Jeremiah Jenne
@jeremiahjenne.com
Writer. Traveler. History Ph.D. Co-host of the Barbarians at the Gate Podcast.
Short Bio: Birth. School. Work. More School. China. The World.
Short Bio: Birth. School. Work. More School. China. The World.
November 13, 1760: Birthday of The Jiaqing Emperor. Inherited bloated bureaucracy, several rebellions, rampant corruption, and his dad's "close friend" Heshen. Tried reform and got "the beginning of the end" label for his trouble. We historians can be picky bastards, can't we?
November 13, 2025 at 9:14 AM
November 13, 1760: Birthday of The Jiaqing Emperor. Inherited bloated bureaucracy, several rebellions, rampant corruption, and his dad's "close friend" Heshen. Tried reform and got "the beginning of the end" label for his trouble. We historians can be picky bastards, can't we?
On this day in 1866, Sun Yat-sen was born in Guangdong. The PRC and Taiwan might tussle over his legacy, but he’s one of the few figures in Modern Chinese history routinely honored on both sides of the Strait.
November 12, 2025 at 10:43 AM
On this day in 1866, Sun Yat-sen was born in Guangdong. The PRC and Taiwan might tussle over his legacy, but he’s one of the few figures in Modern Chinese history routinely honored on both sides of the Strait.
In this archival edition of Barbarians at the Gate, we examine the 1860 destruction of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing and how history and narrative are used and misused today.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/the-destru...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/the-destru...
November 4, 2025 at 8:25 AM
In this archival edition of Barbarians at the Gate, we examine the 1860 destruction of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing and how history and narrative are used and misused today.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/the-destru...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/the-destru...
On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, we look at the 15th-century voyages of the Chinese admiral Zheng He. It’s giraffes, medieval globalization, and what might have been if Zheng He had decided Europe was worth the trip.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
October 24, 2025 at 2:49 AM
On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, we look at the 15th-century voyages of the Chinese admiral Zheng He. It’s giraffes, medieval globalization, and what might have been if Zheng He had decided Europe was worth the trip.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
Talking about Sima Qian with Alexander Boyd leads to the uncomfortable realization that a belief in cosmic consequences for bad leadership feels like a quaint notion in 2025.
Link to the full episode: jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
Link to the full episode: jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
October 1, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Talking about Sima Qian with Alexander Boyd leads to the uncomfortable realization that a belief in cosmic consequences for bad leadership feels like a quaint notion in 2025.
Link to the full episode: jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
Link to the full episode: jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/barbarians...
In this special episode of Barbarians at the Gate, I’m joined by Alexander Boyd of China Books Review to discuss Sima Qian, The Records of the Grand Historian, and what it means to speak truth to power.
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
September 30, 2025 at 10:02 AM
In this special episode of Barbarians at the Gate, I’m joined by Alexander Boyd of China Books Review to discuss Sima Qian, The Records of the Grand Historian, and what it means to speak truth to power.
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
Does technology enhance language learning or is it cheating? In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David and Jeremiah consider the evolution of digital aids to studying Chinese from looking up radicals in paper dictionaries to Pleco to AI.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
September 4, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Does technology enhance language learning or is it cheating? In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David and Jeremiah consider the evolution of digital aids to studying Chinese from looking up radicals in paper dictionaries to Pleco to AI.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
TV. Computers. Internet. AI. Teachers seem to always have a new technology to fret about. In this episode, we look at how AI is transforming language learning, and how educators can integrate these tools while maintaining focus on human connections.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
September 2, 2025 at 1:50 PM
TV. Computers. Internet. AI. Teachers seem to always have a new technology to fret about. In this episode, we look at how AI is transforming language learning, and how educators can integrate these tools while maintaining focus on human connections.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/ai-laoshi-...
Many Westerners remember the Boxer Siege.
Far fewer remember the occupation that followed.
In this Barbarian Remixed episode from 2020,
Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom joins us to talk about memory, myth, and why “Boxer Rebellion” is a misnomer.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
Far fewer remember the occupation that followed.
In this Barbarian Remixed episode from 2020,
Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom joins us to talk about memory, myth, and why “Boxer Rebellion” is a misnomer.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
July 30, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Many Westerners remember the Boxer Siege.
Far fewer remember the occupation that followed.
In this Barbarian Remixed episode from 2020,
Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom joins us to talk about memory, myth, and why “Boxer Rebellion” is a misnomer.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
Far fewer remember the occupation that followed.
In this Barbarian Remixed episode from 2020,
Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom joins us to talk about memory, myth, and why “Boxer Rebellion” is a misnomer.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
Sad day. Remember the best way possible. Play music. Very loudly. Give zero fucks.
July 22, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Sad day. Remember the best way possible. Play music. Very loudly. Give zero fucks.
New episode of Barbarians at the Gate: Shanghai-based writer Jacob Dreyer on China-US convergence. Are Trump's policies mirroring Xi Jinping's China? Is the China model outperforming Western liberal democracy? Plus: Who is winning the race for AI supremacy?
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
July 15, 2025 at 3:13 PM
New episode of Barbarians at the Gate: Shanghai-based writer Jacob Dreyer on China-US convergence. Are Trump's policies mirroring Xi Jinping's China? Is the China model outperforming Western liberal democracy? Plus: Who is winning the race for AI supremacy?
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
On the latest Barbarians at the Gate episode, David Chaffetz—author of Raiders, Rulers, and Traders—explains why he thinks the “Silk Road” is better understood as the “Horse Road.”
July 10, 2025 at 12:29 PM
On the latest Barbarians at the Gate episode, David Chaffetz—author of Raiders, Rulers, and Traders—explains why he thinks the “Silk Road” is better understood as the “Horse Road.”
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social
and I had the pleasure of chatting with David Chaffetz, author of Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
and I had the pleasure of chatting with David Chaffetz, author of Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
July 1, 2025 at 2:40 PM
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social
and I had the pleasure of chatting with David Chaffetz, author of Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
and I had the pleasure of chatting with David Chaffetz, author of Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
On this classic episode of Barbarians at the Gate, we ask:
"What is the purpose of Putonghua 普通话?
Is it to bridge the dialect divide, or to eventually replace regional languages and dialects?
Listen to the full episode "Mandarin Mayhem" at the link below:
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
"What is the purpose of Putonghua 普通话?
Is it to bridge the dialect divide, or to eventually replace regional languages and dialects?
Listen to the full episode "Mandarin Mayhem" at the link below:
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
June 19, 2025 at 8:38 AM
On this classic episode of Barbarians at the Gate, we ask:
"What is the purpose of Putonghua 普通话?
Is it to bridge the dialect divide, or to eventually replace regional languages and dialects?
Listen to the full episode "Mandarin Mayhem" at the link below:
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
"What is the purpose of Putonghua 普通话?
Is it to bridge the dialect divide, or to eventually replace regional languages and dialects?
Listen to the full episode "Mandarin Mayhem" at the link below:
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
In this classic episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the evolution and political significance of Putonghua (普通话), the spoken language most people refer to as Mandarin Chinese.
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
June 17, 2025 at 10:50 AM
In this classic episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the evolution and political significance of Putonghua (普通话), the spoken language most people refer to as Mandarin Chinese.
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
open.substack.com/pub/jeremiah...
Had a great discussion with Alexander Boyd, Associate Editor of China Books Review, about “Beijing Jeep.” James Mann's classic account of what happens when enthusiasm for the China market and low-cost manufacturing triumph over common sense and basic math.
chinabooksreview.com/2025/06/10/b...
chinabooksreview.com/2025/06/10/b...
June 13, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Had a great discussion with Alexander Boyd, Associate Editor of China Books Review, about “Beijing Jeep.” James Mann's classic account of what happens when enthusiasm for the China market and low-cost manufacturing triumph over common sense and basic math.
chinabooksreview.com/2025/06/10/b...
chinabooksreview.com/2025/06/10/b...
Emergency Podcast from Barbarians at the Gate:
@davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the future of US-China educational exchanges and the Trump Administration's actions against Harvard University and Chinese students in America.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/emergency-...
@davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the future of US-China educational exchanges and the Trump Administration's actions against Harvard University and Chinese students in America.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/emergency-...
June 3, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Emergency Podcast from Barbarians at the Gate:
@davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the future of US-China educational exchanges and the Trump Administration's actions against Harvard University and Chinese students in America.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/emergency-...
@davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the future of US-China educational exchanges and the Trump Administration's actions against Harvard University and Chinese students in America.
jeremiahjenne.substack.com/p/emergency-...
Emergency Podcast from Barbarians at the Gate: @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the future of US-China educational exchanges and the latest developments in the Trump Administration's actions against Harvard University and Chinese students in America.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
June 2, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Emergency Podcast from Barbarians at the Gate: @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I discuss the future of US-China educational exchanges and the latest developments in the Trump Administration's actions against Harvard University and Chinese students in America.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
In "The Six," explorer and writer Steven Schwankert challenges a century of misinformation surrounding six Chinese survivors of the Titanic. Why were these men vilified while members of other groups were celebrated? An investigation into a forgotten history. #Titanic #history #UntoldStories
May 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
In "The Six," explorer and writer Steven Schwankert challenges a century of misinformation surrounding six Chinese survivors of the Titanic. Why were these men vilified while members of other groups were celebrated? An investigation into a forgotten history. #Titanic #history #UntoldStories
"They weren't stowaways. They didn't dress as women." Steven Schwankert joins us to discuss his book 'The Six' about the Chinese Titanic survivors. A detective story spanning continents, challenging misinformation, and reclaiming erased history. #Titanic #TheSix
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
May 20, 2025 at 5:26 AM
"They weren't stowaways. They didn't dress as women." Steven Schwankert joins us to discuss his book 'The Six' about the Chinese Titanic survivors. A detective story spanning continents, challenging misinformation, and reclaiming erased history. #Titanic #TheSix
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
In the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David Moser and I discuss culture shock and our experiences helping students navigate the journey from "newbie" to "niubi" in China.
May 1, 2025 at 3:39 PM
In the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David Moser and I discuss culture shock and our experiences helping students navigate the journey from "newbie" to "niubi" in China.
My latest Archive pick for @chinabksreview.bsky.social is Peking Picnic, a 1930s novel of manners featuring evocative descriptions of Old Beijing and timeless observations about what it means to be an expat in China. Also smoking. Lots and lots of smoking.
chinabooksreview.com/2025/04/22/p...
chinabooksreview.com/2025/04/22/p...
April 23, 2025 at 7:41 AM
My latest Archive pick for @chinabksreview.bsky.social is Peking Picnic, a 1930s novel of manners featuring evocative descriptions of Old Beijing and timeless observations about what it means to be an expat in China. Also smoking. Lots and lots of smoking.
chinabooksreview.com/2025/04/22/p...
chinabooksreview.com/2025/04/22/p...
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I speak with @emilyzfeng.bsky.social about her new book, Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping’s China.
An insightful book and a wonderful conversation!
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
An insightful book and a wonderful conversation!
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
April 16, 2025 at 12:28 PM
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I speak with @emilyzfeng.bsky.social about her new book, Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping’s China.
An insightful book and a wonderful conversation!
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
An insightful book and a wonderful conversation!
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
An argument against tariffs from that well-known radical Marxist thinker...
*checks notes*
...Ronald Reagan.
Source: Reagan Library, President Reagan’s Radio Address to the Nation on International Free Trade on November 20, 1982
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Juz...
*checks notes*
...Ronald Reagan.
Source: Reagan Library, President Reagan’s Radio Address to the Nation on International Free Trade on November 20, 1982
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Juz...
April 4, 2025 at 2:08 PM
An argument against tariffs from that well-known radical Marxist thinker...
*checks notes*
...Ronald Reagan.
Source: Reagan Library, President Reagan’s Radio Address to the Nation on International Free Trade on November 20, 1982
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Juz...
*checks notes*
...Ronald Reagan.
Source: Reagan Library, President Reagan’s Radio Address to the Nation on International Free Trade on November 20, 1982
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Juz...
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I catch up with Manya Koetse, creator of @whatsonweibo.bsky.social, a platform curating trends and providing in-depth insights into events, memes, and social phenomena on the Chinese Internet.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
April 2, 2025 at 6:23 AM
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, @davidmoserbeijing.bsky.social and I catch up with Manya Koetse, creator of @whatsonweibo.bsky.social, a platform curating trends and providing in-depth insights into events, memes, and social phenomena on the Chinese Internet.
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...
blubrry.com/barbarians/1...