The China Travel Podcast

Episode 31: Educating Girls of Rural China with Ching Tien

For this episode we’re delving into the mission of EGRC (Educating Girls of Rural China) [https://egrchina.net/], an NGO supporting the educational pursuits of girls in China’s underprivileged regions. Our guest is the founder of EGRC, Ching Tien, who shares with us her personal story of growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution. Her path strays from an educated family background and setting, to relocation in Gansu, the poorest province in China at the time, where she worked in a factory. Several decades later, Ching found herself at a children’s concert in Vancouver, thinking of the girls she bumped shoulders with back in Gansu, and the many worldly opportunities they were missing out on. The first seedlings of EGRC were thence planted, and today, 18 years later, over 2,000 girls in China have benefited from the NGO born of that dream.   ----- For a more detailed write-up on this episode, including links to resources mentioned, please visit our website: wildchina.com [http://wildchina.com]

Episode 30: Ecolodges and Restoration in Yangshuo and Shaxi

For this episode we’re exploring Yangshuo, Guangxi and Shaxi, Yunnan with Chris Barclay. Who is Chris Barclay? Well, if you’ve been to Yangshuo [https://wildchina.com/tour/yangshuo-private/] anytime in the last 20 years, you’ve probably heard of the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat [https://www.yangshuomountainretreat.com/], a long-standing ecolodge on the banks of the Yulong River. This Yangshuo staple was Chris’ first foray into the hospitality industry, in 2001. Since then Chris has opened two more boutique hotels in China: the Yangshuo Village Inn and the Old Theatre Inn. In this episode we explore Chris’ journey as an entrepreneur, hotelier, designer and preservationist in China.   ----- For a more detailed write-up on this episode, including links to resources mentioned, please visit our website: wildchina.com [http://wildchina.com]

Episode 29: Chinese Social Media with Influencer Mei Zhang

For this episode we’re exploring the world of Chinese social media with WildChina founder and Chinese social media influencer, Mei Zhang.   Despite having the world’s largest social media market with over a billion users, to rest of the world, the Chinese social media sphere is largely considered an enigma, with language and geo-barriers effectively shrouding it in mystery to those outside China. In late 2020 Mei started posting on China’s social media platform Little Red Book and has since gained influencer status with over 270k followers and counting. In this episode we cover China’s leading social media platforms, the user demographics, trending content, and more. ----- For a more detailed write-up on this episode, including links to resources mentioned, please visit our website: wildchina.com [http://wildchina.com]

Episode 28: Chinese Culinary History & Culture with Fuchsia Dunlop

For this episode we’re back to one of our all-time favorite topics - Chinese food – and we’re discussing it with world-famous Chinese food writer and chef, Fuchsia Dunlop [http://www.fuchsiadunlop.com/]. Fuchsia’s love with Chinese food traces back to Chengdu in 1992, where she was studying full-time, spending her free hours dipping into the kitchens of willing local restaurants, and eventually invited to train as a chef at the Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine, the first westerner to do so. Today, Fuchsia has published six books (and counting) on Chinese cooking and culture. During the chat, Mei and Fuchsia journey through the history and development of food and cooking in Chinese culture and daily life, covering famous dishes, entrepreneurs, influencers, and those paving a new path for authentic Chinese dishes abroad. ----- For a more detailed write-up on this episode, including links to resources mentioned, please visit our website: wildchina.com [http://wildchina.com]

Episode 27: The Apprentice with Jacques Pépin (Book Club)

For this episode we explore culinary traditions with US-based French chef, Jacques Pépin [https://jacquespepin.org/].   Jacques has authored over 30 books, received honorary doctorate degrees from five American universities, as well as 16 James Beard Foundation Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and an Emmy Award for his TV show with Julia Child, “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home” – one of numerous TV shows that he starred in.   Mei and Jacques compare French and Chinese cuisine and the journeys each have taken to their respective places in global societies today. ----- For a more detailed write-up on this episode, including links to resources mentioned, please visit our website: wildchina.com [http://wildchina.com]