A Day In Beijing with Chen

Chen
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This is more than a travel guide to China. We are real people who live here, your eyes on the ground, and we want you to see it from the inside. A Day In Beijing is a weekly podcast about the history, culture, and people in China. China has opened its doors with visa-free travel. But most "China experts" have never lived here or don't speak Chinese. This podcast is none of those things. We're here to break the cultural stereotypes of China. It's 2026, if you want to hear real voices from China, you can now. Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    The Temple of Heaven | A Virtual Guide of Chinese Cosmology in the Architecture

    A Day In Beijing is an English podcast inspired by the history of Beijing, the innovations from Beijing, and the people from Beijing — created and hosted by a born-and-raised Beijinger. A Day In Beijing exists not only as your virtual travel guide, your dictionary to China, but also to challenge and break the colonial narratives that have been shaping Beijing and China. The Forbidden City was power. The Great Wall was defence. The Summer Palace was an escape. Last episode, the Temple of Heaven was faith — the Mandate of Heaven, the ceremony, and why this 600-year-old altar still matters. This episode, I will walk you through it. South gate to the Hall of Prayer, stop by stop — the cosmic code built into every stone, pillar, and path along the way. 🕐 Timestamps:01:00 — The route and why we enter from the south03:00 — The cypress forest and what Beijingers do here before tourists arrive05:00 — The Circular Mound Altar: the Heart of Heaven Stone08:00 — The bridge where the emperor walks second11:00 — The Echo Wall: whisper and be heard 65 metres away14:00 — The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests: the ceiling17:00 — The Seven Star Stones: why there are 8, not 7 📍 Practical tips at the end of the episode: tickets, hours, the Friday night lighting, and a local tip about Longtan Park next door. 📪 Next Wednesday What do you do when you can't get into the Forbidden City? Hit follow so you don't miss it! Who is this podcast for?🇨🇳 Planning a trip to China or Beijing — the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and the places guidebooks miss🌍 World travellers who want more than a guidebook — cultural travel, responsible tourism, real local perspectives📚 History lovers — Chinese cosmology, how architecture encodes an entire belief system, why numbers matter in Chinese design🙏 Anyone visiting the Temple of Heaven who wants to understand what they're walking through — not just the buildings, but what they mean🎙️ Anyone who wants to hear about China from someone who actually lives there What this episode covers:🔹 The walking route. South gate to north gate — the same direction the emperor walked, and why it matters that you start from the south.🔹 The Heart of Heaven Stone (天心石). Stand in the centre of the Circular Mound Altar, speak, and hear your own voice amplified back. 500-year-old acoustic engineering that sounds like heaven is answering.🔹 The Danbi Bridge — and why the emperor doesn't walk in the middle. The centre path belongs to heaven. Even the Son of Heaven steps aside.🔹 The Echo Wall. Whisper against the curved wall and someone 65 metres away hears you clearly. The geometry of the Imperial Vault of Heaven makes it work.🔹 The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿). The ceiling. 4 pillars for the seasons. 12 for the months. 12 for the hours. 28 for the constellations. 108 total. The entire Chinese cosmos encoded in a wooden structure built without a single nail.🔹 The Seven Star Stones — except there are 8. Why the extra stone is there, and what it has to do with the Manchu dynasty. 💬 Drop a comment; tell me what else you'd like to listen to.🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I run small, responsible cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me on Instagram!🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing", it's also available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / Goodpods / 小宇宙 / Substack🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing

  2. Aug 12

    Temple of Heaven Part 1 | What You Need to Know Before You Visit

    A Day In Beijing is an English-language Beijing podcast, created and hosted by a born-and-raised Beijinger. Beijing history, Chinese culture, and travel, explained by someone who actually lives here. The Forbidden City was power. The Great Wall was defence. The Summer Palace was an escape. The Temple of Heaven is something different — the most powerful person on earth, fasting for three days, kneeling alone at 4 AM, praying for a good year. This episode covers why, what it means, and why this 600-year-old altar still matters today. 📪 Next Wednesday I walk the same route the emperor walked — south gate to the Hall of Prayer, stop by stop. Hit follow so you don't miss it!Who is this podcast for?🇨🇳 Planning a trip to China or Beijing — the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and the places guidebooks miss🌍 World travellers who want more than a guidebook — cultural travel, responsible tourism, real local perspectives📚 History lovers — Chinese political philosophy, the Mandate of Heaven, imperial rituals, how architecture encodes an entire cosmology🙏 Anyone visiting the Temple of Heaven who wants to understand what they're looking at — not just the buildings, but what they meant🎙️ Anyone who wants to hear about China from someone who actually lives thereWhat this episode covers:🔹 The Mandate of Heaven (天命). The single most important political idea in Chinese history. Heaven gives power. Heaven takes it away.🔹 What religion is this? It's not Buddhism. It's not Confucianism. It's older than both. A spiritual practice dating back to 1600 BC that connected the emperor directly to heaven through seasonal ceremony.🔹 Why is the Temple of Heaven round when the Forbidden City is square? Circle equals heaven, square equals earth. The entire layout is a diagram of the Chinese cosmos.🔹 The numbers in the architecture. 12 months, 28 constellations, 12 zodiac animals, 72 micro-seasons. Every tile, every column, every step encodes the universe.🔹 The winter solstice ceremony. 33 cattle, 33 sheep, 34 pigs. The emperor in embroidered robes. Cavalry, musicians, officials.🔹 Why the Temple of Heaven is still China's most important diplomatic stage — from the Opium Wars to state visits today.New here?Listen to the trailer (3 minutes) and the pilot episode (15 minutes) for the full story of who I am, why I'm doing this, and what this podcast is about.EP1-3: The Forbidden CityEP4-5: The Great Wall of ChinaEP6-7: The Summer PalaceThis ep is a complete guide to the Temple of Heaven -- history, architecture, ceremony, and what it all means:What is the Temple of Heaven in Beijing?What is the Mandate of Heaven in Chinese history?Why was the Temple of Heaven built?Who built the Temple of Heaven?What religion is the Temple of Heaven?What is the difference between the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City?Is the Temple of Heaven in the Forbidden City?Why is the Temple of Heaven round?What happened at the Temple of Heaven?What is the winter solstice ceremony at the Temple of Heaven?Is the Temple of Heaven worth visiting?What should I know before visiting the Temple of Heaven in Beijing?Why is the Temple of Heaven important in Chinese culture?What is the significance of the Temple of Heaven today? And next Wed. we will talk about:How long does it take to visit the Temple of Heaven?What are the top things to see at the Temple of Heaven?What is the best route to walk through the Temple of Heaven?When is the best time to visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing?💬 Drop a comment; tell me what else you'd like to listen to.🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I run small, responsible cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me on Instagram!🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing", it's also available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / Goodpods / 小宇宙 / Substack🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing

  3. Aug 5

    The Summer Palace Part 2 | Your Walking Companion Through Beijing's Imperial Garden

    A Day In Beijing is an English podcast, created and hosted by a born-and-raised Beijinger, living in Beijing. Exploring Chinese history, culture, traditions, creativity, innovations, and beyond. This is the episode to listen to while you're actually at the Summer Palace — or the next best thing if you're on your sofa! From East Gate to Seventeen-Arch Bridge, building by building, I walk you through the whole garden. —— Who is this podcast for? 🌍 World travellers who want more than a guidebook — cultural travel, responsible tourism, real local perspectives 🇨🇳 Planning a trip to China or Beijing — the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and the places guidebooks miss 📚 History lovers — Chinese history, the Qing Dynasty, Empress Cixi, imperial gardens, how architecture tells a political story 🗺️ Anyone visiting the Summer Palace who wants a walking companion that actually explains what you're looking at 🎙️ Anyone who wants to hear about China from someone who actually lives there —— What this episode covers: EP6 gave you the history. This one walks you through the garden. 🔹 Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (仁寿殿) — the nine-dragon mirror, the bronze deer and cranes, and what every animal symbolises 🔹 Garden of Harmonious Interest (谐趣园) — the quiet corner most tour groups skip, lotus ponds, pavilions, and why Cixi came here to think 🔹 Longevity Hill (万寿山) — the Buddhist temple at the top, the bronze pavilion that cost 78 万两 of silver, and the view that makes the climb worth it 🔹 Marble Boat (石舫) — Cixi built a boat in stone with the navy's budget. It can never sail and it can never sink. Metaphor or monument? You decide. 🔹 Seventeen-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥) — 150 metres, 544 stone lions each with a different expression. 🔹 What locals actually do — tai chi at dawn, slow walks, ice skating on the frozen lake in winter. This is a park, not a museum. 🔹 Practical tips — tickets, timing, which entrance, combo tickets, best season to visit —— New here? Listen to the trailer (3 minutes) and the pilot episode (15 minutes) for the full story of who I am, why I'm doing this, and what this podcast is about. EP1-3: The Forbidden City EP4-5: The Great Wall of China EP6: The Summer Palace — The History (listen before this one for the full story) —— Questions this episode answers: What is the best walking route through the Summer Palace What are the main buildings and sites inside the Summer Palace? What is the Long Corridor at the Summer Palace? ' What is the Marble Boat at the Summer Palace and why was it built? What is the Seventeen-Arch Bridge? What do locals do at the Summer Palace? How long do you need to visit the Summer Palace? Which entrance should I use at the Summer Palace? What is the best time to visit the Summer Palace in Beijing? What are the best things to see at the Summer Palace? —— 🙏 I appreciate the fact that I'm no historian. I research every episode the best I can! Reading, digging, and calling friends and family who are experts on certain topics to fact-check. If anything sounds off, let me know in the comments. I'm always learning, and this podcast gets better with your help! —— 💬 Drop a comment: have you been to the Summer Palace? What surprised you most? If you haven't — what's the one building you'd want to see first? I LOVE hearing from you all! 📩 Got a question about visiting Beijing? Use the Q&A feature or find me on socials. 🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I curate conscious, ethical cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. 📪 DM me on Instagram. Haven't followed yet? Hit Follow + 🔔 so you don't miss EP8 next Wednesday! 🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing", it's also available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / 小宇宙 / Substack 🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co 📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing 📧 Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com

  4. Jul 29

    The Summer Palace Part 1 | Where the Chinese Royal Court Summered

    A Day In Beijing is an English podcast, created and hosted by a born-and-raised Beijinger, living in Beijing. Exploring Chinese history, culture, traditions, creativity, innovations, and beyond. If you're planning a trip to Beijing, this episode gives you the full story before you visit. If you're not planning a trip, the story of Cixi and the Opium Wars is worth hearing from anywhere. —— Who is this podcast for?🌍 World travellers who want more than a guidebook — cultural travel, responsible tourism, real local perspectives🇨🇳 Planning a trip to China or Beijing — the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and the places guidebooks miss📚 History lovers — Chinese history, the Qing Dynasty, Empress Cixi, the Opium Wars, how empires rise and fall🌐 Geopolitics and world affairs — understanding China through its history, why it matters today, and the decisions that shaped the modern world🎙️ Anyone who wants to hear about China from someone who actually lives there —— What this episode covers: Where did Beijing's imperial court go when the Forbidden City got too hot? The Summer Palace — Beijing's original summer retreat. 🔹 Where we are in Chinese history — the Qing Dynasty at its peak, then the collapse: industrialisation, opium, and the wars that changed everything🔹 Three names, three chapters — how the Summer Palace evolved from Emperor Qianlong's birthday present for his mother to Empress Dowager Cixi's personal government headquarters🔹 Empress Dowager Cixi — who she was, how she rose from teenage concubine to controlling three emperors for nearly fifty years, and the decision that cost China its navy🔹 Burned twice, rebuilt twice — 三建两毁 — and why Cixi rebuilt it a second time while the country was paying war indemnities to eight foreign powers🔹 Cixi's daily life — 128 cooks for one person, a three-storey opera theatre, eunuchs attaching fish to her hook, a fake shopping street staffed by eunuchs🔹 Connection to the Forbidden City series — same dynasty, same woman, different stage. If the Forbidden City was duty, this was desire —— New here? Listen to the trailer (3 minutes) and the pilot episode (15 minutes) for the full story of who I am, why I'm doing this, and what this podcast is about. EP1-3: The Forbidden Palace Ep4-5: The Great Wall of China —— Questions this episode answers:— What is the history of the Summer Palace in Beijing?— Who built the Summer Palace and why?— Who was Empress Dowager Cixi?— What happened during the Opium Wars?— What is the marble boat at the Summer Palace?— What is the difference between the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace?— Is the Summer Palace worth visiting?— How does the Summer Palace connect to the Forbidden City?— What is the best podcast about Chinese history?— What is the best Beijing travel podcast?— What is a good podcast to understand China?— What are the best UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Beijing? —— 🙏 I appreciate the fact that I'm no historian. I research every episode the best I can! Reading, digging, and calling friends and family who are experts on certain topics to fact-check. If anything sounds off, let me know in the comments. I'm always learning, and this podcast gets better with your help! —— 💬 Drop a comment: was Cixi a visionary or a villain? Or both? I LOVE hearing from you all!📩 Got a question about visiting Beijing? Use the Q&A feature or find me on socials.🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I curate conscious, ethical cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me on Instagram. Haven't followed yet? Hit Follow + 🔔 so you don't miss EP7 next Wednesday! 🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing" — also available on:Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / 小宇宙 / Substack🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing📧 Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com

  5. Jul 22

    The Great Wall Part 2 ｜ Which Section To Visit and What the Wall Means Today

    A Day In Beijing is an English-language Beijing history, Chinese culture and travel podcast, hosted by a Beijinger. Like what you hear? Hit Follow and tap the bell 🔔 so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday. —— Who is this podcast for? 🌍 Travellers planning a trip to Beijing or China 📚 Anyone curious about Chinese history and culture 🎙️ People who want to hear about China from someone who actually lives there New here? Listen to the trailer (3 minutes) and the pilot episode (15 minutes) for the full story of who I am, why I'm doing this, and what this podcast is about. —— What this episode covers: What does the Great Wall mean to China today? And which section is right for you? This episode answers both! 🔹 Why Han Chinese civilisation is fundamentally defence-led — a 5,000-year mentality, and the Great Wall as its biggest physical expression 🔹 Why the Qing Dynasty stopped building — four languages, one empire, the conquerors and the conquered became one family 🔹 Sticky rice mortar stronger than modern cement, bricks with workers' names carved in 600 years ago, and a spare brick that saved a craftsman's life 🔹 靠长城吃长城 — how young Beijingers are giving the wall a second life with boutique hotels and design cafés 🔹 The sections locals actually recommend — not Badaling, not Mutianyu 🔹 A piece of the Ming wall in central Beijing that most tourists walk right past —— A note on perspective: I'm half Hui and half Manchu. The Manchu are the people the wall was built to keep out. But I was born and raised in Beijing. This episode tells the story from both sides. —— More episodes: EP4: The Great Wall Part 1 | The History and The People — the full 2,000-year story All three episodes of the Forbidden City series are available. Start from EP1: EP1: Who Built It and How Did Beijing Become The Capital EP2: Power, Class & Gender Roles Behind the Red Gates EP3: 600 Years in 60 Minutes Coming next: The Summer Palace — Beijing's original summer retreat. A garden built for an empress, burned by the British, rebuilt with navy money. Coming next Wednesday. —— Questions this episode answers: Which Great Wall section should I visit near Beijing?What is the difference between Badaling, Mutianyu, and Juyongguan?Where do Chinese locals go on the Great Wall?Why is the Great Wall a symbol of Chinese defence mentality?Can you see the Great Wall without leaving Beijing?What does the Great Wall mean to China today?Why did the Qing Dynasty stop building the Great Wall?What is the best Great Wall section for photography?Is the Great Wall visible from space?—— 🙏 I appreciate the fact that I'm no historian. I research every episode the best I can! Reading, digging, and calling friends and family who are experts on certain topics to fact-check. If anything sounds off, let me know in the comments. I'm always learning, and this podcast gets better with your help! —— 💬 Drop a comment: which section are you going to? Or which one changed your mind? I read every single one, and I'll be sharing my favourites in a future episode. 📩 Got a question about visiting Beijing? Use the Q&A feature or find me on socials. 🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I curate conscious, ethical cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me on Instagram. 🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing" — also available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / 小宇宙 🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing📧 Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com Haven't followed yet? Hit Follow + 🔔 so you don't miss the Summer Palace series next Wednesday!

  6. Jul 15

    The Great Wall Part 1 | The History and The People Behind 2000 Years

    A Day In Beijing is an English-language Beijing history, Chinese culture and travel podcast, hosted by a Beijinger. Like what you hear? Hit Follow and tap the bell 🔔 so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Wednesday, Beijing time zone. —— Who is this podcast for? 🌍 Travellers planning a trip to Beijing or China 📚 Anyone curious about Chinese history and culture 🎙️ People who want to hear about China from someone who actually lives there New here? Listen to the trailer (3 minutes) and the pilot episode (15 minutes) for the full story of who I am, why I'm doing this, and what this podcast is about. —— What this episode covers: Who built the Great Wall of China, and why? This episode answers that through the people, not a timeline. 🔹 The first emperor who connected scattered border fences into one 5,000-kilometre line, and the woman whose tears brought it down — or so the legend goes🔹 The Han Dynasty extended it west to protect the Silk Road, all the way to the Jade Gate, where a poet wrote, "the spring breeze does not cross".🔹 The Sui emperor who sent a million workers and lost half of them, and the Tang Dynasty that looked at the wreckage and said, "We don't need a wall."🔹 The Ming, which spent 276 years rebuilding, because the Mongolian threat never stopped🔹 And the things most people get wrong: you can't see it from space (a Chinese astronaut confirmed it), it was never one continuous structure, and there are no bodies buried inside it If you're planning a trip to Beijing, this gives you the full history before you visit. If you're not, it's worth hearing from anywhere. —— A note on perspective: I'm half Hui and half Manchu. The Manchus are the people the wall was built to keep out. But I was born and raised in Beijing, and this episode tells the story from the Central Plains side. The next one brings in the other perspective. —— More episodes: All three episodes of the Forbidden City series are available. Start from EP1:EP1: How It All BeganEP2: Power, Class & Gender Roles Behind the Red GatesEP3: 600 Years in 30 Minutes EP5: What Survived and Where to Find It. Which section should you visit? Coming next Wednesday. —— Questions this episode answers: - Why was the Great Wall of China built? - How long is the Great Wall? - Who built the Great Wall and which dynasty? - Did the Great Wall actually work? - Why did the Qing Dynasty stop building? - Can you see the Great Wall from space? - What is the story of Meng Jiangnü? —— 💬 Drop a comment: what else do you want to listen to? What do you find the most interesting in this episode? 📩 Got a question about visiting Beijing? Use the Q&A feature or find me on socials. 🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I curate conscious, ethical cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me on Instagram. 🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing", available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / 小宇宙 🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co 📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing 📧 Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com Haven't followed yet? Hit Follow + 🔔 so you don't miss EP5 next Wednesday!

  7. Jul 8

    The Forbidden City Part 3 | Your Walking Companion Through 600 Years

    What was daily life actually like inside the Forbidden City? This episode answers that — through four lives you won't forget. EP3 is the final part of our Forbidden City series, and it's the one where we go inside. Your walking companion from the south entrance to the north exit — or a virtual tour if you're nowhere near Beijing. We walk through the architecture. We follow the routes. But to bring this palace to life, we follow a day in four lives: 🔹 The Emperor — woke at 4 AM, ate alone, and had his stool examined by physicians 🔹 The Empress — managed thousands of staff but could barely leave the palace 🔹 A Concubine — spent every morning getting ready for a call that might never come 🔹 A Eunuch — gave up his body for a chance at power, or spent his life lighting fires under water vats Same palace. Four completely different worlds. 📍 Practical section at the end: how long you need, the Treasure Gallery (珍宝馆), the Clock Exhibition Hall (钟表馆), where to eat nearby, and honest advice on tour groups. New to the series? Start from the beginning: EP1: How It All Began — who built the Forbidden City, when and why EP2: Power, Class & Gender Roles Behind the Red Gates Coming next: The Great Wall — 2,000 Years and Still Standing. Why was it built? Who built it? And which section is the best for YOU to visit? 🎫 Book Forbidden City tickets: https://bookingticket.dpm.org.cn/ WeChat 小程序: 故宫博物院 💬 What surprised you most about life inside the Forbidden City? Drop a comment — I read every single one, and I'll be sharing my favourites in a future episode. 📊 Poll: If you lived in the Forbidden City, which life do you think you'd survive the longest? Vote below! 📩 If you're enjoying A Day In Beijing — hit Follow and tap the bell so you never miss an episode. We release new episodes every Wednesday. ✈️ Planning a trip to Beijing? I curate conscious and ethical cultural experiences, exclusively supporting independent businesses and local communities. Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing Instagram: @chen_backinbeijing Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com

  8. Jul 1

    The Forbidden City Part 2 | Power, Class & Gender Roles Behind the Red Gates

    Part 2 of the Forbidden City series — a deep dive into Beijing's history, Chinese culture, and the stories behind the architecture. Every colour, number, and rooftop creature in the Forbidden City was a deliberate choice. This episode decodes the architecture and how the building communicates power, class, and gender roles — for example, the concubine system. And one woman, Cixi, who entered the palace at sixteen and ended up controlling three successive emperors for nearly fifty years. And what happened to the Forbidden City? The fires, the invasions, the looting — and where in the world you can still see pieces of the Forbidden City if you don't have any immediate travel plans to Beijing. Yet! Missed Part 1? Start there — it covers who built the Forbidden City and why. EP1: How It All Began — live now EP3: 600 Years in 30 Minutes — coming next week 👋 Connect with me on Instagram @chen_backinbeijing 📒 An ethical playbook for Beijing on Instagram @a_day_in_beijing One more thing, I want to hear from you! If you have a story to tell about Beijing, about China, join me on this podcast. You could be a café owner. A calligrapher. An underground rave DJ. A teacher. A civil servant. A street vendor who's been cooking the same dish for forty years. You don't need equipment. You don't need to speak perfect English. I'll handle the recording, the editing, the posting, everything. All you need to do is tell your story. This isn't a business. This is a cause. I just want the world beyond the VPN to see a glimpse of the real us. I believe in it, and I hope you do too.

  9. Jun 26

    The Forbidden City Part 1 | Who Built It and How Did Beijing Become The Capital

    A man stole the throne from his own nephew. And to prove he deserved it, he built the largest palace in human history. One million workers. Fourteen years. And a canal that carried an empire's resources halfway across China to one construction site. But to understand why, you need a bit of context first — and I promise I'll make it painless. So I start with the basics: what a dynasty actually is, what Confucianism means, how Beijing became the capital, and the man whose insecurity gave us the Forbidden City. This is Part 1 of 3. Part 2 decodes what the architecture is actually saying. Part 3 walks you through the palace, south to north. Planning a visit? Book tickets in advance, they sell out fast! Official site: https://bookingticket.dpm.org.cn/WeChat 小程序: 故宫博物院 Find A Day In Beijing Cultural Experiences here: https://adayinbeijing.carrd.co/Connect with me on Instagram @chen_backinbeijingAn ethical playbook to Beijing on Instagram @a_day_in_beijing One more thing, I want to hear from you!If you have a story to tell about Beijing, about China, join me on this podcast. You could be a café owner. A calligrapher. An underground rave DJ. A teacher. A civil servant. A street vendor who's been cooking the same dish for forty years. Because right now, beyond the VPN, the world is hearing about us from people who aren't us. And I think we can do something about that, one voice at a time. You don't need experience. You don't need equipment. You don't need to speak perfect English. I'll handle the recording, the editing, the posting, everything. All you need is to tell your story. This isn't a business. This is a cause. I just want the world beyond the VPN to see a glimpse of the real us. I believe in it and I hope you do too.

  10. Season 1, Episode 2 Trailer

    Pilot Episode | Why I Started a Beijing-inspired Podcast

    I spent 10 years in London doing brand strategy. Won awards, led massive teams, made business director before 30 — but mostly was selling things I didn't believe in. Hit my mid-30s, came back to my beloved hometown with my husband. Beijing's independent businesses are disappearing. 3 million restaurants, cafés and bars closed across China last year. And the tourists who do come? They're stuck in a loop — Forbidden City, Great Wall, done. Meanwhile, the places where actual Beijingers spend their time are invisible to the outside world. I thought, I've got the marketing skills. I've got the cultural context. I've lived on both sides. What if I just build a megaphone for our indie businesses and local communities? This episode is the full story. Who I am, why A Day In Beijing exists, and what you can expect from this podcast. First series: the Forbidden City. Three episodes. EP1: How It All Began — live now EP2: The Story Behind the Red Gates — coming soon EP3: 600 Years in 30 Minutes — coming soon Find A Day In Beijing Cultural Experiences here: https://adayinbeijing.carrd.co/ Connect with me on Instagram @chen_backinbeijingAn ethical playbook to Beijing on Instagram @a_day_in_beijing

  11. Season 1, Episode 1 Trailer

    Trailer | Ethical Travel to Beijing & Chinese Culture and History

    A Day In Beijing is an English podcast about Beijing, about China. Our history. Our culture. Our stories. Told in English — but told by us. I got tired of watching our 5,000 years of civilisation get reduced to 30-second TikToks by people who visited once. Got tired of AI-generated travel guides speaking for us. Got tired of the same lazy stereotypes being recycled as "China content." So I thought — if we don't tell our own stories, who will? Each episode digs into Beijing's history, traditions, and artistry. Some walk you through landmarks like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Others go deeper into the Beijing that most visitors never see. A Day In Beijing also curates conscious travel experiences, we exclusively support independent local businesses and put money back into the community. If you're curious how our city sounds when it's finally explained properly in English, come and listen or message me to join the podcast! If you have international friends or family coming to Beijing, share this podcast with them! Find A Day In Beijing Cultural Experiences here: https://adayinbeijing.carrd.co/ Connect with me on Instagram @chen_backinbeijing An ethical playbook to Beijing on Instagram @a_day_in_beijing

Trailers

About

This is more than a travel guide to China. We are real people who live here, your eyes on the ground, and we want you to see it from the inside. A Day In Beijing is a weekly podcast about the history, culture, and people in China. China has opened its doors with visa-free travel. But most "China experts" have never lived here or don't speak Chinese. This podcast is none of those things. We're here to break the cultural stereotypes of China. It's 2026, if you want to hear real voices from China, you can now. Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing Email: urchineseconnection@gmail.com

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