Podcasts about us postal service

While investigating slow mail delivery, I unearthed disturbing details about what's gone wrong with the US Postal Service.Order Sharyl's new bestselling book: “Follow the $cience.” Subscribe to my two podcasts: “The Sharyl Attkisson Podcast” and “Full Measure After Hours.” Leave a review, subscribe and share with your friends! Support independent journalism by visiting the new Sharyl Attkisson store.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Railroads are actively seeking the repeal of a recent safety regulation⁠. They are asking the Trump administration to scrap a Biden-era rule that requires two-person train crews, arguing this mandate is unsubstantiated and hinders efforts towards modernization and regulatory reform. ⁠The Houthi militia has refuted claims of a Red Sea ceasefire⁠. Contrary to statements by President Trump, the Houthis deny agreeing to halt attacks on vessels in the trading route. Their attacks on ships linked to Israel, ongoing since late 2023, have made the Red Sea-Suez Canal route largely too unstable for regular shipping services. ⁠A notable potential change is coming for the US Postal Service⁠. Following President Trump's approval, FedEx board member David Steiner is reportedly set to be selected as the next postmaster general. This direct selection process by the White House for the board's approval is described as unprecedented and aiming to diminish the agency's independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GET THE REST OF THE EPISODE HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/128348764?pr=true COME SEE US LIVE IN LONDON JUNE 22ND https://bigbellycomedy.club/event/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-big-fat-festival-southbank/

Dylan, Darren and Duncan have a drink and spiral into the unique psychological horror of Jacob's Ladder... and drink. Digressions include LSD trips, Tim vs Toms Robbins and the US Postal Service. Black Dog Video stuff HERE Dylan Rhymer's stuff HERE Duncan Shields' stuff HERE

Join us today as we discuss significant developments in the global supply chain landscape, particularly focusing on the evolving dynamics of delivery services and the implications of recent changes in the United States Postal Service (USPS). Welcome to The Buzz!This week, hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson welcome Max Garland, Senior Reporter With Supply Chain Dive to the show, who elucidates the intricacies of these developments and their impact on stakeholders across the supply chain spectrum. Listen in to learn more about:Walmart's innovative adoption of geospatial technology to enhance delivery efficiencyThe competitive delivery landscape, as alternatives to traditional carriers like FedEx and UPS gain tractionUSPS's recent operational adjustments and the potential ramifications of privatizationDe minimis shipping changes and implicationsHow China is finding ways to replace American farmersAnd more!Listen in as we embark on this exploration of pressing topics, one conversation at a time, and invite you to engage with us in this multifaceted discourse.Additional Links & Resources:Connect With Max on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxgarland/Learn more about Supply Chain Dive: https://www.supplychaindive.com/USPS begins implementing new service standards: https://bit.ly/42zXo1aWhat privatizing the US Postal Service could mean for prices, coverage: https://bit.ly/4cKP0R9Walmart expands same-day delivery reach with geospatial technology: https://bit.ly/4jkQiVyDe minimis shipping from China ending in May, other countries at risk: https://bit.ly/44yF8rpDe minimis' future: 4 questions shippers should consider: https://bit.ly/4lKsADKSupply Chain Dive Newsletter: https://bit.ly/443Lwa3The State of E-commerce Delivery Event: https://bit.ly/42AY46jChina is Finding Ways to Replace American Farmers: https://bit.ly/4d0oOlPFedEx, UPS alternatives grew market share in 2024: ShipMatrix: https://bit.ly/42TYTIMLearn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/joinWork with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- Adapting to Volatility: Navigating Trade Wars, Supply Chain Disruptions & AI: https://bit.ly/4kqSv2DWEBINAR- Plug the...

In this segment, Mark and the crew host, "Telephone Tuesday" where they takes calls from listeners who share their thoughts on the US Postal Service.

In hour 2, Sue hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day, and much more. Mark and the crew then host, "Telephone Tuesday" where they takes calls from listeners who share their thoughts on the US Postal Service.

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark discusses the Supreme Court hearing arguments in favor of allowing students to opt out of hearing LGBTQ books. Mark is then joined by Missouri Congressman Jason Smith. They discuss his recently completed Congressional Trade Mission to Panama and El Salvador as well as his visit to the prison where President Trump is sending violent illegal immigrants. What did he see? What is take on Democratic Senators visiting El Salvador? He also shares the latest on the budget talks and tariffs. In hour 2, Sue hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day, and much more. Mark and the crew then host, "Telephone Tuesday" where they takes calls from listeners who share their thoughts on the US Postal Service. In hour 3, Mark is joined by Sarah Parshall Perry, the Vice President and a Legal Fellow with the group, "Defending Education". She discusses today's Supreme Court hearing over a Maryland school books case. He is then joined by Amber Todoroff, a former investigative journalist that is now with OpenTheBooks.com. Her group is out with a new report that find the Fauci household got $3.5M wealthier following his retirement. They wrap up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Today's top headlines: New future plans discussed for policing on Johns Island Annual Summer Youth Program applications open for Dorchester County students Over 100K expected to attend Beaufort Air Show this weekend ‘Reality Town’ event gives DD2 eighth graders a glimpse into the real world Mourners remember Charleston County sign language instructor, Deaf advocate Lucy Beckham High School honors student who lost their life to carbon monoxide Family of Spanish tourists, including 3 children, killed in NYC sightseeing helicopter crash Collision causes traffic light outage in Moncks Corner Goose Creek man charged in Isle of Palms robbery, kidnapping incident Charleston’s upper peninsula neighbors push against ‘after the fact’ demolitions James Island residents at odds over public service tax increase Bill would require doula care in SC be covered under Medicaid, private insurers SC State Treasurer Curtis Loftis files petition with State Supreme Court Facing the Past: Victim’s daughter reflects as SC execution looms US Postal Service seeks to hike cost of a first-class stamp to 78 cents Fisher-Price recalls more than 250,000 stroller toys for a choking hazard

We haven't bought any postage stamps in quite a while. I've lost track of how much they cost. Ever since the debut of the Forever Stamps, they haven't listed the price on the front. The US Postal Service is floating a trial balloon. They want to raise the price of stamps by five cents this summer. That will make them 78 cents. I know that the post office is having problems. They've been in the red for years. Some folks in Washington, DC, want to privatize the mail service. I know that technology has changed our world. But the cost of sending my mother a birthday card is making me rethink things... Click Here To Subscribe Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicGoogle PodcastsTuneIniHeartRadioPandoraDeezerBlubrryBullhornCastBoxCastrofyyd.deGaanaiVooxListen NotesmyTuner RadioOvercastOwlTailPlayer.fmPocketCastsPodbayPodbeanPodcast AddictPodcast IndexPodcast RepublicPodchaserPodfanPodtailRadio PublicRadio.comReason.fmRSSRadioVurblWe.foYandex jQuery(document).ready(function($) { 'use strict'; $('#podcast-subscribe-button-13292 .podcast-subscribe-button.modal-680a601177a34').on("click", function() { $("#secondline-psb-subs-modal.modal-680a601177a34.modal.secondline-modal-680a601177a34").modal({ fadeDuration: 250, closeText: '', }); return false; }); });

The idea that the government should be run more like a business isn’t new. But with two businessmen, Donald Trump and Elon Musk, now taking a proverbial chainsaw to the federal bureaucracy all in the name “efficiency,” this theory is being put to the test. While it’s an appealing idea, Philip Joyce, professor of public policy at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, said governments can’t afford to take risks the way businesses can. On the show today, Joyce explains the origins of the idea that the government should be run like a business, how we define “success” differently for the two entities, and how the way Trump and Musk do business is showing up in the White House. Then, we’ll break down the high stakes of today’s special elections in Wisconsin and Florida. Plus, reflections on serendipitous moments in walkable communities and what we gain by admitting we were wrong. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why Running the Government Like a Business Would Be a Disaster” from The New York Times “The US Government Is Not a Startup” from Wired “The US Postal Service has been struggling for years. Now Trump’s talking about privatizing it” from AP News “DOGE wants businesses to run government services ‘as much as possible'” from The Washington Post “UPDATE: RECOVER Long COVID pathobiology grants restored” from The Sick Times “NIH restores some long COVID grants” from C&EN “What to Watch in Wisconsin's Supreme Court Election and Florida's Special Elections” from The New York Times “What to watch for Tuesday in Wisconsin's high-stakes Supreme Court race and special elections in Florida” from CNN Politics “Control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is at stake in race that’s drawn powerful political interests” from AP News “Volume 52 | Issue 1 | February 2025” from the American Ethnological Society Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The idea that the government should be run more like a business isn’t new. But with two businessmen, Donald Trump and Elon Musk, now taking a proverbial chainsaw to the federal bureaucracy all in the name “efficiency,” this theory is being put to the test. While it’s an appealing idea, Philip Joyce, professor of public policy at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, said governments can’t afford to take risks the way businesses can. On the show today, Joyce explains the origins of the idea that the government should be run like a business, how we define “success” differently for the two entities, and how the way Trump and Musk do business is showing up in the White House. Then, we’ll break down the high stakes of today’s special elections in Wisconsin and Florida. Plus, reflections on serendipitous moments in walkable communities and what we gain by admitting we were wrong. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why Running the Government Like a Business Would Be a Disaster” from The New York Times “The US Government Is Not a Startup” from Wired “The US Postal Service has been struggling for years. Now Trump’s talking about privatizing it” from AP News “DOGE wants businesses to run government services ‘as much as possible'” from The Washington Post “UPDATE: RECOVER Long COVID pathobiology grants restored” from The Sick Times “NIH restores some long COVID grants” from C&EN “What to Watch in Wisconsin's Supreme Court Election and Florida's Special Elections” from The New York Times “What to watch for Tuesday in Wisconsin's high-stakes Supreme Court race and special elections in Florida” from CNN Politics “Control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is at stake in race that’s drawn powerful political interests” from AP News “Volume 52 | Issue 1 | February 2025” from the American Ethnological Society Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

On this week's Labor Radio Podcast Weekly: the US Postal Service is under the most existential attack in it's history; Everything U$P$ assesses the situation. What's behind Europe's labor shortages? We'll find out, on the ETUI Podcast. From brand-new Network member Buwa Basebetsi Updates; migrant workers say enough is enough. Machinists Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes talks about Latinas in the labor movement on El Cafecito del Día. AAUP Presents talks with Stephanie Hall about how academic freedom is on the line. And, in our final segment, the Labor Jawn podcast talks with Blair Kelley, author of Black Folk. PLUS: Harold's Shows You Should Know. Help us build sonic solidarity by clicking on the share button below. Highlights from labor radio and podcast shows around the country, part of the national Labor Radio Podcast Network of shows focusing on working people's issues and concerns. @ETUI_org @LCLAA @labor80132 #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Edited by Captain Swing, produced by Chris Garlock; social media guru Mr. Harold Phillips.

-- On the Show: -- Donald Trump's national security team accidentally texts war plans to The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg in the biggest national security breach in a very long time -- Donald Trump admits he has no idea what is going on in his administration -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth starts the coverup over the national security disaster that results in The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg receiving administration war plans via text message -- Donald Trump melts down in a failed cabinet meeting, forgetting Usha Vance's name and generally making little to no sense -- The official Trump administration rapid response account, as well as Charlie Kirk, post clips attacking Kathy Hochul's appearance on The David Pakman Show -- Tesla sales continue to decline in Europe as Tesla's self-driving software trial is halted in China -- Donald Trump announces a terrifying, chilling assault on free speech based on the monitoring of social media posts -- A shocking and disturbing interview reminds us why Donald Trump won -- Donald Trump loses it over an ugly portrait of himself -- On the Bonus Show: The latest on Trump's legal cases, US Postal Service head resigns, Trump appoints Alina Habba to DOJ job, and much more... ✏️ Outschool: Use code PAKMAN for up to $20 OFF at https://outschool.com/pakman

A journalist spoke to CNN after he says he was added to a text chat on highly sensitive US strike attack plans. The Trump Administration is trying to use the state secrets privilege to avoid handing over details about deportation flights. A Columbia University student and permanent US resident says she's being targeted for deportation. The head of the US Postal Service has stepped down. Plus, a former UFC champion has been sentenced to five years in prison. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

(March 25, 2025) Amy King and joins Chris Merrill who is hosting Handel on the News all week. Trump's national security adviser added a journalist to text chat on highly sensitive Yemen strike plans. Live Nation settles lawsuit over claims it misled investors about legal risks. US Postal Service head DeJoy resigns. Yosemite National Park summer reservations open after delay. Trump says any country buying Venezuelan oil will face a 25% tariff. Los Angeles rental market faces increased competition.

US Postal Service head DeJoy resigns; Electric vehicle incentives support NC economy, leaders say; A week of awareness of challenges farmworkers face; Co-ops help more KY school districts participate in local produce bidding.

BEST OF - Mike Watlz added the editor of The Atlantic to a group chat about striking Yemen, Fox News Radio Reporter Ryan Schmelz says Jim Jordan has set a hearing date, National Correspondent Rory O'Neill reports cuts could be coming to the US Postal Service, and the DNA service 23 and Me has filed for bankruptcy, White House Correspondent Jon Decker explains the Prime Minister of Greenland has criticized Usha Vance's upcoming visit.

This week, we're taking a more national focus, and checking in with the National Association of Letter Carriers, who have been embroiled in a years-long contract negotiation with the US Postal Service.   In our episode today, I'm sitting down with Melissa Rakestraw, member of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 825 in Chicago, IL, to discuss the state of negotiations with our nation's letter carriers, the unprecedented rejection of the recent Tentative Agreement and what happens next, and what would happen if the US Postal Service was privatized.   As a short editorial note before we begin, the interest arbitration process between USPS and the Letter Carriers began on March 17th, with Dennis R. Nolan set as the neutral arbitrator. This episode was recorded at the end of February, before those dates had been set.   Postal workers are also set to hit the streets this weekend–“Fight Like Hell!” rallies are scheduled for March 23 across the country to protest the proposed privatization of the US Postal Service.   Additional links/info: March 13, 2025: NALC statement on DeJoy's agreement with DOGE “Fight like hell! Say ‘Hell No!' to a privatized USPS!” - Find a Rally Near You Joe Demanuelle-Hall: “Federal Workers Organize Against Billionaire Power Grab”   Permanent links below… Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show! Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page   Featured Music… Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song   Studio Production: Mel Buer Post-Production: Jules Taylor  

This week, we're taking a more national focus, and checking in with the National Association of Letter Carriers, who have been embroiled in a years-long contract negotiation with the US Postal Service.In our episode today, I'm sitting down with Melissa Rakestraw, member of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 825 in Chicago, IL, to discuss the state of negotiations with our nation's letter carriers, the unprecedented rejection of the recent Tentative Agreement and what happens next, and what would happen if the US Postal Service was privatized.As a short editorial note before we begin, the interest arbitration process between USPS and the Letter Carriers began on March 17th, with Dennis R. Nolan set as the neutral arbitrator. This episode was recorded at the end of February, before those dates had been set.Postal workers are also set to hit the streets this weekend–“Fight Like Hell!” rallies are scheduled for March 23 across the country to protest the proposed privatization of the US Postal Service.Additional links/info:March 13, 2025: NALC statement on DeJoy's agreement with DOGE“Fight like hell! Say ‘Hell No!' to a privatized USPS!” - Find a Rally Near YouJoe Demanuelle-Hall: “Federal Workers Organize Against Billionaire Power Grab”Permanent links below…Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter pageIn These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter pageThe Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter pageFeatured Music…Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongStudio Production: Mel BuerPost-Production: Jules TaylorHelp TRNN continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast

Beginning with the so-called Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, which required the postal service to hold billions of dollars in reserve to fund retirement benefits for workers who have not yet been born, and then the sell-off of post offices, cuts to the workforce and price hikes, the ground for privatization of the US Postal Service, as was done in Canada and the United Kingdom, has been laid. Clearing the FOG speaks with Annie Norman, a leader of the Save the Post Office Coalition, about the current effort to begin privatizing the postal service in incremental steps. Norman also discusses the upcoming national days of action to protect our post offices and the People's Postal Agenda, a program to strengthen the postal service and add more services for people. For more information, visit PopularResistanc.org.

83rd District Representative Ty Mathews shares his thoughts on Governor DeWine's State of the State address last week, and discusses his role as vice-chairman of the newly-formed DOGE Caucus in the Ohio House (at 14:40) --- It's Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio... a time to review your emergency plan and prepare for severe storms, tornadoes, floods and more (at 26:30) --- The US Postal Service has launched a campaign reminding drivers to play it safe around their quarter-million delivery vehicles on the road every day (at 47:36)

Women are NOW having trouble registering to vote in NH because they've done the SAVE Act on a state level. Also It looks like the US Postal Service has cut a deal with DOGE and it's not good. Could RFK Jr. be implicated in the hunt for the perpetrator of the decapitated California sea lion? And Substack columnist Rohn Kenyatta discusses with Thom the national PTSD caused by DJT's continued wild stunts with American governance.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ron celebrates the life of Einstein, Pi day, the blood moon, actual pies, Einstein's birthday, the circumferance of a circle, and the US Postal Service. It's a freakin' spectacular..... Guest: Scott Miller is a specialist with the USPS

The President of the United States or the world's richest man or somebody orders the US Postal Service to become part of the Commerce Department or even more of a private company or something, and they say that the collective bargaining agreement with workers of the Transportation Security Administration doesn't count any more because they say they can, and they keep firing people because they say they can and cutting federal programs because they say they can, while rank-and-file federal workers are organizing with their unions to fight back. Meanwhile, the fight for the right to organize at the workplace is highlighted in the struggle or the largely immigrant workforce at a Madison screen printing shop, labor voices speak to us at a rally for Palestinians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison following the capture and detainment by ICE of Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil, US Senator Bernie Sanders is touring the US including Wisconsin to speak against the ruling capitalist oligarchy, and University of Wisconsin faculty and staff demand to meet and confer with university administrators and chancellors over workplace conditions and issues like the protection of freedom of speech.

Life Dynamics-Mark Crutcher: Episode 76 The US Postal Service Spy Ring & Other Shady Business by Priests for Life

Elon Musk, who clearly holds sway over the president, wants the US government privatize as much as possible. That includes the US Postal Service, Amtrak and more. Musk made the comments at a Morgan Stanley tech conference. It's not clear who would take over services currently managed by the government, but It could be a money making opportunity for the wealthy tech bros.We welcome Patrick Lovell to the show. After suffering personal losses in the 2008 Financial Crisis, Lovell created a TV Series called The Con and continues to fight for truth and justice.A mixture of court rulings are coming back. One yesterday from the Supreme Court went against Trump‘s bid to freeze USAID money. We'll check in with former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney David Katz for help untangling the latest decisions.The Mark Thompson Show 3/6/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you'd like to help, here's our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you're more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you'll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

This episode we continue to follow the monk Xuanzang on his path along the silk road.  From Gaochang, he traveled through the Tarim Basin, up over the Tianshan Mountains, to the heart of the Western Gokturk Qaghanate.  From there, he traveled south, through the region of Transoxania to Bactria and the land of Tukhara.  He pushed on into the Hindu Kush, witnessing the stone Buddha statues of Bamiyan, and eventually made his way to the land of Kapisa, near modern Kabul, Afghanistan.  From there he would prepare to enter the Indian subcontinent: the home of the historical Buddha. For more discussion and some photos of the areas along this journey, check out our podcast blog at https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-121   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is Episode 121: Journey to the West, Part 2   The cold winds blew through the travelers' doubled up clothing and thick furs.  Cold, wet ground meant that even two sets of boots were not necessarily enough after several days.  The frozen mist would often obscure everything except for the path immediately in front, hiding the peaks and making the sky a uniform white. In many places, the path would be blocked by rock, ice, or snow—the remnants of an avalanche, which could easily take an unsuspecting traveler.  And there was the elevation.  Hiking through the mountains, it was easy enough to reach heights of a mile or higher, and for those not accustomed to that elevation the thin air could take a surprising toll, especially if you were pushing yourself.  And the road was no less kind to the animals that would be hauling said travelers and their gear. And yet, this was the path that Xuanzang had agreed to.  He would continue to push through, despite the various deprivations that he would be subjected to.  No doubt he often wondered if it was worth it.  Then again, returning was just as dangerous a trip, so why not push on?   Last episode we introduced the monk Xuanzang, who traveled the Silk Road to India in the 7th century and returned to China.  He brought back numerous sutras to translate, and ended up founding a new school, known as the Faxian school—or the Hossou school in Japan.   As we mentioned last time, Xuanzang during his lifetime met with students from the archipelago when they visited the continent.  The records of his travels—including his biography and travelogue—are some of the best information we have on what life was like on the silk road around this time. In the last episode, we talked about Xuanzang: how he set out on his travels, his illegal departure from the Tang empire, and his perilous journey across the desert, ending up in Gaochang.  There, King Qu Wentai had tried to get him to stay, but he was determined to head out.  This episode we are going to cover his trip to Agni, Kucha, and Baluka—modern Aksu—and up to the Western Gokturk Qaghanate's capital of Suyab.  From there, we'll follow his footsteps through the Turkic controlled regions of Transoxania and into Tukhara, in modern Afghanistan.  Finally, we'll cover the last parts of his journey before he reached the start of his goal:  India. From Gaochang, Xuanzang continued on, through the towns he names as Wuban and Dujin, and into the country of Agni—known today as the area of Yanqi—which may also have been known as Wuqi.  The route was well-enough known, but it wasn't necessarily safe.  At one point, Xuanzang's caravan met with bandits, whom they were fortunately able to pay off.  The following night they encamped on a river bank with some merchants who also happened to be traveling the road.  The merchants, though, got up at midnight and headed out, hoping to get to the city early so that they could be the first ones to the market.  They only made it a few miles down the road, however, before they encountered more bandits, who slaughtered them and took their goods.  The following day, Xuanzang and his retinue came upon the merchants' remains lying in the road and saw the aftermath of the massacre. This was an unforgiving land, and the road was truly dangerous, even for those who traveled it regularly.  And yet Xuanzang was planning to travel its entire length until he reached India. So with little alternative, they carried on to the royal city of Agni. Agni, or Yanqi, sits on the southwestern edge of the basin, west of Bositeng lake, on the border between the Turfan basin and the larger Tarim Basin.  The name is thought to be a Tocharian—or Turfanian—name for the city, which is also known as Karashr. According to the biography by Huili, Xuanzang and his party didn't stay long in Agni.  Apparently Agni and Gaochang were not exactly on friendly terms, and even though the King of Agni and his ministers reportedly came out to greet Xuanzang and welcome him to their city, they refused to provide any horses.  They spent a single night and moved on. That said, Agni still made an impression on Xuanzang.  He noted how the capital was surrounded by hills on four sides, making it naturally defensible.  As for the people, he praises them as honest and straightforward.  They wore clothing of felt and hemp cloth, and cut their hair short, without hats or any kind of headwear.  Even the climate was pleasant, at least for the short time he was there.  He also notes that they used a script based on India—likely referring to the Brahmic script, which we find in the Tarim basin. However, as for the local lord, the King of Agni, he is a little less charitable.  Xuanzang claimed he was brave but “lacked resourcefulness” and he was a bit of a braggart.  Furthermore, the country had “no guiding principles or discipline and government orders are imperfect and not seriously implemented.”  He also mentioned the state of Buddhism in the country, noting that they were followers of Sarvastivada school, a Theravada sect popular along the Silk Road at the time.  Xuanzang was apparently not too pleased with the fact that they were not strict vegetarians, including the “three kinds of pure meat”.  From Agni, Xuanzang continued southwest, heading for the kingdom of Kucha.  He seems to have bypassed the nearby kingdom of Korla, south of Agni, and headed some 60 or 70 miles, climbing over a ridge and crossing two large rivers, and then proceeding another 200 miles or so to the land of Kucha. Kucha was a kingdom with over one hundred monasteries and five thousand monks following a form of Theravada Buddhism.  Here, Xuanzang was welcomed in by the king, Suvarnadeva, described as having red hair and blue eyes.  While Xuanzang was staying in Kucha, it is suspected that he probably visited the nearby Kizil grotto and the Buddhist caves, there, which include a painting of King Suvarnadeva's father, King Suvarnapuspa, and his three sons. You can still visit Kucha and the Kizil grottos today, although getting there is quite a trek, to be sure.  The ancient Kuchean capital is mostly ruins, but in the Kizil caves, protected from the outside elements, you can find vivid paintings ranging from roughly the 4th to the 8th century, when the site was abandoned.  Hundreds of caves were painted, and many still demonstrate vibrant colors.  The arid conditions protect them from mold and mildew, while the cave itself reduces the natural bleaching effect of sunlight.  The paintings are in numerous styles, and were commissioned by various individuals and groups over the years.  They also give us some inkling of how vibrant the city and similar structures must have been, back when the Kuchean kingdom was in its heyday. The people of Kucha are still something of a mystery.  We know that at least some of them spoke an Indo-European language, related to a language found in Agni, and both of these languages are often called Tocharian, which we discussed last episode.  Xuanzang himself noted that they used Indian writing, possibly referring to the Brahmi script, or perhaps the fact that they seem to have used Sanskrit for official purposes, such as the inscription on the cave painting at Kizil giving the name of King Suvarnapuspa.  The Kucheans also were clothed in ornamental garments of silk and embroidery.  They kept their hair cut, wearing a flowing covering over their heads—and we see some of that in the paintings. Xuanzang also notes that though we may think of this area as a desert, it was a place where rice and grains, as well as fruit like grapes, pomegranates, plums, pears, peaches, and almonds were grown.  Even today, modern Xinjiang grows some absolutely fantastic fruit, including grapes, which are often dried into raisins. Another point of interest for Xuanzang may have been that Kucha is known as the hometown of none other than Kumarajiva.  We first mentioned Kumarajiva back in episode 84.  Kumarajiva was one of the first people we know of who translated many of the sutras from India that were then more widely disseminated throughout the Yellow River and Yangzi river basins.  His father was from India and his mother was a Kuchean princess.  In the middle of the 4th century, when he was still quite young, he traveled to India and back with his mother on a Buddhist pilgrimage.  Later he would start a massive translation project in Chang'an.  His translations are credited with revolutionizing Chinese Buddhism. Xuanzang was initially welcomed by the king, his ministers, and the revered monk, Moksagupta.  They were accompanied by several thousand monks who set up tents outside the eastern gate, with portable Buddha images, which they worshipped, and then Xuanzang was taken to monastery after monastery until sunset.  At one of the monasteries, in the southeast of the city, there were several tens of monks who originally came from Gaochang, and since Xuanzang had come from there, they invited him to stay with them. The next day he met and feasted with the King, politely declining any meat, and then went to the monastery in the northwest to meet with the famous monk: Moksagupta.  Moksagupta himself had made the journey to India, and had spent 20 years there himself.  It seems like this would have been the perfect person for Xuanzang to talk to about his plans, but instead, the two butted heads.  Moksagupta seems to have seen Xuanzang's Mahayana faith as heretical.  He saw no reason for Xuanzang to travel all the way to India when he had all the sutras that anyone needed there in Kucha, along with Moksagupta himself.   Xuanzang's response seems to have been the Tang dynasty Buddhist version of “Okay, Boomer”, and then he went ahead and tore apart Moksagupta's understanding of his own sutras—or so Xuanzang relayed to his biographers.  We don't exactly have Moksagupta's side, and, let's face it, Xuanzang and his biographers are not necessarily reliable narrators.  After all, they followed Mahayana teachings, which they considered the “Greater Vehicle”, and they referred to the Theravada teachings as the “Hinayana” or “Lesser Vehicle”.  Meanwhile, Theravada Buddhists likely saw many of the Mahayana texts as extraneous, even heretical, not believing them to actually be the teachings of the Buddha. It must have been winter time, as the passes through the mountains on the road ahead were still closed, and so Xuanzang stayed in Kucha, spending his time sightseeing and meeting with various people.  He even went back to see Moksagupta, but the older monk shunned him, and would get up and exit the room rather than engaging with him, so they had no more conversations. Eventually, Xuanzang continued on his way west, following along the northern rim of the Tarim basin.  Two days out from Kucha, disaster struck.  Some two thousand or so Turkish bandits suddenly appeared—I doubt Xuanzang was counting, so it may have been more or less.  I imagine that memories of what had happened to the merchants near Agni must have gone through Xuanzang's mind.   Fortunately, for him, they were fighting over loot that they had pillaged from various travelers, and since they couldn't share it equally, they fell to fighting each other and eventually dispersed. He travelled for almost 200 miles after that, stopping only for a night at the Kingdom of Baluka, aka Gumo—the modern city of Aksu.  This was another Theravada Buddhist kingdom.  Xuanzang noted tens of Buddhist temples, and over 1000 Buddhist monks.  The country was not large—about 200 miles east to west and 100 miles north to south.  For reference that means it was probably comparable in size with Kyushu, in terms of overall area, or maybe the size of Denmark—excluding Greenland—or maybe the US state of Maryland.  Xuanzang described the country as similar to Kucha in just about every way, including the written language and law, but the spoken language was different, though we don't get many more details. From Baluka, he crossed northward through the Tianshan mountains, which are classified as an extension of the Pamirs known as the Ice Mountains.  Had he continued southwest, he would have hit Kashgar and crossed over between the Pamir and Tian Shan ranges into the Ferghana valley, but instead he turned north. We don't know exactly why he took this perilous option, but the route that may have been popular at the time as it was one of the most direct routes to the seat of the Western Gokturk Empire, which he was currently traveling through. The Tian Shan mountains were a dangerous journey.  Avalanches could block the road—or worse.  Xuanzang describes the permanent ice fields—indeed, it is the ice fields and glaciers of the Tian Shan that melt in the summer and provide the oasis towns of the Tarim Basin with water, even to this day.  In Xuanzang's day, those glaciers were likely even more prevalent than today, especially as they have been recorded as rapidly disappearing since 1961.  And where you weren't on snow and ice, the ground was probably wet and damp from the melt.  To keep warm, you would wear shoes over your shoes, along with heavy fur coats, all designed to reduce exposure. Xuanzang claims that 3 or 4 of every 10 people didn't survive the crossing—and that horses and oxen fared even worse.  Even if these numbers are an exaggeration, the message is clear:  This was a dangerous journey. After about seven days, Xuanzang came out of the mountains to the “Great Pure Lake”, the “Da Qing Hai”, also known as the Hot Sea or the Salt Sea, which likely refers to Issyk Kul.  The salt content, along with the great volume of water it possesses, means that the lake rarely freezes over, which is likely why it is seen as “hot” since it doesn't freeze when the fresh water nearby does.  This lake is the second largest mountain lake in the world, and the second deepest saltwater lake.  Traveling past the lake, he continued to Suyab, near modern Tokmok, in Kyrgyzstan, just west of the modern capital of Bishkek.  This was an old Sogdian settlement, and had since become the capital of the Western Gokturks.  Sogdians—like Xuanzang's guide, Vandak—were integral to the Gokturk kingdom. Their language was the lingua franca of the Silk Road, and at the time of the Gokturk Khaganate, it was also the official court language, and so when Xuanzang appeared at the court of the Great Khagan of the Western Gokturks, it was likely the language of diplomacy. When we think of Turkic people, many in the English speaking world think of Turkiye, and perhaps of the mighty Ottoman empire.  Some may think of Turkmenistan, Kazhakstan, Kyrgyzstan, or Uzbekistan, among others.  And of course, there are the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.  All of these people claim roots in the ancestral Turkic homeland in the Altai mountains, which sit largely in western Mongolia, north of China's Xinjiang region.  Much like the Xiongnu and the Mongols, they were pastoral nomads, moving their herds across the steppes, often covering great distances.  They would regularly move through different regions, perhaps returning each season, though sometimes not returning for years at a time.  They were often seen as barbarians by settled people living in cities, and yet their goods and horses were highly prized. Nomad and sedentary lifestyles would often collide.  Farmers would turn pastureland into fields, and when the nomadic people returned on their circuits, they would find walls and fences where there was once open land, and the people there would claim to “own” the land, a concept often foreign to people who were always on the move.  Nomadic people, such as the Gokturks, were not necessarily keeping vast libraries of records about themselves and their histories, and so much of what we get comes from external sources, which do not always have incredibly reliable narrators.  To many of the settled agriculturalists, groups like the Turks were marauders who raided their villages and farms.  They were a great bogeyman of the steppes, which required the firm hand of strong defenses to keep out—or so their opponents would want people to think. While they were known for their warfare, which incorporated their mobility, but they were keenly interested in trade, as well.  They understood the value of the trade routes and the various cities and states that they included in their empire.  Thus, the Sogdians and the Gokturks seem a natural fit: the Sogdians were more settled, but not entirely so, as demonstrated by their vast trade networks.  And the Sogdians also were part of the greater central Eurasian steppe culture, so the two cultures understood each other, to a degree.  They are even depicted similarly in art, with slight differences, such as long hair that was often associated with Turks over the Sogdians.  In some areas of the Gokturk empire, Sogdians would run the cities, while the Gokturks provided military aid and protection. Xuanzang's description of the people of Suyab, or the “City of Suye River”, doesn't pick out anyone in particular, and he even says that it was a place where traders of the Hu, or foreign, tribes from different countries mingle their abodes.  He mentions the people here as being called Suli, which is also the name given to the language—this may refer to “Sogdian” in general.  They write with an alphabet that is written vertically rather than horizontally—this may refer to a few scripts that were written this way, possibly based off Syriac or Aramaic alphabets that were adapted to Sogdian and other Iranian languages, but it isn't clear. We are told that the people dressed in felt and hemp clothing, with fur and “cotton” garments.  Their clothes fit tightly, and they kept their hair cut short, exposing the top of their heads—though sometimes they shaved it completely, tying a colored silk band around the forehead. He goes on to describe these people as greedy liars, possibly a reference to the mercantile nature of many of the people at the time. Something to note: The Turks of this time had not yet encountered Islam, which was just now starting to rise up in the Middle East.  The Prophet Muhammad is said to have been born around the end of the 6th century CE and was preaching in the early 7th century, though his teachings would begin to spread outward soon enough.  But that means that the Gokturks were not an Islamic empire.  Rather, their own traditions seem to have focused on the worship of Tengri, an Altaic personification of the universe, often simplified as a “sky god”.  Tengrism can be found amongst the Xiongnu, Mongols, and others, and it was the national religion of the Gokturks themselves, but there were many who also adopted other religions that they encountered, including Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Manichaeism, and Buddhism.  In fact, Xuanzang notes that the Turks he met in Suyab would not sleep or sit on beds made of wood because wood was thought to contain the spirit of fire, which he says they worshipped.  That sounds similar to Zoroastrian beliefs, where fire is associated with Ahura Mazda, who is also worshipped as a sky god.  These may have been beliefs inherited from their Eastern Iranian Sogdian partners. In Xuanzang's biography, we are given more details about his visit to Suyab.  Apparently, as he was headed to the city, he met a hunting party, which we are told was the retinue of Yehu Khan.  Hunting was an important part of life on the steppes, and it continued to be a favorite sport of the Gokturk nobility. Yehu Khan—possibly Yagbhu Khan, though that is up for some debate—is described as being dressed in a green silk robe, with his hair exposed, and wearing  a turban of white silk about ten feet long that wrapped his forehead and hung behind his back.  His “hunting” expedition wasn't just a couple of the guys.  It included about 200 officials, all with plaited hair and dressed in brocade robes—they weren't exactly out there roughing it.  He also had his soldiers, dressed in furs, felt, or fine woolen clothes, and there were so many cavalry that they stretched out of sight.  The Khan seemed pleased to meet Xuanzang, but his hunt was expected to last another couple of days, at least, so he sent an attendant named Dharmaja to take Xuanzang back to wait for the Khan to return. Three days later, Xuanzang was given an audience.  The khan was seated in a large yurt.  Xuanzang noted the seeming incongruity between the khan, sitting there in the tent, decorated with golden flowers, with the officials dressed in magnificent brocade garments sitting in two long rows in front of him and the armed guards behind him, compared to the simple felt walls of the tent. A ”yurt” is a common feature of nomadic life on the steppes.  It wasn't exactly a single person operation to haul them around, but they can be taken down and put up with relative ease.  And while yurts could be relatively simple, there are examples of much more elaborate structures.  There is little reason they couldn't be made larger, perhaps with some extra support.  In later centuries, there are examples of giant yurts that seem like real construction projects.  Use of tents, even in a city, where they had permanent palace buildings, was likely a means of retaining the nomadic steppe traditions, even while enjoying the benefits of city life. Whom exactly Xuanzang met with is a matter of debate.  His records seem to indicate that it was Tong Yabghu Qaghan of the Western Gokturk Khaganate, but other sources say that Tong Yabghu Qaghan died in 628, and the earliest Xuanzang could have been meeting with him was 630, two years later, so if that is the case, he must have met with Tong Yabghu's son, Si Yabghu Qaghan.  It is likely that Xuanzang, who was dictating his accounts years after, mentioned the Qaghan and then, when they looked up who it was, they simply made a mistake.  Remember, Xuanzang would have had everything translated through one or two languages.  He did know what he saw, however, and he recounted what he remembered. Tong Yabghu Qaghan oversaw the height of the Gokturk Qaghanate, and appears to have favored the Buddhist religion, though there were many different religions active in their territories at the time.  They oversaw an extremely cosmopolitan empire covering huge swaths of central Eurasia, including the lucrative silk road.  Xuanzang notes that at the court there were individuals from Gaochang and even a messenger from the Han—which is to say the Tang Empire.  One wonders if Xuanzang—or anyone at that time—realized just how tenuous the Khan'sposition was.  After Tong Yabghu's death, the Qaghanate would decline, and less than a decade later it would fall to the Tang dynasty, who took Suyab and made it their western outpost.  In fact, Suyab is thought to have been the birthplace, over a century later, of a young boy who would find a love of poetry.  That boy's name was Li Bai, or Ri Haku, in Japanese. He would become one of the most famous poets in Chinese history, and his poems were even known and studied in Japan.  And it was largely through Japanese study of Li Bai's poems that his works came to the English speaking world: first through Ernest Fenollosa, who had studied in Japan, and then by the celebrated Ezra Pound, who had used Ernest's notes to help with his own translations of the poems. This was, though, as I said, over a century after Xuanzang's journey.  At the time of our story, the Qaghan was throwing a feast, including Xuanzang and all of the foreign envoys.  Xuanzang comments on the food and drink—his hosts provided grape juice in lieu of wine, and cooked a special vegetarian feast just for him, while the other guests ate a feast of meat, such as veal, lamb, fish, and the like.  There was also the music of various regions along the Silk Road, which Xuanzang found to be catchy, but of course not as refined as the music he was used to, of course.  After dinner Xuanzang was asked to expound upon the Darma, largely about the basic principle that you should be kind to one another—I doubt he was getting into the deep mysteries of Buddhist philosophy. Xuanzang stuck around the court for three more days, during which time the Qaghan tried to get him to stay, but Xuanzang insisted that he had to make it to India.  And so the Qaghan relented.  He found men in his army who could translate for Xuanzang along his journey, and had letters of introduction written to at least as far as the state of Kapisa, in modern Afghanistan. And so, armed with the Qaghan's blessing and a fresh translator, Xuanzang struck out again.  They headed westward for over one hundred miles, eventually reaching Bingyul, aka the Thousand Springs.  This is the area where the Qaghan and his court would spend his summers, and the deer in the area were protected under his orders, so that they were not afraid of humans—which sounds similar to the situation with the deer in Nara.  Continuing on another fifty miles or so—the distances are approximate as Xuanzang's primary duty was not exactly to map all of this out—Xuanzang arrived at the city of Taras, in modern Kazakhstan, another place where the cultures of the Silk Road mixed and mingled.  Xuanzang didn't have much to say about Taraz, apparently, though it is one of the oldest cities in Transoxania, founded near the beginning of the Common Era.  A few miles south of there, Xuanzang reportedly found a village of re-settled ethnic Han that had been captured by the Gokturks and settled here.  They had adopted the dress and customs of the Turkic people, but continued to speak a version of Chinese. Southwest of that he reached the City of White Water, likely referring to Aksukent.  This is the same “Aksu” as the city in Xinjiang, both of which mean “White Water” in Turkic, but this one is in the south of Kazakhstan.  Xuanzang found the climate and products an improvement over what he had experienced in Taras.  Beyond that, he next arrived at the city of Gongyu, and then south again to Nujkend, and then traveling westward to the country of Chach, aka Tashkent.  Both Nujkend and Chach were large cities in nations of smaller, mostly autonomous city-states, which made up a lot of the political geography of Transoxania. I would note that Xuanzang's notes here are much more sparse than previously.  This may be because these were outside of the Tarim basin and therefore of less interest to individuals in the Tang empire.  Or perhaps he was just making his way more quickly and not stopping at every kingdom along the way. From Tashkent, he continued southeast to the Ferghana valley—the country of Feihan.  Oddly, this country doesn't appear in Xuanzang's biography, even though the Ferghana Valley seems to have been fairly well known back in the Tang Empire—it was known as the home of some of the best horses, which were one of its first major exports.  In fact, the Han dynasty even mounted a military expedition to travel to Ferghana just to obtain horses.  Xuanzang is oddly silent on this; however, he does talk about the fertile nature of the land.  He mentions that their language here is different from the lands he had been traveling through up to this point, and also points out that the people of the Ferghana valley were also visibly different from others in the area. From the Ferghana valley, Xuanzang headed west for about 300 miles or more to the land of Sutrushana—perhaps referring to the area of Ushrusana, with its capital of Bunjikat.  This country was also largely Sogdian, and described as similar to Tashkent.  From there, he traveled west through a great desert, passing skeletons, which were the only marker of the trail other than a view of the far off mountains.  Finally, they reached Samarkand, known as the country of “Kang” in Chinese, which was also the term used to mark Sogdians who claimed descent from the people of Samarkand. Samarkand is another of the ancient cities of Central Asia, and even today is the third largest city in modern Uzbekistan.  Human activity in the region goes back to the paleolithic era, and the city was probably founded between the 8th and 7th centuries BCE.  Samarkand was conquered by Alexander the Great, and during the Achaemenid Empire it was the capital of Sogdiana.  During Xuanzang's visit, Samarkand was described as an impenetrable fortress with a large population. For all of his travel, Samarkand was the first place Xuanzang notes as specifically not a Buddhist land.  In fact, there were two monasteries, suggesting that there had been Buddhists, but if any monks tried to stay there then the locals would chase them out with fire.  Instead, they worshipped fire—likely meaning Ahura Mazda and Zoroastrianism.  This leads to a story that I have to wonder about, given the reliability of our narrators. It is said that Xuanzang was met by the King with arrogance, but after staying the night Xuanzang was able to tell the King about Buddhism and its merits.  The king was intrigued, and asked to observe the Precepts, and treated Xuanzang with hospitality and respect.  So when two of Xuanzang's attendants went to the monasteries to worship, they were chased out with fire.  When the king heard about this, he had the people arrested and ordered their hands to be cut off.  Xuanzang could not bear to witness such suffering, however, and he intervened to have them spared.  So instead the king had them flogged and banished from the city.  Ever since then, all the people believed in Buddhism. Some parts of this strike true.  It was likely that the king would entertain this strange wanderer who had arrived with letters from the great Qaghan—that may have even explained why Xuanzang had been encouraged to make the dangerous journey to Suyab in the first place, so that he could obtain such permission.  And it would not be strange for the king to listen to his teachings.  If Xuanzang's attendants were attacked, that would have been a huge breach of hospitality, and however the King felt about it, he no doubt had to do something about it.  And so all of that sounds somewhat believable.  Does that mean everyone suddenly converted to Buddhism?  I don't know that I'm quite willing to go that far.  It is also likely that there were Buddhists there already, even if the majority religion was Zoroastrianism. From Samarkand, Xuanzang traveled farther southwest, to the country of Kasanna, which seems to have been the edge of what we might call Sogdiana.   According to his biographers, however, there was a little more to all of this.  Rather, he headed west to Kusanika.  Then he traveled to  Khargan, and further on to the country of Bukhara, and then to Vadi.  All of these were “An” in Chinese, which was the name element used for Sogdians from this region.  He then continued west to the country of Horismika, on the other side of the Amu Darya, aka the Oxus River of Transoxanian fame. From there he traveled further southwest, entering into the mountains.  The path here was often such that they had to travel single-file, and there was no food or water other than what you brought with you.  Eventually they came to a set of doors, known as the Iron Gate.  This was a Turkic fortress.  It was no doubt fortuitous that he had come from his meeting with the Qaghan, and likely had permission to pass through.  From there, they entered the country of Tukhara. As we noted in Episode 119, Tukhara was in the region of Bactria.  It was bordered by the Pamir range in the east, and the Persian empire in the west.  There were also the Great Snow Mountains in the south, likely referencing the Hindu Kush. Tukhara had been conquered by the Gokturks just within the past couple of decades, and Xuanzang notes that the country had been split into largely autonomous city-states as the local royalty had died without an heir many years before.  With the Gokturk conquest, it was now administered by Tardu Shad, the son of Tong Yabghu Qaghan.  “Shad” in this case was a local title. Here, Xuanzang's narrative gets a little dicey, especially between his biography and his records.  The records of the Western Regions denotes various countries in this area.  It is unclear if he traveled to all of them or is just recounting them from records he obtained.  He does give us at least an overview of the people and the region.  I would also note that this is one of the regions he visited, again, on his return trip, and so may have been more familiar with the region than those areas he had passed through from Suyab on down. For one thing, he notes that the language of the region was different from that of the “Suli”, which appears to refer to the Sogdians.  This was the old territory of the Kushan empire, and they largely spoke Bactrian.  Like Sogdian, it was another Eastern Iranian language, and they used an alphabet based largely on Greek, and written horizontally rather than vertically.  They also had their own coins. This region had plenty of Buddhist communities, and Xuanzang describes the cities and how many monasteries they had, though, again, it isn't clear if he actually visited all of them or not.  These are countries that Li Rongji translates as “Tirmidh”, “Sahaaniyan”, “Kharuun”, “Shuumaan”, etc. It does seem that Xuanzang made it to the capital city, the modern city Kunduz, Afghanistan. Xuanzang actually had something specific for the local Gokturk ruler, Tardu Shad.  Tardu Shad's wife was the younger sister of King Qu Wentai of Gaochang, whom we met last episode.  Qu Wentai had provided Xuanzang a letter for his younger sister and her husband.  Unfortunately, Xuanzang arrived to learn that the princess of Gaochang had passed away, and Tardu Shad's health was failing.  It does seem that Tardu Shad was aware of Xuanzang, however—a letter had already come from Qu Wentai to let them know that Xuanzang was on his way.  As I mentioned last episode, letters were an important part of how communities stayed tied together.  Of course, given the perils of the road, one assumes that multiple letters likely had to be sent just in case they didn't make it.  The US Postal Service this was not. Tardu Shad, though not feeling well, granted an interview with Xuanzang.  He suggested that Xuanzang should stick around.  Then, once the Shad had recovered from his illness, he would accompany Xuanzang personally on his trip to India.  Unfortunately, that was not to be.  While Xuanzang was staying there, he was witness to deadly drama.  Tardu Shad was recovering, which was attributed to the recitations by an Indian monk who was also there.  This outcome was not exactly what some in the court had wanted.  One of the Shad's own sons, known as the Tagin prince, plotted with the Shad's current wife, the young Khatun, and she poisoned her husband.  With the Shad dead, the throne might have gone to the son of the Gaochang princess, but he was still too young.  As such, the Tagin Prince was able to usurp the throne himself, and he married his stepmother, the young Khatun.  The funeral services for the late Tardu Shad meant that Xuanzang was obliged to stay at Ghor for over a month. During that time, Xuanzang had a seemingly pleasant interaction with an Indian monk.  And when he finally got ready to go, he asked the new Shad for a guide and horses.  He agreed, but also made the suggestion that Xuanzang should then head to Balkh.  This may have meant a bit of backtracking, but the Shad suggested that it would be worth it, as Balkh had a flourishing Buddhist community. Fortunately, there was a group of Buddhist monks from Balkh who happened to be in Kunduz to express their condolences at the passing of Tardu Shad, and they agreed to accompany Xuanzang back to their hometown, lest he end up getting lost and taking the long way there. The city of Balkh is also known as “Baktra”, as in “Bactria”, another name of this region.  A settlement has been there since at least 500 BCE , and it was already an important city when it was captured by Alexander the Great.  It sits at the confluence of several major trade routes, which no doubt were a big part of its success.  Xuanzang's biography notes that it was a massive city, though it was relatively sparsely populated—probably due to the relatively recent conquest by the Gokturks, which had occurred in the last couple of decades.  That said, there were still thousands of monks residing at a hundred monasteries in and around the city.  They are all characterized as monks of Theravada schools.  Southwest of the city was a monastery known as Navasamgharama, aka Nava Vihara, or “New Monastery”.  Despite its name, the monastery may have actually been much older, going back to the Kushan emperor Kaniska, in the 2nd century CE.  Ruins identified as this “New Monastery” are still visible south of Balkh, today. The monastery is described as being beautifully decorated, and it seems that it had a relic—one of the Buddha's teeth.  There are also various utensils that the Buddha is said to have used, as well.  The objects would be displayed on festival days.  North of the monastery there was a stupa more than 200 feet in height.  South of the monastery was a hermitage.  Each monk who studied there and passed away would have a stupa erected for them, as well.  Xuanzang notes that there were at around 700 memorial stupas, such that they had to be crammed together, base to base. It was here that Xuanzang met a young monk named Prajnaakara, who was already somewhat famous in India, and well-studied.  When questioned about certain aspects of Buddhism, Xuanzang was impressed by the monk's answers, and so stayed there a month studying with the young monk. Eventually, Xuanzang was ready to continue on his journey.  He departed Balkh towards the south, accompanying the teacher Prajnakara, and together they entered the Great Snow Mountains, aka the Hindu Kush.  This path was even more dangerous than the trip through the Tian Shan mountains to Suyab.   They eventually left the territory of Tukhara and arrived at Bamiyan.  Bamiyan was a kingdom in the Hindu Kush, themselves an extension of the Himalayan Mountain range.  It Is largely based around valley, home to the modern city of Bamyan, Afghanistan, which sits along the divide between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.  Today it is a major center for individuals of the Hazara ethnic group, one of the main ethnic groups in Afghanistan, which is a multi-ethnic state that includes, today, the Pashtun, Hazara, Tajik, and Uzbek people, along with a number of smaller ethnic groups.  Today they largely reside in the mountainous areas of the Hindu Kush. Bamiyan made an impact on our protagonist.   Their language was slightly different from that in Tukhara, but using the same—or similar enough—writing system.  Buddhism was thriving in the capital, and we are told of a rock statue of the standing Buddha, over a hundred feet in height, along with a copper statue of the standing Buddha nearby.    There was also another reclining Buddha a mile or two down the road.  There were multiple monasteries with thousands of monks, and the ruler of that kingdom received Xuanzang well. Xuanzang wasn't the first monk to travel to Bamiyan from the Middle Kingdom—in this he was, perhaps unwittingly, on the trail of the monk Faxian.  Faxian likely did not see these statues, though, as we believe they were built in the 6th and early 7th century—at least the stone Buddha statues.  They were a famous worship site until February 2001, when the Taliban gave an order to destroy all of the statues in Afghanistan.  Despite this, they were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. Fortunately, we have images from before their destruction.  These statues were a blend of Greco-Buddhist and Gandharan art styles—appropriate as it stands between the Hellenistic area of Tukhara and the ancient region of Gandhara—including the modern city of Kandahar and into the Indus Valley region of Pakistan. Continuing east through the mountains, Xuanzang eventually came out at the kingdom of Kapisa.  This may have had its capital around modern-day Bagram, north of modern Kabul, but the country seems to have been quite large.  Kapisa over saw some tens of other countries, and it is thought that at one time its influence extended from Bamyan and Kandahar to the area of modern Jalalabad.  Their language was even more different than that of Tukhara, but they were still using the same writing system.  The king of Kapisa is said to have been of Suli ethnicity—which would seem to indicate that he was Sogdian, or at least descended from people of the Transoxanian region.    Xuanzang notes that the ruler, as rough and fiery as he is described—as a true warlord or similar—he nonetheless made a silver image of the Buddha, eighteen feet in height, every year.  He also gave charity to the poor and needy in an assembly that was called every five years.  There were over one hundred monasteries and some 6000 monks, per Xuanzang's recollection, and notably, they were largely following Mahayana teachings. For the most part the monks that Xuanzang had encountered on this journey were Theravada—Xuanzang refers to them as “Hinayana”, referring to the “Lesser Vehicle” in contrast to Xuanzang's own “Mahayana”, or “Greater Vehicle”.  “Theravada” refers to the “way of the elders” and while Mahayana Buddhism largely accepts the sutras of Theravada Buddhism, there are many Mahayana texts that Theravada Buddhists do not believe are canonical.  We discussed this back in Episode 84. There was apparently a story of another individual from the Yellow River being sent as a hostage to Kapisa when it was part of the Kushan Empire, under Kanishka or similar.  Xuanzang recounts various places that the hostage, described as a prince, lived or visited while in the region.  Xuanzang's arrival likely stirred the imagination of people who likely knew that the Tang were out there, but it was such a seemingly impossible distance for most people.  And yet here was someone who had traveled across all of that distance.  One of the monasteries that claimed to have been founded because of that ancient Han prince invited Xuanzang to stay with them.  Although it was a Theravada monastery, Xuanzang took them up on the offer, both because of the connection to someone who may have been his countryman, but also because of his traveling companion, Prajnakara, who was also a Theravada monk, and may not be comfortable staying at a Mahayana monastery. Xuanzang spends a good deal of ink on the stories of how various monasteries and other sites were founded in Kapisa and the surrounding areas.  He must have spent some time there to accumulate all of this information.  It is also one of the places where he seems to have hit at least twice—once on the way to India, and once during his return journey. The King of Kapisa is said to have been a devotee of Mahayana Buddhism.  He invited Xuanzang and Prajnakara to come to a Mahayana monastery to hold a Dharma gathering.  There they met with several leading figures in the monastery, and they discussed different theories.  This gathering lasted five days, and at the end, the king offered Xuanzang and the other monks five bolts of pure brocade and various other gifts.  Soon thereafter, the monk Prajnakara was invited back to Tukhara, and so he and Xuanzang parted ways. And it was about time for Xuanzang to continue onwards as well.  From Kapisa, he would travel across the “Black Range” and into Lampaka.  This may refer to the area of Laghman or Jalalabad.  Today, this is in modern Afghanistan, but for Xuanzang, this would have been the northwestern edge of India.  He was almost there. And so are we, but we'll save his trip into India for next episode. Until then thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

This episode originally aired on July 9, 2024. As more and more people are boycotting big brands like Amazon, we thought it was the perfect time to bring back this episode about how ditching convenience culture can actually make us more sustainable citizens.Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our use of Amazon has skyrockted, making the company the second biggest U.S. parcel carrier after the US Postal Service. Amazon has become the poster child for convenience culture, but the time we save for the sake of convenience is putting us in financial and carbon debt. In this episode, we're grappling with our fraught relationship with our Amazon Prime subscriptions and getting practical tips to break free from convenience culture and start shopping more sustainably. ‍On this episode, you'll hear:‍Listeners share their complex, conflicted feelings about using Amazon. MIT research scientist Erez Yoeli shares how we can have a more sustainable relationship with Amazon and how to close the action vs intent gap.How Amazon gets you to buy so much stuff and how its fast-paced shipping comes at the cost of workers' health and pay.

Trump wants to privatize the United States Postal Service. Private delivery companies will devastate rural deliveries and cause pricing shocks to everyone. Even private companies depend on the USPS.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

Macron calls out Trump's lie in real-time. Anand Giridharadas calls Democrats to step up. Denmark shows how progressives should go left. Stop the privatization of the US Postal Service. Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

Trump Is Planning to Take Control of the Postal Service Please Subscribe + Rate & Review KMJ’s Afternoon Drive with Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson wherever you listen! --- KMJ’s Afternoon Drive with Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever else you listen. --- Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson – KMJ’s Afternoon Drive Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 & 105.9 KMJ DriveKMJ.com | Podcast | Facebook | X | Instagram --- Everything KMJ: kmjnow.com | Streaming | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

* Stop Trump's US Postal Service privatization. Here are truths they don't want you to know: Trump wants to privatize the United States Postal Service. Private delivery companies will devastate rural deliveries and cause pricing shocks to all. Even private companies depend on the USPS. [More]* Denmark shows how the left wins: Denmark provides the perfect example for Progressives to follow. The working class will vote for them if they unabashedly campaign on well-funded social programs beneficial to them. [More]* Anand Giridharadas calls out Democratic Leaders for their anemic response to Trump's destruction: Anand Giridharadas calls out Democratic Leaders for their anemic response to Trump's destruction. [More]* France's president calls out Trump's lie to his face: France's President Emmanuel Macron ensured Donald Trump did not get away with lying about the United States providing more money than the EU to Ukraine. [More] To hear more, visit egberto.substack.com

Trump Is Planning to Take Control of the Postal Service Please Subscribe + Rate & Review KMJ’s Afternoon Drive with Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson wherever you listen! --- KMJ’s Afternoon Drive with Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever else you listen. --- Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson – KMJ’s Afternoon Drive Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 & 105.9 KMJ DriveKMJ.com | Podcast | Facebook | X | Instagram --- Everything KMJ: kmjnow.com | Streaming | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TOP 3: Scam Toll Texts Are Back, US Postal Service Announces Betty White Stamps, and Bennifer Divorce Finally Finalized full 211 Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:52:51 +0000 T0yANjILM8Xvz06kheSd8e2ZhYMSNSGV music,society & culture,news Kramer & Jess On Demand Podcast music,society & culture,news TOP 3: Scam Toll Texts Are Back, US Postal Service Announces Betty White Stamps, and Bennifer Divorce Finally Finalized Highlights from the Kramer & Jess Show. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. Music Society & Culture News False

Donald Trump is trying to take control of the US Postal Service. According to the Washington Post, Trump plans to sign an executive order that will fire the Postal Service's governing board so the agency will no longer function independently, He wants the USPS under the control of the Commerce Department and Secretary Howard Lutnick. The board isn't going quietly and is reportedly planning to sue. Elon Musk celebrated firing government workers at CPAC last night by parading around on stage with a chain saw. In addition to being woefully insensitive as people lose their incomes, his chain saw approach to making cuts has resulted in some agencies scrambling to rehire key workers. Friday brings the amazing Michael Shure to The Mark Thompson Show. A political journalist, Shure brings a unique perspective to the conversation. We find our way to Friday Fabulous Florida! The Culture Blaster, Michael Snyder, brings his the fun along with his critic's eye to this week's entertainment offerings.

AM UPDATE: Malibu officials take big steps to try to help fire victims rebuild faster full 1087 President Trump may takeover the US Postal Service. Mayor Bass blames LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley for the fires is not helping her image. Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:44:14 +0000 qfabXoBrYVvWcoRaanJchli3po3VIsmq news The LA Local news AM UPDATE: Malibu officials take big steps to try to help fire victims rebuild faster Your TL;DR for what's happening in SoCal. Get caught up in less than ten minutes every afternoon on The LA Local. From culture to crime to politics to the offbeat, Alex Silverman and the team at KNX News 97.1 FM have you covered. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https:

Don Wildman explores a woman's quest for athletic glory, uncovers a bizarre use of the US Postal Service and investigates one man's will to survive against all odds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Postal Service will always get your mail there, but there are no guarantees on when. Time, is a construct and the USPS doesn't comment on these matters. And if you spot a thing that shouldn't be, send it in to janesays@civicmedia.us and we might use it on the show! So join us Monday through Friday at 11:51 a.m. for “This Shouldn't Be A Thing!” or search for it on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.  And thanks for listening!!

Displaced Palestinians say they don't want to leave Gaza even if their homes are destroyed. The US Postal Service has changed its mind about packages from China and Hong Kong. A US military plane carrying migrants has landed in Guantanamo Bay. We're seeing the second peak of flu season and there's still months to go. Plus, we'll tell you why experts think China is building a huge laser. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Donald Trump says the US will take over Gaza, and he hasn't ruled out sending American troops. The CIA is offering buyouts to its entire workforce, while USAID workers abroad are being told to come home. All 67 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of last week's DC plane collision. The Northeast is in for some blockbuster winter storms this month. Plus, the US Postal Service says it won't accept incoming packages from China and Hong Kong for the foreseeable future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

China complains to the World Trade Organisation about Donald Trump's tariffs, but with no active judging panel, what can the WTO do?Roger Hearing discusses why the US Postal Service has U-turned after refusing to handle any parcels from China and Hong Kong, as well as the growing trade war between the World's two leading economies.Elsewhere, the issue of de-banking has been debated in the US Congress, so are financial institutions discriminating against certain groups or industries?And a man from Indonesia has been hired as Japan's first-ever foreign bus driver. Does this show the Japanese government's new determination to let in more overseas workers?The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC.

Economy and trade minister Carlos Cuerpo outlines the strong trade ties between Madrid and Beijing, with Spain importing large volumes of trucks, cars, vans and spare parts from China. After the United States, China is the European Union's second-biggest trading partner. Why has the US Postal Service changed its mind and is now accepting all packages from China and Hong Kong? And Honda's share price rises on reports a merger with Nissan may be called off.

Listen to the Daily Global #News from Grecian Echoes and WNTN 1550 AM - Trump said that the US "will take over" Gaza while the Palestinians who live there should leave - The US Postal Service said Tuesday it will not accept incoming parcels from China - 10 people were killed in a shooting at a school in Sweden - Google miss on growth earnings