The Useless Tree

Travel

  • In Ireland

    The blog will be quiet – or quieter – the next twelve days or so.  I'm taking a trip to Ireland: Dublin and Galway.  Not sure what web connectivity will be, since I'm not bringing a laptop.  Let me leave… Continue reading

  • Beauty and Power on China’s Silk Road

    A piece I wrote for the Kyoto Journal just came out, and it is available on-line here.  It is based on some posts I did here a couple of years ago, with some nice pictures added… Continue reading

  • Tian Zi Fang, off Tai Kung Lu

    Tian Zi Fang is a warren of alleyways that run off of Taikung Road in the old French Concession of Shanghai.  It is similar to Nanluoguxiang in Beijing in that commerce is used as a basis for architectural preservation.  But… Continue reading

  • Talks and Walks in Beijing

    A quick update from Beijing… I gave two talks in the last two days. It was essentially the same presentation in both spots, my paper, "Confucianism as Soft Power," in which I argue that Confucianism will likely not serve as… Continue reading

  • Blogging Slow Down and Heading Out to Beijing and Shanghai

    Yes, I have been remiss this week.  One silly post on old disco music and nothing more.  But this is the last week before our Spring Break here and I have been consumed with grading one set of papers (finished… Continue reading

  • It’s not just Laozi who doesn’t like to travel

    Andrew Sullivan has quotes from Chesterton and Emerson on the foolishness of travel.  Here's Emerson: …He who travels to be amused, or to get somewhat which he does not carry, travels away from himself, and grows old even in youth… Continue reading

  • Roots

    Sorry for the relative blog silence of late.  Traveling home was time-consuming.  And, once here, family duties, work and jet lag have demanded my time.  Today, however, I  have found a moment to write… Let me expand upon an observation… Continue reading

  • Nanluoguxiang

    Had a great session last night with Daniel Bell, Chris Panza and Randy Perenboom, among others.  They all had detailed comments on a couple of chapters of my book.  Some of Daniel's graduate students were there as well and they,… Continue reading

  • Nanjing Pictures

    I'm back in Beijing, staying near Nanluogu Xiang.  It's a hutong neighborhood that has been built into a touristy bar-and-boutique area.  But the old, low architecture is being preserved, albeit in revised form.  I had a nice walk this morning,… Continue reading

  • Nanjing

    When I drove in from the airport yesterday my heart sank.  It seemed like everything I liked about this city was gone. I first visited Nanjing in 1983 and passed through again in 1984.  During the 1988-1989 academic year I… Continue reading