With Chinese Characteristics

Jan 13 2025 80 ep. 60 mins 60
With Chinese Characteristics Podcast artwork

A podcast where Natalie and Cherrie discuss Chinese history and stuff.We think we're funny but we're probably not.Episodes every other Sunday

  History  Society & Culture  Comedy
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Lessons from the Book of Swindles

Jan 13 2025 65 mins  
We explore crimes and scams in the late ming dynasty with the excellently translated Book of Swindles.https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-book-of-swindles/9780231178631

Water Margin Ch 18: The Filial and Gallant Dark Third Master

Feb 05 2024 31 mins  
We finally meet everyone's favorite guy (Song Jiang), and learn about song dynasty interrogation techniques.

Seals of Yore - Stamps with Chinese Characteristics, Part 1

Nov 18 2023 61 mins  
This episode delves into Chinese stamps/seals/chops (印章), exploring the origins, ritualization, and various cultural conventions associated with this ancient practice.Given their existence predating the invention of paper in China, what surfaces did ancient Chinese court officials typically stamp upon? Did different dynasties enforce distinct rules regarding stamps? Was the los

The Self Strengthening Movement: Making the Qing Great Again

Oct 29 2023 65 mins  
In this episode we discuss the Qing Dynasty's 'Self Strengthening Movement' of roughly 1861-1890. Recognizing the superiority of european weapons, technology, and scientific knowledge, the Qing Dynasty attempted to adopt and integrate them into an otherwise unchanged Confucian bureaucracy. Ambitious Westerners flocked to the country, lured by Qing silver, and with the support of to

WCCBC: Water Margin Ch 17, Exiled to ______ Province

Oct 02 2023 47 mins  
Hello everyone. More water margin.Zhang Yhi has to make life changes, and we learn how to motivate your police inspectors.

WCCBC: Water Margin Ch 16, Yang Zhi Screws it up Again

Sep 14 2023 42 mins  
In this episode we get to the long awaited robbery of the birthday gifts (worth 100,000 strings of cash).Will our 7 (or 8) brave heroes succeed?

Yellow River 3: Work on the Yellow River must be Done Well

Aug 27 2023 53 mins  
Hello Everyone! The exciting conclusion to our yellow river discussions. In this episode we discuss the near century where active management of the river was abandoned in the late Qing Dynasty, and the Communist party's attempts to return it to order.We also touch on modern PRC water management techniques, which often involve redirecting water from more affluent areas to less polit

WCCBC: Water Margin Ch 15, Fishing for Tough Dudes 好汉集邮

Aug 06 2023 48 mins  
The plot thickens as Wu Yong seeks out the three Ruan brothers to join the dream team to rob the birthday treasure caravan worth a hundred thousand strings of cash. Could he persuade the three gallant men using this sleek tongue? In this episode, we also meet a real wizard named "Dragon in the Clouds". These 7 (or 8) men are being brought together by fate. In this episode we discus

WCCBC: Water Margin Ch 14, The Tower Shifting Heavenly King

Jul 16 2023 41 mins  
Hello it's Ch 14 and a plot is starting to heat up.Can our unlikely heroes find 7 (or 8) bold men to help them steal an entire year's worth of bribe money?!

WCCBC: Water Margin Ch 13, Nepotism with Extra Steps 关系户也不是那么容易当的？

Jun 26 2023 40 mins  
Hello everyone. It's chapter 13. In this episode we discuss the specifics of Chinese nepotism, and how military command works in the Song Dynasty.