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 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!

  2. Jul 8

    The Forbidden City Part 3 | 600 Years in 60 Minutes

    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

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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

  6. 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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