The Context

Today, we’re going to talk about the Xiling Seal Art Society. From clandestine meetings to smuggling priceless artifacts, China’s most exclusive and enigmatic academic society has carried on the spirit of seal art through wars and revolutions for over a century.

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the archaeological discoveries at the Liulihe site, which have unveiled the origins of the Western Zhou Yan capital, revealing its royal tombs, dual city walls, and the influential role of the Duke of Shao in establishing this early urban center.

Today, we’ll continue to talk about the Four-Ram Square Zun from the Shang Dynasty, which stands as a masterpiece of ancient Chinese bronze art, showcasing unparalleled craftsmanship and embodying profound cultural and historical significance.

In the first installment of what will be a two-part feature, we’ll talk about the Four-Ram Square Zun, a masterpiece of Shang Dynasty bronze art, which has endured centuries of turmoil and restoration, symbolizing the nation’s ancient cultural heritage and its rebirth in the twentieth century.

Today, we’ll talk about the Potala Palace, a 1,300-year-old architectural and cultural marvel that has served as the spiritual and political heart of Tibetan Buddhism, housing sacred relics, murals, and scriptures that embody the region’s rich heritage and enduring legacy.

On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about how modern technology and designs, in conjunction with social media, are injecting new energy into the art of traditional Tibetan carpet weaving in order to sustain and promote its cultural legacy.

On today’s podcast, we’ll talk about the ancient art of Tibetan Opera, which had been dwindling but is now reaching new stages of development thanks to greater support from the government as well as audiences. 

On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about ways in which Lhasa’s historical architecture – from its historic temples to some industrial relics – is being carefully repurposed into modern cultural and artistic spaces that blend heritage with innovation.

Today, we’ll talk about Guan Yu, the legendary general whose unwavering loyalty, courage, and righteousness transformed him from a historical figure into an enduring cultural and spiritual icon deeply revered across China and the world.

Today, we continue our series on Sino-US climate cooperation with the second half of our story covering the importance of subnational cooperation between China and various states in the US as a way to mitigate the relative lack of progress at the national level. 

Continuing our series on combating climate change, today we’ll present the first half of our story on how climate cooperation between China and the US at the subnational level may prove even more important than originally thought amid the persistent turbulence of the national bilateral relationship.

Today, we’ll talk about how a discovery at a humble flea-market led to the remarkable homecoming of a stolen Buddha’s eye and the high-tech quest to reunite Yungang Grottoes’ lost relics with their ancient statues.

As we continue our series on climate change, today we talk about how that after more than a decade of Sino-US collaboration, a trend called “nearly zero-energy tech” is transforming China’s building sector into a green-energy model for climate progress. 

As we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation, today we discuss how China is concentrating its efforts to reduce methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas, and opening up to international cooperation, especially with the US.

Today, we’ll talk about how five monumental Buddha statues modeled after Northern Wei emperors were created to protect Buddhism during times of persecution and ensure the dynasty’s legacy endured well into the future.

Today, we continue our series on China-US climate cooperation and look at how the world’s two largest emitters are including carbon capture and storage in their overall strategy to combat climate change. But will their decade-long cooperation unlock solutions or spark new controversies?

Today, we’ll continue our series on Sino-US climate cooperation and introduce how that partnership has entered a new chapter as China embraces one of America’s greatest contributions to ecological and biodiversity protection – the establishment of national parks.

Today, we’ll talk about the Pagoda of Fogong Temple, a towering masterpiece of ancient Chinese architecture, where whispers of history, craftsmanship, and spirituality intertwine, standing resilient against centuries of wind, rain, earthquakes, and wars.

Today, we continue our series on climate cooperation and hear more from climate economist Zou Ji. In this installment, he shares a hopeful outlook on how China and the US can use their unique characteristics to prevent a climate catastrophe while pursuing sustainable development.