A Day In Beijing is an English-language Beijing history, Chinese culture and travel podcast, hosted by a Beijinger.
Like what you hear?
Hit Follow and tap the bell ๐ so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Beijing time zone.
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Who is this podcast for?
๐ Travellers planning a trip to Beijing or China
๐ Anyone curious about Chinese history and culture
๐๏ธ People who want to hear about China from someone who actually lives there
New here?
Listen to the trailer (3 minutes) and the pilot episode (15 minutes) for the full story of who I am, why I'm doing this, and what this podcast is about.
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What this episode covers:
Who built the Great Wall of China, and why? This episode answers that through the people, not a timeline.
๐น The first emperor who connected scattered border fences into one 5,000-kilometre line, and the woman whose tears brought it down โ or so the legend goes
๐น The Han Dynasty extended it west to protect the Silk Road, all the way to the Jade Gate, where a poet wrote, "the spring breeze does not cross".
๐น The Sui emperor who sent a million workers and lost half of them, and the Tang Dynasty that looked at the wreckage and said, "We don't need a wall."
๐น The Ming, which spent 276 years rebuilding, because the Mongolian threat never stopped
๐น And the things most people get wrong: you can't see it from space (a Chinese astronaut confirmed it), it was never one continuous structure, and there are no bodies buried inside it
If you're planning a trip to Beijing, this gives you the full history before you visit. If you're not, it's worth hearing from anywhere.
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A note on perspective:
I'm half Hui and half Manchu. The Manchus are the people the wall was built to keep out. But I was born and raised in Beijing, and this episode tells the story from the Central Plains side. The next one brings in the other perspective.
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More episodes:
All three episodes of the Forbidden City series are available. Start from EP1:
EP1: How It All Began
EP2: Power, Class & Gender Roles Behind the Red Gates
EP3: 600 Years in 30 Minutes
EP5: What Survived and Where to Find It. Which section should you visit? Coming next Wednesday.
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Questions this episode answers:
- Why was the Great Wall of China built?
- How long is the Great Wall?
- Who built the Great Wall and which dynasty?
- Did the Great Wall actually work?
- Why did the Qing Dynasty stop building?
- Can you see the Great Wall from space?
- What is the story of Meng Jiangnรผ?
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๐ฌ Drop a comment: what else do you want to listen to? What do you find the most interesting in this episode?
๐ฉ Got a question about visiting Beijing? Use the Q&A feature or find me on socials.
๐ Planning a trip to Beijing? I curate conscious, ethical cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me on Instagram.
๐ง Search "A Day In Beijing", available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / ๅฐๅฎๅฎ
๐ adayinbeijing.carrd.co
๐ธ Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing
๐ง Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com
Haven't followed yet? Hit Follow + ๐ so you don't miss EP5 next Wednesday!
