Topics in this episode: "The Fearless Sea" and "The Path of American Sea Power Under the British Sun" Meeting Zhang Qian while writing for Noon Stories Classical Military Enthusiasts and the First Generation of Internet Military Fans The Misuse of Mahan and the Neglect of Corbett Lin Liguo and the First Generation of "Japanophiles"
Spy literature was once considered a lowly form of commercial literature. However, in the 20th century, with the onset of the Cold War, a group of master spy novelists emerged. The depth and intellectual rigor of their works were no less than those of serious literature, and their readers included business leaders, academic elites, and even intelligence chiefs of major powers. In this episode of Left and Right, Zheng Shiliang, Executive Editor of Shanghai Review of Books and currently working on genre fiction, brings us everything about spy literature.
Topics in this episode: The Anglo-German rivalry of the 20th century and the popularity of spy literature The long history of British foreign intelligence The Royal Geographical Society and the Great Game Anglo-Soviet intelligence confrontation in the 1930s and the 'First Cold War' The 'Shaw' Department, present all over the world
Topics for this episode: Overview of the US Intelligence System The Russian cultural tribute project "Forgotten Leaders" and Abakumov The Cheka was not a simple intelligence organization from its inception Dzerzhinsky, who was polite and "supported free markets" The complex history of the KGB's name changes
Topics in this episode: Overview of the US intelligence system The background of the FBI's birth The predecessor of the CIA was born under the suggestion of British intelligence agencies The NSA rose to become a new star in intelligence "Turf wars" between intelligence agencies
Topics for this episode: The story of Lambda entering Bitcoin mining The birth of the Cypherpunk mailing list The religious cultification of Satoshi Nakamoto's followers Central bank quantitative easing and the metaphor of Bitcoin's genesis block Ethereum and various "coins"
May 8 this year marks the 25th anniversary of the passing of the renowned singer, Ms. Teresa Teng. In this episode, we look back on an aspect of this great singer that is less known to mainland audiences: her story of developing her career in the fiercely competitive Japanese music scene.
Topics for this episode: NBC launches Peacock; the US streaming landscape returns to the Warring States period. FOX falls from grace; One America News Network rises. VOA is heavily criticized by the White House for "eating the rice and breaking the pot." Behind the ban on podcasts: how to distinguish between information and opinion. The public opinion strongholds of the American left and right are vastly different.
The Chinese translation of "Is Japan Still Number One?" has finally been published. In this work, born at the turn of the millennium, Ezra Vogel offers a summary defense of his 1979 classic "Japan as Number One," while casually reminiscing about his academic career and even discussing his work serving in intelligence analysis departments as a government official. Let's hear how the book's translator, Sha Qingqing, views this book.
After watching "The Irishman" and still craving more, we discuss a serious issue raised in the film: Was the mafia involved in the assassination of Kennedy? How does Sha Qingqing, a historian, view the 1979 House report that overturned the Warren Commission report? Why were four theories regarding the assassin denied, while two other speculations were not ruled out as possibilities? Why, among the more than 40,000 books about Kennedy, is there still no sufficiently authoritative biography? Listen to this episode.
For coffee enthusiasts, "Lumaz," located on Hunan Road in Shanghai, is a name that cannot be overlooked. Keiichi Nakayama and Ms. Jiamin jointly operate this small coffee shop. How have they survived? Now that coffee has also become a "trend," what impact will this have on them?
Japan has over 50 different men's fashion magazines, a number that leads the world, and Tokyo's fashionistas have long been praised. Who would have thought that sixty years ago, this country was a fashion desert? American David Marx wrote a book titled "Ametora" (Harajuku Cowboys), attempting to clarify the transformation that occurred. In this episode, we will discuss this book and talk about Tokyo's City Boys.
Topics in this episode: The ghost behind "Two" Fascism was once popular worldwide Was Kita Ikki right-wing or left-wing? The "Warring States Strategy School," accepted by neither side The evil fruits sown by German Romanticism
Contrary to general imagination, baseball once flourished in New China, receiving high-level support as part of military education campaigns and united front tools. However, regrettably, the sport ultimately failed to achieve true popularization. In 2014, Sha Qingqing published a paper titled "Playing Baseball in New China" in an official journal. What exactly was the connection between this sport and China? Please listen to this episode of "Left and Right."
Natural history studies emerged during the colonial era and have developed into a discipline with distinct left-wing characteristics today. For researchers in this field, there are still many museums in the world worth discussing. Some of them should not even be called museums, while others retain the vestiges of the imperial era, appearing uniquely charming to today's visitors. Wanying, the initiator of Natural History, is a guest on this episode of Left and Right, to discuss the matter of museums.
Labeling has permeated every corner of our lives, and eating and drinking, the most domestic of matters, has become an effective vehicle for distinguishing social classes. Those who once chased Michelin stars are now promoting legendary small roadside eateries; in short, the hierarchy of disdain continues to evolve. Wang Zhiwei, founder of @Penguin Food and Drink Guide, joined "Left and Right" to discuss his views on the labeling of food and drink, as well as his favorite wines.
Labeling has permeated every corner of our lives, and even the most mundane act of eating and drinking has become an effective vehicle for distinguishing social classes. Those who once worshipped Michelin stars are now promoting legendary small shops on the street corners; in short, the hierarchy of disdain is constantly evolving. Wang Zhiwei, founder of @Penguin Food & Drink Guide, joins Left and Right to discuss his views on the labeling of food and drink, as well as his favorite wines.
2018 marked the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration. Host Yang Yi traveled to the Kanto region for tourism, only to find that Tokyo had no grand commemorative events. The Meiji Restoration, a model of reform in Chinese textbooks, seems to be receiving different treatment in Japan. What underlying causes exist for this? What classic misreadings do Chinese people have regarding the Meiji Restoration? Scholar Sha Qingqing joins this episode of "Left and Right" to discuss the neglected Meiji Restoration with the two hosts.
Spy literature was once regarded as lowbrow commercial fiction. However, in the twentieth century, with the onset of the Cold War, a group of master spy novelists emerged. The depth and intellectual rigor of their works were no less than those of serious literature, and their readers included business leaders, academic elites, and even heads of intelligence agencies of major powers. In this episode of Left and Right, Zheng Shiliang, executive editor of Shanghai Review of Books and currently writing genre fiction, brings us everything about spy literature.
On February 26, 82 years ago, following a rare heavy snowfall, a sudden military coup erupted in Tokyo, known historically as the 'February 26 Incident.' The causes of this coup were both complex and simple, yet its outcome veered in a direction unexpected by all participants and observers. In this episode of Left and Right, Sha Qingqing introduces his forthcoming new book, Japan’s March to Militarism, sharing how this seemingly idealism-soaked coup changed Japan and East Asia.
At the end of last year, a heated discussion arose in China's intellectual circles about the continued decline of independent bookstores. In this episode of Left and Right, several bookstore enthusiasts whose footsteps have traveled the globe, from small towns in Rhode Island to New York, which is full of independent bookstores, from Charing Cross Road in London to the Uchida Bookstore in Kanda, Tokyo, share their personal experiences regarding book hunting and the success or failure of running independent bookstores.
The launch of Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy rocket brought the world a sense of excitement reminiscent of the Apollo program. In this episode, we look back at how intellectuals and the public in both China and the West during the Victorian era (i.e., the late Qing Dynasty) a century ago responded to the impact of modern science and space discoveries on life, and how these responses were recorded in literary form.
Whether in the East or the West, traditional media faces unprecedented challenges. In the past year, proposals for mergers and acquisitions in the US media industry have surged, with traditional media seeking to regain vitality through capital operations. Can this method of life extension work? What implications does it have for Chinese media?