The Light of Asia: A History of Western Fascination with the East is the new book from New Generation Thinker and historian Christopher Harding. In Passions of the Soul, the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams looks at the classics of Eastern Christian writing. At Compton Verney in Warwickshire, the artist Gayle Chong Kwan is preparing to unveil ‘shrines’ made up of newly cast bronze offerings, incorporating references to Chinese, Taoist and Buddhist cultures, as well as focusing on ideas around food, soil and the body. Rana Mitter hosts the conversation.
Producer: Julian Siddle
The Taotie runs at Compton Verney from 21 March 2024 – 31 March 2026 On the Free Thinking programme website you can find more collections of conversations exploring religious belief, and South and East Asian culture
Kingship and ceremony
Sidney Poitier
Sound, conflict and central heating
Lady Antonia Fraser
Queen Charlotte, fashion and music
New Thinking: Fashion, sustainability and Earth Day
Hilma af Klint
Tartan, Kidnapped and Highland writing
Galatea and Shakespeare
Caruso, Elsie Houston, Peter Brathwaite
Land and soil politics
Ginger Rogers
Children of the Waters
Pirates
Revolutionary free speech
Fugitive slaves, Victorian justice
Religion and Science
A family of witches
New Thinking: Raiding Gay’s the Word & Magnus Hirschfeld
The Rossettis and Walter Pater
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Global News Podcast
The Infinite Monkey Cage
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins