Looted China Treasures, Laszlo chats with Andrew Shaw and his book, "Spoil"

Looted China Treasures, Laszlo chats with Andrew Shaw and his book, "Spoil"

Author: Laszlo Montgomery February 2, 2025 Duration: 32:12

I welcomed Wuhan-based Andrew Shaw onto the CHP to talk about his book. It's all about the plundering of China's cultural treasures and imperial artifacts by not just the British, French, and Americans. It seems everyone got in on the act. Even the local people. It's a miracle there was anything left for Chian's museums. Many of you are familiar with the stories about looting that took place in China between the 1840s and the turn of the century. In Andrew Shaw's book, "Spoil" we'll look at the extent of what happened. And on the next episode, we'll feature Andrew again, this time talking about his new book on the history of jade. That's coming February 16th. Of course, Patreon and CHP Premium subscribers will get to hear it a couple weeks earlier. Here's the link if you're interested. https://www.patreon.com/c/TheChinaHistoryPodcast

Amazon Link to "Spoil" by Mr. Andrew Shaw: https://a.co/d/12c6kPF

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


For more than a decade, Laszlo Montgomery has been guiding audiences through the vast and intricate tapestry of Chinese civilization on The China History Podcast. This isn't a dry recitation of dates and dynasties, but a deeply researched exploration of the people, ideas, and events that have shaped one of the world's oldest continuous cultures. Each episode feels like a focused conversation, unpacking a specific theme, figure, or era with a clarity that makes complex history accessible. You'll find episodes delving into the philosophical foundations laid by Confucius and Laozi, the machinations of imperial courts, the transformative impact of the Silk Road, and the profound changes of the modern age. With a catalog surpassing 350 episodes, the journey spans from deepest antiquity to contemporary times, offering a comprehensive resource for both newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts. Laszlo's steady narration and careful curation build connections across centuries, revealing how the past continuously informs the present. Tuning into this podcast is an ongoing education, revealing the incredible depth and diversity of Chinese history, society, and culture, one story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The China History Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 353 | The History of Singapore (Part 5) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:07
Although all kinds of tension brewed beneath the surface, the mid to late 19th Century saw a continued bonanza for Singapore. A prosperous combination of hard-working men and women, fearless entrepreneurs, and fortunes m…
Ep. 352 | The History of Singapore (Part 4) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:07
Part 4 continues with the aftermath of the 1824 Treaty of London. John Crawfurd takes over from a disgraced William Farquhar as First Resident. Singapore commences its never-ending building and infrastructure process. Th…
Ep. 351 | The History of Singapore (Part 3) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:48
With Singapore formally established, we look at those first months and years. As soon as the document was signed, Raffles left the island and William Farquhar took over as First Resident. It would be hard to find a more…
Ep. 350 | The History of Singapore (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:20
With the arrival of the Portuguese and their 1511 victory, the history of this region began to move in s new direction. The Portuguese and the Dutch rather ignored Singapore and focused their trade and colonizing efforts…
Ep. 349 | The History of Singapore (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:41
Requests to present the history of Singapore go back to 2010 or 2011. At long last, here's an easy-to-consume and digest overview of The Lion City. In Part 1 we'll look at the watered world of Southeast Asia and the Mons…
Chinese-Mexican History - Laszlo chats with Hugo Wong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:54
First off, let me apologize for the less-than-optimal audio quality. This is a very informative interview. And for those of you who missed my very old episode from 2013 or thereabouts covering this topic, this discussion…
Ep. 348 | Paper Sons and the Chinese Confessions Program [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:07
This is surprisingly not very well-known and certainly wasn't taught in my US history classes. Here's a story for you that many might find hard to believe. Perhaps you're already familiar with the history of America's Ch…
Ep. 347 | The Grand Canal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:22
In this episode, I'm presenting a simple but still informative overview of not only the Grand Canal but also the bigger subject of canals in China. The history of the Grand Canal isn't one clean linear story of a structu…
The unlikely tale of Chinese slave, soldier and tycoon Jiang Zonghan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:28
Here's a reading of an article recently published in the South China Morning Post, written by travel writer David Leffman. On his most recent trip to Yunnan to work on his upcoming book on the 1875 Margary Affair, David…