart.Zh: 她知道,如果这些知识被不当使用,会带来无法预料的后果。En: She knew that if this knowledge was improperly used, it could lead to unforeseen consequences.Zh: 然而,明哲的真诚让她不忍拒绝。En: However, Mingzhe's sincerity made it hard for her to refuse.Zh: 李花答应让明哲协助她去郊外采集一些稀有的草药。En: Li Hua agreed to let Mingzhe assist her in collecting some rare herbs in the countryside.Zh: 明哲欣然同意,他知道这是获得李花信任的机会。En: Mingzhe gladly agreed, knowing this was his chance to earn Li Hua's trust.Zh: 他们走过热闹的街道,出了城门。En: They passed through bustling streets and exited the city gates.Zh: 就在他们采药时,忽然天降大雨。En: Just as they were gathering herbs, a sudden torrential rain descended.Zh: 他们躲进一座古老的小庙中,雨声敲打着屋顶,使周围显得格外宁静。En: They took shelter in an ancient temple, with the sound of rain tapping on the roof, making the surroundings exceptionally serene.Zh: 明哲趁机向李花坦诚地诉说了他的心愿,“我只想治好我亲爱的祖母。En: Mingzhe took the opportunity to sincerely express his desire to Li Hua, "I just want to heal my beloved grandmother."Zh: ”说话时,他的目光中流露出无尽的爱与担忧。En: As he spoke, his eyes revealed infinite love and concern.Zh: 李花被明哲的真诚打动。En: Li Hua was moved by Mingzhe's sincerity.Zh: 她意识到,这个年轻人不是为了自己,而是为了家人,才如此努力地学医。En: She realized that this young man was not doing this for himself, but for his family, striving so hard to learn medicine.Zh: 于是,她决定将一些药方传授给明哲,但她也要求他发誓要把这些知识用在有益于人、帮助他人的地方。En: Thus, she decided to pass on some prescriptions to Mingzhe, but also asked him to swear to use this knowledge for the benefit of others and to help people.Zh: 雨渐渐停下来了,阳光再次洒在大地上。En: As the rain gradually stopped, the sunlight once again bathed the earth.Zh: 李花领着明哲返回京城,沿路草木更加翠绿。En: Li Hua led Mingzhe back to the capital, the greenery along the way appearing more lush.Zh: 在整个过程中,明哲不仅学到了中药的秘密,也深刻领会到了信任和责任的重要性。En: Throughout this process, Mingzhe not only learned the secrets of traditional Chinese medicine but also deeply understood the importance of trust and responsibility.Zh: 他不再只是一个求知者,而成为了一位有使命感的未来医生。En: He no longer was just a seeker of knowledge but became a future doctor with a sense of mission.Zh: 自此,明哲怀着感激和责任感,继续在中医学的道路上前行,决心用自己所学,造福更多的人。En: From then on, Mingzhe, with a heart full of gratitude and responsibility, continued on the path of traditional Chinese medicine, determined to use what he learned to benefit more people.Zh: 李花看着这个年轻人成长,心中充满了欣慰。En: Watching this young man grow, Li Hua felt deeply gratified.Zh: 端午节的粽香和医者仁心,融合在这古老的北京城中,成为一个新的传说。En: The aroma of Dragon Boat Festival's zongzi and the compassionate heart of a healer merged in this ancient city of Beijing, becoming a new legend. Vocabulary Words:courtyards: 院中vermilion: 朱红色fragrance: 香气zongzi: 粽子adorned: 挂满brevity: 片刻sympathetic: 感同身受keen: 浓厚prescription: 药方herbal: 草药mysterious: 神秘exploited: 利用unforeseen: 无法预料的consequences: 后果harmonious: 浓淡相宜hesitation: 犹豫torrential: 倾盆serene: 宁静infinite: 无尽gratitude: 感激ancient: 古老的mission: 使命gratified: 欣慰compassionate: 仁心sincerity: 真诚advised: 劝告pursuit: 追求fervent: 热忱conveyed: 传达introspection: 自省

iGaming Daily
Ep 533: Luxury Branding in a Digital Casino World, Forbidden City's John Cooney

iGaming Daily

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2025 24:09


In this episode, we sit down with John Cooney, Group CEO of Forbidden City, to explore the brand's unique approach to luxury in the iGaming industry. John shares the vision behind positioning Forbidden City as a premium brand that seamlessly blends high-end retail, hospitality, and online gaming. From exclusive design elements to VIP experiences, listeners get an inside look at how Forbidden City is redefining what it means to deliver luxury in a digital entertainment space.John dives into the innovative strategies powering the brand's success, including a game-changing loyalty program designed to mirror the sophistication of elite lifestyle brands. We also examine the complexities of operating in a highly regulated environment and the balancing act between brand integrity and compliance. With insights into market adaptation and digital transformation, this conversation is a masterclass for anyone looking to elevate their brand within the iGaming world.The episode also explores the brand's core focus on high net worth individuals and how Forbidden City curates experiences tailored to this niche. John discusses potential pathways for expansion into broader gaming markets, the critical role of strategic partnerships, and the future of luxury in the online gaming space. Host: Joe StreeterGuest: John CooneyProducer: Anaya McDonaldEditor: James RossiGaming Daily is the official podcast of SBC Summit Malta. Taking place from 10-12 June at the Intercontinental in Malta, SBC Summit Malta is the definitive casino and betting event where European companies and professionals converge to explore cutting-edge insights, gain transformative skills, and forge impactful connections with senior decision-makers. Get your tickets now at sbcevents.com.iGaming Daily is also now on TikTok. Make sure to follow us at iGaming Daily Podcast (@igaming_daily_podcast) | TikTok for bite-size clips from your favourite podcast. Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.

minimal show by john smthg
Jun 25 Playlist - Rave Sense - 124 Bpm Mix

minimal show by john smthg

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025


Hi all, let's break boudaries, love you all !CheersPlaylist :1Planet CaravanAcid Sunday (Flave's No Coke remix) (6:46) 120 BPMEasy Tiger;  2Booka Shade feat Karin ParkLine Of Fire (9 Squares remix) (8:17) 118 BPMBlaufield Music;  3HermanezConn (7:56) 122 BPMBedrock;  4DaviForbidden City (Khen remix) (7:36) 123 BPMBedrock; 5Danniel SelfmadePermanent Cloud (6:11) 124 BPMInfamous Recordings;  6Yulia Niko & Belle DoronUnique (6:49) 124 BPMAXEPT;  7Murmur Tooth / Lars MostonReally Thick Material (extended Club dub) (5:25) 125 BPMOutergalactic Music;  8AirricaCherries (KinAhau remix) (7:42) 125 BPMCrosstown Rebels;  9Nick CurlyUshuaia (extended mix) (6:12) 125 BPM8bit;  10Mat.Joe / Nick CurlyLove Stream (Nick Curly extended remix) (6:07) 126 BPMMother Recordings.   minimal show on iTunes minimal show rss feed   

The History of China
#294 - Qing 29: The Conquest of Qinghai

The History of China

Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2025 43:00


While the Yongzheng Emperor attempts to get his domestic policy ducks in a row from the Forbidden City, out on the Western Frontiers, change is the only constant. Between squabbling Tibetan lamas, restless Kokonor Khans, and the ever-dangerous Dzungar Empire still on the loose out there, the new successor of the late, great Kangxi Emperor has some very big combat-boots to fill... Time Period Covered: ca. 1722-1728 CE Major Historical Figures: Qing Empire: Kangxi Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Xuanye) [r. 1661-1722] Yongzheng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen) [r. 1722-1735] Prince Yinti, the Fuyuan Daijiangjun [1688-1755]Governor Nian Gengyao [1679-1726]Governor-General Yue Zhongqi [1686-1754]General Erentei [d. 1718]Funingga [d. 1728] Dzungar Khanate: Tsewang Rabdan, Khong Tayiji [r. 1697-1727] Galdan Tseren, Khong Tayiji [r. 1727-1745] General Tsering Dondup Tibetan Gelupa/“Yellow Hats”: 5th Dalai Lama[r. 1642-1682] 6th Dalai Lama [r. 1697] 7th Dalai Lama [r. 1720-1757] sDe-pa Sangya Gyatso [1652-1705] Polhanas (Polhané Sönam Topgyé) [1689-1747] Kokonor Mongols (Khoshots): Güshi Khan (Torbaikhu) [r. 1642-1655] Lhazang Khan [r. 1700-1717] Prince Lobzang Danjin, Dalai Hongtaiji [d. 1731] Sources Cited:Perdue, Peter C. China marches west: the Qing conquest of Central Eurasia.Rowe, William T. China's last empire: the great Qing. Zelin, Madeline. “The Yung-chung reign” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 9: The Ch'ing Dynasty, Part 1: To 1800. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

KQED’s Forum
Bay Area Legends: Maxine Hong Kingston Changed What It Means to Tell an American Story

KQED’s Forum

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 57:50


Chinese American literary pioneer Maxine Hong Kingston revolutionized storytelling with her groundbreaking 1976 book ‘The Woman Warrior,' which blended reality and myth to capture the immigrant experience. As part of our Bay Area Legends series, we talk with Kingston – who grew up working in her parent's Stockton laundry business and was an integral part of Berkeley's counterculture movement – about her genre-defying work. And we check in with contemporary authors about Kingston's lasting influence on their craft and the evolution of immigrant narratives in American literature. Guests: Vanessa Hua, author, Forbidden City; Hua's previous books include “A River of Stars”; former columnist, San Francisco Chronicle Aimee Phan, author, "The Reeducation of Cherry Truong"; associate professor of writing and literature, California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, novelist, short story writer and poet; Her most recent novel "Independence" won the American Book Award in 2024. Maxine Hong-Kingston, author Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China Leadership Dilemma Podcast
Meaning of Mandarin phrase 'We Are Descendants of the Dragon'

China Leadership Dilemma Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 4:20


In this video, we explore the iconic Mandarin phrase "我们是龙的传人" (Wǒmen shì lóng de chuánrén) 'We Are Descendants of the Dragon'

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese
Blossoms of Innovation: A Tale of Collaboration in Beijing

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 15:49


Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Blossoms of Innovation: A Tale of Collaboration in Beijing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-05-11-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的春天来了,紫禁城笼罩在温暖的阳光下,樱花随风飘舞。En: Spring has arrived in Beijing, and the Forbidden City is bathed in warm sunlight, with cherry blossoms dancing in the breeze.Zh: 这里是一个充满历史和奇迹的地方,吸引着来自世界各地的人。En: This is a place filled with history and wonders, attracting people from all over the world.Zh: 就在这一天,李明和小雨相遇了。En: On this particular day, Li Ming and Xiao Yu met.Zh: 李明是一位本地的历史学家,对古建筑有着浓厚的兴趣。En: Li Ming is a local historian with a strong interest in ancient architecture.Zh: 他总是独自一人走在紫禁城的长廊中,沉浸在历史的海洋里。En: He always walks through the long corridors of the Forbidden City alone, immersed in the ocean of history.Zh: 与他不同,小雨是一个充满活力的年轻建筑师。En: Unlike him, Xiao Yu is a vibrant young architect.Zh: 她梦想设计出结合现代与传统的建筑,每次来到紫禁城,她都像发现新大陆一样兴奋不已。En: She dreams of designing architecture that combines modern and traditional elements.Zh: 那天,小雨正在仔细观察一座古老宫殿的屋顶,她被木雕的精致细节迷住了。En: Every time she visits the Forbidden City, she is as excited as if discovering a new continent.Zh: “这简直太美了,这样的设计真令人着迷!En: That day, Xiao Yu was carefully observing the roof of an ancient palace, captivated by the exquisite details of the wood carvings.Zh: ”她忍不住低声赞叹。En: "This is simply beautiful, such a design is truly fascinating!"Zh: 李明正巧经过,听到了小雨的话。En: she couldn't help but murmur in admiration.Zh: 他停下脚步,看了看小雨,忍不住说道:“这是清朝的典型风格,利用榫卯结构,不用一颗钉子。En: Li Ming happened to pass by and heard Xiao Yu's words.Zh: ”小雨回头,露出友好的笑容:“真的很有趣!En: He stopped, looked at her, and couldn't help but say, "This is a typical style of the Qing Dynasty, using mortise and tenon joints, without a single nail."Zh: 这些细节让我灵感不断。En: Xiao Yu turned around, showing a friendly smile, "Really interesting!Zh: ”就这样,两人开始聊了起来。En: These details continuously inspire me."Zh: 李明起初还有些犹豫,不确定是否要与陌生人分享他的知识。En: And so, they started chatting.Zh: 然而,小雨的热情和真诚打动了他。En: Li Ming was initially a bit hesitant, unsure whether to share his knowledge with a stranger.Zh: 很快,他便滔滔不绝地讲述着紫禁城里的历史故事。En: However, Xiao Yu's enthusiasm and sincerity moved him.Zh: 小雨则讲述着她的梦想,她想设计一种新的建筑风格,可以让现代人也感受到传统之美。En: Soon, he was passionately narrating historical stories of the Forbidden City.Zh: 但她总是面对着质疑,很多人不相信她能做到。En: Xiao Yu shared her dreams of designing a new architectural style that allows modern people to also feel the beauty of tradition.Zh: 随着樱花的飘落,他们来到了紫禁城的一处偏僻角落。En: But she often faced doubt, as many did not believe she could achieve it.Zh: 在那里,他们无意间发现了一处隐藏的建筑细节。En: As cherry blossoms fell, they arrived at a secluded corner of the Forbidden City.Zh: 那是古代工匠用来防雨的小秘密,而这样的设计与小雨的一个构思不谋而合。En: There, they accidentally discovered a hidden architectural detail—a small secret used by ancient craftsmen to keep out rain, which coincidentally matched one of Xiao Yu's ideas.Zh: “这个细节可以应用在我的设计里!En: "This detail can be incorporated into my design!"Zh: ”小雨兴奋地说道,她的眼睛发亮。En: Xiao Yu exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining.Zh: 李明也惊讶地发现这与他的研究主题有关。En: Li Ming was also surprised to find that this related to his research topic.Zh: 他意识到,小雨的现代创意可以与历史完美结合。En: He realized that Xiao Yu's modern creativity could perfectly merge with history.Zh: 于是,他决定打开自己的心扉,与小雨分享更多。En: So, he decided to open his heart and share more with her.Zh: 就这样,他们开始了一场合作。En: Thus began their collaboration.Zh: 小雨将古代工艺融入到现代设计中,而李明则用他的知识引导这一切的实现。En: Xiao Yu incorporated ancient techniques into modern designs, while Li Ming used his knowledge to guide its realization.Zh: 不久后,他们共同完成的项目受到高度评价,传统和现代完美融合。En: Soon, the project they completed together received high praise, with a perfect blend of tradition and modernity.Zh: 两人之间也建立了深厚的友情与合作关系。En: They also developed a deep friendship and collaboration.Zh: 从此,李明不再独自一人,他学会了分享自己的热情和知识。En: From then on, Li Ming was no longer alone; he learned to share his passion and knowledge.Zh: 而小雨则增强了自信,变得更加坚定自己的设计理想。En: Xiao Yu, on the other hand, gained confidence and became more steadfast in her design ideals.Zh: 在紫禁城的风中,他们的故事正如那飘舞的樱花,永远生动。En: In the wind of the Forbidden City, their story, like the dancing cherry blossoms, remains forever vivid. Vocabulary Words:bathed: 笼罩cherry blossoms: 樱花breeze: 微风ancient: 古老architecture: 建筑corridors: 长廊immersed: 沉浸ocean: 海洋vibrant: 充满活力observe: 观察exquisite: 精致carvings: 雕刻murmur: 低声admiration: 赞叹typical: 典型mortise and tenon: 榫卯结构enthusiasm: 热情sincerity: 真诚narrating: 讲述secluded: 偏僻craftsmen: 工匠incorporated: 融入confidence: 自信steadfast: 坚定collaboration: 合作realization: 实现praise: 赞美blend: 融合passion: 热情ideals: 理想

Empire
250. Victorian Narcos: Banished From Beijing (Ep 4)

Empire

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 36:07


How did the Macartney Mission fail so spectacularly? Where does the word ‘kowtow' come from? Why were the diplomats banished from the Forbidden City? Listen as William and Anita continue the story of how the Macartney expedition completely failed to develop diplomatic relations with imperial China in 1793.  _____________ Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, our exclusive newsletter, and access to our members' chatroom on Discord! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.  Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk  Blue Sky: @empirepoduk  X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Becki Hills Producer: Anouska Lewis Senior Producer: Callum Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HISTORY This Week
A Concubine Rises to Rule China

HISTORY This Week

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 42:10


April 27, 1856. In Beijing's Forbidden City, one of the emperor's consorts, a woman named Cixi, has given birth to a son – the emperor's first heir. This landmark event is met with mass celebration. But in just five years time, the emperor will be dead and Cixi will be planning a coup to take power for herself. How will she ever succeed?  Special thanks to our guests: Jung Chang, author of Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China, and Professor Ying-chen Peng, author of Artful Subversion: Empress Dowager Cixi's Image Making in Art. **This episode originally aired April 24, 2023. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese
Portraits of the Past: Mingyu and Lijuan's Forbidden City Quest

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 12:51


Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Portraits of the Past: Mingyu and Lijuan's Forbidden City Quest Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-04-21-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的初春,阳光柔和地洒在故宫的屋顶上。En: In the early spring of Beijing, the sunlight softly bathes the rooftops of the Forbidden City.Zh: 樱花随风飘舞,红墙金瓦在蓝天的映衬下格外夺目。En: Cherry blossoms dance in the wind, and the red walls and golden tiles look especially striking against the blue sky.Zh: 清明节的气氛渗透在空气中,人们在这里纪念祖先,也享受着古往今来的交融。En: The atmosphere of the Qingming Festival permeates the air; people are here to commemorate their ancestors and enjoy the blend of ancient and modern.Zh: 明宇是一位年轻的历史学家,他来这里寻找一些关于自己家族历史的信息,希望揭示被遗忘的故事。En: Mingyu is a young historian who has come here to search for information about his family's history, hoping to uncover forgotten stories.Zh: 另一方面,丽娟是个有创意的摄影师,她想在清明节期间捕捉到一张完美的照片,展现故宫的节日氛围。En: On the other hand, Lijuan is a creative photographer aiming to capture the perfect photograph during the Qingming Festival, showcasing the festive atmosphere of the Forbidden City.Zh: 明宇穿过人群,心里有些焦急。En: Mingyu weaves through the crowd, feeling a bit anxious.Zh: 他希望找到能帮他进入档案馆的人。En: He hopes to find someone who can help him access the archives.Zh: 丽娟则在一旁拍摄,她努力在纷扰中寻找那一刻的安静与美丽。En: Lijuan, on the side, is taking photographs, striving to find a moment of tranquility and beauty amidst the chaos.Zh: 但拥挤的人潮和严格的拍摄许可证限制让她倍感困难。En: However, the crowded throng and strict photography permits make it especially challenging for her.Zh: 在一座不太知名的殿宇旁,明宇和丽娟不约而同地停下脚步。En: By a less well-known temple, both Mingyu and Lijuan coincidentally stop in their tracks.Zh: 这里安静许多,阳光透过树叶洒下斑驳光影。En: It is much quieter here, with sunlight filtering through the leaves, casting dappled shadows.Zh: 他们开始交流,发现对方的目标出奇地契合。En: They begin to converse and discover that their goals surprisingly align.Zh: 明宇为丽娟讲解建筑背后的历史,丽娟则提供一个熟知档案馆手续的联系,让明宇看到希望。En: Mingyu explains the history behind the architecture to Lijuan, while Lijuan offers Mingyu a contact familiar with archive procedures, giving him a glimmer of hope.Zh: 两人决定一起努力。En: The two decide to work together.Zh: 明宇通过丽娟的帮助,顺利进入档案馆,找到了有关家族的珍贵资料。En: With Lijuan's help, Mingyu successfully accesses the archives and finds valuable materials about his family.Zh: 而丽娟也终于拍到一张完美的照片,捕捉到了清明节的宁静与庄重。En: Lijuan, in turn, manages to take a perfect photograph, capturing the tranquility and solemnity of the Qingming Festival.Zh: 画面里,丽娟用她的相机凝固住了一个永恒的瞬间。En: In the picture, Lijuan uses her camera to freeze an eternal moment.Zh: 两人坐在故宫的一处长廊,看着夕阳渐渐下沉。En: The two sit in a long corridor of the Forbidden City, watching the sunset slowly descend.Zh: 明宇感受到了分享历史发现的快乐,而丽娟则对作品的内涵有了更深刻的理解。En: Mingyu feels the joy of sharing historical discoveries, while Lijuan gains a deeper understanding of her work's meaning.Zh: 两人相视而笑,决定一同去探索更多的历史遗迹,将这些瞬间永远记录下来。En: They exchange smiles and decide to explore more historical sites together, recording these moments forever.Zh: 这个春天,交织了过去与未来的故事在这里静静流转,留下了属于他们的足迹。En: This spring, the stories intertwining the past and future flow quietly here, leaving their footprints behind. Vocabulary Words:permeates: 渗透commemorate: 纪念uncover: 揭示forgotten: 被遗忘的weaves: 穿过anxious: 焦急access: 进入archives: 档案馆striving: 努力tranquility: 安静throng: 人潮coincidentally: 不约而同地dappled: 斑驳converse: 交流align: 契合solemnity: 庄重eternal: 永恒corridor: 长廊descend: 下沉joy: 快乐discoveries: 发现deeper: 更深刻的entwining: 交织dapple: 洒下斑驳光影footprints: 足迹festive: 节日的scenic: 景色优美的photography: 摄影captures: 捕捉blend: 交融

レアジョブ英会話 Daily News Article Podcast
A mix of science and tradition helps restore relics in China’s Forbidden City

レアジョブ英会話 Daily News Article Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 2:31


It's highly technical work in what looks more like a lab than a museum: a fragment of a glazed roof tile from Beijing's Forbidden City is analyzed in a state-of-the-art X-ray diffraction machine that produces images which are then projected onto computer screens. The fragment being examined has a dark area on its surface that restorers want to understand. Their objective is to better preserve the artifacts at the sprawling imperial palace, the former home of China's emperors and its seat of power for hundreds of years. "We want to learn what the black material is," said Kang Baoqiang, one of the restorers at the complex, today a museum that attracts tourists from all over the world. "Whether it's atmospheric sediment or the result of substantial change from within." About 150 workers on the team fuse scientific analysis and traditional techniques to clean, patch up and otherwise revive the more than 1.8 million relics in the museum's collection. They include scroll paintings, calligraphy, bronzes, ceramics—and, somewhat unexpectedly, ornate antique clocks that were gifted to emperors by early European visitors. Down the hall from the X-ray room, two other restorers patch up holes on a panel of patterned green silk with the Chinese character for "longevity" sewn into it, carefully adding color in a process called "inpainting." The piece is believed to have been a birthday gift to Empress Dowager Cixi, the power behind the throne in the late 19th and early 20th century. Much of the work is laborious and monotonous—and takes months to complete. "I don't have the big dreams of protecting traditional cultural heritage that people talk about," said Wang Nan, one of the restorers. "I simply enjoy the sense of achievement when an antique piece is fixed." Restoration techniques have also evolved, said Qu Feng, head of the museum's Conservation Department, though the old ways remain the foundation of the work. When we preserve an antique piece, we "protect the cultural values it carries," Qu said. "And that is our ultimate goal." This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese
Rivalry and Revelations: Art Restored at the Forbidden City

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 15:06


Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rivalry and Revelations: Art Restored at the Forbidden City Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-04-15-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的故宫在清明节时节焕发着迷人的春色。En: The Forbidden City in Beijing during the Qingming Festival is vibrant with captivating spring colors.Zh: 古老的建筑在阳光的映照下显得格外壮丽,周围的花朵纷纷绽放,香气四溢。En: The ancient buildings, bathed in sunlight, appear exceptionally magnificent, surrounded by blooming flowers and permeated with fragrance.Zh: 这里的一切都充满着历史的厚重感,使人肃然起敬。En: Everything here is imbued with a solemn sense of history, commanding respect from all who visit.Zh: 在故宫一间鲜为人知的小室里,李伟正专注于修复一幅新发现的古画。En: In a little-known room within the Forbidden City, an art restorer named Li Wei is deeply focused on restoring a newly discovered ancient painting.Zh: 这幅画非常破损,色彩黯淡,纸张发黄,似乎被时间遗忘。En: This painting is severely damaged, with faded colors and yellowed paper, seemingly forgotten by time.Zh: 李伟是一位充满激情的文物修复师,心中一直怀有一个梦想——创作属于自己的艺术作品,并得到展出的机会。En: Li Wei is a passionate artifact restorer, who harbors a dream of creating his own artwork and gaining the opportunity to exhibit it.Zh: 与李伟共同工作的是他的同事陈。En: Working alongside Li Wei is his colleague Chen.Zh: 陈和李伟同时寻求同一个项目的认可,在这竞争激烈的环境中,两人之间隐隐存在着竞争的火花。En: Both Chen and Li Wei are seeking recognition for the same project, and in this highly competitive environment, there are subtle sparks of rivalry between them.Zh: 李伟感受到压力,因为这个项目的成败可能关系到他的未来。En: Li Wei feels the pressure, as the success or failure of this project could determine his future.Zh: 而指导他们的则是经验丰富的小明师傅,他对李伟要求严格,但亦不乏关怀。En: Guiding them is the experienced master Xiaoming, who is strict with Li Wei but also caring.Zh: 随着修复工作的深入,李伟发现这幅画的损毁比想象中更加严重,时间也越来越紧迫。En: As the restoration work progresses, Li Wei realizes that the damage to the painting is more severe than expected, and time is running out.Zh: 他开始犹豫,是否该与竞争对手陈合作,以确保修复工作的质量。En: He begins to hesitate, wondering whether he should collaborate with his rival Chen to ensure the quality of the restoration work.Zh: 经过深思熟虑,李伟决定尝试合作,为不让历史瑰宝毁于一旦。En: After careful consideration, Li Wei decides to attempt collaboration to prevent this historical treasure from being lost.Zh: 在一起工作的过程中,李伟与陈一同交流修复的技术,分享各自的看法。En: During their collaboration, Li Wei and Chen exchange restoration techniques and share their perspectives.Zh: 渐渐地,李伟发现陈不仅仅是个对手,还是一个有着同样热爱的人。En: Gradually, Li Wei discovers that Chen is not just a competitor, but someone who shares the same passion.Zh: 在合作中,他们彼此取长补短,使画作逐渐恢复了昔日的光彩。En: Together, they complement each other's strengths, gradually restoring the painting's former brilliance.Zh: 就在最终呈现之前,李伟偶然发现画作的角落里有一行几乎无法辨识的古代铭文。En: Just before the final presentation, Li Wei accidentally discovers nearly indistinguishable ancient inscriptions in the corner of the painting.Zh: 他小心翼翼地将其清理出来,终于揭示出画作的重大历史意义。En: He carefully cleans them, revealing the painting's significant historical importance.Zh: 这个发现让所有人都惊叹不已。En: This discovery leaves everyone in awe.Zh: 在展示当天,李伟的修复工作赢得了评审的高度认可。En: On the day of the exhibition, Li Wei's restoration work receives high praise from the judges.Zh: 更让他喜出望外的是,他被邀请将自己的艺术作品与其他年轻艺术家的作品一同展出。En: Even more delightfully, he is invited to exhibit his own artistic works alongside other young artists.Zh: 他终于实现了多年的梦想。En: He has finally realized his long-held dream.Zh: 通过这次经历,李伟不但为修复事业和文物保护作出了贡献,还意识到合作的重要性。En: Through this experience, Li Wei not only contributed to the restoration and preservation of artifacts but also understood the importance of collaboration.Zh: 他更深刻地理解了自己的能力,对未来充满了信心。En: He gained a deeper understanding of his capabilities and is filled with confidence for the future.Zh: 从此,他朝着他的艺术梦想迈出了更坚定的一步。En: He has taken a more determined step toward his artistic dreams.Zh: 清明节的故宫在他的心中留下了难忘的印记,仿佛又翻开了新的篇章。En: The Qingming Festival at the Forbidden City left an unforgettable mark on his heart, as if opening a new chapter in his life. Vocabulary Words:vibrant: 焕发captivating: 迷人magnificent: 壮丽fragrance: 香气imbued: 充满solemn: 肃然art restorer: 文物修复师passionate: 充满激情artifact: 文物recognition: 认可competitive: 竞争激烈rivalry: 竞争pressure: 压力severe: 严重collaboration: 合作techniques: 技术perspectives: 看法complement: 取长补短indistinguishable: 无法辨识inscriptions: 铭文significant: 重大historical: 历史presentation: 呈现awe: 惊叹exhibition: 展示praise: 认可delightfully: 喜出望外confidence: 信心determined: 坚定unforgettable: 难忘的

Speak Chinese Like A Taiwanese Local
#278 中國人喜歡西方國家嗎 Do Chinese People Like Western Countries

Speak Chinese Like A Taiwanese Local

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 10:31


十九世紀中葉 shí jiǔ shì jì zhōng yè - mid-19th century西方列強 xī fāng liè qiáng - Western powers侵略 qīn lüè - invasion, aggression地理大發現 dì lǐ dà fā xiàn - Age of Discovery (Great Geographical Discoveries)船隻 chuán zhī - ships, vessels接觸 jiē chù - contact, interaction工業革命 gōng yè gé mìng - Industrial Revolution迅速 xùn sù - rapid, fast武器 wǔ qì - weapons先進 xiān jìn - advanced, sophisticated淪為 lún wéi - to become (a worse state), to be reduced to半殖民半封建 bàn zhí mín bàn fēng jiàn - semi-colonial and semi-feudal屈辱 qū rǔ - humiliation, disgrace鴉片貿易 yā piàn mào yì - opium trade清朝 qīng cháo - Qing Dynasty (1644–1911)戰敗 zhàn bài - to be defeated in war簽訂 qiān dìng - to sign (a treaty, contract)南京條約 nán jīng tiáo yuē - Treaty of Nanjing開放通商口岸 kāi fàng tōng shāng kǒu àn - opening trade ports割讓香港 gē ràng xiāng gǎng - ceding Hong Kong主權 zhǔ quán - sovereignty喪失 sàng shī - to lose (rights, sovereignty, etc.)實力 shí lì - strength, capability大幅下降 dà fú xià jiàng - to decline sharply八國聯軍 bā guó lián jūn - Eight-Nation Alliance (1900 invasion of China)侵華 qīn huá - invasion of China入侵 rù qīn - to invade以...為由 yǐ ... wéi yóu - using ... as an excuse鎮壓 zhèn yā - to suppress, to crack down義和團 yì hé tuán - Boxer Rebellion (anti-foreign movement in 1899-1901)攻進 gōng jìn - to attack and enter佔領 zhàn lǐng - to occupy紫禁城 zǐ jìn chéng - Forbidden City洗劫 xǐ jié - to loot, to plunder頤和園 yí hé yuán - Summer Palace辛丑條約 xīn chǒu tiáo yuē - Boxer Protocol (1901 treaty)賠款 péi kuǎn - reparations, indemnity白銀 bái yín - silver (currency in historical China)消弱 xiāo ruò - to weaken, to diminish處境 chǔ jìng - situation, plight艱難 jiān nán - difficult, tough偽滿洲國 wèi mǎn zhōu guó - Manchukuo (puppet state in Northeast China, 1932-1945)殖民統治 zhí mín tǒng zhì - colonial rule南京大屠殺 nán jīng dà tú shā - Nanjing Massacre (1937)殺害 shā hài - to kill, to murder不甘心 bù gān xīn - unwilling to accept, resentful打壓 dǎ yā - suppression, crackdown自尊心 zì zūn xīn - self-esteem, sense of dignity損害 sǔn hài - to damage, to harm致力於 zhì lì yú - to commit to, to devote efforts to話語權 huà yǔ quán - discourse power, right to speak in international affairsIf your goal in 2025 is to improve your Chinese, meet more Taiwanese friends, and discuss a variety of topics like politics, culture, war, news, economics, and more! I invite you to book a one-on-one trial lesson with me

Cities and Memory - remixing the sounds of the world
Traditional Chinese music performed at the Forbidden City

Cities and Memory - remixing the sounds of the world

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 4:40


This recording captures the beautiful performance of traditional music and dance at the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace) in Beijing, China. Recorded by Colin Hunter. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world's most famous sights.  Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

Cities and Memory - remixing the sounds of the world

"This piece is based on a field recording of a drum and gong ensemble performance in Beijing's Forbidden City. In Chinese culture, such performances are traditionally associated with ceremonial events, including weddings, funerals, housewarmings, Lunar New Year celebrations, and dragon or lion dances. While the rhythms may initially seem repetitive, they are filled with intricate sonic textures and dynamic nuances. "In my composition, I deconstructed the original recording, isolating specific elements, such as the cymbal strikes, and used granular synthesis to generate new sonic materials. At the same time, I retained portions of the ensemble's characteristic rhythms to encourage the audience to focus on these distinctive traditional sounds. To maintain a connection with the original recording, I introduced a steady percussive rhythm at 1:25, with its density meticulously designed to mirror the rhythmic complexity of the source material. "In Chinese tradition, drum and gong performances often serve as background music for ceremonies, where attention is directed more toward the event than the music itself. For some, listening to these sounds in isolation might seem monotonous. However, this piece invites listeners to reconsider these sounds, exploring their intrinsic plasticity and uncovering the deeper potential within them." Beijing temple music reimagined by Boyi Bai. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world's most famous sights.  Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

The History of China
#288 - Special: Hail The The King, Baby

The History of China

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 31:12


We end our trio of insider views into the Forbidden City by looking at the life - and strictures - of the Big Man himself: the emperor. Turn out it's not all banquets and parades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Short History Of...
The Forbidden City

Short History Of...

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 65:22


Nestled deep in the heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City stands as one of the world's greatest architectural marvels. Built in the early 15th century as the secretive seat of imperial rule, it's the largest palace complex anywhere in the world, and the biggest wooden structure on earth. But how did an audacious coup lead to the construction of this mysterious compound? What was life like inside the gated city? And how did it survive revolution, civil war, invasion, and natural disasters, to remain relevant even today?   This is a Short History Of The Forbidden City. A Noiser Production, written by Sean Coleman. With thanks to Dr Stephen Whiteman, a Reader in the Art and Architecture of China at The Courtauld Institute of Art.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you're on Spotify or Android, go to https://www.noiser.com/noiser-plus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The History of China
#287 - Special: Caged Birds Sing

The History of China

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 39:16


A look into the inner heart of the mysterious Forbidden City of Beijing, and at its most protected - and confined - denizens: the women of the Imperial palace. From Empress, to concubine, to lowly maid - women hold up half of Heaven. Please support the show!: patreon.com/thehistoryofchina Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bad Dads Film Review
Princess Mononoke & Sofia the First

Bad Dads Film Review

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 70:39


You can now text us anonymously to leave feedback, suggest future content or simply hurl abuse at us. We'll read out any texts we receive on the show. Click here to try it out!Welcome back to Bad Dads Film Review!This episode takes us on a journey through grand castles and mystical kingdoms as we dive into the majestic world of Top 5 Palaces, the breathtaking fantasy epic Princess Mononoke, and the delightful children's series Sofia the First.Palaces in film aren't just settings—they're symbols of power, magic, and intrigue. Whether steeped in history or conjured from fantasy, these cinematic castles and palaces have left a lasting impression on audiences.1. The Imperial Palace – The Last Emperor (1987)The Forbidden City in Beijing serves as the breathtaking backdrop for Bernardo Bertolucci's historical masterpiece. Its grandeur reflects the isolation and opulence of the young emperor's life. 2. Hogwarts – Harry Potter Series (2001-2011)A magical castle rather than a traditional palace, but let's be honest—Hogwarts is as grand and majestic as any royal residence.3. The Grand Budapest Hotel – The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)Though fictional, its lavish design and color palette make it one of the most memorable cinematic palaces. (Ed: is it though?)4. The Castle in the Sky – Castle in the Sky (1986)Studio Ghibli's floating fortress, Laputa, is an awe-inspiring mix of magic, history, and mystery. It serves as both a relic of the past and a symbol of lost power, perfectly embodying the themes of the film.5. The Palace of Agrabah – Aladdin (1992 & 2019)Disney's shimmering golden palace, home to the Sultan and Princess Jasmine, captures the magic and adventure of the Arabian Nights. Its lavish domes and sprawling gardens make it one of the most iconic palaces in animation.Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke is an epic that blends mythology, environmental themes, and breathtaking animation into a powerful tale of conflict and coexistence.The story follows Ashitaka, a young prince cursed by a demon after defending his village. Seeking a cure, he embarks on a journey that leads him to a battle between humans, led by the ambitious Lady Eboshi, and the spirits of the forest, including the fierce warrior Princess Mononoke (San).While darker and more mature than some of Ghibli's other films, Princess Mononoke is a masterpiece that older kids and adults can appreciate for its depth and emotional weight.For younger viewers, Sofia the First offers a charming introduction to the world of princesses and magic, wrapped in fun adventures and valuable life lessons.Sofia, an ordinary girl, becomes royalty overnight when her mother marries the king. As she navigates palace life, she learns about kindness, responsibility, and courage—often with the help of magical amulets and familiar Disney princesses.From grand palaces to mystical forests, this episode celebrates the magic and wonder of cinema's most enchanting worlds. So grab your crown, saddle up your wolf, and join us for a royal adventure!

Tuesdays With Andrea Podcast
#64 “Pain tried to break me, but I turned it into purpose” with Abbey Tiu, owner, Leilani Asian Fusion

Tuesdays With Andrea Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 76:30


She had every reason to quit—grief, financial struggles, and the challenge of protecting her late partner's dream. But instead of giving up, Abbey Tiu built Leilani Asian Fusion, a restaurant that honors Jason Morales' legacy. She also runs a successful mental health practice dedicated to helping others heal. How did she turn tragedy into success, and what can you learn from her journey? Watch until the end to find out.Abbey Tiu is a restaurateur and entrepreneur based in Aurora, Illinois. She is the owner of Leilani Asian Fusion, a dining establishment located in the historic Hobbs Building at 2 N. River St. in downtown Aurora. The restaurant, which opened on August 9, 2024, offers a diverse menu featuring inventive takes on sushi, steak, vegetarian dishes, boba (bubble tea), and signature cocktails. Leilani Asian Fusion also houses an underground lounge called Forbidden City, inspired by Southeast Asian nightclubs, offering rum-inspired craft cocktails, beer, and wine. The name "Leilani" honors Abbey's daughter and serves as a tribute to her late partner, Jason Morales, an exceptional restaurateur, entrepreneur, and engineer who was a longtime supporter of Aurora's revitalization. His giving spirit and zest for life are integral to the restaurant's ethos.Outline00:00 Kicking Off Season Four of Tuesdays with Andrea1:00 Abbey Intro and Bio5:22 From the Phillipines to the United States7:06 Joining a gang10:24 Transition from Gang Life to Mentorship14:06 Dropping out of high school19:05 Dealing with a troubled marriage20:12 Building a Mental Health Practice26:26 Leaving an unhealthy relationship32:49 Meeting Jason Morales34:39 Building Leilani Asian Fusion36:59 Jason's Passing and the Impact on Abby's Life42:00 Balancing Personal and Professional Life45:46 Not Missing an Opportunity49:27 Leilani Asian Fusion1:02:45 Advice and Insights for Listeners1:11:08 Faith in the Universe and Vision Board Goals1:13:00 Connection and Support from a Distance

The History of China
#286 - Special: Everything Eunuchs All At Once

The History of China

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 36:53


Everything you ever wanted to know (and probably some you didn't) about Court Eunuchs in Imperial China (warning: contains description of castration & its effects) Mary M. Anderson, Hidden Power: The Palace Eunuchs of Imperial China. Duhalde, Marcelo. "How an army of eunuchs ran the Forbidden City" in The South China Morning Post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Retrospectors
The Forbidden City's Final Emperor

The Retrospectors

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 13:07


Henry Puyi, the six-year old Emperor of China, abdicated the throne on 12th February, 1912 —but of course it was his adoptive mother, Empress Dowager Longyu, who did the paperwork. With tears in her eyes, she dramatically whispered, “I am the sinner of a thousand years.” Meanwhile, young Puyi had only pressing question: “Does that mean I don't have to study anymore?”  Plucked from his home at age two, Puyi grew up as ruler in The Forbidden City, the centre of ancient traditions, even as the empire was crumbling. By the time he was 12, it was time for another surreal experience—marriage. Meanwhile, his Scottish tutor, Reginald Johnston, introduced him to movies and Western culture. But the imperial bubble popped for good in 1924 when soldiers finally kicked him out of the Forbidden City, and for the first time in centuries, China had no emperor.  In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain what Puyi did into exile; reveal how he coped when the Chinese Communist Party decided to rebrand him as a model citizen; and discover what Bertolucci's acclaimed movie of his life got wrong... Further Reading: • ‘The Last Emperor's Humble Occupation' (TIME, 1999): https://time.com/archive/6955501/the-last-emperors-humble-occupation/ • 'Pu Yi, last Emperor of China, is pardoned' (History Today, 2009): https://www.historytoday.com/archive/pu-yi-last-emperor-china-pardoned • ‘CHINA: Emperor Puyi crowned in Manchukuo' (BRITISH PARAMOUNT NEWSREEL, 1934): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwApqUm1KkI Love the show? Support us!  Join 

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese
A Letter's Legacy: Lina's Courage in the Forbidden City

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 15:15


Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Letter's Legacy: Lina's Courage in the Forbidden City Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-01-27-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 紫禁城披着一层洁白的雪,红色的灯笼和节日的装饰在古老的走廊间摇曳,为这个历史悠久的地方增添了节日气氛。En: The Zijin Cheng, wearing a coat of pure white snow, swayed with red lanterns and festive decorations in its ancient corridors, adding a holiday atmosphere to this historic place.Zh: 农历新年即将来临,整个北京都沉浸在欢庆的气氛中。En: The Nongli Xinnian was approaching, and all of Beijing was immersed in a celebratory mood.Zh: 在紫禁城的一个安静的角落,年轻的策展人丽娜正在整理历史档案。En: In a quiet corner of the Zijin Cheng, a young curator named Lina was organizing historical archives.Zh: 她发现了一封看似陌生的信。En: She discovered a seemingly unfamiliar letter.Zh: 在信封泛黄的边缘,她觉得那是一封重要的信。En: With its yellowed envelope, she felt it was an important letter.Zh: 丽娜是个充满热情的策展人,致力于保护历史。En: Lina was a passionate curator, dedicated to preserving history.Zh: 她的导师智总是谨慎小心,而来访的历史学家凯以其大胆的理论闻名。En: Her mentor, Zhi, was always cautious, while the visiting historian, Kai, was known for his bold theories.Zh: “我应该告诉智吗?”丽娜心想。En: "Should I tell Zhi?" Lina thought.Zh: 她知道智喜欢以传统的方式处理事务,他可能会对这封信不以为然。En: She knew Zhi liked to handle things traditionally and might dismiss the letter.Zh: 然而,她心中的渴望强烈,想用这封信在即将到来的展览中展示一些新意。En: However, she was strongly eager to showcase some novelty at the upcoming exhibition.Zh: 这时,凯偶然路过,看到丽娜脸上的困惑神情。En: At that moment, Kai happened to pass by and noticed the puzzled expression on Lina's face.Zh: “发现了什么有趣的东西吗?”凯问。En: "Have you found something interesting?" Kai asked.Zh: 丽娜犹豫了一下,然后把信给凯看。En: Lina hesitated for a moment, then showed the letter to Kai.Zh: 凯读完后,眼中闪过一丝激动:“这可能是个突破!我们应该将它展示给公众。”En: After reading it, a flicker of excitement appeared in his eyes: "This could be a breakthrough! We should present it to the public."Zh: 丽娜的心在动摇。En: Lina's heart wavered.Zh: 智可能会反对,但凯的话让她有种不想错过的冲动。En: Zhi might oppose it, but Kai's words sparked a desire not to miss this opportunity.Zh: 丽娜最终选择去见智,带着这封信。En: Lina ultimately chose to meet with Zhi, bringing the letter with her.Zh: 智仔细阅读后,脸色凝重。En: Zhi read it carefully, his expression grave.Zh: “丽娜,我担心这会影响整个展览的主题,”他说。En: "I'm concerned it might affect the entire theme of the exhibition," he said.Zh: “有时,过于激进并不好。”En: "Sometimes, being too radical isn't good."Zh: 丽娜感到不知所措。En: Lina felt bewildered.Zh: 她尊敬智,但也逐渐被凯的勇气感染。En: She respected Zhi, but was increasingly influenced by Kai's courage.Zh: 她需要做出一个决定。En: She needed to make a decision.Zh: 随着春节庆祝活动的临近,展览的筹备工作如火如荼。En: With the Chunjie celebrations approaching, the preparation for the exhibition was in full swing.Zh: 丽娜终于下定决心,在新闻发布会上,她展示了这封信。En: Lina finally made up her mind, and during the press conference, she showcased the letter.Zh: 台下瞬间陷入沉默,然后爆发出一片嗡嗡声。En: The audience fell silent instantly, then erupted into a buzz.Zh: 所有人都被这份新发现吸引了。En: Everyone was fascinated by this new discovery.Zh: 更令人惊喜的是,经过权威验证,这封信被证实是正版。En: More astonishingly, after authoritative verification, the letter was confirmed to be genuine.Zh: 信件的内容为展览增添了丰富的历史意义,数不胜数的参观者前来观赏。En: The content of the letter enriched the historical significance of the exhibition, attracting countless visitors.Zh: 这不仅是对展览的成功,更是对历史保护的致敬。En: This was not only a testament to the success of the exhibition but also a tribute to the preservation of history.Zh: 丽娜在此次事件中变得更加自信。En: Through this event, Lina became more confident.Zh: 她学会了相信自己的直觉,同时在传统与创新之间找到了平衡。En: She learned to trust her instincts and found a balance between tradition and innovation.Zh: 智也对她的成长感到欣慰,而凯则对她的勇气表示钦佩。En: Zhi felt gratified by her growth, while Kai admired her courage.Zh: 紫禁城的雪依然飘零,古老而庄严的墙壁在这一刻见证了新旧交替间的传承。En: The snow still drifted in the Zijin Cheng, the ancient and solemn walls bearing witness to the inheritance between the old and new.Zh: 丽娜望着熙熙攘攘的人群,心中溢满自豪与满足。En: Lina gazed at the bustling crowd, her heart filled with pride and contentment. Vocabulary Words:corridors: 走廊immersed: 沉浸curator: 策展人archives: 档案envelope: 信封dedicated: 致力于mentor: 导师cautious: 谨慎dismiss: 不以为然novelty: 新意expression: 神情breakthrough: 突破wavered: 动摇oppose: 反对grave: 凝重radical: 激进bewildered: 不知所措preparation: 筹备showcased: 展示audience: 台下verification: 验证genuine: 正版significance: 意义testament: 见证tribute: 致敬contentment: 满足gratified: 欣慰inheritance: 传承bustling: 熙熙攘攘enchanted: 吸引

New Books Network
Aurelia Campbell, "What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming" (U Washington Press, 2020)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 63:11


One of the most famous rulers in Chinese history, the Yongle emperor (r. 1402–24) gained renown for constructing Beijing's magnificent Forbidden City, directing ambitious naval expeditions, and creating the world's largest encyclopedia. What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming (U Washington Press, 2020) is the first book-length study devoted to the architectural projects of a single Chinese emperor. Focusing on the imperial palaces in Beijing, a Daoist architectural complex on Mount Wudang, and a Buddhist temple on the Sino-Tibetan frontier, Aurelia Campbell demonstrates how the siting, design, and use of Yongle's palaces and temples helped cement his authority and legitimize his usurpation of power. Campbell offers insight into Yongle's sense of empire—from the far-flung locations in which he built, to the distant regions from which he extracted construction materials, and to the use of tens of thousands of craftsmen and other laborers. Through his constructions, Yongle connected himself to the divine, interacted with his subjects, and extended imperial influence across space and time. Spanning issues of architectural design and construction technologies, this deft analysis reveals remarkable advancements in timber-frame construction and implements an art-historical approach to examine patronage, audience, and reception, situating the buildings within their larger historical and religious contexts. Noelle Giuffrida is a professor and curator of Asian art at the School of Art and the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University. Email: ngiuffrida@bsu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in History
Aurelia Campbell, "What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming" (U Washington Press, 2020)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 63:11


One of the most famous rulers in Chinese history, the Yongle emperor (r. 1402–24) gained renown for constructing Beijing's magnificent Forbidden City, directing ambitious naval expeditions, and creating the world's largest encyclopedia. What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming (U Washington Press, 2020) is the first book-length study devoted to the architectural projects of a single Chinese emperor. Focusing on the imperial palaces in Beijing, a Daoist architectural complex on Mount Wudang, and a Buddhist temple on the Sino-Tibetan frontier, Aurelia Campbell demonstrates how the siting, design, and use of Yongle's palaces and temples helped cement his authority and legitimize his usurpation of power. Campbell offers insight into Yongle's sense of empire—from the far-flung locations in which he built, to the distant regions from which he extracted construction materials, and to the use of tens of thousands of craftsmen and other laborers. Through his constructions, Yongle connected himself to the divine, interacted with his subjects, and extended imperial influence across space and time. Spanning issues of architectural design and construction technologies, this deft analysis reveals remarkable advancements in timber-frame construction and implements an art-historical approach to examine patronage, audience, and reception, situating the buildings within their larger historical and religious contexts. Noelle Giuffrida is a professor and curator of Asian art at the School of Art and the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University. Email: ngiuffrida@bsu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books in Architecture
Aurelia Campbell, "What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming" (U Washington Press, 2020)

New Books in Architecture

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 63:11


One of the most famous rulers in Chinese history, the Yongle emperor (r. 1402–24) gained renown for constructing Beijing's magnificent Forbidden City, directing ambitious naval expeditions, and creating the world's largest encyclopedia. What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming (U Washington Press, 2020) is the first book-length study devoted to the architectural projects of a single Chinese emperor. Focusing on the imperial palaces in Beijing, a Daoist architectural complex on Mount Wudang, and a Buddhist temple on the Sino-Tibetan frontier, Aurelia Campbell demonstrates how the siting, design, and use of Yongle's palaces and temples helped cement his authority and legitimize his usurpation of power. Campbell offers insight into Yongle's sense of empire—from the far-flung locations in which he built, to the distant regions from which he extracted construction materials, and to the use of tens of thousands of craftsmen and other laborers. Through his constructions, Yongle connected himself to the divine, interacted with his subjects, and extended imperial influence across space and time. Spanning issues of architectural design and construction technologies, this deft analysis reveals remarkable advancements in timber-frame construction and implements an art-historical approach to examine patronage, audience, and reception, situating the buildings within their larger historical and religious contexts. Noelle Giuffrida is a professor and curator of Asian art at the School of Art and the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University. Email: ngiuffrida@bsu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/architecture

New Books in Early Modern History
Aurelia Campbell, "What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming" (U Washington Press, 2020)

New Books in Early Modern History

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 63:11


One of the most famous rulers in Chinese history, the Yongle emperor (r. 1402–24) gained renown for constructing Beijing's magnificent Forbidden City, directing ambitious naval expeditions, and creating the world's largest encyclopedia. What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming (U Washington Press, 2020) is the first book-length study devoted to the architectural projects of a single Chinese emperor. Focusing on the imperial palaces in Beijing, a Daoist architectural complex on Mount Wudang, and a Buddhist temple on the Sino-Tibetan frontier, Aurelia Campbell demonstrates how the siting, design, and use of Yongle's palaces and temples helped cement his authority and legitimize his usurpation of power. Campbell offers insight into Yongle's sense of empire—from the far-flung locations in which he built, to the distant regions from which he extracted construction materials, and to the use of tens of thousands of craftsmen and other laborers. Through his constructions, Yongle connected himself to the divine, interacted with his subjects, and extended imperial influence across space and time. Spanning issues of architectural design and construction technologies, this deft analysis reveals remarkable advancements in timber-frame construction and implements an art-historical approach to examine patronage, audience, and reception, situating the buildings within their larger historical and religious contexts. Noelle Giuffrida is a professor and curator of Asian art at the School of Art and the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University. Email: ngiuffrida@bsu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in Chinese Studies
Aurelia Campbell, "What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming" (U Washington Press, 2020)

New Books in Chinese Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 63:11


One of the most famous rulers in Chinese history, the Yongle emperor (r. 1402–24) gained renown for constructing Beijing's magnificent Forbidden City, directing ambitious naval expeditions, and creating the world's largest encyclopedia. What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming (U Washington Press, 2020) is the first book-length study devoted to the architectural projects of a single Chinese emperor. Focusing on the imperial palaces in Beijing, a Daoist architectural complex on Mount Wudang, and a Buddhist temple on the Sino-Tibetan frontier, Aurelia Campbell demonstrates how the siting, design, and use of Yongle's palaces and temples helped cement his authority and legitimize his usurpation of power. Campbell offers insight into Yongle's sense of empire—from the far-flung locations in which he built, to the distant regions from which he extracted construction materials, and to the use of tens of thousands of craftsmen and other laborers. Through his constructions, Yongle connected himself to the divine, interacted with his subjects, and extended imperial influence across space and time. Spanning issues of architectural design and construction technologies, this deft analysis reveals remarkable advancements in timber-frame construction and implements an art-historical approach to examine patronage, audience, and reception, situating the buildings within their larger historical and religious contexts. Noelle Giuffrida is a professor and curator of Asian art at the School of Art and the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University. Email: ngiuffrida@bsu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

New Books in Art
Aurelia Campbell, "What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming" (U Washington Press, 2020)

New Books in Art

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 63:11


One of the most famous rulers in Chinese history, the Yongle emperor (r. 1402–24) gained renown for constructing Beijing's magnificent Forbidden City, directing ambitious naval expeditions, and creating the world's largest encyclopedia. What the Emperor Built: Architecture and Empire in the Early Ming (U Washington Press, 2020) is the first book-length study devoted to the architectural projects of a single Chinese emperor. Focusing on the imperial palaces in Beijing, a Daoist architectural complex on Mount Wudang, and a Buddhist temple on the Sino-Tibetan frontier, Aurelia Campbell demonstrates how the siting, design, and use of Yongle's palaces and temples helped cement his authority and legitimize his usurpation of power. Campbell offers insight into Yongle's sense of empire—from the far-flung locations in which he built, to the distant regions from which he extracted construction materials, and to the use of tens of thousands of craftsmen and other laborers. Through his constructions, Yongle connected himself to the divine, interacted with his subjects, and extended imperial influence across space and time. Spanning issues of architectural design and construction technologies, this deft analysis reveals remarkable advancements in timber-frame construction and implements an art-historical approach to examine patronage, audience, and reception, situating the buildings within their larger historical and religious contexts. Noelle Giuffrida is a professor and curator of Asian art at the School of Art and the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University. Email: ngiuffrida@bsu.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/art

History Goes Bump Podcast
Ep. 568 - Haunted Beijing

History Goes Bump Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2024 32:13


Beijing is a city with over 3,000 years of recorded history. Not only is this a city with a rich history, it has a rich culture, some of which is surrounded by folklore and the supernatural. There are several haunted locations in this capital city of China. Chaonei (Chow nay) No. 81 is found in the Dongcheng District and is a unique brick structure with an obscure history that seems to be mostly connected to the Catholic church. No one really knows why it is haunted, but it is said to be one of the most haunted locations in China. There is the Huguang Guild Hall, a haunted theater. A home for royalty, the Prince Gong's Mansion, has a couple ghosts stories. The Bell Tower may be connected to a young woman's ultimate sacrifice and now it occasionally rings out her haunting cry. And the Forbidden City itself has some creepy stories. Join us for the history and hauntings of Beijing, China. The Moment in Oddity features the Tabitha Babbit Circular Saw and This Month in History features the birth of Eli Whitney. Check out the website: http://historygoesbump.com Show notes can be found here: https://historygoesbump.blogspot.com/2024/12/hgb-ep-568-haunted-beijing.html  Become an Executive Producer: http://patreon.com/historygoesbump Music used in this episode:  Main Theme: Lurking in the Dark by Muse Music with Groove Studios (Moment in Oddity) "Vanishing" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (This Month in History) "In Your Arms" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music: Happy Fun Punk by Muse Music with Groove Studios Other music used in this episode: Creepy Asian Theme created and produced by History Goes Bump Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese
Snow on the Forbidden City: A Tale of Healing and Harmony

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 14:54


Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Snow on the Forbidden City: A Tale of Healing and Harmony Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-12-23-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 冬至节的前一天,紫禁城被覆盖在一片洁白的雪中。En: The day before the Dongzhi Festival, the Forbidden City was covered in a blanket of white snow.Zh: 宫灯在悠悠飘雪中闪烁,映照出这座宏伟皇宫的庄严。En: Palace lanterns flickered amidst the leisurely falling snow, reflecting the grandeur of this magnificent imperial palace.Zh: 宫墙内,人心却充满了不安。En: Inside the palace walls, however, the people's hearts were filled with unease.Zh: 皇后突然染上了一种神秘的病,宫中的御医和太医们都束手无策。En: The Empress suddenly fell ill with a mysterious illness, leaving the court physicians and imperial doctors helpless.Zh: 李信是宫中的御医,他对皇后的健康十分关注。En: Li Xin was an imperial doctor in the palace, deeply concerned about the Empress's health.Zh: 李信每天清晨跪拜在佛前祈求皇后早日康复。En: Every morning, Li Xin knelt before Buddha, praying for the Empress's prompt recovery.Zh: 随着冬至节的临近,李信心中充满了紧迫感和责任感。En: As the Dongzhi Festival approached, Li Xin felt a strong sense of urgency and responsibility.Zh: 传统的草药和针灸都似乎对皇后的病情没有起色,他忧心如焚。En: Traditional herbal medicine and acupuncture seemed to have no effect on the Empress's condition, and he was anguished.Zh: 美玉是新来的宫廷药剂师,她对草药有深厚的理解。En: Meiyu was the newly arrived court herbalist, with a profound understanding of herbs.Zh: 美玉的医术虽然非传统,但很多人相信她的手段有奇效。En: Although Meiyu's medical techniques were unconventional, many believed in her methods' miraculous effects.Zh: 李信对这些新的药方心存疑虑,因为一直以来他都是遵从传统医学的准则。En: Li Xin harbored doubts about these new prescriptions, as he had always adhered to traditional medical principles.Zh: 他常常看到美玉在雪中采摘一些宫中少见的草药。En: He often saw Meiyu picking rare herbs in the snow within the palace grounds.Zh: “李大人,”一天黄昏,美玉在御药房内对李信说道,“我或许可以试一个新疗方,我们可以尝试结合我俩的知识,或许能帮助皇后。En: "Minister Li," Meiyu said to Li Xin in the imperial pharmacy one evening, "I might try a new remedy.Zh: ”李信沉思片刻,说:“美玉姑娘,我知道你有心。En: We could combine our knowledge; perhaps it could help the Empress."Zh: 可是,这样的想法实在是太冒险了。En: Li Xin pondered for a moment and said, "Meiyu, I know you are well-intentioned.Zh: ”“时间不多了。En: But such an idea is truly risky."Zh: ”美玉接着说道,“冬至节快到了,皇后需要尽快好转。En: "There is not much time," Meiyu continued, "The Dongzhi Festival is approaching, and the Empress needs to recover soon."Zh: ”李信挣扎着;他的心中充满了对皇后的责任。En: Li Xin struggled with his decision; his heart was laden with responsibility for the Empress.Zh: 他决定鼓起勇气,“好吧,我们试试。En: He decided to muster the courage, "Alright, let's try."Zh: ”两人共同研制了一种新药,结合了传统和美玉的独特配方,他们焦急地等待着结果。En: Together, they developed a new medicine, combining traditional methods with Meiyu's unique formula, and anxiously awaited the results.Zh: 很快,皇后病情开始好转,她逐渐恢复了意识。En: Soon, the Empress's condition began to improve, and she gradually regained consciousness.Zh: 冬至节当日,宫中锣鼓喧天,欢庆节日的到来。En: On the day of the Dongzhi Festival, the palace was filled with the sound of gongs and drums, celebrating the arrival of the festival.Zh: 皇后亲自出现在庆典上,脸色红润,全都得益于李信和美玉的医术。En: The Empress appeared in person at the celebration, her complexion rosy, all thanks to the medical skills of Li Xin and Meiyu.Zh: 李信赞美道:“美玉姑娘,谢谢你。En: Li Xin praised, "Meiyu, thank you.Zh: 是你的智慧帮助了我们。En: It was your wisdom that helped us."Zh: ”美玉微笑回应:“李大人,我们的合作让我也学到了许多。En: Meiyu smiled and replied, "Minister Li, our collaboration taught me so much as well."Zh: ”从那以后,李信对不同医学方法有了新的尊重。En: From then on, Li Xin gained a newfound respect for different medical approaches.Zh: 他开始在自己的医术中融入更多的创新,同时保持着传统的根基。En: He began to integrate more innovation into his medical practices while maintaining the foundations of tradition.Zh: 紫禁城再一次被欢庆和感激的气氛所包围,李信和美玉成了宫中人人敬重的医者。En: The Forbidden City was once again enveloped in an atmosphere of celebration and gratitude, with Li Xin and Meiyu becoming respected doctors within the palace.Zh: 冬至节的雪,静静地落在紫禁城的宫墙之上,见证了一次不平凡的康复奇迹。En: The snow of the Dongzhi Festival quietly fell upon the palace walls of the Forbidden City, witnessing an extraordinary miracle of recovery. Vocabulary Words:flickered: 闪烁grandeur: 庄严magnificent: 宏伟imperial: 皇宫的unease: 不安mysterious: 神秘prayed: 祈求recovery: 康复urgency: 紧迫感responsibility: 责任感anguished: 忧心如焚herbalist: 药剂师profound: 深厚unconventional: 非传统miraculous: 奇效prescriptions: 药方remedy: 疗方muster: 鼓起anxiously: 焦急地consciousness: 意识complexion: 脸色collaboration: 合作innovation: 创新enveloped: 包围gratitude: 感激respected: 尊重empress: 皇后integrate: 融入adhered: 遵从prescription: 新药

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese
Fuse of Time: A Historian and Photographer's Creative Journey

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2024 15:04


Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Fuse of Time: A Historian and Photographer's Creative Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-11-06-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的故宫,金黄色的银杏叶在风中飘舞,充满了双重九节的欢乐气氛。En: In the autumn of the Gugong (Forbidden City), the golden yinxing (ginkgo) leaves dance in the wind, filling the air with the joyous atmosphere of the Shuangchongjiujie (Double Ninth Festival).Zh: 故宫的红墙金瓦在阳光下熠熠生辉,人潮涌动,节日庆典正在热烈进行。En: The red walls and golden roofs of the Forbidden City gleam under the sunlight, as crowds gather, and festive celebrations are in full swing.Zh: 明是一位历史学家。En: Ming is a historian.Zh: 他特别喜欢在这种节日中讲述节日的历史故事。En: He especially enjoys telling historical stories about festivals during such events.Zh: 恋是一名摄影师,专注于捕捉每个文化节日的美丽。En: Lian is a photographer focused on capturing the beauty of every cultural festival.Zh: 两人都在寻找心灵的寄托。En: Both are searching for solace for their souls.Zh: 节日的喧闹中,明看到了正忙于拍照的恋。En: Amidst the festival's hustle and bustle, Ming noticed Lian, who was busy taking photos.Zh: 她的相机记录每一个精彩瞬间,却忽略了这些瞬间背后的历史故事。En: Her camera captured every wonderful moment, yet overlooked the historical stories behind them.Zh: 明心想:“这些照片如果能有历史的深度就更好了。En: Ming thought to himself, "These photos would be even better with historical depth."Zh: ”明走上前,微笑着对恋说:“你好,你在拍摄双重九节的照片吗?En: Ming approached with a smile and said to Lian, "Hello, are you photographing the Double Ninth Festival?"Zh: ”恋点头,说:“是的,我希望能捕捉到节日的精髓。En: Lian nodded and said, "Yes, I hope to capture the essence of the festival."Zh: ”但当明开始讲述双重九节的历史,恋却显得有些不耐烦。En: But when Ming started to tell the history of the Double Ninth Festival, Lian seemed a bit impatient.Zh: “照片应该传达自己的意境,”恋说。En: "Photos should convey their own meaning," Lian said.Zh: 两人就照片该如何呈现历史问题争论不休。En: The two argued endlessly about how photos should present history.Zh: 但经过一番思考,明决定换个方式。En: But after some thought, Ming decided to try a different approach.Zh: 他提出带恋游览故宫,边走边讲解,让她的每张照片都有一个故事背景。En: He suggested taking Lian on a tour of the Forbidden City, explaining the stories as they walked, so that each of her photos would have a storytelling background.Zh: 虽然起初心存疑虑,但恋同意了。En: Although initially hesitant, Lian agreed.Zh: 她意识到明的观点也许对她的作品有帮助。En: She realized that Ming's perspective might be beneficial to her work.Zh: 走在故宫长廊上,明细心讲述着墙壁上的每一个图案和背后的故事。En: Walking along the corridors of the Forbidden City, Ming carefully narrated the stories behind each pattern on the walls.Zh: 恋开始记录这些历史故事,并在相机取景框中寻找新的灵感。En: Lian began to document these historical stories and seek new inspiration through her camera lens.Zh: 这时,一场壮观的舞龙表演在庭院中展开。En: At that moment, a spectacular dragon dance performance unfolded in the courtyard.Zh: 明和恋都被眼前的场景所吸引。En: Both Ming and Lian were captivated by the scene.Zh: 舞龙队伍随着鼓声起舞,龙身在阳光下闪烁,仿佛敲响了古今的交响。En: The dragon dance troupe swayed to the drumbeats, the dragon's body shimmering under the sunlight, as if sounding a symphony across time.Zh: 明和恋同时按下快门,捕捉下这个瞬间。En: Ming and Lian simultaneously pressed the shutter, capturing the moment.Zh: 两人对视一笑,明白彼此看世界的角度不同,但热爱同一美丽。En: They exchanged a smile, understanding that while they viewed the world differently, they both cherished the same beauty.Zh: 活动结束,日暮时分,他们在故宫的角落坐下。En: As the event came to a close, at dusk, they sat in a corner of the Forbidden City.Zh: 明说:“历史也可以是现代的。En: Ming said, "History can also be modern."Zh: ”恋回答:“现代也需要历史的根。En: Lian replied, "The modern also needs historical roots."Zh: ”从那时起,明和恋开始一起创作。En: From that moment on, Ming and Lian began to create together.Zh: 他们的作品既有历史深度,也有现代美感。En: Their works held both historical depth and modern aesthetics.Zh: 明学会欣赏艺术的现代诠释,恋更重视历史在她作品中的分量。En: Ming learned to appreciate the modern interpretation of art, while Lian valued the weight of history in her work more highly.Zh: 他们携手,将历史与艺术完美结合,找到了彼此追寻的意义。En: Hand in hand, they perfectly combined history and art, finding the meaning they both sought.Zh: 两颗心在故宫的秋风中找到了共鸣,带着对未来的信心,走向属于他们的道路。En: In the autumn breeze of the Forbidden City, their hearts resonated with each other, moving forward with confidence into their future path. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天ginkgo: 银杏dance: 飘舞joyous: 欢乐gleam: 熠熠生辉historian: 历史学家solace: 寄托bustle: 喧闹essence: 精髓impatient: 不耐烦endlessly: 不休perspective: 观点corridors: 长廊narrated: 讲述document: 记录inspiration: 灵感spectacular: 壮观troupe: 队伍shimmering: 闪烁symphony: 交响aesthetics: 美感appreciate: 欣赏interpretation: 诠释cherished: 热爱resonated: 共鸣confidence: 信心captured: 捕捉modern: 现代combined: 结合path: 道路

Mad Dungeon
SQ 312 - David “Zeb” Cook (TSR, D&D, AD&D, Conan Role-Playing Game)

Mad Dungeon

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 17:04


Our guest this week is David “Zeb” Cook as we continue our Gary Con 2024 series of 50 years of Dungeons and Dragons interviews. We talk about his involvement in 49 of the 50 years of D&D's existence and how satisfying it's been for him to see his work impacting generations of people.We discuss his late 1970s start at TSR by editing Queen of the Demonweb Pits (Q1), writing Slave Pits of the Undercity (A1) as the first project that he wrote at TSR, running tournaments at the very earliest Gen Cons and Origins, how Dwellers of the Forbidden City came from his writing sample to get the job at TSR. We talk about his love of Conan, writing the first Conan module Conan Unchained! (CB1) and writing the Conan Role-Playing Game.TSR in the 1980s: growth from a staff of gamers and hobbyists to running a successful company. Dealing with the Satanic Panic. Being lead designer on the 2nd edition AD&D. Worked on D&D through 1994 with Planescape and some smaller projects before moving on to video games. Follow Zeb at: Wikipedia - FB - Amazon —ANNOUNCEMENTSGamehole Con: October 17th through 20th in Madison, Wisconsin. We'll have a booth right up front in the Podcasters and Press section. Come say hi to Dragon Warrior and pick up some Dungeon Cats and Mad Dungeon season three Rise of the Vat Spawn swag!PAX Unplugged: December 6th through 8th in Philadelphia. Come say hi to Tiger Wizard at the Exalted Funeral booth, and play some games with Dragon Warrior every morning at the Alexandria RPG Library room.Dungeon Cats: Tiger Wizard's rules-lite TTRPG where you play feline adventures is now available at Exalted Funeral. Delve into lush carpeted dungeons to vanquish giant rats, demonic dog spawn and the half full food bowl. You only have 9 lives. Live them adventurously!THE MEGA DUNGEON MEN EP: Our new TTRPG fantasy meets hip hop album, The Mega Dungeon Men EP, with features from nerdcore legends Mega Ran and MC Frontalot, is now available on all streaming platforms.JOIN OUR MAILING LIST by clicking the newsletter button at epiclevelsrapgods.com—Thanks for listening to Season Three of the Epic Levels Mad Dungeon podcast, where D&D hip hop group Epic Levels alternate between “Rise of the Vat Spawn,” an actual play using Mystic Punks RPG, and Side Quests where we interview other game creators.You can support us via Patreon for early episode releases, bonus map content, extra art, access to our discord server, and lots of other exclusive goodies.Get nerd merch and stay up to date with socials: HEREMad Dungeon is hosted by Andrew Bellury, Steve Albertson, Robin Bellury and produced by Zach Cowan.Theme song by Epic Levels and beat by Jay Domingo.© 2024 Epic Levels. All characters in our adventures–even those based on real people–are entirely fictional.

Journeys Through Magnamund
Episode 24: The Forbidden City (Book 2 of Grey Star)

Journeys Through Magnamund

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2024 55:14


Return to the "World of Lone Wolf series" with our second podcast dedicated to Grey Star's desperate and strange quest! Racing against the minions of Shasarak the Wytch-King and the terror of Desolation Valley, our fledgling would-be-wizard must make his way to the Daziarn and seek out the Moonstone before all is lost! Join Jonathan and August for an in-depth analysis of this exciting book and learn what lies beyond the Mountains of Morn, and whose presence sickens the dread halls of the Forbidden City.

Dan Snow's History Hit
The Creation of the People's Republic of China

Dan Snow's History Hit

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024 35:45


On the 1st of October 1949, a huge crowd gathered in Tiananmen Square. In the shadow of Beijing's imperial Forbidden City, they listened as Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, proclaimed the birth of the People's Republic of China. The trials and tribulations of the Chinese people were over, he told them, and their liberation from the shackles of imperialism had finally arrived.To mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of the PRC, we're joined by Dr Jeremiah Jenne, an expert in Late Imperial and Modern China. He explains how the nation transitioned from imperial rule to Chinese Socialism and all about the key characters whose opposing visions for China's future created so much chaos along the way.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW'.We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.

The Love of Cinema
'Decision To Leave': Films of 2022

The Love of Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 90:29


This week, the boys reviewed the film year 2022, in which we saw over 50 films and discussed them in our feed. We feature “Decision To Leave,” Park Chan-wook's incredibly filmed Korean film, which is considered one of the best international films of the year. Dave flexes his cinematography chops by detailing how the hell they did some shots, John gets wet talking about storytelling, and Jeff drinks a lot. Grab a drink and join the conversation! Our phone number is 646-484-9298. It accepts texts or voice messages.  0:00 Intro; 8:33 Gripes; 14:50 2022 Year in Review; 33:34 Films of 2022: “Decision To Leave”; 1:16:57 What You Been Watching?; :28:41 Next Week's Movie Announcement Additional Cast/Crew: Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun, Go Kyung-pyo,, Tea Yoo, Seo Hyun-woo, Park Jeong-min, Lee Hak-joo, Jung Yi-seo, Go Min-se, Chung Seo-kyung, Kim Ji-yong. Hosts: Dave Green, Jeff Ostermueller, John Say Edited & Produced by Dave Green. Beer Sponsor: Carlos Barrozo Music Sponsor: Dasein Dasein on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/77H3GPgYigeKNlZKGx11KZ 
Dasein on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dasein/1637517407 Additional Tags: SAG-AFTRA, The Emmys, iPhones, Peking, Mao Zedong, The Forbidden City, Queensland, Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, Sisu, Auckland, New Zealand, Wilhelm Yell, Wilhelm Scream, Prince Charles, King Charles, John Wayne, Charleton Heston, Preparation H.   

The John Batchelor Show
PREVIEW: PRC: HOUSING BUBBLE: Conversation with colleague Anne Stevenson-Yang re the collapse of the housing bubble that used iron and resources, now the abode of pigeons. More tonight.

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 1:34


PREVIEW: PRC: HOUSING BUBBLE: Conversation with colleague Anne Stevenson-Yang re the collapse of the housing bubble that used iron and resources, now the abode of pigeons. More tonight. 1900 Forbidden City

The Past Lives Podcast
Paranormal Stories Ep136 | Reincarnation

The Past Lives Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 11:19


Written by Carole Louie, Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, this book explores and explains the beliefs of all the world's major religions, and some not so major, that consider reincarnation to be a fact. It also traces the evolution of past life regression therapy as a vehicle for understanding who we are, and as an effective therapy for healing. Having studied these topics and practiced regression therapy for many years, and based on her own other-worldly experiences, she also reveals what she believes to be the true cosmology of birth, death, and rebirth. This is a must-read for all those with an interest in spirituality and a desire to know and understand the purpose of life on Earth.BioCarole Louie is on a spiritual journey. When she over came her lifelong fear of ghosts to communicate with her father's spirit, her world turned inside out. An award-winning Interior Designer, Louie juggled the experiences of her spiritual journey with the mundane world. Conversations with her father's ghost helped her accept her gift as a medium. Her explorations into her fa ther's Buddhist beliefs about ghosts and reincarnation in spired her to delve into reincarnation research. Louie's short story, I Remember, was published in the anthology From Ashes to Healing: Mystical Encounters with the Holocaust, compiled by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom.Louie is certified in Past Life Regression Therapy with The Weiss Institute and Carol Bowman and is a Certified Master Hypnotist with HCH Institute. She incorporates her gifts as a medium with her sessions. The Not-So-Secret Life of Emily Elizabeth, a paranormal mystery, is a cozy fiction based on a composite of past life memories. Conversations with a Hungry Ghost: Memoir of a Reluctant Medium tells the story of how Louie overcame her lifelong fear of ghosts to speak with her father and how their con versations guided her to his village in Taishan, China. Her genealogical research continued and led her to the gates of the Forbidden City. She documents her discoveries in The Legacy of the Lei Family Architects: The Story of Yang shi Lei. Unstuck in Time: Memoir of a Time Traveler is a true story about how love transcends time. It is a spiritual quest through many lives to discover the reasons why we rein carnate and how awareness of other lives can affect the present life. Louie is the Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, a center for spiritual growth in Richmond, VA. She offers private sessions, classes, workshops, and events to help others on their spiritual journey. She is the founder of the Reincarnation Symposium, an event that gathers people devoted to research, regression therapy, and who share their stories about remembering or experiences.Amazon link: https://shorturl.at/3Lz1Nhttps://carolelouie.net/ https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/ourparanormalafterlife

The Past Lives Podcast
Paranormal Stories Ep136 | Reincarnation

The Past Lives Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 11:20


This week I am reading from Carole Louie's book 'The Cosmology of Reincarnation & Rebirth: A Brief History of Reincarnation & the Evolution of Past Life Regression'.Written by Carole Louie, Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, this book explores and explains the beliefs of all the world's major religions, and some not so major, that consider reincarnation to be a fact. It also traces the evolution of past life regression therapy as a vehicle for understanding who we are, and as an effective therapy for healing. Having studied these topics and practiced regression therapy for many years, and based on her own other-worldly experiences, she also reveals what she believes to be the true cosmology of birth, death, and rebirth. This is a must-read for all those with an interest in spirituality and a desire to know and understand the purpose of life on Earth.BioCarole Louie is on a spiritual journey. When she over came her lifelong fear of ghosts to communicate with her father's spirit, her world turned inside out. An award-winning Interior Designer, Louie juggled the experiences of her spiritual journey with the mundane world. Conversations with her father's ghost helped her accept her gift as a medium. Her explorations into her fa ther's Buddhist beliefs about ghosts and reincarnation in spired her to delve into reincarnation research. Louie's short story, I Remember, was published in the anthology From Ashes to Healing: Mystical Encounters with the Holocaust, compiled by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom. Louie is certified in Past Life Regression Therapy with The Weiss Institute and Carol Bowman and is a Certified Master Hypnotist with HCH Institute. She incorporates her gifts as a medium with her sessions. The Not-So-Secret Life of Emily Elizabeth, a paranormal mystery, is a cozy fiction based on a composite of past life memories. Conversations with a Hungry Ghost: Memoir of a Reluctant Medium tells the story of how Louie overcame her lifelong fear of ghosts to speak with her father and how their con versations guided her to his village in Taishan, China. Her genealogical research continued and led her to the gates of the Forbidden City. She documents her discoveries in The Legacy of the Lei Family Architects: The Story of Yang shi Lei. Unstuck in Time: Memoir of a Time Traveler is a true story about how love transcends time. It is a spiritual quest through many lives to discover the reasons why we rein carnate and how awareness of other lives can affect the present life. Louie is the Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, a center for spiritual growth in Richmond, VA. She offers private sessions, classes, workshops, and events to help others on their spiritual journey. She is the founder of the Reincarnation Symposium, an event that gathers people devoted to research, regression therapy, and who share their stories about remembering or experiences. Amazon link: https://shorturl.at/3Lz1Nhttps://carolelouie.net/https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/ourparanormalafterlifeBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/our-paranormal-afterlife-finding-proof-of-life-after-death--5220623/support.

The Past Lives Podcast
Reincarnation & Rebirth

The Past Lives Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 55:59


Written by Carole Louie, Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, this book explores and explains the beliefs of all the world's major religions, and some not so major, that consider reincarnation to be a fact. It also traces the evolution of past life regression therapy as a vehicle for understanding who we are, and as an effective therapy for healing. Having studied these topics and practiced regression therapy for many years, and based on her own other-worldly experiences, she also reveals what she believes to be the true cosmology of birth, death, and rebirth. This is a must-read for all those with an interest in spirituality and a desire to know and understand the purpose of life on Earth.BioCarole Louie is on a spiritual journey. When she over came her lifelong fear of ghosts to communicate with her father's spirit, her world turned inside out. An award-winning Interior Designer, Louie juggled the experiences of her spiritual journey with the mundane world. Conversations with her father's ghost helped her accept her gift as a medium. Her explorations into her fa ther's Buddhist beliefs about ghosts and reincarnation in spired her to delve into reincarnation research. Louie's short story, I Remember, was published in the anthology From Ashes to Healing: Mystical Encounters with the Holocaust, compiled by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom.Louie is certified in Past Life Regression Therapy with The Weiss Institute and Carol Bowman and is a Certified Master Hypnotist with HCH Institute. She incorporates her gifts as a medium with her sessions. The Not-So-Secret Life of Emily Elizabeth, a paranormal mystery, is a cozy fiction based on a composite of past life memories. Conversations with a Hungry Ghost: Memoir of a Reluctant Medium tells the story of how Louie overcame her lifelong fear of ghosts to speak with her father and how their con versations guided her to his village in Taishan, China. Her genealogical research continued and led her to the gates of the Forbidden City. She documents her discoveries in The Legacy of the Lei Family Architects: The Story of Yang shi Lei. Unstuck in Time: Memoir of a Time Traveler is a true story about how love transcends time. It is a spiritual quest through many lives to discover the reasons why we rein carnate and how awareness of other lives can affect the present life. Louie is the Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, a center for spiritual growth in Richmond, VA. She offers private sessions, classes, workshops, and events to help others on their spiritual journey. She is the founder of the Reincarnation Symposium, an event that gathers people devoted to research, regression therapy, and who share their stories about remembering or experiences.Amazon link: https://shorturl.at/3Lz1Nhttps://carolelouie.net/ https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/ourparanormalafterlife

The Past Lives Podcast
Reincarnation & Rebirth

The Past Lives Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 56:00


This week I am talking to Carole Louie about her book 'The Cosmology of Reincarnation and Rebirth: A Brief History of Reincarnation and the Evolution of Past Life Regression'.Written by Carole Louie, Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, this book explores and explains the beliefs of all the world's major religions, and some not so major, that consider reincarnation to be a fact. It also traces the evolution of past life regression therapy as a vehicle for understanding who we are, and as an effective therapy for healing. Having studied these topics and practiced regression therapy for many years, and based on her own other-worldly experiences, she also reveals what she believes to be the true cosmology of birth, death, and rebirth. This is a must-read for all those with an interest in spirituality and a desire to know and understand the purpose of life on Earth.BioCarole Louie is on a spiritual journey. When she over came her lifelong fear of ghosts to communicate with her father's spirit, her world turned inside out. An award-winning Interior Designer, Louie juggled the experiences of her spiritual journey with the mundane world. Conversations with her father's ghost helped her accept her gift as a medium. Her explorations into her fa ther's Buddhist beliefs about ghosts and reincarnation in spired her to delve into reincarnation research. Louie's short story, I Remember, was published in the anthology From Ashes to Healing: Mystical Encounters with the Holocaust, compiled by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom. Louie is certified in Past Life Regression Therapy with The Weiss Institute and Carol Bowman and is a Certified Master Hypnotist with HCH Institute. She incorporates her gifts as a medium with her sessions. The Not-So-Secret Life of Emily Elizabeth, a paranormal mystery, is a cozy fiction based on a composite of past life memories. Conversations with a Hungry Ghost: Memoir of a Reluctant Medium tells the story of how Louie overcame her lifelong fear of ghosts to speak with her father and how their con versations guided her to his village in Taishan, China. Her genealogical research continued and led her to the gates of the Forbidden City. She documents her discoveries in The Legacy of the Lei Family Architects: The Story of Yang shi Lei. Unstuck in Time: Memoir of a Time Traveler is a true story about how love transcends time. It is a spiritual quest through many lives to discover the reasons why we rein carnate and how awareness of other lives can affect the present life. Louie is the Director of The Center of Reincarnation and Evolution, a center for spiritual growth in Richmond, VA. She offers private sessions, classes, workshops, and events to help others on their spiritual journey. She is the founder of the Reincarnation Symposium, an event that gathers people devoted to research, regression therapy, and who share their stories about remembering or experiences. Amazon link: https://shorturl.at/3Lz1Nhttps://carolelouie.net/https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/ourparanormalafterlifeBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/our-paranormal-afterlife-finding-proof-of-life-after-death--5220623/support.

The Atlas Obscura Podcast
Jadeite Cabbage (Classic)

The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 14:21


This tiny stone cabbage has a big backstory stretching from the rich, treasure-laden halls of Beijing's Forbidden City...through a harrowing wartime escape...to its prized place at the National palace museum in Taipei, Taiwan.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jade-cabbage

The John Batchelor Show
PREVIEW: #PLA: Conversation with colleague General Blaine Holt, USAF (ret), re the muted to silent reaction from the DoD to the PRC spy balloon and other soying direted at USAF bases -- and why? More later.

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 1:26


PREVIEW: #PLA: Conversation with colleague General Blaine Holt, USAF (ret), re the muted to silent reaction from the DoD to the PRC spy balloon and other soying direted at USAF bases -- and why? More later. 1900 Forbidden City

The John Batchelor Show
WUHAN LAB RECONSIDERED: 7/8: Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the Twenty-First Century by Josh Rogin (Author)

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 10:26


WUHAN LAB RECONSIDERED: 7/8: Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the Twenty-First Century by Josh Rogin  (Author) https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/us-shared-gobsmacking-covid-lab-leak-file-with-uk/ar-AA1o8PCZ https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Under-Heaven-Twenty-First-Century/dp/0358393248 By the time the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in Wuhan, Trump's love-hate relationship with Xi had sparked a trade war, while Xi's aggression had pushed the world to the brink of a new Cold War. But their quarrel had also forced a long-overdue reckoning within the United States over China's audacious foreign-influence operations, horrific human rights abuses, and creeping digital despotism. Ironically, this awakening was one of the biggest foreign-policy victories of Trump's fractious term in office. ​Filled with shocking revelations drawn from Josh Rogin's unparalleled access to top U.S. officials from the White House and deep within the country's foreign policy machine, Chaos Under Heaven reveals an administration at war with itself during perhaps our most urgent hour. 1900 Forbidden City