This episode of the podcast is the second in a cooperative project with the Chengdu-based co-working space and bar Berlin Haus, in the “Haus Guests” series where we speak with local personalities. In this first episode I speak with Richard, a professor of urbanization and expat who first came to Chengdu in 1973. With ancestry dating back to Sichuan by virtue of his grandmother who was a Quaker missionary born in Sichuan in 1919, Richard has an incredibly long history with China and Sichuan. This podcast is an amazing account of his life and experiences in the Sichuan capital.
Topics Discussed
- Richard’s first introduction to Chengdu in 1973 and comparison to Shanghai
- Early 20th century Qing dynasty China from the perspective of Quaker missionaries
- Comparison of the “Cultural Revolution” of the West and of China
- The critical role of China’s planned economy from 1949 – 1978
- What makes Chinese people and the Chinese civilization so adaptable
- The rapid urbanization of Chengdu, and of China
- The huge importance of the year 1976 to China
Download & Stream Links
Download Podcast Episode #35
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