History? You Want Me to Sit Still for History?

So why exactly should we expats care a hoot about Chinese history? Because it might explain our troubles landing a cab in modern-day Beijing.

So says Beijing-based historian and PhD candidate Jeremiah Jenne, author of the Chinese history blog Jottings from the Granite Studio  and contributor to The Atlantic and The Economist, who will hold court this Sunday at The Hutong with his irreverent and insightful observations on the Middle Kingdom.

In advance of his talk, we asked Jenne a few pointed questions to peak your interest:

Q. China's got 5000 years of history. You got 90 minutes. What can we expect?

A. It's impossible to do a one-man show of all 5000 years... I mean, without the use of PEDs and illegal stimulants, so I may have to be selective. I'm also more of a Qing guy so we may stick to the last 1000 years or so. Although every time I hear the phrase 5000 years of continuous history I want to stick my hand into a tank of rabid piranha.

Q. Frankly, half our audience can't remember the 2008 Olympics (sorry, audience) let alone the Qing dynasty. Why should they skip their usual Sunday afternoon routine of catching up on 12 consecutive episodes of the latest pirated US television miniseries to pay attention to Chinese history (I mean aside from the hot toddies on offer)?

A. Because if the Internet has proven anything, it is that history is more fun after you've been drinking. I also think that too many people remember history as a class inflicted upon them. I like to think of history as a living thing which we can put in a cage and occasionally poke with a sharp stick.

Q. What are some of the ramifications of recent history that play out in the streets of Beijing today that foreigners will have noticed?

A. I think the most important one is how we (foreigners) are perceived. I know a lot of people hate hearing "Century of Humiliation" at every turn and wish that China would get over it, but the truth is you can't separate today's China from what happened 150 years ago.  Almost everything we see today is a product of ideas, forces and perceptions set in motion over a century ago. It's important to understand and appreciate those connections, even if we as foreigners might not always agree that there is some kind of direct correlation between getting ripped off at the Silk Market and the Opium War. 

Q. I just finished Sidney Rittenberg's "The Man Who Stayed Behind" and was surprised to see strong connections to current Beijing behavior and their origins in history, from the Cultural Revolution and even before that – things like: deliberately ignoring regulations, the way people treat each other in public rather gruffly, and the strong desire on the part of most to avoid involvement in any public dispute ... what's your take on it?

A. A lot of older Beijingers, and foreigners like Sidney Rittenberg who lived through this period, will argue that many of the "quirks" of living in China today – the nearly feral individualist pursuit of material gain for example – are products of the Cultural Revolution and not inherently part of any Chinese "culture" from before. I might disagree slightly, if only because most of Chinese history has been the story of the world's longest running and most savage game of musical chairs. There's always been pressure on resources and passivity in pursuit of those resources was never really an option.  I think the Cultural Revolution just took that long-term trend and threw into a kind of socio-political particle accelerator.

Q. We're getting pretty heavy here. Give me a modern-day anecdote, perhaps something about today's Beijing we probably don't know.

A. One of the most iconic structures in Beijing, the Altar of Grain and Harvests in the Temple of Heaven... was brought to you by the good people of Oregon. The structure burned down after a lightning strike in 1889 and when the officials went to rebuild it, they couldn't find any trees in the empire of sufficient size and girth. A US firm was thus contracted to bring in trees from Oregon to make the pillars, which to this day are the ones you see when you visit.

Join Jenne for a hot toddy and a quick look at history at "China’s Recent Past: A Hacked History" at the Hutong this Sunday, January 26 from 3-5 pm. Tickets are RMB 100 (50 RMB for members), includes a Hot Toddy, soft drink or local beer and snacks.

Image: Jeremiah Jenne