The Context

Latest Episodes:

Lin Shu: The Translator Who Never Learned a Foreign Language Nov 06, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about Lin Shu, a Chinese scholar who introduced generations of readers to Western literature without learning a foreign language himself. Through collaboration, literary talent and a deep concern for China’s future, he helped to usher new ideas into Chinese society.

Zhang Jiuling: A Poet, Prime Minister and Voice of the High Tang Nov 03, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about the celebrated Tang poet and statesman Zhang Jiuling and how the recent discovery of his wife’s tomb has reunited two people separated by 1,300 years while shedding new light on one of China’s most famous poems about the moon.

Cangyuan Rock Paintings: Ancient Stories Etched in Red Oct 30, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about the ancient rock paintings of Cangyuan in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, where red images of hunters, dancers and mysterious spiritual figures offer a glimpse into a prehistoric world whose people, beliefs and stories researchers are still working to understand.

A City on a Scroll: Discovering 18th-Century Suzhou Oct 27, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about Prosperous Suzhou, an extraordinary 18th-century Chinese painting that captures the bustling streets, busy waterways and everyday lives of one of China’s great commercial cities, while revealing a remarkable story of imperial ambition, cultural heritage and a long journey home.

A Jade Seal, a Lost Emperor and a 2,000-Year-Old Silk Road Oct 23, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about the tomb of Liu He, a Han dynasty ruler whose brief reign ended in disgrace, and how a tiny jade seal, along with thousands of other artifacts, is revealing a far more complicated story about his life, his education and the world he inhabited.

Yuelu Academy: A Thousand Years of Learning Oct 20, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about Yuelu Academy, a historic center of learning in central China whose 1,050-year legacy offers a window into the country’s intellectual traditions, educational transformation and resilience through times of war and change.

Yunnan-Xizang Highway: Highway to Prosperity Oct 16, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about how an important transport artery from Yunnan Province to Xizang Autonomous Region, following old trade routes, relieved social and economic isolation in one of the most scenic but impoverished parts of Southwest China.

The Collector Who Gave Away Half the Forbidden City Oct 13, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about Zhang Boju, the legendary art collector who sacrificed his fortune, endured kidnapping, and ultimately preserved some of China’s greatest artistic treasures for future generations.

Bronze Witness: How the Taibao Ding Tells the Story of Yan and Early Beijing Oct 09, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about the Taibao Ding, a remarkable bronze vessel from the early Zhou dynasty whose story reveals the origins of the ancient state of Yan, the struggles of a frontier kingdom that survived for more than eight centuries, and the early historical roots of the city that would eventually become modern Beijing.

Jade Turtle: When Astronomy Met Astrology Oct 06, 2026

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Today, we’ll talk about a 5,000-year-old grave in eastern China and learn about the man with three identities buried inside it: he was an astronomer who measured the solstices with stunning accuracy, a shaman who placed the universe over his own heart, and a warrior who carried a giant stone axe.

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