This is a re-release of Season 01 Episode 28: The Pain Whisperer (Lissanthea Taylor, Pain Management Practitioner)Chapters00:00 - Intro 02:20 - Part 1 17:52 - Part 2 Subscribe to the PREMIUM version, see the visuals, and/or follow the full transcript for this episode at:https://mosaicofchina.com/season-03-rerelease-lissanthea-taylorJoin the community:...

This is a re-release of Season 01 Episode 14: The Aquarium Queen (Emily Madge, Asia Head of Conservation, Sea Life).Chapters00:00 - Intro 02:20 - Part 1 18:28 - Part 2Subscribe to the PREMIUM version, see the visuals, and/or follow the full transcript for this episode at:https://mosaicofchina.com/season-03-rerelease-emily-madgeJoin the community:...

This is a re-release of Season 02 Episode 17: The Swedish Clown (Björn DAHLMAN, Clowns Without Borders).  This is the full version, including content that was previously only available on the PREMIUM version of Mosaic of China. Chapters00:00 - Intro 02:32 - Part 1 32:20 - Part 2  Subscribe to the PREMIUM version, see the visuals, and/or follow the full transcript for this episode at:https://mosaicofchina.com/season-03-bonus-rerelease-bjorn-dahlmanJoin the community:...

Around the same time as launching Mosaic of China, I also embarked on a period of study at Shanghai Jiaotong University, starting with a course in Mandarin language followed by a Masters in Modern Chinese Studies. In today's special bonus episode, I discuss a little of what I learnt with Jason Smith and Beibei from CGTN's 'The Bridge' podcast. In our chat recorded earlier this year, we talk about Chinese philosophy, as well as some of the similarities and differences between life in China...

In three seasons of the Mosaic of China podcast, we've already covered a large chunk of the A-Z of life in China. In today's episode, we're fast-forwarding to the end, not just because Zhou Yan's name starts with a 'Z', but because we're talking about the subject of death.  In her work as a volunteer in hospices and 'Death Cafés' in Shanghai, Zhou Yan is doing more than just dispelling the superstition and stigma that surrounds the subject of death in China. She also demonstrates how to live...

To many, the image of an airline pilot conjures up thoughts of confident commanders in crisp tailored uniforms, living a life of excitement, romance and adventure. But what about the life of an airline captain in China? In today's episode with Michael Hundegger, we have a good-humoured conversation about the culture of commercial aviation in China. Yes, there's still the romance and the adventure. Of course there's also the procedures, the strict hierarchy, and the grunt-work. But more than...

There's a field of academic study that sits at the intersection of geology and fashion, and that's gemology: the study of gemstones. Identifying, categorising and grading gemstones is a specific skillset, but valuation can be more subjective, particularly when it comes to regional variances such as with the inordinate popularity of jade in China. Christina Chao is a gemologist and jewellery designer in Shanghai, who is passionate about translating the science of gems into the art of jewels....

In the 1840s, French missionaries attempted to enter Tibet, and kept getting pushed back to an area at the Northwestern tip of modern-day 云南 [Yúnnán] Province. Today, this region preserves an astonishing and unique mix of Tibetan, Chinese, French and Catholic traditions. As part of that legacy, there are now villages of Catholic Tibetans that have perpetuated the art of winemaking first bequeathed to them over almost two centuries ago. And in today's episode, Bertrand Cristau explains how he...

Things are finally looking up for international sportswear brands in China in 2023. For the previous few years, almost all brands were suffering due to instability of the market during COVID and the rise in popularity of Chinese domestic competitors.With this as the backdrop to our conversation - recording last year - a big thanks goes to today's guest Kim YoungAh for offsetting these heavier topics with a very lighthearted and cheerful conversation about her career in merchandising at Nike,...

In 1996, China acquired a decommissioned Soviet aircraft carrier, with the express intention of using it as the centrepiece of a theme park in the city of 天津 [Tiānjīn]. Today, the 濱海 [Bīnhǎi] Aircraft Carrier Theme Park is still operative, and the enormous ship stands as the backdrop of a pirate stunt show.   Today’s episode is with Frank Abel, who has been coordinating these stunts since 2012, as well as building and maintaining the modified stunt vehicles on display. A veteran stunt man,...

By now you've probably heard about Burning Man, the festival that in recent years attracts over 80,000 participants to the deserts of Nevada. But did you know that there's an equivalent event in China called Dragon Burn (龙焰)? Today's guest on the Mosaic of China podcast is Francesca Valsecchi, a professor at Tongji University in Shanghai and one of the active participants behind Dragon Burn. In our fun and wide-ranging chat, we discuss how she combines these two worlds under the principles of...

I don't often talk about my career before podcasting. But in today's special bonus episode, I had the excuse to do just that with Francis Kremer from the China Flexpat podcast. In our chat, recorded back in April 2022, we discuss some of the aspects of podcasting that intersect with my old life as a headhunter and career coach. I hope that some of it is useful, particularly if you're interested in switching careers, or building a personal brand.A big thanks to Francis for giving me permission...

We've reached the halfway point of Season 03. And following in the tradition from previous seasons, we're marking the occasion with a special bonus episode, and an extra special bonus guest. This particular guest has been a long time coming! The timing of this episode couldn't be better. Not only does it coincide with the New Year and the run-up to Spring Festival in China, it also coincides with an inflexion point in China as it pivots from Zero-COVID to a new period of openness and...

Yes, today's episode is all about what it's like to live in China with Tourette syndrome (妥瑞症). But what it's really about is neurodiversity. Some people still have a defensive attitude towards those of us with mental and neurological conditions, treating them as victims deserving of our fear, pity or even derision. But Dajiang's story reminds us that we should instead focus on dignity, happiness, and mutual understanding. This doesn't mean that all of us should celebrate our deficiencies,...

The environment is one of those topics that we all know we need to talk about, but at the same time desperately want to avoid. None of us want to be lectured on all the things we're doing wrong, and none of us need yet another reminder about how the human race is mismanaging its impact on the planet.  So it's a breath of fresh air to have a conversation with someone who is not only passionate about the environment but also... fun. In today's episode, Alizée Buysschaert talks about the way she...

There are two themes of today’s show: the first is location, and the second is queer identity. There exist derogatory stereotypes about both, which could be described as either xenophobic or homophobic. Today's conversation touches on the intersectionality of these stereotypes in China, and the way in which we can either casually dispel them or defiantly embrace them. In either case, we can have fun joking about them and stripping them of their venom. As well as being involved in queer cinema...

Is there anything more pathetically banal than talking about sleep? We all do it, so… who cares? Until recent years, that's what many of us would have said. But these days there's a growing recognition that sleep quality lies at the root of our holistic wellbeing, and is deserving of further investigation. That's where we encounter a brand new problem. Since issues with sleep do indeed speak to a broader holistic imbalance, how do we even start to deconstruct the cocktail of behavioural,...

There are some people who view video gaming at best as a time-wasting distraction, and at worst as a vice. But in listening to today's episode with the game designer Simon Chapuis, even detractors will understand the passion, creativity and teamwork that it takes to usher a game from conception to market.Simon's career has taken him from France to Germany, to Spain and finally to China, where he is now a Senior Game Designer at Ubisoft in the city of Chengdu. His story not only illustrates...

The country of Mongolia is sandwiched between Russia and China, and there are ethnic Mongolian areas in all three countries. So when talking about Mongolian people in China, it's not always clear whether you're talking about ethnic Mongolians from the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia [内蒙古 - Nèiménggǔ], or Mongolian nationals from across the border. Today's episode is with Tsogtgerel ("Tsogi") Bumerdene, a Mongolian national living in China, who wears this mantle of identity every day. But...

Sometimes big themes can be tackled through the guise of performance art. In previous episodes of the Mosaic of China podcast, we have explored how drag performers can teach us to embrace our own weirdness, and how clowns can teach us to embrace our own fallibility. These stories may be specific to China, but they apply to us all.   In today’s very special episode, we explore how the world of Rope Art has made its way from Japan to China. And we discover how this art form can make us think...

Sometimes big themes can be tackled through the guise of performance art. In previous episodes of the podcast, we have explored how drag performers can teach us to embrace our own weirdness, and how clowns can teach us to embrace our own fallibility. These stories may be specific to China, but they apply to us all.   In today’s very special episode, we explore how the world of Shibari (縛り) has made its way from the world of BDSM to the world of Rope Art, and also made its way from Japan to...

The economic developments of the last three decades in China have propelled forward an entire generation. But when we strive for opportunity and prosperity, are we prepared for the knock-on effects on the people around us? Looking back at this era, how can we understand the human stories hiding in the profit charts? Elaine Huang is making an independent feature film which explores exactly these themes. In today’s episode, Elaine describes her experiences working in the film industry in China,...

Some people still have the outdated image in their heads of China as a country of grim sweatshops and cheap manual labour. In fact, China is the country which boasts the largest number of robots deployed in the world. And that makes it a prime location for one of the newest category of industrial robot: the 'cobot', or collaborative robot.   Today's episode is with Andrew Pether, who has spent a decade in the field of robotics engineering in China, and over eight years working at the global...

They say it takes a village to raise a child. That doesn't just include parents, teachers and care-givers, in China it often also includes grandparents and domestic helpers. Indeed, the raising of kids impacts impatient childless podcasters whose everyday lives also casually intersect with children, whether they like it or not.   We all could use a little help, especially when it comes to knowing when to follow the best practices of our parents, and when it's time to break certain cycles....