Put down that lengthy history book spanning thousands of years and instead follow the “Makers and Shakers of Chinese History” podcast, which presents the biographies of 20 historic figures who shaped the course of ancient China. Meet the most renowned ancient Chinese rulers, ministers, thinkers, scientists, poets, and rebels, and find out how they continue to influence the Chinese to this day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Latest episodes
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11 min
Li Hongzhang: patriot or traitor?
Li Hongzhang is often regarded as the pillar of politics, diplomacy, and industry of the late Qing Dynasty. Put another way, in the eyes of many Chinese and Westerners at that time…
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11 min
Yixin: The Inevitability of fate the tale of a prince
Yixin, later known as Prince Gong, had every quality to be an emperor and savior of the dynasty. But his emperor father chose his brother as the heir. See acast.com/privacy for pri…
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10 min
Yongzheng: A rare 'Robin Hood' emperor
Yongzheng was the fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty, who lived between 1678 and 1735. He was renowned for accomplishing several "firsts" in history for he was an innovator, always…
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13 min
Hong Xiuquan: Rebel with & without a cause
Meet the 'granddaddy of rebels' in China’s history. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
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12 min
Emperor Chongzhen: An ambitious monarch in a failing empire
History has shown that being an emperor requires more than brains, blood, and bravery to move mountains and shift the heavens. Timing and a bit of luck must be factored in, as Empe…
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10 min
Xu Guangqi: History’s most preeminent Shanghainese
From military strategist and astronomer to agricultural scientist and mathematician, Xu Guangqi is one of the most talented Shanghainese from the past 400 years. He rose to one of…
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14 min
Zhu Yuanzhang: The ultimate rags to riches story of the true peasant emperor
Need motivation to make a way out of no way? Well, this story’s for you. Rising from the humblest beginnings, Zhu Yuanzhang made it to become the first emperor of a dynastic m…
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12 min
Su Shi: The Chinese "renaissance man"
You may have heard of Su Shi as the “Chinese da Vinci”. What you might not know is that the legendary figure was a “renaissance man” even before the Western concept came into exist…
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13 min
Wang Anshi: The most controversial intellectual in feudal China
Good intentions don’t naturally bring good outcomes. Wang Anshi, one of the most (in)famous Chinese reformers learnt it the hard way about a millennium ago. His policies were suppo…
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13 min
Li Qingzhao: No.1 talented female poet in China
The poet Li Qingzhao is often described as the "most talented woman in ancient China" and is still one of the best-known female writers in China to this day. She lived in east Chin…
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10 min
Shen Kuo: Polymathic scientist in Chinese history with a bad personal reputation
Shen Kuo is widely recognized as the most outstanding multi-talented historical scientist, but he's also known for his personality defects. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and op…
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9 min
Du Fu: the poet whose popularity grew posthumously
Du Fu is the only Chinese poet whose influence has grown with the passage of time. Today, he is becoming better known thanks in part to a BBC documentary that introduced the Tang D…
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9 min
Li Bai: famous romantic poet and wine fanatic
Although Li Bai's poems were written well over a thousand years ago, they are still quoted today by people both within and outside of China. Furthermore, his fascination with wine…
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10 min
Wu Zetian: the one and only female emperor in Chinese history
Meet the first and only female emperor in Chinese history- Wu Zetian. How did she make it to the imperial throne in a male-dominated culture? What kind of ruler was she? Why are pe…
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9 min
Shi Chong: Wealth in ancient China wasn’t always good
Shi Chong lived at a time when amassing private wealth was almost a competition. However, even though he lived a luxurious lifestyle, he lost his life at the age of 52. You would b…
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11 min
Cao Cao: A general and tomb-raiding ringleader
When Cao Cao needed money to support his military ambition, he initiated a special profession, which he named “Fortune-seeking Captain.” In reality, he was a leader of a tomb raidi…
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10 min
Xiang Yu: A short-lived hero and an emotional boyfriend
Young general Xiang Yu is one of the most tragic heroes in Chinese history, dying when he was only 30 years old. Later generations have come to appreciate his behavior because he i…
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12 min
Qin Shi Huang: First emperor of ancient China
One of the world’s famous wonders, the Great Wall of China, attracts big flows of tourists every day. Its original builder is one of China’s best-known figures dated over 2,200 yea…
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10 min
Zhuangzi: The pivotal interpreter of Taoism
Meet one of the most innovative, modern and enjoyable personalities in the world of Chinese thought and philosophy--Zhuangzi. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informat…
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10 min
Confucius: China's most famous ancient philosopher and educator
Meet one of the most celebrated and renowned thinkers in the world, Confucius. How did Confucius come to be a philosopher? What were the principles that Confucius advocated? Why wa…