Sam Crane
@uselesstree.bsky.social
I teach contemporary PRC politics and ancient Chinese philosophy at Williams College. Currently Director of Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford.
Sachs is not interested in historical accuracy or insight. He is simply shilling for Xi.
November 28, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Sachs is not interested in historical accuracy or insight. He is simply shilling for Xi.
You’ll be visited by three spirits
The three spirits
The three spirits
November 25, 2025 at 11:49 PM
You’ll be visited by three spirits
The three spirits
The three spirits
Saw Nuremberg yesterday. Good film. A bit overdone at points but the central story line was captivating.
November 24, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Saw Nuremberg yesterday. Good film. A bit overdone at points but the central story line was captivating.
A movie that takes place where you’re from
November 24, 2025 at 4:58 AM
A movie that takes place where you’re from
Went to a great talk by Yu Jie, from Chatham House, a sharp, insightful analysis of recommendations for 15th Five Year Plan from the Fourth Plenum, 20th Central Committee of CCP.
Key points: national security and economic resilience overshadow economic growth and worries about inequality.
🧵 1/
Key points: national security and economic resilience overshadow economic growth and worries about inequality.
🧵 1/
November 19, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Went to a great talk by Yu Jie, from Chatham House, a sharp, insightful analysis of recommendations for 15th Five Year Plan from the Fourth Plenum, 20th Central Committee of CCP.
Key points: national security and economic resilience overshadow economic growth and worries about inequality.
🧵 1/
Key points: national security and economic resilience overshadow economic growth and worries about inequality.
🧵 1/
If you’re in NYC in January, go see this. You’ll be glad you did.
November 18, 2025 at 5:15 PM
If you’re in NYC in January, go see this. You’ll be glad you did.
Absolutely true. We need to maintain historical consciousness of Great Leap Forward. Definitive account in English is:
November 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Absolutely true. We need to maintain historical consciousness of Great Leap Forward. Definitive account in English is:
The middle class in Britain never had access to hereditary estates.
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
The middle class in Britain never had access to hereditary estates.
A great HK T-shirt spotted by @medievalchina.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 6:52 AM
A great HK T-shirt spotted by @medievalchina.bsky.social
If you see this, post an album cover with a motor vehicle on it.
November 8, 2025 at 9:56 AM
If you see this, post an album cover with a motor vehicle on it.
Joe Fewsmith RIP
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
November 8, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Joe Fewsmith RIP
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
For me, this was one of his most significant contributions:
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
October 21, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
The Bosporus: edge of Europe
October 19, 2025 at 10:01 AM
The Bosporus: edge of Europe
Talk today by the indomitable Willie Wo-Lap Lam.
He predicts that, even though Xi Jinping’s health is bad and nobody in Beijing likes him, it is increasingly likely that he will go for a fourth term and stay in power until 2032.
1/
He predicts that, even though Xi Jinping’s health is bad and nobody in Beijing likes him, it is increasingly likely that he will go for a fourth term and stay in power until 2032.
1/
October 15, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Talk today by the indomitable Willie Wo-Lap Lam.
He predicts that, even though Xi Jinping’s health is bad and nobody in Beijing likes him, it is increasingly likely that he will go for a fourth term and stay in power until 2032.
1/
He predicts that, even though Xi Jinping’s health is bad and nobody in Beijing likes him, it is increasingly likely that he will go for a fourth term and stay in power until 2032.
1/
If you see this, quote the energy you bring to Bluesky
September 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
If you see this, quote the energy you bring to Bluesky
British Museum has this covered.
September 13, 2025 at 9:32 PM
British Museum has this covered.
No. Absolutely not.
I will retreat into the mountains of Vermont to defend civilization as we know it.
I will retreat into the mountains of Vermont to defend civilization as we know it.
September 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
No. Absolutely not.
I will retreat into the mountains of Vermont to defend civilization as we know it.
I will retreat into the mountains of Vermont to defend civilization as we know it.
Though I'm late to the party, I want to agree who the many people who like this book. It's quite fun: a story of imperialism and language - the power and contradictions of translation - which draws on Chinese history and is set largely in Oxford. A perfect combination for me now.
Some thoughts.
1/
Some thoughts.
1/
August 22, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Though I'm late to the party, I want to agree who the many people who like this book. It's quite fun: a story of imperialism and language - the power and contradictions of translation - which draws on Chinese history and is set largely in Oxford. A perfect combination for me now.
Some thoughts.
1/
Some thoughts.
1/
Saw this on FB 🤪
Buddha is in the wrong spot.
Zhuangzi should be on list, above “Laozi”.
Confucius (and Mencius) should be moved up a bit- they themselves were not cops.
And Han Fei and Shang Yang should be solidly at the bottom, very much cops.
Buddha is in the wrong spot.
Zhuangzi should be on list, above “Laozi”.
Confucius (and Mencius) should be moved up a bit- they themselves were not cops.
And Han Fei and Shang Yang should be solidly at the bottom, very much cops.
August 18, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Saw this on FB 🤪
Buddha is in the wrong spot.
Zhuangzi should be on list, above “Laozi”.
Confucius (and Mencius) should be moved up a bit- they themselves were not cops.
And Han Fei and Shang Yang should be solidly at the bottom, very much cops.
Buddha is in the wrong spot.
Zhuangzi should be on list, above “Laozi”.
Confucius (and Mencius) should be moved up a bit- they themselves were not cops.
And Han Fei and Shang Yang should be solidly at the bottom, very much cops.
Doing some research on how the horrible truth of the Great Leap Famine gradually came to light. Here is an early observation that gets many things right. He couldn't know the full extent of the death but he comes close. It was discounted by many at the time due to political polarization
August 15, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Doing some research on how the horrible truth of the Great Leap Famine gradually came to light. Here is an early observation that gets many things right. He couldn't know the full extent of the death but he comes close. It was discounted by many at the time due to political polarization
Occasional photo:
Waterperry Gardens
Waterperry Gardens
August 13, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Occasional photo:
Waterperry Gardens
Waterperry Gardens
If this is true then key takeaways:
1 Forest is pretty damn efficient.
2 Villa good value
3 why can’t Fulham up its game?
1 Forest is pretty damn efficient.
2 Villa good value
3 why can’t Fulham up its game?
August 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
If this is true then key takeaways:
1 Forest is pretty damn efficient.
2 Villa good value
3 why can’t Fulham up its game?
1 Forest is pretty damn efficient.
2 Villa good value
3 why can’t Fulham up its game?