Chinese Characters

RADIO 4, 1.45PM

 This is the first of an extensive 20-part series exploring Chinese history through the lives of remarkable people, presented with energy and erudition by historian Rana Mitter. Part one begins with some “soap opera skulduggery”, in Mitter’s words, to illustrate the rather thrilling story of China’s only female emperor in her own right, Wu Zetian. It’s a promising start to a series which sounds like an unmissable, in-depth and intelligent introduction to how the most populous country on Earth was shaped.