Lecture 1: Introduction to China's History | Edited Transcript
A professionally copyedited transcript of Tristan Brown's MIT OpenCourseWare lecture from MIT 21H.151 Dynastic China.
This is a professionally copyedited transcript of Tristan Brown's lecture for MIT OpenCourseWare's MIT 21H.151 Dynastic China. It has been edited for readability and lightly formatted while preserving the full substance of the lecture.
Made with: The Transcript Desk Chrome Extension
Full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dT8Wm5oI_o
MIT 21H.151 Dynastic China, Fall 2024. Instructor: Tristan G. Brown. In this opening lecture, Brown introduces the course, explains why Chinese history is worth studying, sketches the distinction between official and "wild" history, and uses geography, food, and regional identity to make the scale of dynastic China feel concrete.
Episode Guide
0:12 Monkey King, Journey to the West, and the opening frame for the course
4:17 The Forbidden City, official history, and wild history
14:43 Why Chinese history matters now, from politics to data to everyday life
32:28 Course structure, study expectations, and how to read history well
43:08 Periodization, imperial China, and the north-south divide
1:00:03 Regional tour: Sichuan, Shaanxi, Beijing, Dongbei, Shandong, and the Grand Canal
Transcript
00:12-01:11
Tristan Brown: This isn't really something that just dropped, but it's making waves, I guess. This game is based loosely on a story—have you heard of the Monkey King? Some of you have heard of him; some of you may have encountered him in literature. He's not a historical character, but he is part of a historical journey taken by a monk. Starting around the 16th century, we see this character come to life.
01:11-02:04
Tristan Brown: We cover all of that in this course. What’s notable about the Monkey King is that he is a fearless person; he laughs in the face of authority. That makes him very beloved, but he’s also a bit of a force of nature. He gets in trouble with the gods, yet he forces truth to power.
02:04-03:14
Tristan Brown: I thought I’d mention where the idea of the Monkey King comes from. You don't have to know this for the exam, but some theories suggest he may have originated from the Ramayana. There is a serious academic debate about this. The famous writer Lu Xun disagreed with that theory, favoring another. You can see his evolution over the centuries. This image is from a very early depiction—literally a monkey—and this one is from a later stage, featuring his iconic big staff.
03:14-04:17
Tristan Brown: He has been beloved for a long time. This is Princess Iron Fan, a character from Journey to the West. This specific depiction is from an animation made during World War II; it was used as a sort of allegory for the struggle against Japan. Then there’s the 1986 TV version. The actor who plays the Monkey King in that series is legendary. Even in the latest editions of the game, they use modern graphics and everything, but it still tells us something about the enduring nature of this story.
04:17-05:31
Tristan Brown: Now, let’s actually get into the Forbidden City. Some of you have visited it. The tragedy with modern photos is that they often look so silly compared to the real thing. I mean, seriously, it is the largest palace complex in the world. I’ve visited probably five or six times. When you go in the summer, it’s intense. I once went with an academic group, and that was really, really fun. It’s a place you must see in the center of Beijing. Interestingly, in the 17th century, people thought, "We’ll keep the White House? No, no, we can do better than that."
05:31-06:24
Tristan Brown: This is actually a Ming Dynasty palace. I was thinking about how to describe it to you—I’m sure you’ve seen photos—but I realize there’s a specific layout to understand. Let’s look at this map. This is the Forbidden City. I think this map is from about the 18th century. There are these three "seas" or lakes to the western side.
06:24-07:13
Tristan Brown: Has anybody visited them? Have you been to Beihai Park? That’s okay. Let me tell you, there are three lakes. The top lake is Beihai, and today that is a public park you can access. The second and third are the central and southern lakes, known as Zhongnanhai. Have you ever heard of that? That is where the head of the Chinese government lives and works. It’s essentially like the White House or the Kremlin. Those two lakes are closed off because they are the center of the Party’s power.
07:13-08:12
Tristan Brown: Isn't that an interesting use of space? History from hundreds of years ago is still physically integrated into what’s going on today. The thing I love about the word for "town" or "city" in Mongolian, and even in some Chinese dialects, is that it implies a sense of enclosure. I know this might be a lot to take in, but Chinese history is vast, beautiful, and difficult. It can be overwhelming.
08:12-09:18
Tristan Brown: I’ll just say that when I started studying this, I felt like I’d never be able to learn it all. But that’s the point of this class. What I can do is give you a starting point. The first time you dive in, it’s like I’m showing you the shore. We will cover everything from the origins of the first dynasties all the way up to the early modern period. Then, it’s up to you how far you want to swim. I’m still swimming myself.
09:18-10:22
Tristan Brown: Let me say something about the course in the broadest possible terms. How do we think about it? We’ll go over the syllabus and some key terms, and then I’ll give you an overview. Here is a map of the provinces—don't worry, there will be a quiz on that later. This image shows the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the largest single hall in the palace. This is a Ming construction where major ceremonies and enthronements were held. You can see it’s right in the center.
10:22-11:32
Tristan Brown: Now, look at this other building, the Changchungong. It’s in the back, over there. I’ve highlighted it. I bring these two up to illustrate the two "tides" of Chinese history. There is Zhengshi, or official history. When you think of history, you might think of just a list of dates. No, Shi refers to a formal record. There are twenty-four official dynastic histories. Usually, the dynasty that follows writes the history of the one before it. Ironically, we do not yet have an official history of the Qing Dynasty; that is an ongoing project, and there is much debate on how to write it. These records include natural disasters and imperial decrees.
11:32-12:45
Tristan Brown: But that’s not all we look at. There is also Yeshi, or "wild history"—history that isn't found in those official records. That includes folklore, private writing, and scholars' debates. One way you can think about it is by going back to the palace. There is the official stuff we piece together from the main halls, but then there is the private side. There is so much writing by scholars and private citizens that tells a different story.
12:45-13:37
Tristan Brown: The things that happened in the outer courts are the official business of the state. But the stuff that happens in the inner quarters—that’s the imperial family’s private life. Often, official historians didn't care about that, but the public is fascinated by it. Yeshi has a bit of a "tabloid" reputation, but it’s a vital way to understand the culture.
13:37-14:43
Tristan Brown: For example, in this residential complex in the palace, there are murals depicting scenes from A Dream of the Red Chamber. Images from that famous novel were painted right onto the walls. That novel is a work of fiction, yet it was important enough for the emperor to want it in his living space. So, why should we get into this? Why study it? Well, the answer could be simple: I think it’s going to be the most interesting thing you study.
14:43-15:51
Tristan Brown: There’s a lot of interesting technology in China now, like these robots. If you stay in a hotel, you might encounter a jiqiren—a robot. This became very common recently. You can order medicine or food, and the robot brings it to your door. I once arrived at a hotel at 1:00 AM, and a robotic voice said, "I’m here." I opened the door, and there it was, delivering rice and food. They even navigate the elevators. I don't know why we don't have more of those here. There is so much to study regarding modern relevance.
15:51-17:00
Tristan Brown: But let’s get back to history. One reason to study it is that if you go to China and talk to people—from the top leadership down to everyday citizens—you realize that history really matters. It is also very contentious. I mentioned the Qing history project; it’s been ongoing, then it stalled. How do you officially record that period? There are all these political sensitivities involved.
17:00-18:10
Tristan Brown: We might not always pay attention to it in the West, but even The Wall Street Journal reports on these historical debates. I do not think ancient history is any less relevant than modern history. We will cover a vast amount of time. If you want the 20th century, take the other course in 2026. For now, let’s talk about the long recorded history. Many of you may be familiar with the great novels. Has anybody read Sanguo Yanyi, or Romance of the Three Kingdoms?
18:10-19:22
Tristan Brown: Some of you might be taking a class on those great novels. We talked about Journey to the West; this is Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It begins with a famous line: "The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide." Think about that cycle. The Chinese Empire is a major case study of territorial and demographic cohesion. One of the things we study is why, when everything falls apart and it looks like China might become a collection of small states like Switzerland, it suddenly pulls back together. It’s as if Rome kept coming back over and over again. You have to ask: why? What is going on?
19:22-20:29
Tristan Brown: People across the centuries anticipated this unity. That’s not to overstate the continuity—tons of things changed and evolved—but the conversation about unity is very old. Chinese history provides a ton of data. If scientists want to look at long-term climate data, where is the first place they look? They look to China, because China kept meticulous records for thousands of years—meteorological records, astronomical observations, all of it.
20:29-21:29
Tristan Brown: Even if you don't become a historian, you can use this data for other research. History is ancient, but it is also very much alive and filled with debate. This goes back to that image of the palace. It represents a huge conversation involving Confucians, Legalists, and Buddhists. It all comes together in this curriculum. You get to eavesdrop on that conversation and think about it for yourself.
21:29-22:37
Tristan Brown: So, here are the class goals. I teach two classes: one covers early history, and the other covers later periods. I am a historian primarily of the later imperial period; that’s my specialty and what I love. However, since this might be the only China history class you take at MIT, I really go out of my way to cover the early periods too. I’m a huge fan of the Han and Tang dynasties. I will give you the "greatest hits" of every period we cover.
22:37-23:42
Tristan Brown: My goal is that you walk away saying, "I didn't know that, but now I can say something about it." That way, when you go out into the world, you can have great conversations. You’ll be able to say, "I know what that is; I know when that happened." It’s also about learning the discipline of history itself. History is a way of thinking. we use primary and secondary sources. A textbook is a secondary source; a primary source is something written at the time of the events.
23:42-24:50
Tristan Brown: As historians, we actually don't like textbooks very much because they are the least direct way to engage with the past. We want to go back to the original voices. That’s what I want you to do. You need to leave this class with a foundation. You might think, "This is a lot of names and dates," but the people you will meet in China or in professional circles will often have a deep knowledge of this history.
24:50-26:01
Tristan Brown: They will blow away the average person with their historical knowledge—even if their interpretation is biased, they know the facts. So, you’ve got to know them too. Let me emphasize: maybe this weekend you should sit down with a book. You can't just use a computer to become an expert overnight. Chinese history is something you have to drill, know, and think about from different angles.
26:01-27:11
Tristan Brown: Then you can truly say you understand it. We’re going to try to build that foundation. I always say that 50 years from now, long after you graduate from MIT, you’re going to talk to people, and this history is the type of thing that stays with you. It’s great for table conversation. I guarantee you’ll have better holiday dinner conversations after this class. So, why do I like China? Where to begin? I first went to China many years ago. This photo is me back then—I’ve changed a bit. I think I’m at a breakfast stall here.
27:11-28:15
Tristan Brown: I’m eating doujiang (soy milk) and youtiao (fried dough sticks). It’s like heaven. So, it’s partly about the food, but it’s more than that. We can talk about food all day—I actually have another class called "The History of Rice"—but what I’m trying to say is that something about a culture eventually grabs you. It could be Japan, Mongolia, Russia, or Italy. It might not be the Colosseum; it might just be the feeling of a Florentine afternoon.
28:15-29:15
Tristan Brown: You find yourself saying, "I just love this, and I want to understand what happened here." For me, it wasn't just one moment; it was many meals and many experiences. I have been traveling to China for the past 20 years, and I’ve seen incredible change. I remember the old "green skin" trains where you had to stay overnight to get anywhere.
29:15-29:55
Tristan Brown: The first time I took the train from Beijing to Shanghai, it took forever because we didn't have high-speed rail. Now, it takes what—five hours? It’s totally changed. But those old trips were a lot of fun.
30:00-30:12
Tristan Brown: If you talk to people in China, you'll hear about the changes. I’ve gone back many times. I even wrote a book about it.
30:12-30:39
Tristan Brown: I was there this summer, so I really got into it. I continue to go back; I can't tell you how many times I've been. I’ve probably lived there for a significant portion of my life. This summer, I went for a visit and noticed so many changes.
30:39-31:06
Tristan Brown: For someone addicted to caffeine, I used to have to drink a ton of tea. Now, I love tea, but coffee in China has become its own thing.
31:06-31:39
Tristan Brown: What you find now is a world that has evolved. You take an espresso and create something entirely new—like these "tangli" drinks.
31:39-32:06
Tristan Brown: I often ask, "Why don't we do this here?" I think there’s an attitude of, "Enough with the Italians and their cappuccinos. We need to go to the next phase."
32:06-32:28
Tristan Brown: It’s all these milky drinks, but they can tire you out. This is the absolute "pick-me-up," so definitely check out the coffee scene in China. I used to do a lot of research on this.
32:28-32:52
Tristan Brown: There are no prerequisites for this course. You are all welcome to enroll, and you can even bring guests—just let me know. You can bring your parents. Some people bring friends from their computer science classes. That’s fine; just keep me in the loop.
32:52-33:19
Tristan Brown: Knowing Chinese is not a prerequisite. For all the primary sources, we provide translations if you want to look at them. However, if you are learning Chinese, that’s an option if you want to engage with the original texts.
33:19-33:49
Tristan Brown: Regarding study guides—I realized I have to offer an exam. For those of you who have taken my classes before, you know the average on the midterm is usually quite high.
33:49-34:21
Tristan Brown: Most students do well. Many people get A’s. If you get below a certain grade, what I mean to say is that getting a good grade shouldn't be a huge issue if you put in the effort.
34:21-34:36
Tristan Brown: You do have to study, though. Some people will bomb an assignment, and that’s okay. It’s not the end of the world; we’ll figure it out. Let’s talk about the logistics.
34:36-35:06
Tristan Brown: First, regarding attendance: you are allowed two excused absences. I realize some of you might have a partial conflict with another class. If you can only come to 50% of the lectures, we can make an arrangement for you.
35:06-35:37
Tristan Brown: We won't penalize you as long as you show us your schedule so we can keep track. Just let us know. Otherwise, we’re pretty flexible.
35:37-36:14
Tristan Brown: In terms of writing, I’ll explain my expectations. Each assignment is worth 2 points. If you do a decent job, you get the points. It’s as simple as that. You can submit late for 1 point. I just want to avoid the situation where someone comes to me at the end of the semester saying they missed everything.
36:14-36:48
Tristan Brown: All of the quizzes are open to everyone. If a quiz didn't go well, you have the option to retake it. We offer one retake because sometimes people just have an off day.
36:48-37:15
Tristan Brown: If you want to take it again to go for those 5 points, I get it. There is also a timeline project, but it’s not bad. You just propose a topic where you can focus on a specific era in China.
37:15-38:01
Tristan Brown: I’ll provide all the details on how to do that. One thing we do involves Linda Ridzuan, who is fantastic. You should definitely correspond with both of us.
38:01-38:33
Tristan Brown: During the semester, we’ll do a required 10-minute meeting. Linda and I will greet you, and we’ll talk about your interests in Chinese history. We expect that level of engagement.
38:33-39:03
Tristan Brown: Now, about the discussion posts: I’ve changed the deadline to Wednesday to give you a little more time. Basically, you have to answer a question. I’ll provide an example.
39:03-39:32
Tristan Brown: You should write two paragraphs. I’ll specify exactly how we want them structured. We’ll talk about how to separate facts and inferences.
39:32-39:53
Tristan Brown: For example, "Bees make honey" is a fact. Inferences are statements based on evidence, which are different from pure opinions like "I hate Confucius." While you're entitled to your opinion, that’s not a proper post. We want a combination.
39:53-40:27
Tristan Brown: Focus on facts and inferences. Look at the question and try to answer based on the material; then you can expand into your own analysis. You know how to do it. I’ve laid it out nicely for you.
40:27-40:57
Tristan Brown: Let’s look at an example, such as the origins of the state. This is one of my favorite lectures. Writing is a technology, and China was very early to it. One question we’ll ask is: "What counts as writing?"
40:57-41:28
Tristan Brown: You can answer that in various ways. It might look like there’s a lot of reading, but it’s manageable if you break it down. The primary sources are the most important—the original writings, like translations of Zhou bronzes.
41:28-42:01
Tristan Brown: I’ve uploaded the readings to the class site. It’s a sophisticated and comprehensive collection. If you’re still struggling to understand an era, we have a textbook as a secondary source.
42:01-42:40
Tristan Brown: The textbook is there to help you break down the different eras. If you already know the Tang dynasty, you might skip the secondary reading and just do the primary sources. But for other eras, you might want the textbook. It’s there if you need it; it’s not as daunting as it looks.
42:40-43:08
Tristan Brown: I’ve also posted the dynastic study guides. Any questions? How does that sound? Is it interesting compared to your other classes? Let me know.
43:08-43:39
Tristan Brown: Let’s talk about periodization. This is our "foot in the door." Remember that long list of dynasties I showed you? First, let's look at "pre-modern." When does modernity begin? It’s a bit of a useless phrase because it's so subjective.
43:39-44:15
Tristan Brown: For the sake of dialogue, some say modernity begins with the very end of the imperial era. So you have modern history and imperial history.
44:15-44:41
Tristan Brown: When we say "Imperial China," that has a very fixed definition. It begins in 221 BC when Qin Shi Huang unified the country.
44:41-45:15
Tristan Brown: Keep in mind, writing was invented in China long before that. China has 1,000 years of history before the first emperor. It’s amazing to think that when the first emperor was living, he was already looking back at a long history of other kings.
45:15-45:51
Tristan Brown: The empire was a new form of royal kingship that replaced what came before. That imperial system remained the primary form of governance until the revolution of 1911, when the last emperor abdicated.
45:51-46:32
Tristan Brown: As a historian, when we talk about Imperial China, we are talking about the period when China had an emperor. We can also break this down further. For those who haven't taken AP World History, when does the "post-classical" or "medieval" period start?
46:32-47:00
Tristan Brown: Audience:
1300?
Tristan Brown:
1300 is actually the late medieval period. This is all very debatable.
47:00-47:31
Tristan Brown: We can talk about the end of the Han dynasty, around 200 AD, as a turning point. Then we enter the "Middle Period," which includes the famous Three Kingdoms period.
47:31-48:06
Tristan Brown: Where does Middle Period China end? Some put it after the Mongols, around the year 1000. I’m just giving you rough dates here.
48:06-48:36
Tristan Brown: Sometimes you’ll hear the term "Late Imperial China." If you’re talking to a specialist, that’s how they often refer to the later dynasties. We all know what that means, so either term is fine.
48:36-49:14
Tristan Brown: Should I play this video? No, the computer is acting up. It’s playing this very foreboding music. Let me try one more time... I’m losing patience with it.
49:14-49:42
Tristan Brown: Basically, I’ll just put a link to that video online. Now, let’s talk about geography and do a tour of the regions.
49:42-50:10
Tristan Brown: We talk about North and South. We have a Western Han and an Eastern Han, which refers to the locations of the capitals. As time goes on, this shifts.
50:10-50:43
Tristan Brown: In the medieval era, like the 8th and 9th centuries, the Tang dynasty was centered at Xi'an and Luoyang. But by the year 1000, the focus shifts. We start seeing Nanjing as a southern capital. What’s going on?
50:43-51:16
Tristan Brown: The Chinese population began migrating from the North China Plain to the south. The south, the area south of the Yangtze River, was originally swamp and marshland. Around the year 0, the population was concentrated in the north.
51:16-51:47
Tristan Brown: However, by the medieval era, the south became the economic powerhouse because they could grow rice and produce surpluses. They paid taxes to the North. It’s a very important dynamic.
51:47-52:19
Tristan Brown: If you look at this image, that’s the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, the northern capital. It’s dry and dusty. In contrast, the south is humid and dominated by rice paddies.
52:19-52:52
Tristan Brown: When the Mongols created their empire, they moved the capital to Beijing. It wasn't originally a Han Chinese capital; it was a frontier city.
52:52-53:32
Tristan Brown: After the Mongols, we have Beijing as the northern capital and Nanjing as the southern capital. The most economically productive areas are in the south, like the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong.
53:32-54:10
Tristan Brown: The southerners ended up providing the wealth, while the north remained the political center. That tells you a lot about the history and geography of the country.
54:10-54:33
Tristan Brown: Let’s talk about the regional divide. Let me pause—is Maryland in the North or the South?
54:33-54:38
Audience: Political geography says North.
54:38-55:05
Tristan Brown: Right! You’ve answered based on political geography. The same is true in China. In the 20th century, they drew a line at the Huai River. If you’re north of that line, you’re in the North.
55:05-55:35
Tristan Brown: The joke is that the state provides central heating if you're in the North, but if you're below that line, you're on your own. It’s one of those cultural markers.
55:35-56:10
Tristan Brown: I remember being in Guangyuan, which is in Sichuan. It’s technically "North-ish," but it was freezing. I went to bed with so many blankets I could barely move.
56:10-56:34
Tristan Brown: Then someone from a truly warm part of the world came by and thought it was fine. But just know, this "Mason-Dixon line" in China is a major cultural divide.
56:34-57:03
Tristan Brown: There are cultural traits we can discuss later. I realize this is a class on dynasties, but I think it's important to understand the provinces where these events are happening.
57:03-57:42
Tristan Brown: There are also autonomous regions like Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and so forth. I have the study guides ready for all of this.
57:42-58:08
Tristan Brown: This map shows the "Heihe-Tengchong Line." It runs down to Yunnan province. I have some photos from when I visited.
58:08-58:47
Tristan Brown: This line is fascinating: 64% of the land is to the west, but in 1934, only 4% of the population lived there. Even in 2015, the vast majority of people lived to the east. Tibet and Xinjiang are huge, but sparsely populated.
58:47-59:14
Tristan Brown: Many of you speak Chinese and know it’s a tonal language. A beginner might accidentally call their mother a horse if they get the tone wrong.
59:14-59:44
Tristan Brown: Just realize that when you see an "X" in Pinyin, like in "Xia," it’s pronounced like a "sh" sound. This is how we’ll be transliterating names.
59:44-59:56
Tristan Brown: Let’s start talking about the early periods. I’m going to start with the basics because that’s where the story begins.
1:00:03-1:00:43
Tristan Brown: Let's start over there. You have probably encountered Sichuan food; it's actually a pretty famous cuisine because of all the spices. It was a kind of cuisine originally created by people from Sichuan, but they just created a global brand. You also sometimes see it spelled "Szechuan." That's just an older romanization, but it refers to the same thing.
1:00:51-1:01:33
Tristan Brown: In many parts of China today, Sichuan is where people look for flavor. Because I'm a historian, I should mention Chongqing. Culturally, they are together; they speak a very similar dialect. However, Chongqing was siphoned off and is now its own separate municipality. But you can see Chongqing and Sichuan as part of the same cultural sphere.
1:01:33-1:02:36
Tristan Brown: It's also home to—let me just say one more thing—the fact that China now has a national market. Sichuan food is part of the national palate. It's not like you have to go to Sichuan to get it; you're going to find hot pot everywhere. The point is, nowadays, if you're in a random city, you can find Sichuan food. It might not be great, but they will have it. It's a bit like how Massachusetts has Mexican food. If you want to eat it here, is it as good as Arizona? I don't know, but you get what I'm saying.
1:02:36-1:03:40
Tristan Brown: Sichuan is also home to the panda, besides the peppercorns. We'll talk about the panda later, but just realize something: I'm not breaking any news here, but the panda fits so well with modern branding. It is sort of friendly and cute. How do you get that combination? It's like evolution. It is actually a bear, so it is related to grizzlies and all of that. How did this happen? Well, I don't know how a bear moved to Sichuan and said, "I only want to eat bamboo," but basically, you have this unique creature.
1:03:40-1:04:21
Tristan Brown: The panda became very important in the Communist era. The dragon is an imperial symbol, and even the elephant is associated with the old empire—you can see them at the Ming tombs. But then there's this new animal: the panda. And it worked. You just have to admit it worked; it was incredible marketing. Now, it's on everything.
1:04:21-1:05:07
Tristan Brown: Moving to the 20th century, Sichuan also had a reputation for its teahouses. The south was loaded with them, and people would hang out there. It’s got a great lifestyle. The way people talk about it, it's an easygoing, easy life. There's even an expression: "When you're young, don't enter Sichuan; when you're old, don't leave Sichuan." This is one of the ways people characterize the region.
1:05:07-1:05:40
Tristan Brown: One interesting thing about Sichuan is its geography. It is a basin, which means it is surrounded by mountains. To get into Sichuan is very difficult. Historically, the main way in was through the Yangtze River, but it only flows one way. You can send people down, but coming up is hard.
1:05:40-1:06:06
Tristan Brown: Because of this, it's often been a place to flee to. During the Tang Dynasty, during the An Lushan Rebellion—one of the most famous rebellions in history—the emperor fled from Xi'an (then called Chang'an). Don't worry, you will memorize these names and know what they mean soon.
1:06:06-1:06:49
Tristan Brown: In the 20th century as well, some of you will know this: when Japan invaded from the east, Chiang Kai-shek's government moved to Chongqing. So, realize this is a big, protected area that gives it a unique strategic character. Sichuan is often the last to fall when China is under attack because it's so hard to get to. That gives it a certain "fortress" quality.
1:06:49-1:07:51
Tristan Brown: Now, we continue our tour. That was Chongqing. Now, we're going to Shaanxi. If you take this class, you have to know Shaanxi. Down here in the southern part of the province is Xi'an, or Chang'an as it was known when it was the capital. It was a city built on a massive scale. You can still see towers there that are centuries old. It's an incredibly impressive place. You probably know this as the home of the Terracotta Warriors. This is where you would go if you wanted to see them.
1:07:51-1:08:25
Tristan Brown: We will cover all of this in class. Let's talk a little bit about the food. Nowadays in Xi'an, you see a lot of wheat-based food. The terrain is flatter there, and Northerners generally eat more wheat. So, that's a big part of the diet.
1:08:25-1:08:41
Tristan Brown: You'll find many noodle-type dishes. This is saozi mian. It's very nice, with a vinegar taste and a little spice. Does anybody recognize this other dish?
1:08:41-1:08:47
Student: Yeah, paomo, yangrou paomo.
1:08:47-1:09:11
Tristan Brown: Exactly, yangrou paomo. This is a lamb soup. It comes with a bread that looks like a naan. You tear your bread into a million little pieces, and then they pour a rich broth over it. It's super heavy. When you eat this, you are full for the rest of the day. It's really good.
1:09:11-1:10:05
Tristan Brown: Now, let me warn you: when you look at a map of China for the first time, you might get confused. The province right next to Shaanxi is Shanxi. Are you kidding me? You might ask, "Couldn't they name it something else?" You just have to learn it. In English, we distinguish them by the spelling—Shaanxi with two 'a's is the ancient capital with the warriors. There will always be a question about this on the map quiz. If you come over to my office, I'll show you. For a Chinese person, these are different tones, but for an English speaker, you're like, "Seriously? I have to learn this?" Yes, you do. They are not the same.
1:10:05-1:10:41
Tristan Brown: It actually makes it easier to remember if you associate them with landmarks. In Shanxi, there's a place called Datong with lots of interesting history and dao xiao mian (knife-shaved noodles). The Hanging Temple is over there too; that's really fun. Let's move on. I think our next stop is Beijing, the Imperial Capital. If you look at the map, we went through Shaanxi, then Shanxi, cut through Hebei, and now we're in Beijing.
1:10:41-1:11:06
Tristan Brown: How many of you have been to Beijing? What was your impression?
1:11:06-1:11:11
Student: It was kind of smoggy.
1:11:11-1:11:18
Tristan Brown: It can be. What else?
1:11:18-1:11:23
Student: The palace.
1:11:23-1:12:01
Tristan Brown: Yeah, the Forbidden City. What else do I remember? The weather can be tough. Look, you just have to say it: one day it's fine, and then all of a sudden, a sandstorm hits. It's like, "I don't want to be outside." I realized, just being there, that the traffic in Beijing is also legendary. But the city is loaded with history from over the years. You can't see everything in one trip; you can always go back and find something new. It's really, really fun.
1:12:01-1:12:33
Tristan Brown: Of course, many people who go to Beijing go to see the Great Wall. You actually don't need to be in Beijing to see it; there are Great Wall sections all over the north. The "Great Wall" was often a series of different walls built at different times. It was important in certain dynasties and less so in others; it just depended on who was in power.
1:12:33-1:12:52
Tristan Brown: I will say one thing here about the Northeast, or Dongbei. Has anybody ever been to Dongbei? Where did you go?
1:12:52-1:12:58
Student: I was born there.
1:12:58-1:13:04
Tristan Brown: Oh, no way! You were born in Jilin province? Fantastic. Where else? You went there?
1:13:04-1:13:11
Student: I went skiing.
1:13:11-1:13:19
Tristan Brown: You went skiing? Oh, nice. You went to Heilongjiang?
1:13:19-1:13:25
Student: Yeah.
1:13:25-1:13:37
Tristan Brown: Nice. I was in Liaoning this summer and had a very nice time. The Northeast is unique in a number of ways. If you go there, you'll see it has some Russian influence. Manchuria is very important in modern history because Japan set up a puppet state there called Manchukuo.
1:13:37-1:14:08
Tristan Brown: Just realize that, over the years, I've noticed people associate the Northeast with being humorous. There are all these famous comedians from there. I'll see if my video plays—you can watch these clips.
1:14:08-1:14:16
[VIDEO PLAYBACK]
- [Speaking Chinese]
1:14:16-1:14:24
Tristan Brown: She has a very distinct Dongbei accent.
1:14:24-1:14:30
[VIDEO PLAYBACK]
- [Speaking Chinese]
[END PLAYBACK]
1:14:30-1:15:13
Tristan Brown: I don't know exactly why that region produces so many comedians. Maybe it's the cold winters? I don't know. But people from that region are known for their wit. I'm going to be honest with you—I'm from around here. Are people here funny?
1:15:13-1:15:21
Student: I feel like we know where people are jerks.
1:15:21-1:15:28
Tristan Brown: I see. Yeah, okay. We know where people have attitudes. But humor is a specific cultural trait. Who’s funny and who’s not? This is just one of those regional stereotypes they have in China.
1:15:28-1:16:10
Tristan Brown: If you go south from Dongbei, you get to Shandong. What I mean by that is, Shandong is a province that has influenced Chinese culture in a big way. It's a fascinating place and so important. It's near the area where the Yellow River reaches the North China Plain. The Yellow River is known as "China's Sorrow" because it floods and changes course, which can be devastating.
1:16:10-1:16:41
Tristan Brown: This is a region where the state has historically been more involved in management. In the south, things were often more laissez-faire, more like "the mountains are high and the emperor is far away." It's a different relationship with authority. This is one of the ways we think about the South-North divide. Confucius is from Shandong; we'll encounter him in a bit. A number of the big early thinkers came from this region, so it has an incredible intellectual pedigree.
1:16:41-1:17:32
Tristan Brown: Again, the area around the Yellow River is sometimes called the "Cradle of Chinese Civilization." It's one of those places where we can trace the origins of the early dynasties. We went over three of the major regions today, so it's been a very productive start.
1:17:32-1:18:11
Tristan Brown: By the way, I always talk about the Grand Canal. I apologize, but I just love it. One really, really important piece of infrastructure in Chinese history is the Grand Canal. This was like the superhighway of the pre-modern world. It's like when I tell people about the origins of the Grand Canal—it's one of those things that was built in one era and then remained vital for centuries.
1:18:11-1:19:12
Tristan Brown: It didn't just flow in one direction like the rivers you see here. It connected the Tang capital to the rice-producing regions of the south. In later years, it basically connected Beijing to the rest of the empire. It's like a main artery; the emperor can travel it, and grain can be shipped up it. Today, there's high-speed rail, but at that time, there was the canal. Tell your friends! Enjoy the weekend, and I'll see you on Monday. We'll finish up our tour of China then.
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