In the last episode, I discussed Chinese rural lives with Professor Scott Rozelle. One point he made which particularly stuck with me was the dying out of farming as an occuption – he'd said that most rural people under the age of 35 have never farmed a day in their lives. So that got me thinking, what do they do instead? In this episode I’ll be looking at one, very high profile, alternative – vlogging. I’ve noticed through my hours of scrolling through Chinese social media that there is a huge genre of rural, pastoral content.  This is an interesting phenomenon both for what it says about the rural population today, as well as what it reveals about the – often – urban viewers on the other end. So today I’m joined by Yi-Ling Liu, a writer on Chinese society who has had bylines in the New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine and WIRED. She’s looked in detail at the phenomenon of the rural influencer. On the episode, we talk about a few of our favourite rural influencers. You can watch Li Ziqi's videos on YouTube here and 王大姐来了 (the middle aged rappers I mention) here.

Exploring the disparities between rural and urban populations in China, despite efforts to eliminate extreme poverty. Professor Scott Rozelle discusses the challenges faced by rural residents, including education, health, and living standards. The conversation delves into policies addressing rural poverty, the shift towards county hukous, and strategies for economic growth through education and employment opportunities.

The Argentinian football star Lionel Messi has been trending on Weibo – and unfortunately, not for a good reason. It all started when Messi sat out a match in Hong Kong earlier this month. His reason – that he was injured – wasn’t good enough for some fans, and keyboard nationalists quickly took offence when Messi played in Japan, a few days later. The furore has dominated Chinese social media over the last few weeks, and even led to the cancellation of some upcoming Chinese matches with the Argentinian national team, as authorities demanded an apology from Messi. What a mess. But beyond its seeming triviality, this episode tells us something about the nature of Chinese online nationalism, I think, and it might also shed light on how football works within China. After all, why is it that China, which is so good at so many things, has still failed to turn out a competitive national team? That is the multi-billion yuan question that puzzles football fans within and outside of China. Joining me on the episode this week is Cameron Wilson, an expert on Chinese football and founder of the Wild East Football blog, who has lived in China for almost two decades. Produced by Cindy Yu and Max Mitchell.

Discussing the motivations and success of the Chinese Communist Party, guests explore historical vs contemporary perspectives on joining the CCP, the intertwined roles of nationalism and communism in China, career advancements in party membership, navigating critiques and nationalism, and potential leadership changes for the party.

Explore how early American support played a role in China's economic rise, shifting US-China relations. Discusses trade imbalances, Nixon's visit, and the convergence of Chinese and American capitalism. Highlights the impact on American labor groups and the complex intertwining of economic, political, and human factors.

Explore the historical rivalry and aspirations for influence between China and India, border disputes, India's role as a counterweight to China, the impact on the Western social contract, understanding India's challenges, and India's potential response to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Taiwan's upcoming presidential election and its impact on relations with China. Analysis of the frontrunner and main opposition candidate. Unexpected success of a dark horse candidate. Stances on China and Chinese intervention in the election.

Delving into China's linguistic diversity, the podcast explores the political implications of Standard Mandarin, the challenges of unifying dialects, and the impact on national identity. With a historian's insights, it discusses the evolution of Mandarin, the dominance over regional languages like Cantonese, and the importance of preserving linguistic diversity amidst cultural identity struggles.

Ian Johnson, a Pulitzer-Prize winning writer, discusses the underground historians in China who document suppressed aspects of history. They interview survivors from Communist labour camps and keep memoirs of the Cultural Revolution. The podcast explores the significance of history in the Chinese Communist Party's rule, the concept of heroism in Chinese culture, censorship paradox, and challenges faced by underground historians.

Fuchsia Dunlop, an expert on Chinese cuisine, joins the podcast to discuss the diversity and complexity of Chinese cuisine. They explore regional styles, the importance of a balanced diet, and the unique textures valued in Chinese cooking. They also talk about government campaigns to change eating habits in China and underappreciated Chinese dishes. Finally, they give recommendations for authentic Chinese food in London.