With Chinese Characteristics

In 1912, Yuan Shikai would become the interim President of the new Republic of China. However, despite the hope heaped on him, his 3 year term would be marked by assassination, authoritarian power consolidation, and his founding of a new imperial dynasty.

Despite some accomplishments, this disastrous term would poison the well of Chinese representative government, destroying any real chance of actual power sharing or rule of law for decades.

In this episode we discuss the how and the why. Was Yuan Shikai simply a power hungry autocrat who had bidden their time, or was he a deluded old man who would not compromise his vision of China's future.

Probably a little of both!

Two available biographies of Yuan Shikai in English:
Yuan Shikai: A Reappraisal by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Yuan Shih-K'Ai by Jerome Ch'En 

In 1912, Yuan Shikai seemed sure to go down in history as China's beloved George Washington. Admired and respected by both reformers and conservatives, he became China's  first true president by both unanimous election, and Imperial decree.

Within a few short years though, he would become China's greatest villain. Join us for a two part episode where we discuss the rise and fall of the man who transitioned China from an Empire to a Republic, and attempted to keep it together in the process.

In this episode, we discuss his rise. How a man who never passed a civil service examination could rise so high and so quickly within the rigid world of Imperial China. How his bravery, cunning, and administrative skill made him famous and respected, not just within China, but worldwide. 

Sun Yat-Sen is regarded today by both the PRC (People's Republic of China) and the ROC (Republic of China) as the founder of the modern nation. He was the first to break the imperial system, and set a path for something new and revolutionary.

However, before he was the founder of the nation, he was simply a failed revolutionary, with a head full of ideas. Perhaps one of his most famous stories from these early days is when he was 'Kidnapped' by agents of the Qing empire while in London.

Join us as we discuss Dr Sun Yat-Sen, his early life, his kidnapping, and how he might not really have been cut out for the revolutionary life.

Kidnapped in London By Sun Yet-sen: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Kidnapped_in_London/6VQuAAAAYAAJ?hl=en

From the very beginning, the Chinese Communist party took entertainment seriously. By drawing crowds to see plays, dances, songs, and other shows, they were able to spread their political messages and create new followers to the cause.

Perhaps the culmination of this, Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy (智取威虎山)  was one of the 8 Model Plays promoted by Mao's Wife Jiang Qing (江青), as an attempt to modernize Beijing Opera for a Revolutionary Audience. Telling the story of a PLA detachment fighting a Bandit warlord, it was played dozens of times a year in almost ever town and village across China during the cultural revolution.

In this episode we discuss its content, its legacy, and and the brutal irony that many of the people who made this ultimate propaganda piece, were they themselves victims of the Cultural Revolution.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_Tiger_Mountain_by_Strategy
Script: http://massline.org/PekingReview/PR1969/PR1969-51-52-TigerMountain.pdf

1870s Los Angeles was a lawless town where violence ruled and life was cheap. Gunfights were an almost daily occurrence, and rival gangs dueled in the street.
Despite that, the country was still shocked by the dramatic mass lynching of Chinese immigrants which occurred there in 1871.  Often described as the largest  mass lynching in the US, it has in many ways faded from our public consciousness.
In this companion episode to the Pigtail Ordinance, we discuss the face of anti-asian racism outside of the law, mob violence, and the legacy of vigilante justice in the US today.

[LINKS]
Check out At the Moment, An Asian American News Podcast, by AZI Media: https://www.azi.media/.
In their upcoming episode, At the Moment will be discussing the recent rise of anti-asian hate crimes in the United States. We highly recommend you give it a listen!
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Check out our episode on the Pigtail Ordinance:
Apple Podcast: HERE
Website:  HERE
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In what is likely to be their most controversial episode, Natalie and Cherrie discuss how the  terms Facist, and  'Chinazi' have become particularly common  in heated online arguments about China. 

However, despite the flaws of the Chinese government, is it really correct to call it Fascist? What exactly is Fascism, and how has it been defined over the years, and by whom? 

In this episode we discuss 4 different definitions of Fascism (Including the CCCP definition) to see if the modern Chinese state meets any of them. 

Some references:
The Wages of Destruction: Adam Tooze
Facism: Roger Griffon
Five Moral Pieces: Umberto Eco

Ever since the introduction of 'Western' medicine to China in the late Imperial period, the role of Doctor in China has been a perilous one.  Often blamed for circumstances outside their control, and viewed as agents of corruption, greed, and incompetence, they are an easy target for anger, violence, and murder.

While it is somewhat a world-wide problem, in this episode we discuss the uniquely Chinese ways violence affects the medical system, from its history in Mao's China, to the current day. These can range from Medical Disturbances ( 医闹 )  to Revenge Attacks against Society ( 报复社会 ), and while they have paused somewhat due to Covid-19, it is an open question what the future will bring for Chinese Medical Professionals.

This week, we've brought you 4 more famous rebellions. 3 of which are from more distant memories: Daizexiang Rebellion, White Lotus Rebellion and Yellow Turban Rebellion. And 1 from modern Chinese history - Mao's grass-roots, mass-mobilizing revolution. 

Join us to discover how the self-fulling prophecy of the mandate of the heaven plays a part in these rebellions and how the clique of "History has a tendency to repeat itself" does check out sometimes. 

See Episode 12 for [Top Peasant Rebellions - Part 1].

55 Days at Peking is a 1963 Hollywood movie which dramatizes the events of the 1900 Boxer Rebellion/Uprising, and the siege of the foreign legations in Peking. 

 One of the few western movies to depict late Imperial China, it spent lavishly on elaborate sets, thousands of extras, and huge battles.  While it was a commercial and critical failure, and has its problems, such as white actors playing as Chinese royalty, and a bloated and boring script, it is still worth examining.

In this Episode we discuss what the movie gets right, what it gets wrong, and how the events of 1960 impacted its depiction of 1900 China. 

For more about the boxer rebellion, the Military History (Not) Visualized Channel is quite good!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQJ5Jx3mO7s
https://youtu.be/U2ngXMCe8qQ

In China, an Imperial Dynasty can rule only as long as the Mandate of Heaven allows. Such a mandate has never been permanent however, and weak rulers face famine, plagues, war, and banditry.

Almost without fail in such times, disaffected Chinese peasants mass in giant rebellious armies, fighting and dying in attempt to overthrow the old regime and install a new dynasty. If they succeed, they have inherited the Mandate of Heaven, and all the riches and honors that entails. If they fail, they will be tortured and put down like any other bandit. After all in China: 

In this episode we discuss 4 of the most famous rebellions, The Boxer, The Taiping, the  Red Turban, and Li Zicheng's Rebellion.