Barbarians at the Gate

On this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, Jeremiah talks to Brian “DJ Bo” Offenther. From being the FKFDJ (First Known Foreign DJ) to play in Pyongyang since 1945 to putting together the first Elvis Festival in Mainland China, DJ Bo has been at the center of China’s music scene for over a decade. The self-proclaimed "Shanghai's #2 DJ" is a DJ and event producer based in Shanghai who has performed in 29 countries and 42 cities around China. He’s involved in many cultural activities, including lecturing at universities, hosting the streaming The Critical Music Club, producing ARTGER, presenting public domain events, writing/editing, and more. DJ Bo also created a wonderfully curated Spotify playlist that accompanied past BATG guest Andrew Field’s book Rocking China. With David off on summer shenanigans, Jeremiah flies solo as DJ Bo, in town for a couple of gigs, regales us with his adventures performing across China, what drives his passion for music, and makes a case for Shanghai, that other city, as the true birthplace of Rock n’ Roll.

David and Jeremiah are on holiday this week, but we hope you enjoy this encore episode with educator Jiang Xueqin, originally released in February 2022.Contrary to the common stereotype that Chinese education is regimented and mired in tradition, the education system in China is actually one of the most dynamic sectors of Chinese society, with core aspects such as the gaokao college entrance exam constantly in flux. On the podcast, this week to discuss the evolution of Chinese education is Jiang Xueqin, an educational consultant who has worked with schools throughout China to promote the ideas of creativity and critical thinking skills. Topics include the new emphasis on ideology in the curriculum since the ascent of Xi Jinping, the massive effort to turn elite Chinese universities into “world-class” institutions to compete with schools such as Harvard and Oxford, and the plight of cross-national educational projects and international schools in these years of Covid-19 shutdowns and US-China “decoupling.” Jiang Xueqin has published two books: Creative China, which recounts his experiences working in the Chinese public school system, and Schools for the Soul, which presents his approach to fostering creativity in secondary education. Jiang’s articles have appeared in publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Chronicle of Higher Education.

The podcast discusses the shrinking cultural space in Beijing, from crackdowns on stand-up comedy to limitations on foreign musicians. It highlights the disappearance of LGBTQ spaces and the challenges faced by expats. The closure of cultural venues like the Bookworm is examined, alongside the implications for Chinese soft power and academic exchanges. The hosts explore the implications of these changes and the emergence of alternative creative spaces amidst a less welcoming environment for foreigners.

In this episode, we welcome back Andrew Field to discuss his new book Rocking China: Rock Music Scenes in Beijing, Shanghai and Beyond.  While having already conducted valuable research into the history of Shanghai jazz, in 2007, Andrew began a deep dive into the nascent Chinese underground rock scene of the early 2000s with the passion of a rock fan and the intellectual fascination of an anthropologist. He spent years haunting the indie rock bars and performance venues of Beijing and other cities, interviewing the performers, observing the audience reactions, and taking extensive “field notes” (pun intended), all documenting this explosive chapter in the evolution of rock music in the PRC.  Andrew followed seminal groups such as the Carsick Cars, Subs, and Hedgehog, giving first-hand accounts of the performance ambiance and providing fascinating portraits of performers like Yang Haisong, Kang Mao, and Wu Hao.  Andrew has become one of the go-to documentarians of popular music in China: Rocking China: Rock Music Scenes in Beijing, Shanghai & Beyond Spotify playlist for Rocking China by DJ BO Shanghai’s Dancing World: Cabaret Culture and Urban Politics, 1919–1954The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, 2010Documentary: A Century of Jazz in Shanghai Andrew Field's websitehttp://shanghaisojourns.net/ Mentioned on the show: China with a Cut: Globalisation, Urban Youth and Popular MusicJeroen de Kloet (IIAS Publications series) 

Fueled by too many red bulls (Jeremiah) and some pretty good pharmaceuticals following an emergency root canal (David), our intrepid cohosts throw caution to the wind and attempt to fix US-China Relations in a single podcast. For those outside of China, the ups and downs of this troubled bilateral relationship are sometimes felt as a rather abstract quandary. Still, for those of us who have invested decades of our lives in this China, the often juvenile skirmishes between the two superpowers have existential consequences. In this episode of BATG, Jeremiah and David describe the deterioration of US-China relations brought about by an ongoing series of reciprocal clashes. The conversation includes media bias, tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions, what-about-ism, ideological silos, historical grudges, diplomatic standoffs, national humiliation, and “face,” -- all problems for which we provide absolutely no solutions, but for which ranting can be cathartic. Grab a red bull (or four) and/or your favorite pharmaceuticals and join the conversation.

This week we catch up with Jesse Appell, an English-Chinese standup comedy star better known to his more than 3 million Chinese followers as Ai Jiexi 艾杰西. Jesse talks about how he parlayed his Fulbright Fellowship research on Chinese humor into a stellar comedy career in China. Stuck in the US for several years during the Covid-19 crisis, Jesse had to find ways to continue his successful comedy career outside China. Jesse recounts how he began to make a name for himself in the media environment of the vast number of diaspora Chinese living and working in America and other countries. We explore the cultural differences between these more Westernized diaspora audiences and those of mainland China. We also hear about the struggles of maintaining a successful career as a standup comedian in the world of Chinese media.Jesse on Instagram (comedy): @whatxisaid Jesse on Instagram (tea): @jessesteahouseJesse's Tea HouseJesse's World Podcast

In this episode, we are delighted to talk with James Zimmerman about his new book, Peking Express: The Bandits who Stole a Train, Stunned the West, and Broke the Republic of China. The book is an enthralling account of a largely forgotten chapter in Chinese history, the harrowing 1923 raid on a luxury train by Chinese bandits and the ensuing 37-day hostage standoff. Jim fills us in on the backstory of the incident, based on the treasure trove of diaries, newspaper accounts, and personal testimony, which he skillfully knits together into a fascinating narrative of a China in turmoil, contrasting the poverty-stricken villages caught in the crossfire between bandits and warlords with the opulent lifestyles of the elite group of western tourists.Jim Zimmerman is a lawyer who has lived and worked in Beijing for over 25 years and served four terms as the chairman of the Beijing American Chamber of Commerce.

In this episode, we are joined by Ben Cubbage, who calls in from the lofty heights of Xining, the capital of Qinghai province. Ben co-founded Elevated Trips, an organization that offers specialized tours in the remote regions of Tibet, Qinghai, Mongolia, and Gansu provinces. As a passionate advocate for eco-friendly tourism, Ben emphasizes principles such as respect for local cultures, providing sustainable economic value to local communities, minimizing visitor impact, and prioritizing biodiversity. We explore Ben's mission to offer travelers life-changing experiences, whether it's gaining a deeper understanding of Buddhist philosophy and material culture, admiring the breathtaking beauty of the Qinghai and Tibetan landscapes, or catching a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse of the elusive snow leopard that calls the Tibetan plateau home.https://www.elevatedtrips.com/The Official Elevated Trips Intro Video, Eco-tourism on the Tibetan PlateauAn Interview with Ben Cubbage from Elevated Trips

This week’s topic is the Forbidden City, and our tour guide once again is Matthew Hu Xinyu, Trustee of the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP) and founder of the Courtyard Institute. Matthew provides us with updates on recently renovated sections of the Palace Museum previously inaccessible to tourists, such as the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility (Cining Gong 慈宁宫), where the Empress Dowager celebrated her birthdays and worshipped the Buddha, and the living quarters of the imperial concubines located north and west of Longzong Gate. Matthew also gives us a fascinating overview of the complex task of renovating the centuries-old compound and the challenges faced by the Palace Museum in restoring, protecting, and exhibiting the museum’s 1.8 million artifacts. Palaces, artifacts historical figures mentioned on the podcast: Hall of Mental Cultivation, Yangxin Dian养心殿 Palace of Established Happiness建福宮Jianfu Gong jinzhuan金砖 ”metal/gold bricks” Dr. Shan Jixiang 单霁翔, curator of the Palace Museum from 2012 and 2019 Imperial Fasting Palace Zhai Gong斋宫 “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains” Fuchun Shanju Tu 富春山居圖, famous Yuan Dynasty painted by Huang Gongwang (黃公望, 1269-1354). The painting was divided into two pieces after being rescued from a fire. The two sections were later separated, the main section is now housed at the Taipei Palace Museum, and the smaller section, referred to as “The Remaining Mountain,” 剩山圖 Sheng Shan Tu, is part of the Beijing collection. “Precious Works of the Stone Canal Pavilion”  石渠宝笈  Shiqu Baoji. A vast Qing collection of paintings and calligraphy by emperors and famous artists, divided into categories such as books, paintings, scrolls, and calligraphy. Hall of Three Rarities Sanxi Tang 三希堂 “Reign behind the curtain” Chuilian tingzheng垂帘听政 Retirement Lodge Juanqin Zhai倦勤斋 Palace of Longevity and Health Shoukang Gong寿康宫  Fragile Cargo: China’s Wartime Race to Save the Treasures of the Forbidden City by Adam Brookes. “The gripping true story of the bold and determined museum curators who saved the priceless treasures of China’s Forbidden City in the years leading up to World War II and beyond.” “Masters in the Forbidden City” Wo zai Gugong xiu wenwu 我在故宫修文物. State media documentary on the ongoing restoration projects of the Forbidden City. Available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw6awYYu_6s  

In this episode, we welcome to the podcast journalist Philip Cunningham, freelance writer for newspapers such as South China Morning Post and Japan Times, and was a former Knight Fellow and Harvard Nieman Fellowship recipient. Philip is currently posting a daily Substack entitled CCTV Follies, which provides a visual chronicle of the daily CCTV evening news report Xinwen Lianbo《新闻联播》, accompanied with running commentary that is illuminating and humorous. Phil talks about the program’s quasi-ritual role in defining the boundaries of political discourse and its overt and subliminal influence on the framing of news stories in the Chinese information environment. Philip is also the author of the book Tiananmen Moon, a first-hand account of the 1989 protests in Beijing.