Times of Transience

Science Social - Conversations on History, Science, and Society

While bookended by extended periods of unity and peace, the Period of Division in China was shaped by wars, displacement, and instability. Spanning nearly four centuries – from 280 to 589 AD to be exact – China fragmented into more than two dozen kingdoms at its peak. Social structures were installed and destroyed, competing canons of thought compiled, and multiple sects took shape. And yet, the Period of Division also witnessed an unprecedented flourishing of culture, innovation, and creativity. Together with historians Noa Hegesh and Keith Knapp, host Stephanie Hood journeys into this understudied era of Chinese history. How could art and culture thrive under such circumstances? What role did the legendary figure Mulan play? And most importantly, how do you deal with living in unpredictable and precarious times? Learn more about agricultural uses of alchemy in early modern Europe: https://bit.ly/transience-politics-practices About Noa Hegesh: https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/people/nhegesh and https://telaviv.academia.edu/NHegesh About Keith Knapp: https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/de/people/kknapp and https://www.citadel.edu/history/faculty-staff/keith-knapp-ph-d/ This podcast is produced by the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de Follow us on https://twitter.com/MPIWG Host: Stephanie Hood Concept and sound editing by Verena Braun Theme song by Podington Bear, CC NY-NC 3.0