Fullstendig transkripsjon av Why China Moved Its Capital From Nanjing To Beijing | Kuang Sheng

a problem is like uh resource curves. 00:02:52.090 --> 00:03:45.030 Like uh those well people will when they people look back into the history thing of China, they find that Those dynasties set their capital in Nanjing last f for a like a shorter period compared to those set in other cities or comparably to Beijing. And I think the reason why is that if the dynasty set its capital to in Nanjing and it will have problem to control the space in like all the outer part of of the China, especially to prevent those minorities to invade into China. and also those generals who control the military uh with a huge power, they may come back and overthrow the uh existing government. 00:03:45.030 --> 00:04:03.210 So that's a problem. And uh in Ming dynasty the emperor like whose name is Ju Di He just changed the capital to from Nanjing to Beijing and set up like a relatively long governance here. There. 00:04:03.460 --> 00:04:06.659 Yeah, that's very interesting. I don't actually know the answer to this. 00:04:06.659 --> 00:04:27.620 Is this why the Great Wall was built to protect I know it was built as a defense mechanism, but around what time frame was this built in the Beijing part of the Great Wall? Do you know? Yeah, so like the Great Wall system is kind of a long-lasting period throughout the whole Chinese history. 00:04:27.620 --> 00:04:42.639 Like, because and very Critical issue I have mentioned earlier is about the relationship with the from the Han Chinese and the maybe the Mongolia Chinese or other minorities. 00:04:42.889 --> 00:05:05.110 So each dynasty, if they power In the part we see now here in China, especially the Yangtze River and the Huang River. And what they will do is try to rebuild and refine the existing defense system. That is what you said, that the Great Wall. 00:05:05.110 --> 00:05:19.709 And yeah, so the Great world we see today, like most of the Great Wall we see today is built in Ming Dynasty, like hundreds and I think hundreds of years ago. 00:05:19.709 --> 00:05:26.980 Yeah. So because it's brand new and it will still exist. 00:05:27.149 --> 00:05:30.579 Right now. So that's basically the history. 00:05:30.670 --> 00:05:35.540 Thank you so much for sharing that. I learned some new things, and I'm sure listeners will as well. 00:05:36.110 --> 00:05:39.949 So I want to move the conversation more towards tradition in Nanjing. 00:05:39.949 --> 00:05:42.180 I think this is very interesting to discuss. 00:05:42.430 --> 00:06:00.279 So in America, you have Thanksgiving and the 4th of July and some other holidays like that. I'm interested in. hearing about tradition in that's specific to Nanjing? 'Cause you have, um, Chinese New Year, which is all around China obviously, and then also the Mid Autumn Festival. 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:05.790 But are there specific holidays or traditions that you grew up celebrating? 00:06:06.410 --> 00:06:29.000 Yeah, I mean like Nanjing is quite different'cause because Nanjing is relatively mixed city with a lot of immigrants like from other parts of China because you know due to the history and I think issues what we call native and like Nanjing people is only composed of the small part of the whole population. 00:06:29.009 --> 00:06:32.769 Like because of the Nanjing massacre. 00:06:29.009 --> 00:06:32.769 Y you have he ever heard of it? 00:06:32.769 --> 00:06:43.560 Yes, so it's a tragedy. But so there's uh like what we now see nowadays in Nanjing, there's people coming from Anhui province and uh other parts of China. 00:06:43.649 --> 00:07:28.970 So Um so I think people here follow a very um brand new tradition. But n but uh we also follow some kind of um old traditions in Nanjing. It's like uh when there's um festival, we will go to like those temples, like Jinmin Temple. Like um so they will send the porridges, like with a lot of beans, rice, and also it was like in in the winter and so that they they believe those who uh like uh have those Porridges, they will have a good luck and they will, uh, you know, they will won't starve because it is initially sent to those people who are uh who need help, right? 00:07:28.970 --> 00:07:51.939 So, and we also like just um include some like traditional foods like the salty ducks. And also uh some you know, some snacks, sweet snacks. I can't can't just uh say their names in English, but like or just uh kwe foa tong email. Like oh yeah. 00:07:51.939 --> 00:07:59.769 Yeah, yeah. So Yeah, m maybe I can find any proper translations and I will I will let you know. Yeah, I can put them in the subtitles. 00:07:59.769 --> 00:08:10.089 Yeah, yeah. That's awesome. So was this post um the Nanjing Massacre after they started doing the giving out food and things like this? 00:08:10.089 --> 00:08:36.559 Or was it before? This time period. I know it's a very touchy subject, so I don't want to ask anything specific. Yeah, so I think this is this has been a long history, like because Jiming Temple has existed for many years, and you know there are many temples in Buddhist temples in Nanjing, like Jiming Temple, Tisha Temple. 00:08:31.129 --> 00:08:36.559 And also the Nyoshou temple. 00:08:36.889 --> 00:08:58.960 So yeah, so I think there that's why Nanjing is called a h city with a like rich culture, right? So I mean those histories, those traditions start earlier. Maybe like people even those newcomers, they will try to follow those traditions. That's awesome. 00:08:54.490 --> 00:08:58.960 Thank you for sharing that as well. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:05.990 Are there any traditional like clothing in Nanjing that people wear? 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:13.909 I mean like actually there is no specific clothes in Nanjing that people will wear. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:32.179 You may see like in those uh clubs, they will sh show them in the middle of the festival, like expo. So mm so yeah, people here nowadays here just dress the like the normal way. 00:09:32.179 --> 00:09:51.460 But in festivals, I feel like some

Especially those girls, they will just wear those beautiful hand Han clothes and take photos under the flowers, under the sakura. Yeah, so it's it's it's pretty. 00:09:51.470 --> 00:10:03.830 Yeah, because I think food and clothing tie a lot into culture, so I thought I would ask that. I was in Shanghai last night and these old AUs were dancing and their sleeves on their shirts were really long. 00:10:03.830 --> 00:10:06.710 Yeah, yeah. Is this very traditional? 00:10:03.830 --> 00:10:11.019 I've never seen this before and I've been here for two years. Yeah, it's a traditional hang house. 00:10:11.590 --> 00:10:17.659 Yeah, people will wear those hose with long sleeves, long dresses. 00:10:18.149 --> 00:10:22.080 But I feel like. the maybe the girls wear them more often. 00:10:22.570 --> 00:11:02.240 But for when I was in like middle school or primary school, we will have those um uh like in the New New Year or Chinese New Year celebration, we will just wear those clothes like also to um like um perform, you know. Uh or like uh yes, that's a way we also a way we celebrate the the Chinese New Year or the Middle Autumn Festival. Yeah. That's awesome. So I know that so right now we're in Kunshan near Suzhou and this was a very prominent city for The Silk Road. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:11.750 I'm wondering, did Nanjing play a role in this, in trade and the exchanges of goods? Yeah, Nanjing is a very important city in history. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:22.320 As you mentioned about the Silk Road, so the Silk is one of the most important products in Nanjing because it used to be the capital, right? 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:28.210 So the emperors, those officials, they have to wear those pretty clothes. 00:11:28.379 --> 00:11:33.490 So they set up a like a bureau, like closing bureau in Jiangning. 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:36.929 Uh it's called Jiangning because Nanjing used to call Jiangning. 00:11:37.019 --> 00:11:40.850 Like it has another name. So it has different names in history. 00:11:40.899 --> 00:12:09.730 So they set up like a the Jiangning clothing bureau and they make clothes just uh just just for the empress. So they use good uh good materials like the silk, like the best cotton, and also the uh gold gold uh gold golden lines to make those um You know, the ha Han clothing and the luxury clothes for those for his emperors and his families. 00:12:09.820 --> 00:12:27.779 So I've been to Nanjing once, and something was just very different than all the cities that I've been to. And if you were to give advice to someone on where to travel in Nanjing, Or like one thing to see, what is the thing that stands out to you, or the place that stands out to you to visit? 00:12:28.590 --> 00:13:07.519 I mean, there are so many like places to go because even if like uh there's a called like uh Sun Y Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, it's uh it's a huge scenery with a lot of small like small places to go and there's a lot of museums a lot of natural sceneries so um i feel like just take step by step every people like especially the newcomers they will start from like uh tsing huai river or the Nanjing Museum first and then just try to go to the more like advanced version. 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:17.200 Maybe they can go to the uh Jiming Temple, Nunshou Temple, or and then they will just go to go into those like uh neighborhoods. 00:13:17.210 --> 00:13:25.129 Like there are some, you know, very, very good snacks because like Nanjing is also famous for its ducks, like the roasted ducks. 00:13:25.129 --> 00:13:35.100 Yeah. And um they go to the neighborhood, they queue in lines and wait for those uh roasted guard to come c come and sell. 00:13:35.100 --> 00:14:00.169 And um yeah. So I mean, like just I I think just explore by yourselves. There's you can maybe you just walk into a corner and you find that it's uh maybe a a house that used to live in like uh used to live used to be the house for those the the officials of either Ming Dynasty or just the officials of the Republic of China. 00:14:00.169 --> 00:14:02.559 Yeah. Yeah, I need to go back sometime. 00:14:02.730 --> 00:14:13.139 Um do you have a favorite emperor or public figure in China that really stands out to you or a Chinese philosopher that you really like? 00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:17.460 Um you mean specifically in Nanjing or? 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:20.259 It can be specific to Nanjing, but just in general as well. 00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:33.320 Yeah, maybe I think since we are focussing on Nanjing, like maybe we can just uh I think like Soon Ya Sun is is a really prominent figure. 00:14:33.330 --> 00:14:51.620 And as I said, he just um just uh overthrew the Ching Ching dynastry Qin dynasty because Ching dynasty in his uh last period is represents the you know, the poor and you know, it is har semi-colonized. 00:14:52.190 --> 00:15:19.750 Yeah. And so it is important for for to get rid of those traps, like as we learned in like the PoliEcon three hundred one, like those poverty traps and being those countries being colonized in like African country countries. So uh he uh likes uh mister Swan did a really uh great great great job in that. 00:15:13.909 --> 00:15:24.379 And also I think he also has a more pragmatic view on the collaborations with the CCP. 00:15:24.789 --> 00:15:35.919 And yeah, so I mean he he unites the all the power to overthrow the feudal government and just try to bring the pro prosper to Chinese people. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.120 So that's why I really admire admire him. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:42.549 Yeah, he was very significant in China's history. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:46.019 Thank you for sharing that. Does he have any quotes that you know? 00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:55.929 By heart? Uh I mean like he used to say like tien chia wi gong it's like uh it's like a Lincoln's for the people, by the people. 00:15:56.100 --> 00:16:04.539 Yeah. So it it means that like the it is important for the the government to serve the pe the interest of its own

people. 00:16:04.539 --> 00:16:15.570 like relative just relative to the Qin dynasty is semi colonized, then it may represent the interest of maybe the the f foreign invaders. 00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:34.100 Yeah, I think that's really important. And I think that's a really nice quote. And I want to put it in the description below so that people can see that. In Nanjing, what is the most important thing in people's lives, or what brings them the most meaning in life? 00:16:34.830 --> 00:16:42.100 I mean, like, Nanjing has a lot of cities here in Jiangsu Province, or Zhejiang Province, or Shanghai. 00:16:43.389 --> 00:17:10.269 Like when I grew up the most interest the most important thing is about the I would say the education. Like yeah, like receiving education is um really important part of uh uh of of m my experience of getting up in here and getting up in Nanjing. Like people will like start early and go to different um different different course from after class like to children. 00:17:10.269 --> 00:17:24.910 Yeah. So because I actually I am not so called a native Nanjing people because because as many other Nanjing people that we we moved from my parents they came from Jiangxi province. 00:17:24.910 --> 00:17:28.180 Okay. It's in the also in the southern part of Chin China. 00:17:28.349 --> 00:18:05.910 So um they just work here. and uh they hope uh maybe I can just utilize the resources and also the especially the education resources in Nanjing and um uh try to um actually not to try to fall behind. Like you know, people here nowadays I have those anxieties of not falling behind, right? Yeah. So, I mean the w there there's a really, really good or or people here are really put a lot of emphasis on those education and culture, like that's related to culture, right? 00:18:05.910 --> 00:18:20.779 So um Yeah. That that that's what that that was the first thing come into my mind. So would you say that education they see education as valuable because they want the best for their kid and or children? 00:18:20.950 --> 00:18:30.869 I think so. I think so. Yeah. Because like and for a lot of middle class Chinese they are I think they are anxious. They are ch they're afraid of falling behind. 00:18:30.869 --> 00:18:44.490 It's right. Uh they they climb to the the social ladders and to the to the existing position and they will say, Hey, let's don't make our children just try to fall f uh fall back to where they c came from, right? 00:18:44.490 --> 00:18:51.839 Yeah. Did your parents' work bring them to Nanjing or was it mainly their emphasis or their desire to get you the best education? 00:18:51.930 --> 00:18:57.559 Um they actually they mo move from Jiangxi to Nanjing and uh get a job there. 00:18:57.559 --> 00:19:17.470 They both work in universities. Yeah. So yeah, I think as as as for my mother, I think the the one reason for her to leave where lea leave their ho leave her hometown and go to those big cities in I she pursue her doctoral degree in

Shanghai. 00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:22.990 and uh and they she came back to Nanjing just for for a teaching position. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:33.240 And um so I think the one reason is that uh they think there's a lot of the more opportunities here in Nanjing. And uh yeah. 00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:52.250 And also Nanjing is a city with a lot of universities and uh Um, yes, so famous university. So, I think the reason why she came here is for the better resources. My sister actually was going to study in Nanjing when she was in college. She's about 28 now, but COVID hit, so she wasn't able to go. 00:19:52.250 --> 00:19:58.650 She was going to go for a semester. So, I'm really sad about that because I think that would have been an amazing experience for her. 00:19:58.650 --> 00:19:59.599 Yeah. 00:20:00.329 --> 00:20:07.440 So now that we're talking about education, I want to ask you about your experience like at DKU and what you think about DKU. 00:20:07.529 --> 00:20:28.609 And I don't know, it's very unique to Ch like in China to have a university like this. So I just want to know your thoughts on DKU and I think that's a really long story to start with. Like, my margin usually came to DKU when it was s only accepting graduates. 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:32.140 You know, like DKU started early, like in twenty fourteen. 00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:36.869 And uh first it will just just uh admit Graduate applications. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:43.029 And then, like, maybe in 2018, it starts accepting undergraduates. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:59.269 So, maybe in 2014, my mother came here and she said she took several pictures of those modern classrooms, like with those cameras on and those screens, like what we see in the academic building. 00:20:59.690 --> 00:21:18.220 And at that time, those high technology equipments are not so prevalent in classrooms. So when I saw those pictures, I was I was like, wow, it's amazing, like you can like take those classes when when your professor is on the other side of the Pacific. Right. Yeah. 00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:43.410 So uh I was like uh but after a long period when I tried to decide when I was in my high school and decide which college I should go to, it actually So, you know, like Duke Shan University, DKU, it has a kind of an early action or early decision similar to that. Magnetism is similar to that. 00:21:43.410 --> 00:21:50.680 Like you have to say, you have to go through a process that you just handing your. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.920 Your statement of purpose, like something like that. 00:21:55.920 --> 00:22:00.400 And also, the inter like a video, self-introduction video. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:29.619 And also, after that, they will give you a chance to take the lingual skills English test. Like so, after taking the English test, I was told that I have the opportunity to just To being admitted to Dikunchen University, but I still have to go through the Gokong, like the college entrance examination here in China. 00:22:29.789 --> 00:22:52.400 So yeah, but I As long as I admit, as long as I say I confirm I want to go to the Kwenchen University, if my gaokao score allows me to be ranked within the quota, like I think in Jiangsu is like for arts students, it's like 20 or 30. 00:22:52.730 --> 00:22:55.599 So if I was in that range, I was automatically. 00:22:55.859 --> 00:24:06.990 Admitted to Dikungshan University rather than other universities, like, for example, Nanjing University or some university like that. So I was not quite sure about whether I should go to this university when I was. In high school, but I I feel like there's um kind of uh you know, we say it's a like a yuan fen in Chinese, like uh it's a s uh special connections that lead me to here. So, yeah, because my actually my initial attention is that maybe I go to a uh maybe a top university j here in doma domestic university here in China and then I j maybe go to f go for a master in maybe in the United States but yeah so that's uh that's that that's a story like uh at first I finally came To the Kuwen Chen University, and yeah, I'm so happy that you came. It's I think it's in a wonderful university, and there's so much opportunity and so many amazing students to meet, and the student body is so diverse, it's amazing. 00:24:06.990 --> 00:24:10.650 Yeah. It's actually funny because last semester we learned yuanfen. 00:24:10.650 --> 00:24:14.410 Yeah. Like zai jong wo ichi chi fan sho yuan fen. 00:24:14.410 --> 00:24:19.369 Yeah, yeah. So yeah, I think I had a similar experience coming here. 00:24:19.369 --> 00:24:23.279 I think it was also yuanfen. 00:24:19.369 --> 00:24:23.279 So yeah, it's amazing. 00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:27.250 So do you have anything else that you would like to share about Nanjing? 00:24:28.059 --> 00:24:33.420 Or if not, I always end the podcast with like a favorite quote of yours. 00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:52.980 I know we already did one, but if you have anything else, a quote or a a word of advice for the listeners. I I'm not sure, but it's not a famous quote, it's a bit like a story, since I'm currently in the you know, in this season when people apply for the graduate school. 00:24:53.710 --> 00:25:10.099 So uh there might be a lot of anxieties and um maybe or people may who are like applying for jobs. Currently, they may feel like they are depressed. 00:25:04.269 --> 00:25:15.789 So I heard a story that told by a tutor, like when I was in high school. 00:25:10.109 --> 00:25:54.140 And he told me, like, when there's a there's a like monks in in the temple and the the younger monks they they are trying to just to get rid of those Grasses on the on the field. And uh the but when the older monk monk uh saw uh the younger monk is clearing up those uh grasses, he said, No, it's not the proper way to do so. The proper way to do so is that you plant new things, like plant those maybe the cucumbers. Plant those rice and in the field so that those grasses will not exist. 00:25:48.380 --> 00:26:01.259 So, I mean, like the quote tells me that you should always just do not think too much. You should always do something. 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:10.720 By doing something, you can reduce your anxiety and you can feel your You have accom accomplished a lot. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:14.079 So I think that's a little story I really like. 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:31.049 And it also motivates me to just not be disturbed by those negative feelings and try to. Focus on your own target. I love that. And it reminds me of the quotes, speak less, do more. 00:26:31.049 --> 00:26:53.559 Yeah. Don't worry too much because where you were three years ago, you would have loved to be where you are now. Yeah. And keep that in mind when you go throughout your graduate applications. Do you know where you want to go or where you're applying to? Uh basically I'm focusing on applying those academic masters in the graduate school, like focusing on the e economics. 00:26:53.650 --> 00:27:04.819 Maybe I'm plan uh planning to pursue a PhD in economics in the United States. So since now the competition is so Terrible. 00:27:04.829 --> 00:27:10.109 So I have to first go through a master and see whether I'm suitable for that. 00:27:10.109 --> 00:27:15.460 If so, I would choose to apply first master and then PhD. 00:27:15.710 --> 00:27:18.750 Okay. Well, good luck, jiayou. Yeah, yeah. 00:27:18.750 --> 00:27:22.259 Thank you so much. Thank you so much for coming on here. 00:27:22.509 --> 00:27:25.630 And yeah, have an amazing day. Yeah, yeah, you too. 00:27:25.630 --> 00:27:28.589 And thanks to the listeners who are listening to today's podcast. 00:27:28.589 --> 00:27:29.240 Bye.