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The History of China Podcast
The History of China Podcast episodes
- Secret Power of the Tang: How Palace Eunuchs Controlled the Empire
In this episode we explore how a hidden corps of castrated men rose from palace servants to political kingmakers in the Tang dynasty, and how their influence echoes earlier Shang divination practices and later Song economic reforms. By tracing these institutions across centuries, we see how Chinese leaders have consistently turned to innovative mechanisms to manage uncertainty and consolidate power.
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17 min - Qin Shi Huang and the Alchemical Pursuit of Immortality
The episode unpacks Qin Shi Huang’s obsessive quest for eternal life—his court alchemists, the mythical Penglai island, and the toxic mercury experiments that ultimately led to his death. It examines how this drive produced the world‑famous mausoleum, reflecting the emperor’s ambition, the era’s scientific curiosity, and the lasting cultural legacy of imperial China.
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17 min
About The History of China Podcast
From the publisher's feed
Explore thousands of years of Chinese history, from the earliest dynasties and ancient kingdoms to imperial expansion, revolution, modernization, and the development of contemporary China. The History of China Podcast examines the rulers, philosophers, generals, inventions, wars, political movements, religions, and cultural traditions that shaped one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations.
Episodes journey through the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the rise of Confucianism and Daoism, the Qin unification, the Han Empire, the Three Kingdoms, the Tang and Song golden ages, Mongol rule, the Ming and Qing dynasties, foreign intervention, the fall of the imperial system, the Republican era, civil war, and the major transformations of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The show also explores the Silk Road, Chinese technology and science, art and literature, military strategy, trade, regional cultures, everyday life, and China’s relationships with neighboring civilizations and the wider world.
Whether you are fascinated by ancient empires, famous battles, philosophy, political history, or the long-term forces that shaped modern China, the podcast provides detailed stories and historical context across centuries of change. The History of China Podcast is hosted by Josh Linsk.