Of the Earth 本土

12/01/2023

🚨New episode alert! 🚨Last week we sat down with award-winning director and producer Violet Du Feng to talk about her recent documentary Hidden Letters, which is currently short-listed for an Oscar. Hidden Letters follows the stories of two millennial Chinese women and their quest to learn and preserve a centuries old secret language of sisterhood called Nüshu. This episode is part one of a two-part conversation with Violet Du Feng about her poignant film, which can be streamed via Apple TV, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Google Play. Learn more about the film at www.hiddenlettersfilm.com and follow their instagram for more info about the director’s related projects.

https://oftheearthpodcast.buzzsprout.com/1802588/12031196

In part 1 of this two-part conversation, we sit down with award-winning director and producer Violet Du Feng to talk about her most recent film Hidden Letters, a documentary that follows the stories of two millennial Chinese women connected by the...

03/01/2023

Happy New Year, you all!! It’s been a minute, but guess what?! We are making our comeback soon! Season 2 of our podcast series opens with a VERY special guest. We can’t wait to share the details with you. For now, here is a hint: our featured guest is a director and producer whose film is currently on the Oscar’s shortlist! Is this even real?! We can hardly believe it ourselves!

14/03/2022

Our newest episode feels like going home. We chat about one of our all-time favorites, , sharing our experiences co-curating his 2011 exhibition at UW—Stevens Point, along with the artist’s many other Wisconsin connections.🐄🧀🍺

📸 Xu Bing, “Book from the Sky,” (1987-1991). “Xu Bing: Thought and Method,” installation shots, UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, 2018.

05/11/2021

Just in time for Halloween, Cortney & Ellen sit down with New York Times Bestselling author Yangsze Choo to talk about her debut novel The Ghost Bride. We dig deep into the origins of this ghostly murder mystery that takes us on a journey fro...

01/11/2021

Hey, all you pre-orderers! Check your mailboxes this week for something extra special 💌

01/11/2021

We asked to share advice for aspiring authors… check out our podcast for the entire conversation!

31/10/2021

Just in time for Halloween, in this episode Cortney & Ellen sit down with New York Times Bestselling author Yangsze Choo to talk about her debut novel The Ghost Bride. We dig deep into the origins of this ghostly murder mystery that takes us on a journey from late 19th century Malaya into the Plains of the Dead and beyond. How would you feel if you received a proposition to marry a ghost? Why are offerings to the dead so important in Chinese culture and Chinese diaspora cultures? How do modern death rituals relate to those of the past? Tune in to find out!

This episode was produced in collaboration with Bound to Happen Books () in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Bound to Happen Books was founded in April of 2021 when Nicole, Rachel, and Lyn recognized a need in the Stevens Point community. A few, actually: a need for a bookstore to provide new releases and popular titles; a need for a store that prioritizes authors, experiences, and stories not represented in the community; and a need for a rad space for folks to come together and do more together than each of us could do as individuals.

Through a partnership with Process General Store (), Bound to Happen Books was able to open the collective doors of 1008 Main Street in Stevens Point in June of this year, and they are continuing to grow and add new chapters to their story.

You can support Bound to Happen Books at the following website: https://boundtohappenbooks.com/. Check out the Of the Earth curated list of must read books by AAPI authors here: https://bookshop.org/lists/of-the-earth-curated-list-must-read-books-by-aapi-authors. Thanks for supporting independent bookstores!

If you enjoy this episode, please don't forget to subscribe to our podcast, share with your friends, and leave us a review!

31/10/2021

Just in time for Halloween👻👰🏻‍♀️, Cortney & Ellen sit down with New York Times Bestselling author Yangsze Choo to talk about her debut novel The Ghost Bride. We dig deep into the origins of this ghostly murder mystery that takes us on a journey from late 19th century Malaya into the Plains of the Dead and beyond. How would you feel if you received a proposition to marry a ghost? Why are offerings to the dead so important in Chinese culture and Chinese diaspora cultures? How do modern death rituals relate to those of the past? Tune in to find out!🎧

This episode was produced in collaboration with Bound to Happen Books in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Bound to Happen Books was founded in April of 2021 when Nicole, Rachel, and Lyn recognized a need in the Stevens Point community. A few, actually: a need for a bookstore to provide new releases and popular titles; a need for a store that prioritizes authors, experiences, and stories not represented in the community; and a need for a rad space for folks to come together and do more together than each of us could do as individuals.

Through a partnership with Process General Store, Bound to Happen Books was able to open the collective doors of 1008 Main Street in Stevens Point in June of this year, and they are continuing to grow and add new chapters to their story.

You can support Bound to Happen Books at the following website: https://boundtohappenbooks.com/. Check out the Of the Earth curated list of must read books by AAPI authors here: https://bookshop.org/lists/of-the-earth-curated-list-must-read-books-by-aapi-authors. Thanks for supporting independent bookstores!

If you enjoy this episode, please don't forget to subscribe to our podcast, share with your friends, and leave us a review! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram at . We'd love to hear from you! Of the Earth 本土

Bound to Happen Books

https://oftheearthpodcast.buzzsprout.com/1802588/9464001

Just in time for Halloween, Cortney & Ellen sit down with New York Times Bestselling author Yangsze Choo to talk about her debut novel The Ghost Bride. We dig deep into the origins of this ghostly murder mystery that takes us on a journey fro...

25/10/2021

In anticipation of the release of our upcoming interview with (writer of the Ghost Bride, now a series), on October 31, we are announcing a very special partnership with ! Together, we are sponsoring a giveaway where one lucky follower will receive a FREE copy of Choo’s book The Night Tiger.

To enter, all you have to do is:
1. Follow and
2. Share this post to your IG Stories and tag us BOTH

The winner of our giveaway will be announced on October 31! 🎃👻

22/10/2021

and our new BFFs over at are partnering on something SUPER special to be announced right here on on Monday, October 25!

Check back here for all the details! In the meantime, Happy Friday, ya’ll! Have a great weekend!

15/10/2021

Excited to announce that the next episode of Of the Earth features NYTimes Bestselling author Yangsze Choo! You may have watched the recent Netflix series adapted from Choo’s hauntingly beautiful debut novel The Ghost Bride, in which readers are transported to the darkest corners of the world of the dead to solve a murder mystery. Her second novel, The Night Tiger, was selected for Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club in 2019! Tune in to Of the Earth on October 31st for more! 👻👰🏻‍♀️

05/10/2021

Hey, ya’ll! Check out No Cure for Curiosity for our recent conversation about contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang with Shanny Luft from UW-Stevens Point!

Then, be sure to tune in to Of the Earth for our bonus track with some extras from our convo with Shanny, because who isn’t obsessed with pyrotechnics?! Am I right?! 🧨

It might look like flowers, but this is actually a firework display by the Chinese artist, Cai Guo-Qiang. He is the topic of this week's episode of No Cure for Curiosity! I spoke with Cortney Chaffin and Ellen Larson, two scholars of Chinese art and culture, about Cai Guo-Qiang and his documentary, "Sky Ladder." You don't need to watch the documentary or know anything about Chinese art to enjoy the conversation! https://nocureforcuriosity.buzzsprout.com/

05/10/2021

Recently, we sat down with Shanny Luft, host of podcast No Cure for Curiosity and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point , to talk about contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang and the documentary Sky Ladder. We discussed the impact and scale of Cai's explosion events, the collaborative nature of his work, and the precarious line between art and propaganda.

Check out No Cure for Curiosity for an alternate cut of our conversation with Shanny!

05/10/2021

Artist Cai Guo-Qiang experimented with various materials before creating a series of drawings made with gunpowder, called “Project for Extraterrestrials.” Known in China as one of the “Four Inventions,” gunpowder was first discovered by Chinese alchemists in the 9th century CE, during their search of an elixir of life.

This work is a plan-drawing for his project intended for the first Museum City Tenjin in 1990, a contemporary art exhibition using the urban space of Fukuoka. It illustrates his project to produce so-called “mystery circles,” which were regarded as traces of the landing of UFOs found in various parts of Japan at that time, in a roof-top heliport of a city building, by means of exploding gunpowder. Although this plan was not realized, this is a valuable example of the early works of Cai’s early practice employing gunpowder on paper. The title “Tenjin” refers to the name of the central district of Fukuoka City, and literally means “god of heaven.” 🛸👽💥

Image description: marks from detonated gunpowder on paper, along with handwritten notes; Image credit:

05/10/2021

In our conversation with the No Cure for Curiosity Podcast, we mention Cai Guoqiang’s 2017 “Color Mushroom Cloud,” commissioned by and the

“Realized above the former CP-1 site, University of Chicago in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the first controlled self-sustained nuclear chain reaction, December 2, 3:25 pm
Color comets and PixelBurst™ Aerial shells
75 meters tall”

Image description: multicolored fireworks smoke against a sunny partly cloudy sky

04/10/2021

we’re putting the finishing touches on a brand new episode featuring a conversation about, you guessed it, Cai Guoqiang ! Stay tuned!

Image description: a person standing in the foreground of a desert environment with mountains in the background with a plume of smoke above their head

28/09/2021

Friends!!! This is the last week we will be accepting pre-orders for a limited run of our “Ride or Lady Dai” T-Shirts. Proceeds from T-Shirt sales will be donated to the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund, an organization that supports civic participation and protections within AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islanders) communities.

Help support a great organization and look good doing it. 🤗

Image description: three Polaroid pictures featuring a woman in a white T-shirt.

10/09/2021

just discovered a box containing various Chinese history books that has been in storage for the past SEVEN years. Feels like Christmas morning! 🧧🎉🎁

Not pictured: Henry Kissinger’s On China 🙃

06/09/2021

In this episode, Cortney & Ellen dig into one of the earliest existing records of writing found anywhere in the world. Once believed to be dragon bones, these objects have evoked fascinating, even controversial links between the past and the present. So settle in as we discuss prophetic tortoises. 🥬🐢

31/08/2021

Wow! Only a few episodes in and we already have over 100 followers on and almost 300 total downloads on !

We’re just two gals figuring out everything as we go along, and we can’t thank YOU (that’s right! YOUUU) enough for following and listening.

We’re excited to release a brand spanking new episode very, very soon… stay tuned!

26/08/2021

Ride or Lady Dai. Supporting the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. Link in the bio.

26/08/2021

Friends! You’ve spoken and we’ve listened! Here’s your chance to show off your love for everyone’s favorite mercury sipping immortalized mummy! (Check out Episode 2 if you have no idea what we’re talking about.)

Starting now, we are accepting pre-orders for a limited run of super exclusive T-Shirts. These shirts feature the text “Ride or Lady Dai,” printed over a dragon included on Lady Dai’s original funeral banner! Proceeds from T-Shirt sales will be donated to the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund, an organization that supports civic participation and protections within AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islanders) communities.

Check out this Google Form for more information about ordering and payment procedures. https://forms.gle/sr963BtDzEuHemDJ9

02/08/2021

Happy August! We’re sharing our ultimate summer essentials for the best vaxxed girl summer ever (not included: existential dread caused by the Delta variant)☀️🍹⛱

After sipping some G&Ts in the kiddie pool, don’t @ us if we split a pint of with our BFFs 🐶🐱

30/07/2021

This week, Cortney and Ellen chatted with of Worldbuilders]! They covered everything from the nuts and bolts of starting a podcast (full disclosure: C&E are still making it up as they go along), to their goals, hopes, and dreams for , and of course some BURNING questions thrown in for good measure! ps: , if you’re listening, we’ll totally sign you on to be our official plant-based meat alternative

Head over to the Worldbuilders] page to watch the entire conversation!

26/07/2021

We'll be on Worldbuilders Weekly tomorrow (Tuesday) to discuss Of the Earth podcast and nerd out over 5,000 years of Chinese art and culture. Fun fact: Zay Olsen, Director of Operations over at is also an art historian and an extremely talented artist! Can't wait for our conversation tomorrow. Join us July 27th at 12pm CT!

26/07/2021

Catch us tomorrow on Worldbuilders Weekly!

Worldbuilders Weekly is back this Tuesday with Dr. Cortney Chaffin and Ellen Larson to discuss their new podcast Of the Earth. We breakdown these art historian's interest and profession in over 5,000 years of Chinese culture and it's complexities. Join us July 27th at 12pm CT!

20/07/2021

🚨New episode alert! 🚨In this episode, Cortney & Ellen discuss everyone's favorite 2,000 year old Chinese mummy who dreamed of immortality. How was this ancient Han dynasty woman's body so well preserved? Why did she drink mercury regularly and how do we know? What do objects in her tomb have to do with lunar exploration and Netflix? 🌞🌙🐇🐸Tune in to find out!

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, share with your friends, and leave us a review! We'd love to hear from you!

https://oftheearthpodcast.buzzsprout.com/1802588/8895470-staging-the-afterlife-the-temporalities-of-lady-dai

In this episode, Cortney & Ellen discuss everyone's favorite 2,000 year old Chinese mummy who dreamed of immortality. How was this ancient Han dynasty woman's body so well preserved? Why did she drink mercury regularly and how do we know? What...