Podcast Episodes

#307 - Zheng Yi Sao, Pt. 1: Murders & Acquisitions, Mostly

天高皇帝远

"Heaven Is Vast & the Emperor is Far Away"

On the far side of the realm from th celestial halls of shining Beijing, an outcast girl born on the fringes of society will scrabble to survive amid…

Published on 3 months ago

#306 - Qing 41: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Piracy in Great Qing surges to a "golden age" during the Qianlong & Jiaqing eras. Corsair Confederations like Zheng Yi Sao’s vast-beyond-reckoning Red Flag Fleet, backed by the likes of Vietnam’s Tay…

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

#305- Qing 40: Heshen Must Die!

For nearly a quarter century, Heshen served the Qing Empire - and in the process managed to amass a fortune that nearly rivaled the throne itself. Yet with the death of his patron Qianlong, the once-…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

#304 - Qing 39: Twilight of the Dragon

As both the Qianlong Emperor's extensive reign and the Eighteenth Century itself comes to a close, the Qing Empire faces - in spite of its outward posturing of timeless grandeur and invulnerability -…

Published on 3 months, 4 weeks ago

#303 - Qing 38: The Macartney Expedition

From London’s harbors to Canton’s bustling hongs and the Qianlong Emperor’s Dragon Throne, Lord George Macartney’s 1792-94 mission to Great Qing unveils profound cultural divides, shaping centuries o…

Published on 4 months ago

#302 - Qing 37: Palace of Mirrors

Qianlong's empire shines as a beacon of both martial might and cultural splendor, yet its mirrored glory hides truths too fragile for celestial ambitions.

Time Period Covered:

~1770-1799CE

Major Hi…

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Special 2: To George, From Qianlong...

"O King of Wherever, New Throne Who Dis?"

0:00:00 - Edict of Emperor Qianlong to King George III, 1793

0:06:34 - The Second Edict to George III (in reply to Macartney's note)

Learn more about your …

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Special 1: To Qianlong, From George...

"Dear Emperor of China, will you be my friend? Check Yes or No..."

0:00:00 - Letter of Credence from King George III to Emperor Qianlong, 1793 CE

0:10:20 - Author's note

0:11:44 - Lord Macartney's S…

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago

#301 - Qing 36: And I Think It's Gonna Be a Qianlong Time

In the wake of military victory, Qianlong turns inward—launching literary purges, rewriting history, and curating an image of himself as the enlightened ruler of a Confucian empire. Through censorshi…

Published on 4 months, 4 weeks ago

#300 - Qing 35: Empire of Images

What does it take to hold an empire together when conquest alone isn’t enough?

In this sweeping episode, we explore how the Qianlong Emperor fused culture, coercion, and Confucian performance to stab…

Published on 5 months ago