The study of Modern Chinese History, Part 2 - Prof. Hans van de Ven
We continue our conversation with Prof. Hans van de Ven at his office in St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He talks about how he made a conscious choice to spend as much time as possible in China and to build connections and networks there, which in retrospect seems to have been the right idea. He also talks about working in the Chinese archives in Nanjing and elsewhere and about the significance of Maritime Customs in shaping modern China during the turbulent years since the Taiping Rebellion. Finally, he pays tribute to the contribution to Robert Hart and his dream to have his statue re-erected on the Shanghai Bund.
---Video's Table of Contents---
00:00 Turning towards China
03:23 Living in Taiwan and China
05:23 The archives
07:54 History of Customs Service
11:59 Robert Hart