ARTICLES
FAKING IT IN CHINA
I look at an interesting new book on architectural mimicry in China to riff on the culture of copying. A blogpost in the New York Review of Books.
CHINA’S SUFIS: THE SHRINES BEHIND THE DUNES
The New York Review of Books asked me to look at a photo book on Sufi shrines in China's western province of Xinjiang.
CHINA’S ANCIENT LIFELINE
A piece in the May issue of National Geographicon China's Grand Canal. I had the privilege of joining a wonderful family lives on a coal barge, for a ten-day trip down the canal.
STUDIO CITY
My piece in the April 22 New Yorkeron the world’s largest studio lot in the world–Hengdian World Studios–and on the falsification of history in China. Paywall alert.
WILL CHINA RULE THE WAVES?
Figuring out China’s direction in foreign policy is always difficult but a couple of new books make an effort at it and are very fun to read. I review them in this article in the current issue of the New York Review of Books (paywall alert).
THE TEA CAPITAL OF THE WORLD?
I'm a passionate tea drinker but normally prefer Chinese greens. In this article for the New York Times travel section, I look at a surprising corner of Germany where more tea is consumed per capital than any other place in the world, and with strange customs and ceremonies.
THE MOON CITY
A man with trained mice at the East Peak Temple Fair, Feb. 10, 2013. Chinese New Year is the time of year when Beijing empties out but for me it's the best time of the year.
BLOGGING CHINA’S SLO-MO REVOUTION: INTERVIEW WITH HUANG QI
In this interview on the NYRB blog, I talk to veteran grassroots activist Huang Qi, whose Tianwang website has been documenting protests since 1999.
EGYPT’S EL-WATAN ON MOSQUE IN MUNICH, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD
The liberal Egyptian newspaper El-Watan recently interviewed me on the inherent problems of the Muslim Brotherhood and why it will have difficulty in running a secular state.
CHARITY AND RELIGION CONFERENCE
In 2011 I particiapted in an interesting conference on religion and charity organizations in China and presented a paper on Daoism.
DOOMSDAY FOR CHINA’S RELIGIOUS POLICY?
Why has China arrested over 1,000 members of an odd religious sect in rural China? In this piece for the NYRBI look at the country’s antiquated religious policy and how it could be a challenge for China’s new leadership.
POWER, SACRIFICE AND RITUAL: CHINA’S NEW LEADERSHIP
A lot has been written about the Chinese Communist Party’s 18th Congress but in this essay for the New York Review of BooksI put it together with the other big news from this year, the Bo Xilai scandal, also reviewing a dynamite new e-book from Penguin. (Paywall alert.)