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

  1. 22h ago

    Jingshan Park | The Unsung Hill Behind the Forbidden City

    A Day In Beijing is an English-language Beijing podcast inspired by the history, innovations, and people and everything beyond Beijing. It's created and hosted by a born-and-raised Beijinger. We exist 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. There's a hill directly behind the Forbidden City. Man-made, built from the earth they dug out of the palace moat 600 years ago. Most people climb it for the famous view. This episode is about everything else — the feng shui reason this hill exists and the imperial hall on the north side that only opened to the public a few years ago. 📪 Next Wednesday — 北海公园, Běihǎi Gōngyuán. Over 1,000 years old. Older than the Forbidden City by centuries. That white pagoda on the island — you've seen it in photos, but you don't know the story. Hit Follow so you don't miss it. 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, the Temple of Heaven, and the places guidebooks miss🥾 Anyone planning to visit Jingshan Park — this episode tells you what every other guide leaves out📚 History lovers — feng shui, the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the Chongzhen Emperor, Beijing's Central Axis🎙️ Anyone who wants to hear about China from someone who actually lives there What this episode covers:🔹 Why the hill is man-made. The Yongle Emperor built it in the early 1400s from earth dug out of the Forbidden City moat. Carried up by hand, layer by layer. In feng shui, a palace needs a mountain to its north — a guardian behind it, facing south. This is that mountain.🔹 The view from 万春亭, Wànchūn Tíng — the Pavilion of Everlasting Spring. Every golden rooftop. The Central Axis — Beijing's invisible north-south line — stretching from Tiananmen Gate to the horizon in both directions. No photo does it justice.🔹 The last Ming emperor. In 1644, a rebel army entered Beijing. The Chongzhen Emperor, 崇祯, was 33 years old. He climbed this hill and hanged himself from a tree. The tree is still marked. 罪槐, Zuì Huái — the guilty locust tree.🔹 寿皇殿, Shòuhuáng Diàn — the Hall of Imperial Longevity. On the north side of the hill. Only opened to the public in the last few years. Over 21,000 square metres. Where the portraits of every emperor were kept — and where French troops took jade seals in 1900.🔹 What locals actually do. This is a park, not a museum. 二胡 players on the path. Tai chi at dawn. The café on the back hill. Peonies in spring — 500 varieties. Ginkgo trees turning gold in autumn. This is where Beijingers go on a weekday afternoon to breathe. 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 PalaceEP8-9: The Temple of HeavenEP10: Can't Get Forbidden City Tickets? Go Here InsteadEP11: Jingshan Park (you are here)EP12: Beihai Park (coming next Wednesday 🙏 I'm no historian — I research every episode the best I can. If anything sounds off, let me know. I'm always learning and this podcast gets better with your help. 🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? We run small, responsible cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me! 🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing", it's also available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / Goodpods / 小宇宙 / Substack📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing✉️ urchineseconnection@gmail.com 🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co

  2. 6d ago

    Can't Get Forbidden City Tickets? Go Here Instead.

    A Day In Beijing is an English podcast inspired by the history, innovations, and people of Beijing; created and hosted by a born-and-raised Beijinger. We exist 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 caps tickets at 40,000 per day. No same-day sales. Booking opens at 8 PM, seven days in advance. On weekends and holidays, they sell out in under five minutes. This episode tells you exactly how the system works, what tricks actually help, and what to do when it doesn't work out. Starting with the 600-year-old the Imperial Ancestral Temple. right next door, Tao Miao.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 imperial rituals, ancestral worship, how architecture encodes political hierarchy🎫 Anyone struggling with Forbidden City tickets who needs a real plan — not a consolation prize, but the other half of the story🎙️ Anyone who wants to hear about China from someone who actually lives there📍 Forbidden City booking reference:- Website: bookingticket.dpm.org.cn (English version available)Tickets release 8 PM Beijing time, 7 days ahead — passport number required- Walk-up window: East Gate (Donghuamen), foreign passport holders, arrive by 7:30 AM- Closed on Mondays.- Don't forget: Tiananmen Square crossing requires a separate free reservation, 1 day in advance via WeChatWhat this episode covers:🔹 The Forbidden City ticket system. 40,000 daily cap, 7-day advance booking, 8 PM release, and the cancellation window between 8:30–9 PM where returned tickets quietly reappear.🔹 Walk-up tickets. The East Gate (东华门) window for foreign passport holders — no guarantee, but doable if you arrive early.🔹 The Tiananmen Square reservation. The booking everyone forgets — you need a separate free reservation to cross the square and reach the Forbidden City's south gate. Skip it entirely by entering via the East Gate.🔹 Five alternatives to the Forbidden City. Taimiao, Jingshan Park, Beihai Park, the Capital Museum, and the Guanfu Museum — each getting their own episode soon.🔹 Taimiao (太庙) — the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Built the same year as the Forbidden City by the same emperor. The ancient rule 左祖右社 (ancestral temple on the left, altar on the right, palace in the middle) — the Forbidden City was never meant to stand alone.🔹 Why the emperor went to Taimiao. Before war, after victory, before every ceremony — speaking to his dead predecessors wasn't ceremony, it was governance.🔹 The main hall (享殿). 29 metres tall — 2 metres taller than the Hall of Supreme Harmony. But the platform was deliberately lowered so it wouldn't overshadow the living emperor's hall. Both truths exist at once.🔹 68 golden phoebe wood (楠木) columns. Nearly 500 years old. Over 13 metres tall. You can't wrap your arms around them.🙏 I'm no historian in any way! I research every episode the best I can. If anything sounds off, let me know. I'm always learning, and this podcast gets better with your help.🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I curate small, responsible cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. 📪 Next Wednesday — 景山公园, Jǐngshān Gōngyuán. The hill directly behind the Forbidden City. The best aerial view of the entire complex . 🎧 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✉️ urchineseconnection@gmail.com

  3. Aug 19

    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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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!

  8. 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!

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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

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