RAS Shanghai – October 16th – A Dance with the Dragon – Julia Boyd

Posted: October 15th, 2012 | No Comments »

Tuesday 16^th October 2012 at 7.00pm – starts 7.30pm prompt

Tavern, Radisson Plaza Xingguo Hotel 78 Xing Guo Road,Shanghai

兴国宾馆 上海市兴国路78号

 

JULIA BOYD

A DANCE WITH THE DRAGON

Peking’s foreign community 1860-1949

With its diplomats and dropouts, philosophers, fossil-hunters, writers, explorers, missionaries and refugees, Peking’s foreign community was as exotic as the city itself. Always a magnet for larger-than-life individuals, Peking attracted such personalities as Reginald Johnston (tutor to the last emperor), Bertrand Russell, Wallis Simpson, Edgar Snow, J.D. Rockefeller, Jr., Morrison of The Times and the notorious Sir Edmund Backhouse. The last great capital to remain untouched by the modern world Peking both entranced and horrified its foreign residents whose response was to create their own extraordinary world of parties, picnics and club gossip. Ignoring the poverty outside their gates, they danced, played and squabbled among themselves, oblivious to the great political events unfolding around them that were to shape modern China.

Drawing on a variety of unpublished diaries and letters, Julia Boyd will tell the story of this small band of foreigners and explore life within the walled enclave of the foreign legation quarter. Based on her recent book, A Dance with the Dragon (London: I.B. Tauris, 2012), Julia’s lecture will draw a dazzling portrait of an eclectic foreign community and of China itself, one that is essential in understanding China and its attitude to foreigners today.

Julia Boyd is the author of Hannah Riddell, An Englishwoman in Japan and The Excellent Doctor Blackwell, a life of the first woman physician. A former governor of the English-Speaking Union, Julia is married to John Boyd who was posted twice to Beijing during the Cultural Revolution and is a former British Ambassador to Japan. They then spent ten years in Cambridge when John was Master of Churchill College and now live in London.

ENTRANCE: RMB 80 (RAS members) and RMB 130 (non-members).  

Includes one drink: 150ml glass of red or white wine / draft beer / soft drink / tea or coffee.

Those unable to make the donation but wishing to attend may contact us for exemption, prior to the RAS Weekender.

PRIORITY BOOKING for Members until 13^th October 2012.

MEMBERSHIP applications and membership renewals will be available at this event.

RAS MONOGRAPHS – Series 1 & 2 will be available for sale at this event. 100 rmb each

RSVP: to RAS Bookings at: bookings@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn

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