Podcasts · Education · True Crime

Fluentide True Crime · Mandarin for Beginners

Fluentide

17 episodes · in order

In 1935, a young woman named Shi Jianqiao walked into a Buddhist prayer hall in Tianjin, drew a pistol, and fired three shots at the warlord who had killed her father a decade earlier. She turned herself in, dropped pamphlets explaining her motive — filial piety — and became the most famous court case in Republican China. Pardoned by Chiang Kai-shek. A national folk heroine.

More about the show

Now that case is a 25-episode Mandarin podcast you can actually follow from your very first lesson. Every episode is HSK 1 — every word, every grammar pattern held to the absolute-beginner threshold. No textbook dialogues. No "Li Ming goes to the park." A real Chinese historical case, retold so a learner can understand.

Listen in order: Episode 1 begins at the temple door. Episode 25 closes forty-three years later.

Each episode comes with a free interactive transcript at fluentide.com — tap any Chinese character for instant pinyin and English definition, see vocabulary with example sentences, and read the full English translation side-by-side. Based on Krashen's comprehensible input theory (i+1). New episode every other day, in narrative order.

This podcast uses AI text-to-speech to deliver clear, consistent pronunciation for language learners.

https://fluentide.com/stories

Episodes

  1. Ep 01 · The Temple Door

    · 6:46 · S1 E1

    The Temple Door Episode 1 of 25 · HSK 1 · 6:46 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript at…

  2. Ep 02 · Before She Was Jianqiao

    · 5:28 · S1 E2

    Before She Was Jianqiao Episode 2 of 25 · HSK 1 · 5:28 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive…

  3. Ep 03 · Her Father's Study

    · 4:54 · S1 E3

    Her Father's Study Episode 3 of 25 · HSK 1 · 4:54 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript…

  4. Ep 04 · Soldiers and Telegrams

    · 7:07 · S1 E4

    Soldiers and Telegrams Episode 4 of 25 · HSK 1 · 7:07 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive…

  5. Ep 05 · The Campaign of 1925

    · 6:37 · S1 E5

    The Campaign of 1925 Episode 5 of 25 · HSK 1 · 6:37 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive…

  6. Ep 06 · What Sun Did

    · 7:37 · S1 E6

    What Sun Did Episode 6 of 25 · HSK 1 · 7:37 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript at…

  7. Ep 07 · The News Came Home

    · 7:47 · S1 E7

    The News Came Home Episode 7 of 25 · HSK 1 · 7:47 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript…

  8. Ep 08 · A New Name

    · 8:47 · S1 E8

    A New Name Episode 8 of 25 · HSK 1 · 8:47 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript at…

  9. Ep 09 · Learning to Shoot

    · 8:51 · S1 E9

    Learning to Shoot Episode 9 of 25 · HSK 1 · 8:51 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript…

  10. Ep 10 · Leaving Home

    · 8:17 · S1 E10

    Leaving Home Episode 10 of 25 · HSK 1 · 8:17 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript at…

  11. Ep 14 · The Prayer Hall

    · 7:16 · S1 E14

    The Prayer Hall Episode 14 of 25 · HSK 1 · 7:16 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript at…

  12. Ep 11 · The Second Notebook

    · 7:53 · S1 E11

    The Second Notebook Episode 11 of 25 · HSK 1 · 7:53 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive…

  13. Ep 12 · The Man's Other Name

    · 6:41 · S1 E12

    The Man's Other Name Episode 12 of 25 · HSK 1 · 6:41 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive…

  14. Ep 13 · The Room on the Lane

    · 8:12 · S1 E13

    The Room on the Lane Episode 13 of 25 · HSK 1 · 8:12 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive…

  15. Ep 15 · The Month of Watching

    · 7:47 · S1 E15

    The Month of Watching Episode 15 of 25 · HSK 1 · 7:47 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive…

  16. Ep 16 · This Morning

    · 7:04 · S1 E16

    This Morning Episode 16 of 25 · HSK 1 · 7:04 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript at…

  17. Ep 17 · Inside the Hall

    · 6:41 · S1 E17

    Inside the Hall Episode 17 of 25 · HSK 1 · 6:41 The 1935 Shi Jianqiao case, retold in simple Mandarin a beginner can follow. Every word held to the HSK 1 threshold. Read along with the free interactive transcript at…

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