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Barbarians at the Gate

Barbarians at the Gate
China
Chinese History
Cultural Revolution
United States
Sima Qian
Beijing
Qing Dynasty
Shanghai
Rail Travel
Cultural Diversity
Chinese Culture
Youth Tourism
High-Speed Trains
Green Trains
Hong Kong
Covid-19
Culture Shock
Taiwan
Artificial Intelligence
Empress Dowager Cixi

A semi-serious deep dive into Chinese history and culture broadcast from Beijing and hosted by Jeremiah Jenne and David Moser.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes108Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CulturePlaces & TravelHistory

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Artwork for Barbarians at the Gate

Latest Episodes

On this episode, we sit down with the one and only Jesse Appell—Chinese TV stand-up comedian, blogger, lecturer, tea entrepreneur, and passionate bridge-builder for US–China cultural exchange. In his newly published book, Jesse shares the unlikely st... more

Mike Wester launched the first Burger Fest in Beijing 13 years ago as a scrappy response to the collapse of print ad revenue. Today, burger festivals run in third-tier cities across China, subsidized by local governments trying to drive foot traffic ... more

Warning: GEEKY CONTENT Hosting solo in this week’s episode, David takes a geeky deep dive into the digital revolution in Chinese language learning in conversation with Chinese language pedagogy expert Matt Coss. The Sisyphean task of learning to writ... more

In this episode, we reconnect with an old friend of the podcast, Canadian performer Mark Rowswell—better known in China as Dashan, or “Big Mountain.” Mark reflects on his early career in China, where his remarkable fluency in Mandarin launched him fr... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Jesse Appell
Cross Talk performer, stand-up comedian, Fulbright scholar
Independent comedian/Educator
Episode: This Was Funnier in China: Jesse Appell's Cross-Cultural Comedy Journey
Michael Wester
The man behind True Run Media and organizer of Burger Fest in Beijing
True Run Media / The Beijinger Magazine
Episode: The Business of Burgers in Beijing: What Fast Food Festivals Reveal About China's Economy
Matt Coss
Relatively young scholar and PhD candidate focused on second language acquisition and Chinese pedagogy
Michigan State University (MSU)
Episode: Barbarians Remix: Do you really need to learn to write characters to study Chinese?
Mark Rowswell
Da Shan, renowned Chinese-language performer
Freelance performer; cultural ambassador
Episode: The Many Lives of Da Shan: Mark Rowswell on Chinese Poetry, Performing Live, and Staging Shawshank in Mandarin
Lee Moore
Author of China's Backstory
Unsung Voices Books
Episode: Lee Moore's China Backstory: Why Saying "History Proves" Actually Means "I Haven't Done the Reading"
Emily Hahn
A writer and adventurer known for her work during the 1930s in China and her book 'China to Me'
The New Yorker
Episode: Barbarians at the Gate x By Their Own Compass: Emily Hahn's Shanghai
Thomas Bird
Travel journalist and author of many guidebooks
Episode: Lost in Thailand: The New Chinese Diaspora from Bangkok to Addis Ababa
Yajun Zhang
Global strategist and media innovator
Episode: Perilous Prognostications for China in 2026 with Yajun Zhang
James Carter
Professor at St. Joseph's University, expert on late imperial and modern China
St. Joseph's University
Episode: Barbarians Remix: Horse Racing, History, and the Final Champion's Day in Old Shanghai

Hosts

Jeremiah Jenne
Host of Barbarians at the Gate
David Moser
Co-host of Barbarians at the Gate

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 64 ratings
  • Truly wonderful

    I just laughed so much about Edmund Backhouse. I’ve read the book so I did enjoy the coy account of the empress’ pudenda. Still chuckling.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Foundress of nothing
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • David and Jeremiah are two old grizzled veterans of China watching. I've always enjoyed their discussion about the history and life in China.

    Podchaser
    5
    Laszlo Montgomery
    4 years ago
  • Entertaining and informative

    I absolutely love this podcast! Please keep making it. My interest in China and Chinese culture increases every time I listen. Thanks so much!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    elzedess
    United Kingdom5 years ago
  • Fascinating perspectives on contemporary China, from American educators who have worked and lived in China for years. An inside view that's an eye-opening corrective to simplistic conspiracy-tinged China bashing, without sparing the Chinese establishment from first-hand critique.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Catforaday
    5 years ago
  • Can’t recommend this enough!

    I was lucky enough to be able go on a guided tour with Jeremiah when I visited Beijing in 2017. He came very highly recommended by a friend and boy, did he not disappoint! The amount of depth and nuance he managed to convey to our group of completely clueless tourists in just a few hours was absolutely amazing and eye-opening. And now that the podcast is back, it keeps offering a similarly striking glimpse into what is going on with China today and I’m looking forward to each new episode!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nfelger
    Germany6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate cross-cultural perspectives and accessible storytelling.
Guests and hosts are praised for depth, nuance, and engaging delivery.
Audience consistently cites balance of rigor and entertainment in deep historical discussions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#187
Italy/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Business of Burgers in Beijing: What Fast Food Festivals Reveal About China's Economy
Q: How did Burger Fest start and how has it evolved over the years?
It began as a pragmatic, ad-based festival tied to restaurant advertising, then evolved into a city-wide festival machine with multiple cities hosting events, increasingly featuring out-of-town vendors and large-scale stages.
Curating Chinese Internet Culture for Global Audiences with What's on Weibo founder Manya Koetse
Q: How do you feel about the criticisms you receive regarding your coverage of China on What's on Weibo?
Manya acknowledged receiving both pro- and anti-China criticism, indicating her independence in reporting trending topics reflects the current online discourse, which blends positivity and critique of China.
Curating Chinese Internet Culture for Global Audiences with What's on Weibo founder Manya Koetse
Q: What trends have you observed in the changing demographics of social media users in China?
Manya noted that platforms like WeChat are widely used among different demographic groups, while Bilibili and KuaiShou attract younger, rural users interested in specific content, contrasting with Weibo's older, more balanced demographic focused on news and celebrity culture.
Curating Chinese Internet Culture for Global Audiences with What's on Weibo founder Manya Koetse
Q: Can you talk about your journey and how you started What's on Weibo?
Manya shared that her journey began when she spent a year in Japan during high school, which sparked her interest in Asia, leading her to study Japanology and eventually start What's on Weibo to follow trends in Chinese social media.
Let Only Red Flowers Bloom with NPR Correspondent Emily Feng
Q: Were there ever points where you begin to actually get a little bit more of what some people call cognitive empathy for the government itself?
In the case of Emma, she showed some understanding of the government's anti-corruption policies while disagreeing with how her individual case was handled.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Barbarians at the Gate

What is Barbarians at the Gate about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A show that treats Chinese history and culture with thoughtful nuance while keeping a lively, accessible tone. Across episodes, listeners encounter deep dives into dynastic politics, cultural exchange, and historical narratives, often through the lens of specific figures, events, or literary works. The mix of scholarly guests, veteran hosts, and cross-cultural perspectives tends to attract curious, educated listeners who enjoy connecting past contexts to present-day China and global affairs. A standout is the ability to pair rigorous analysis with entertaining storytelling, making complex topics approachable for educated, globally minded audiences who appreciate history, travel, and cultural critique.

Where can I find podcast stats for Barbarians at the Gate?

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How many listeners does Barbarians at the Gate get?

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How many subscribers and views does Barbarians at the Gate have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Barbarians at the Gate has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Barbarians at the Gate?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Barbarians at the Gate:

1. Sinica Podcast
2. Pekingology
3. The China History Podcast
4. ChinaTalk
5. Intelligence Squared

How many episodes of Barbarians at the Gate are there?

Barbarians at the Gate launched 10 years ago and published 108 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Barbarians at the Gate?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Barbarians at the Gate?

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What guests have appeared on Barbarians at the Gate?

Recent guests on Barbarians at the Gate include:

1. Jesse Appell
2. Michael Wester
3. Matt Coss
4. Mark Rowswell
5. Lee Moore
6. Emily Hahn
7. Thomas Bird
8. Yajun Zhang

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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