The Context

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About the show

Latest episodes

• Buried for 3,000 Years: The Story of China’s Golden Sunbird

  September 29, 2026 · 16 min

  Today, we’ll talk about the Sun and Immortal Bird, a delicate gold ornament that unlocked the secrets of a lost Bronze Age civilization and, in doing so, became a symbol of China’s cultural heritage.

• Jingdezhen: Glaze of Glory

  September 22, 2026 · 17 min

  Today, we’ll talk about how UNESCO has honored the world’s first porcelain-centered industrial heritage site—keeping the traditional flame alive and allowing it to continue firing new stories for the world to enjoy.

• The Little Pot That Changed the Story of Rice and Civilization

  September 15, 2026 · 18 min

  Today, we’ll talk about a humble 20,000-year-old clay pot from Jiangxi that is helping archaeologists rethink the origins of pottery, agriculture, and humanity’s long journey from hunting and gathering to cultivating rice.

• Mawangdui: A World Preserved for 2,000 Years

  September 8, 2026 · 18 min

  Today, we’ll talk about the Mawangdui Han Tombs, an extraordinary archaeological discovery that has preserved the life, art, beliefs, and remarkable story of an aristocratic family of ancient China going back more than 2,000 years.

• Bao Zheng: China’s Symbol of Justice

  September 1, 2026 · 17 min

  Today, we’ll talk about Judge Bao Zheng, a legendary government official during the Northern Song Dynasty whose unwavering integrity has made him an enduring symbol of justice in China for nearly a thousand years.

• The Blood, the Tears, and the Fortune: China’s Southern Exodus

  August 25, 2026 · 16 min

  Today, we’ll talk about one of the largest and most overlooked migrations in modern history, a movement of millions from China’s coast to Southeast Asia that lasted for centuries, driven by hunger, lured by colonial promises, and marked by…

• Luoyang Bridge: The Ancient Stone Giant That Defied the Tides

  August 18, 2026 · 15 min

  Today, we’ll talk about Luoyang Bridge, a nearly thousand-year-old stone bridge in southeastern China whose ingenious use of oyster reefs, tidal forces, and innovative engineering helped it survive the ravages of the sea and become one of…

• A Temple Built on a Miracle: The Living History of Kaiyuan Temple

  August 11, 2026 · 18 min

  Today, we’ll talk about a famed temple in Quanzhou, a thousand-year-old landmark where legend, maritime exchange, and cultural fusion converge to reveal the enduring openness of China’s ancient coastal civilization.