Yan’an is now revered as China’s “revolutionary holy land” and the heart of the Chinese Communist Party's rise to power. This talk will explore the origins of the Communist revolution in China and the forces that led to Mao Zedong's ascent. The product of 30 years of archival and documentary research and numerous fieldwork trips to the region, the book “Accidental Holy Land: The Communist Revolution in Northwest China” examines the complex relationship between local, national and international conditions, the role of “accidental” factors in history and, most fundamentally, the process whereby the Chinese Communist Party came to power.

Speaker:

• Joseph W. Esherick, Emeritus Professor of History, UC San Diego

 Moderator:

• Paul Pickowicz, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History and Chinese Studies, UC San Diego