Podcasts about yijing

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unveiling the Secret: A Laboratory Quest for Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-03-05-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个神秘的春日，宜静、威和丽娜来到了一个秘密实验室。En: On a mysterious spring day, Yijing, Wei, and Lina arrived at a secret laboratory.Zh: 宜静是个充满好奇心的科学家，总是渴望知识的追求。En: Yijing is a scientist full of curiosity, always eager to pursue knowledge.Zh: 威则是宜静和丽娜的小心翼翼的朋友，注重安全和务实。En: Wei is the cautious friend of Yijing and Lina, focusing on safety and practicality.Zh: 而丽娜则是个充满冒险精神的人，渴望刺激和挑战。En: Meanwhile, Lina is a person full of adventurous spirit, longing for excitement and challenges.Zh: 听说这个实验室藏着一个失落的神器，据说它拥有神秘的力量。En: It was said that this laboratory housed a lost artifact, which was rumored to possess mysterious powers.Zh: 宜静相信，这个神器对她的研究有很大的帮助，因此决定去寻找它。En: Yijing believed that this artifact would greatly aid her research, and thus decided to look for it.Zh: 威虽然有些担心，但在宜静的劝说下，还是同意加入。En: Although Wei was somewhat worried, he agreed to join after Yijing's persuasion.Zh: 丽娜则从一开始就兴致勃勃，对她来说，这样的冒险正是她一直期待的。En: Lina, on the other hand, was enthusiastic from the start, as such an adventure was exactly what she had been waiting for.Zh: 实验室里，光线昏暗，狭长的走廊中弥漫着尘土和古老实验的遗物。En: Inside the laboratory, the lighting was dim, and the narrow corridors were filled with dust and remnants of ancient experiments.Zh: 复杂的机械谜题随处可见，时时考验着三人。En: Complex mechanical puzzles could be seen everywhere, constantly testing the trio.Zh: 宜静走在最前，认真研究着每一个细节，而威则负责确保大家的安全。En: Yijing led the way, carefully studying every detail, while Wei ensured everyone's safety.Zh: 丽娜观察着周围，寻找可能的线索。En: Lina observed the surroundings, searching for possible clues.Zh: 不久，他们遇到了一个复杂的陷阱。En: Before long, they encountered a complex trap.Zh: 丽娜小心地解开线索，迅速制止了陷阱的启动。En: Lina carefully deciphered the clues and quickly stopped the trap from being triggered.Zh: 这个时候，宜静找到了藏着神器的房间。En: At that moment, Yijing found the room where the artifact was hidden.Zh: 然而，他们刚进入房间，一个神秘的机关启动了。En: However, as soon as they entered the room, a mysterious mechanism was activated.Zh: 威急忙喊道：“快看！门要关上了！”En: Wei quickly shouted, "Look out! The door is going to close!"Zh: 三人迅速合作，宜静用她的知识分析机关的结构，威细心观察每一个细节，提出解决方案，而丽娜则以惊人的速度操作，很快就成功停下了机关的运行。En: The trio quickly cooperated; Yijing used her knowledge to analyze the structure of the mechanism, Wei carefully observed every detail and proposed solutions, while Lina operated with incredible speed, soon successfully stopping the mechanism.Zh: 他们终于成功带着神器逃了出来。En: They finally escaped with the artifact.Zh: 站在阳光下，宜静握着神器，意识到冒险虽重要，但协作与谨慎同样不可或缺。En: Standing under the sunlight, Yijing held the artifact, realizing that while adventure is important, collaboration and caution are equally essential.Zh: 她将她的最新发现与威和丽娜分享，三人间的友谊因此更为深厚。En: She shared her latest findings with Wei and Lina, strengthening the friendship among the three.Zh: 从此，宜静学会了团队合作的重要性，也懂得了在追求知识的同时，要更加关注身边的人与事。En: From then on, Yijing learned the importance of teamwork and understood that while pursuing knowledge, more attention should be given to the people and things around her.Zh: 她明白，有些东西比通过鲁莽行动获得的知识更有意义。En: She understood that some things are more meaningful than the knowledge gained through reckless actions.Zh: 于是，他们在清明节那天一同将这个感悟铭刻在心。En: So, they engraved this realization in their hearts together on Qingming Festival. Vocabulary Words:mysterious: 神秘curiosity: 好奇心cautious: 小心翼翼artifact: 神器rumored: 据说powers: 力量persuasion: 劝说enthusiastic: 兴致勃勃daring: 冒险精神corridors: 走廊remnants: 遗物mechanical: 机械puzzles: 谜题deciphered: 解开mechanism: 机关propose: 提出analyze: 分析collaboration: 协作caution: 谨慎engraved: 铭刻reckless: 鲁莽trio: 三人excitement: 刺激challenges: 挑战studying: 研究triggered: 启动slightly: 有些detailed: 细节successfully: 成功friendship: 友谊

Spring's First Signs: Weather Lore, Energy Shifts & Seasonal Traditions As winter loosens its grip, we see the first stirrings of spring! In this episode, we explore how both Eastern and Western traditions recognize this seasonal shift—Lì Chūn and Imbolc—marking the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Todays episode topics- The natural signs of early spring and how they reflect ancient wisdom Weather lore—why a sunny day could mean six more weeks of winter February's Wood energy and the Tiger month's role in seasonal shifts Yi Jing Hexagram 11 (Unity): Balancing yin and yang as the seasons change Seasonal foods to stay healthy during this transition Five ways to honor the fresh energy of spring (without just spring cleaning!) Spring is all about renewal, growth, and balance—so let's welcome it !

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Powerleegirls Hosts Miko Lee and Jalena Keane-Lee host and Ayame Keane-Lee edits a chat about leadership, growth and change during a time of crisis. Listen to Jalena speak with Meng Hua from Tiger Eye Astrology about her path from palm reading to artistry to bazi. Then hear Miko speak with Zen Master Norma Wong  about her new book When No Thing Works. More information about our guests: Meng Hua's Tiger Eye Astrology  Zen Master Norma Wong her new book When No Thing Works Guide to how to hold space about the book   Pathways To Humanity Show Transcript Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:00:29] Tonight on APEX Express: the PowerLeeGirls mother-daughters team. I'm the editor of tonight's show Ayame Keane-Lee joined by our hosts Jalena Keane-Lee and Miko Lee. Tune in as they interview our guests about Pathways – internal and external journeys we take to connect to humanity. First my sister Jalena speaks with Meng Yu about her journey as a full time artist and practitioner of the mantic arts. Then Mama Miko speaks with Norma Wong, the abbot of Anko-in about her latest book When No Thing Works. So listen in to APEX Express. First up is Jalena's interview with Meng Yu.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:01:08] Hello, everyone. I am here with Meng Yu, who is a Chinese astrologer from Tiger Eye Astrology. And today we're talking all about astrology and learning from the stars and other elements to help guide our life path and our decisions and choices. Thanks so much for being here, Meng.    Meng Yu: [00:01:27] Thanks so much for having me, Jalena. It's a pleasure to have this conversation with you.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:01:33] It truly is. and so I'm curious if you could just start us off talking a little bit, you know, about your practice and how you came to the work that you're doing today.    Meng Yu: [00:01:42] I have been a practitioner of the mantic arts for, over a decade and the mantic arts, include astrology, but also divination. So as part of my practice, I also do I Ching or Yijing divination. and it's a kind of circuitous way of how I ended up on this path. I'm also a, a full time artist. and you know, that's kind of how I make my bread and butter. And it's also. In a way, how I approach, Chinese astrology and divination as well, I guess to backtrack a little bit, I always like to start by honoring my teachers and their lineages. So, primarily my teacher has been Master Zongxian Wu, who is my Bazi teacher and also is the lineage holder of, four traditional schools of internal arts. and then I also have a host of daoist teachers who are also artists. their own right, visual artists, martial artists, writers who live in and embody the Dao. these include Lindsey Wei, Dengming Dao, uh, Tamara Jha, Lily Kai. And so, I also want to shout out to my group. Late sixth great aunt as well. My Leo Gupo, who when I was eight years old, she gave me my first introduction to the art of divination through. palm reading. so she actually taught me, sort of an Eastern style of palm reading at a young age. But growing up, other than that, I, was not influenced by, this, form of, wisdom traditions from my heritage. My parents are, both Chinese and they are both, of the cultural revolution generation, which was a mass genocide that occurred in China, right as they were coming of age. So they're very, survival oriented, practical people, you know, from Just historically in China, from the fall of the Qing dynasty to the rise of communism, much of the mantic arts traditions, were basically lost in the cultural landscape. So, how I came to this work, was not really so much through my upbringing as, The search for, I guess, healing in my own life experiences and coming to, sort of critical junctures, and crisis, personal crises in my life where I really sought, alternative, dimensions and ways of, reconnecting to my My purpose and just healing in my life. So I, over a decade ago found myself, in the jungles of Peru, having very close, connections to a shamanistic tradition involving plant medicine, which opened me up to really asking, you know, what are the shamanic and animistic roots. of the wisdom traditions from my own heritage. And this brought me to working with the Yijing, as well as Chinese astrology. So that's, that's kind of a mouthful. It's a bit of a long and complicated story, but that's, that's sort of the bullet notes version.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:05:18] Thank you so much for sharing that. It's perfect because my next question was going to be about, you know, your lineage of healers that you studied under, but I feel like you covered that already really well. So I'm curious, you know, you talked about Bazi and Yijing, could you kind of give us a little bit of a breakdown of these like different modalities and how you use them?    Meng Yu: [00:05:35] Sure, absolutely. so, In the readings that I do for folks, the most popular readings are actually a combination of Yijing divination and Bazi astrology. So to give a little context for both, the Yijing Translates as the book of change or the book of changes it, although it has roots and what we would call, currently ancient Siberia, ancient China, it actually dates back to Neolithic times. Really before, the formation of these nation states. So it's some of our early human ancestors. It's their recorded search for wisdom through the observation of cycles and patterns in nature over thousands of years. as the book of change, as the study of change, it's the oldest compounded record of, the study of time itself. and the Bazi astrology is a modality of Chinese astrology that really came into prominence during the Han Dynasty. the turn of the century, the common era, and, it translates as eight characters. So ba meaning eight and zi meaning character. So there is a element in animal for not only your year of birth, which is what? Folks are mostly familiar with, but also the month, day, and hour. So these are called four pillars. So sometimes the system is called the four pillars of destiny. And we get a look at, these characters that make up one's nature. And the way that I So when I see the two modalities working together, I often give people the metaphor of, you know, say you're in, the ocean of your life and you're driving a boat or a ship. The Yijing is like a weather report. The Yijing gives us an idea of the changes that we are currently in. So are we headed in a storm? is it clear blue skies ahead? What are the conditions of the wind and the waves? And the bazi chart looks at the kind of ship that you are driving. So it could be, you know, a submarine. It could be a sailboat. It could be an ocean tanker. And they all have different conditions. strengths and gifts and flavors of power, as well as certain kinds of limitations and vulnerabilities. And so the bazi chart really looks at these qualities of our nature and encourages us to embrace who we actually are so that we can learn to drive our ship better.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:08:47] Thank you so much for that breakdown and description, and in addition to offering readings, of which I loved, I absolutely loved getting a reading with you, and it was so informative and inspirational, but in addition to these readings and offerings that you have for other people, I'm curious how you use these modalities in your own life, whether it's with your art practice, or just with life choices and changes how do you, use these ways of knowing for yourself?   Meng Yu: [00:09:12] It's very important for me as an astrologer and as a daoist to, to align my life according to the times, these modalities, both the Yijing and Chinese astrology. What they point to at the foundation of their wisdom is the question of what time is it, right? This is where the roots of the tradition come from. It's from telling time, and through understanding time and studying time, we're able to divine When is a good time? what is the right time? And knowing that gives our lives profound meaning and context. so, on the more kind of mundane level, it's adjusting my calendar to observe time with this additional context of living with the seasons. there's actually 24 different seasons, according to the qi nodes of The Chinese lunar and solar calendar. There's also the lunar cycles as well. And these are not simple, mathematical markings. They have, very deep meanings behind them that help us align with the qi quality of the moment. So they give our lives meaning by showing us, is this a time to sow seeds, to be inspired and enlivened like springtime? is it a time of Growing potential, or are we entering a time where we need to, not be accumulating, in terms of harvest, but actually be engaged in shedding, by observing the patterns and cycles of nature, And following the nature of the forces that we find ourselves in, we can align ourselves to live in harmony, and to be in, better alignment with the dao. So that's one way that I see the Chinese calendar providing context for my life. The wisdom of the Yijing has been such a profound. Collaborator in my life. not only in studying and attempting to apply its wisdom, but also has been an incredible creative collaborator for me as an artist. So, one of my favorite things to do is to divine with the Yijing to help make creative choices in my work, and to really treat the Oracle as a collaborator. So I really enjoyed using it in this creative way and as a practice for listening and channeling, which I think is useful for any artist to engage in a meditative practice where, it's not a sense of creativity coming necessarily from you, but actually through you. and that's something that the Yijing through working with it for so many years has really taught me to embody.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:12:19] I love that so much. have you noticed any changes in your life, your energy levels, or your art practice since kind of aligning your life with these forces?    Meng Yu: [00:12:30] Yeah, you know, I would love to say, Oh, everything's just gotten better and better. Now I just live like the perfect artist life. It's that would, that's really not, nothing could be really further from the truth because I think it's really about being in the school of life. You know that this is a form of education and it's a continual form of practice, and, as I've been engaged in it, in over 10 years, every year, the lessons have, there's been more layers of depth and challenge, which I think is, , Something that unfolds sort of dependent on what you're you're ready for. There is a hexagram in the Yijing that Shows you that you are undergoing a massive transition where you're carrying the burden of a really heavy weight . And one of the things you're encouraged to see is to reflect on how, what you are experiencing now is something that would have completely overwhelmed you a year ago or a cycle ago. We are given tasks. And, asked to carry burdens, given what we are ready for. And so, although I would like to say, Oh, it's made my life so easy. I know what to do all the time now. That's not the narrative at all. I feel like there's a kind of profound, I guess maybe meditative experience where I have a little bit more distance now from things affecting me, in an immediate personal way because now I can, refer to. This collaborator, this friend, for advice or allowing me to see where I am in a cycle to reflect what I have exited from, hopefully to be prescient of what's to come, to identify familiar themes and to see, that I'm continuously revolving around, a spiral where Certain points come back that feel very familiar, but it's a couple rungs, deeper, where it's not like just a circle of things repeating, but it's a spiral where there's new layers of depth that, follow familiar themes, if that makes sense.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:15:06] Yeah, that does. and I know you've talked about, too, how it's like a method for communicating with your ancestors and kind of having An additional channel of communication. So I'm just curious about, yeah, that kind of practice of communication and bringing that forward in your work and how that experience has been for you.   Meng Yu: [00:15:28] Yeah. the piece about ancestors is really an interesting one, because I think what the gift of Chinese astrology to me is that it puts The self within a kind of different context where we're encouraged to see ourselves, not as some, definable thing that has innate qualities, but through Chinese astrology, where we see the elements, the animals, the the stars that indicate ancestral influences, the, unfinished business, the karma, the fate of our ancestors that have been given to us. We're encouraged to see the self as just a live kind of wiggly end of 10, 000 dead people. You know, that what makes us who we are is an enormous inheritance. And what we are here to play out in our lives is this dance between fate and freedom. It doesn't mean that we don't have access to creativity in our lives, but that freedom is inherently, explored and discovered through playing with the limitations of our fate. So for instance, in our natal charts, You can see certain hauntings or ghost energies, inherited from ancestors. So for instance, in my personal chart, I have an inheritance called hidden moaning, which shows an ancestor that has not completed grieving and grief work in their lifetime. And so it kind of. imbues my life with unexplainable bouts of sadness. sometimes this can result in, depression, grieving, this like, wailing grief and knowing this in my chart, I'm able to see that kind of sadness is not something that is just mine, meaning, you know, growing up, the question would be like, Oh, why me, or what am I doing wrong? Why do I feel like this? What's wrong with me? When we look at our lives through the context of ancestors, it becomes a lot more relational, meaning your grief, these burdens are not simply yours. They're a call for communication with your lineage and opening up that pathway, that communication itself is how we resolve the fate of our ancestors. by Listening by asking, what is it that they want, our lives are not just lived for us, but our lives are a way for our ancestors to resolve unfinished chi, that they were not able to complete in their lifetimes. So, you know, when I feel these bouts of sadness, I know that it's time for me to open up these channels, that I can sit in meditation, that I can, engage in my creative practice as a way to channel and speak to my ancestors and ask them what it is that they would like to come forth. What messages they have? That they need to share and speak.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:19:11] Wow, you just dropped so many gems and I was like taking notes. I really like that idea of, you know, this dance between fate and freedom and living out our ancestors kind of unfinished business and promises and hopes. And I'm curious also how this practice has impacted or potentially deepened your own understanding of your culture and your relationship to being Chinese or Chinese American or however you identify.   Meng Yu: [00:19:40] Yeah, it's really provided. I feel extremely honored and, you know that I've been able to work with so many amazing teachers and adepts and have been trusted to practice as well as teach these modalities. it has brought me really close to my ancestors in a very intimate way, you know, like I just talked about with hidden moaning, as well as giving me such an appreciation for the wisdom traditions of my heritage. and this really dates back really beyond, again, our understanding of the nation states of, you know, what it means to be Chinese, it actually gives me a lot of respect for what our ancient human ancestors have left behind for us, their legacy, you know, because the roots of this tradition Like I mentioned, it actually goes back 50, 70, 000 years ago to the retreat of the last ice age. And so we're really talking about nomadic hunter gatherers and their survival, how they observed nature, terrains, and sky. Over cyclical time, they survived by following migration routes of animals and celestial bodies that allowed them to engage in an animistic perspective of life, that, all landscapes, including the landscapes of the cosmos, all of nature is sentient. And this. I guess that world view of aliveness of sentience and intelligence, as well as reciprocity and resonance. You know, that all environments and us, because we are innately tied to that, we are nature. You know, that we're in this reciprocal conversation all the time with life, that I think has had the most profound influence on my life, this idea that we're not just caretakers of the environment, but we are the environment. We are all adapting to each other too. The forces around us inside of us that there's this continual movement of cycles and circulation. that I think is really this wisdom core of the tradition that has really made me feel like not just a citizen of my culture and my ethnicity, but really a citizen of this planet, of Earth. from literally, you know, the air that we breathe, down to the food that we eat down to our blood, it's the same movement of circulation that connects us all and this, you know, really informs my, my worldview and my sense of belonging, my sense of, communion with life.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:22:54] I feel like these messages and this kind of information about ancestors, unfinished business, purpose in life. It can be both empowering and overwhelming at times. Like, that was my experience of the reading as well. And we're living at a time where In the US for sure and also globally where there's so much going on and it is a moment that can feel empowering at times but also can feel very, very overwhelming so I'm curious if there are certain ways that you practice keeping the faith in amidst times like these or navigating things that are overwhelming but can be seen as, empowering at the same time.    Meng Yu: [00:23:32] Yeah, absolutely. That's a really fabulous question. you mentioned faith, and I think that's a really interesting concept to dig into because I actually hesitate to use the word faith. I like to use the word trust know that we can develop our existential trust through understanding. Tempo with these. modalities, like I mentioned, there's this, putting us back into time, into rhythm, not just Chinese astrology. I think all ancient calendars does this for us, that they Put us back into an earth based tempo and rhythm and helps us understand that the meaning of our lives come from the context of everything that sustains us. And that this isn't some kind of belief system that you have to be indoctrinated in. It is an observable truth that you can see through observing patterns. and cyclical time. Yin and yang is not some far fetched idea that you have to believe in. It's literally night and day, these are the basic rhythms through which our lives have delineation and tempo and when we develop our synchronicity with this type of regularity and rhythm, we develop a kind of trust. and This trust comes from confidence through observation over time, and because we don't like live outside anymore, we're not really in touch with what our ancestors, the ancients observed and recorded in their calendars. You know, the regularity of movement from observing the sun, the moon, the stars and the seasons. And when we can reunite with that, that actually provides a sense of trust. so, when we engage in these modalities, whether it's astrology or divination, we're, we're reading tempo and even with Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine takes a pulse, you know, it's reading your body as a tempo. It's indicating your rhythm, the quality of your rhythm. So even in our medicine, we are reading our bodies temporally. So this idea of time is so fundamental for me in this idea of trust in alignment with rhythm and regularity. In the Tao Te Ching, which is one of the canonical texts of Daoism, the word for trust, Ching, is used many times and it's about, trust is defined. also as a kind of power. It's defined as how beings attain their actuality, that you need trust in order to grow, that it's part of your process of becoming. And through Daoism and through Chinese astrology, which was very much, informed through Daoism. And we learned that the way to grow our Xing, our trust, is to return our body to the rhythm of the universe. Now that the Daoist cure for our anxieties, which stem from a sense of our independent existence. You know, of our, individuality that is such a small, piece of this enormity. The cure for our anxieties is to identify our singularity, our single body with the body of the whole world. And we do that through aligning our tempo, aligning our rhythm. this is one way that we see the intricate ways that we are all interconnected. And I know I just said some really kind of big abstract things, but, I hope that's making sense.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:27:49] Yes, no, aligning and yeah, the tempo and pace of the world. I saw something recently that was like, you know, the power of treating our own bodies like gardens that we're cultivating and not like machines. And I feel like that's sticking to what you were just talking about, too, of like, you know, we are also. Plants and beings that need to be tended to and taken care of and to see ourselves that way in alignment with like the world and the pace of the world.   Meng Yu: [00:28:16] Yeah, absolutely. I love that plant metaphor because it brings us back in touch with life and life cycles, that seeds are sown in the spring. Leaves are shed in the fall, you know, that. Life force and life energy also needs to have time to retreat and withdraw in the winter. All the chi is going back underneath the ground where it's not visible. All the outward and external energy is going inward. It's going hidden. That's the power of yin. When we observe and practice modalities that have survived, not just one genocide, but many, many genocides over thousands of years, we can start to build of broader understanding of the patterns of the universe, the cycles of time. And this is one way that we can embrace and this work with the realities of what's happening, you know, in the current poly crises of our times in, civilization and ecological collapse, you know, it's important that we come to terms with where we are in cycles so that we do the practice that is needed of the Grieving of shedding the anger and the sadness that comes with this time to not live in denial of it and to learn from our ancestors and how they have survived through these times through the practice and the wisdom of understanding, The cycles of nature, how we renew and, regenerate life, the daoists were really concerned with, what is called immortality, but immortality is not like one person living forever. Immortality is. A broader concept about the continuation of life, you know, how do we live in a way that is truly sustainable, that is self sustaining in Chinese, the word for nature is zhi ran, which means self: zhi ran self fulfilling, self renewing, self sustaining. So embedded in the wisdom of these practices is this sense of aligning our lives, aligning our choices in a way that allows life to continue.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:30:52] Absolutely. Yes. more life and more environments where life can grow and thrive. I'm curious, you know, if anyone who's listening is now really interested in learning more about Chinese astrology, learning more about your work, what would be the best ways for them to start? And then also if there's anything else that you want to share.   Meng Yu: [00:31:11] The best way to find me is to go to my website. I'm not on social media, so, you'll have to get on the web and find me at www. tigereyeastrology.com and from there you can, contact me, request a reading, as well as just read more about, the different modalities that I practice, a little more about myself, and the perspectives that I bring.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:31:38] You are listening to 94.1 KPFA and 89.3 KPFB in Berkeley, 88.1 KFCF in Fresno, 97.5 K248BR in Santa Cruz, 94.3 K232FZ in Monterey, and online worldwide at kpfa.org. Next up is Miko's interview with Norma Wong.   Miko Lee: [00:32:01] Welcome Norma Wong to Apex Express. We are so happy to have you with us today.   Norma Wong: [00:32:06] Aloha, Mikko. Thank you for having me.    Miko Lee: [00:32:09] I want to just first start off, you, hold dear to my heart. I just finished reading your book, which I'm excited to talk about, but I just want to start in the very beginning by asking you a question, which is based on a question from the amazing poet Chinaka Hodges. Who are your people, and what legacy do you carry with you from them?    Norma Wong: [00:32:29] Oh, Miko, how much time do you have? my people are people of the Pacific. You know, the people who came, who crossed the ocean, now six generations ago to this place called Hawaii, who are the haka. Nomadic people of China who really traveled all over China came as contract work and my people are the indigenous people of Hawaii, of these islands where I live and where you happen to be right now, on in terms of this interview and, with the indigenous people, the Kanaka Maoli, the native wines of this place. I am blessed to be the ancestors of these two strong strands of people and really, people who have long migrated, irrespective of where they're coming from, where they're going to.   Miko Lee: [00:33:23] That is beautiful. And what legacy do you carry with you from those people?    Norma Wong: [00:33:28] I would say the legacy that I carry is the legacy of remembering food, remembering stories, passing on stories, creating stories into the future so that we may know where it is that we will go to. And I would say that I also carry the legacy of people who can both be with each other and also be fiercely independent with respect to not having to really depend on anything other than their wits, the land that they're on, of the people who are close to them, what the winds may be able to tell them.   Miko Lee: [00:34:11] Thank you so much. I'm very excited. I just finished reading your new book, which is titled, When No Thing Works: A Zen and Indigenous Perspective on Resilience, shared purpose, and leadership in the timeplace of collapse. Incredibly long title and incredibly appropriate for the time we live in right now. Can you share a little bit about what inspired you to create this work?    Norma Wong: [00:34:39] Well, I will, I will say frankly that the book would have not been written if not for Taj James and some of your listeners may know who this is. He is a movement leader and activist, who resides in Northern California, but really does a lot of work everywhere. And Taj, actually convinced me over a two year time period, to write this particular book. And I finally did so, because of a question that he asked. The question that he asked is, with respect to the kinds of knowledge that spiritual ways practice and pass on person to person, can that happen quickly enough only with the people who are directly in front of you? Will that happen quickly enough for the times that we're in? And I had to reflect upon that and say, no, because we were in a time of collapse. And so I had to take the chance of writing something that would find its way into the hands of people who were not directly in front of me. And that is, not the ways of the long line of teachers that I have had.   Miko Lee: [00:35:58] Can you talk a little bit about some of the teachers that you've had and how you carry on the legacy of those teachers that you have had, the impact they've made on you.    Norma Wong: [00:36:09] I've been blessed with many teachers, some of whom are in my young time days. I particularly remember a teacher from my elementary school days, Mrs. Trudy Akau. She was, Native Hawaiian and Portuguese and a woman of big voice and grand stature. And Mrs. Akau really wanted every single one of her students to Be able to find voice in whatever ways, that they might, whether it be writing or through reading or speaking, telling stories. So I certainly remember. This is a call. I remember Tanoi Roshi, uh, my Zen teacher. He was born Stanley Tanoi, second generation Japanese American grew up in Hawaii and who became a teacher. in his own right, not only with respect to Zen, but the martial arts and Stanley Tanoy, who we all know is Tanoy Roshi, is certainly considered to be my primary spiritual teacher, for whom it is now my responsibility to follow his line. I would say that there are people that I have worked with. who are my teachers, you know, so John Waiheee, who was the first native Hawaiian governor of Waii, I certainly consider him to be a significant teacher of mine, as do some young people, some people who are younger than I am. I consider them to be my teachers as well.   Miko Lee: [00:37:41] You mentioned your Zen teacher, Tanoue Tenshin Roshi and you quote in the book him saying, the truth is the intersection of everyone's perspective, if we could only know that. Can you speak more about this?    Norma Wong: [00:37:55] We are, as humans, we're, we're very certain that our perspective is the truth, that whatever it is that we see. But even from a biological perspective, science shows that what it is that registers in our mind is only a small portion of what it is that even our biology is absorbing. And so. We have this tendency to have a lens with respect to how we see the world that lens is colored by many things. And so what is actually so is difficult to ascertain. And this is just in terms of what may be right in front of us, let alone that which may come to us on a secondhand basis, and even more complicated by the way people get most of their information these days. Which is not through direct experience, but through information that has been provided by other channels, the vast aspects of social media, for example, the echo chambers of the conversation, in which we take as facts, things that are talked about that have been observed by other people who are analyzing that which someone else may or may not have actually seen by their own eyes. So we're many times removed from the actual experience of things. And so to know the truth, is a complex thing.    Miko Lee: [00:39:28] As you sort of mentioned this, but it feels like we are living, in this time where there's multiple truths, and especially with the propaganda that we're seeing from right wing mindsets that are really resistant to, influence especially around harm, unless they directly experienced that harm. In cases where it feels like this progress is really stalled until those people experience that kind of harm personally, what is the best way for us to intervene constructively?    Norma Wong: [00:39:56] Well, I think the first thing that we have to do is to make sure that we are also not doing the same thing in reverse. You know, which is to say that the aspect of harm, The many impacts that people may feel will be felt differently. So that which I believe has harmed me would seem to you as not being harmful at all. We tend to see harm, not from a meta perspective, but from an individualized perspective. And so to actually come out of the weeds of that and place ourselves In an observer's stance of community more generally, of humans more generally, not within the analysis of that, not within the frameworks of that, but to observe actual experiences is something that needs to happen on the left and the right and the center. the American. Value system doesn't help, which is to say that we live in a very individualized society. Our country was formed on the basis of values that are individualized. Even something that we'd say may be universal, such as human rights, we tend to think of it through an individualized lens. And to come more into the whole of it, to not. view our existence as being either dependent or independent of others, but more from the perspective of being interdependent. And you know, by interdependence, I'm, I mean that the success that we may have is born not only of my efforts, but the efforts of others. And if it is at the expense of someone else's welfare, then it is not interdependent. So that type of existence, you know, which I would describe as a more indigenous way of being, is what our times call for.    Miko Lee: [00:41:55] I'm wondering, you have such an interesting background as working in the legislature here in Hawaii and then fighting for homeland rights, supporting people in Lahaina. I'm wondering how you have combined both your indigenous background and your own. Zen belief system, how that has influenced you politically.   Norma Wong: [00:42:16] Well, if I were to reflect on that question, I would say that I was extraordinarily fortunate to begin my spirit practice at almost the same instant that I was coming up in the political world. And so I. did not see one as separate from the other. In fact, I would say that the fortune of that is that there are many aspects about the introspective nature of spirit work that, you have to interrupt your ego at every instant. And as you might imagine, there are many ways in, in the political world. Where the ego takes on an outsized importance to what it is that you're doing. And so it's an important centering value that you would get from the Zen practice. But to me, A thing that attracted me to Zen is that it is almost inherently indigenous and, by that I mean that the Zen values are based on interdependence of the whole and the whole does not only include humans, it includes other beings in the universe itself. And so, to center your political actions and the ways in which you might grapple with an issue is not to separate the issue from the people and the place, and to take into consideration not only the history of that, but what your actions would mean for the descendants that have not yet been born. And in that respect, there's should be no separation. In fact, there should be a profound way, in which that can hold your political decision making. your political conversation, your political actions within the concepts and the values of people in place.    Miko Lee: [00:44:08] So centering on people and place and our interconnectedness with each other. That's really powerful and so important and I'm going back to your saying we have to interrupt the ego and I'm wondering in times when we're about to see 45 enter into his, second administration and the impact of somebody who is ego full or narcissistic and this divide that we're seeing, how do we hold faith in ourselves to help to interrupt that ego when it's happening on such a national scale?    Norma Wong: [00:44:41] Well, there's a thing about ego, which is to say that My ego can only be interrupted by me. Your ego can only be interrupted by you. Now, strategy is a different thing, but that's not the subject of this interview. But with respect to ego, it's going to be part of the environment. it's going to be part of what exists and it'll be a powerful way in which you would see many egos, playing with each other. That's going to be a dynamic that will occur. So I would say there's a lot of work to do. Especially if we know that the construct of government, irrespective of whether this person or another person is holding this job. is in a place of peril and the institutions generally are having difficulty in this moment. Some people, because of who it is that they are and the ego that they have, will supercharge the collapse. In other words, they will increase the momentum of that collapse. And so, in that increase of the momentum of the collapse, there's a lot going on. To be done to ensure that peoples and communities and places are able to do what may be necessary to effectively sustain themselves and each other in relationship to each other, all of the things that they may have otherwise been dependent on the artificial structure called government. And with respect to ego, for us to understand that we have to have enough healthy ego to believe in our own capacity, to be able to work with each other, to take on this huge task, not only through these next four years, but in a period of time beyond that.   Miko Lee: [00:46:29] And what are some of the practices or frameworks that can help sustain us during this time to come?    Norma Wong: [00:46:35] Certainly the practice of, not running dry, you know, that within every 24 hour cycle, if we are to be at the top of our game, then we have to pay attention to make sure that we have enough rest, that we have the sustenance we need, Remain hydrated. I mean, very simple things to not waste away our time in the internal dialogue that keeps spinning to separate ourselves from the habits that keep us from making decisions that taking on too many things means that no thing that you do will be given the kind of attention that it needs, the kind of focus that it needs. the kind of depth that it requires. And so this is a time of choices, in order to achieve that place of abundance. You cannot have many things on the plate at the same time. So simple choices, with respect to the practices that you have, And once that require the dreaded D word, which is discipline.    Miko Lee: [00:47:43] Mm. One of the things that has arisen a lot within the network that I work in, AACRE, Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality, is a lot of folks, especially young folks, are finding themselves in able to have conversation with family members or elders that, have different political viewpoints what is a good way to go about navigating this tension with people who hold really different political and therefore, in their minds, worldviews than you, but you are connected to?    Norma Wong: [00:48:12] Well, it may not be possible to have a political conversation the question is, are you still in relationship? I think that is the primary question. are you able to meet someone's eyes? Or do you just look away? can you feed each other? I mean, literally, do you know the foods that other people desire or need? Can you make them? Not just buy it and assemble it from the nearest store. Are we tending to each other's needs? Emotional welfare, are we observant of the ways in which we may be getting into a place of need that we're not asking support for. It's like politics should not be. the first conversation you have with someone, it's like that, the first conversations that you would have with people should be one of relationship and of community, and that if you're going to slip into that part where you're going to say, well, because of your politics, I'm going to put you in this room or that room, then the, possibility of us being able to proceed as people is just not going to be possible. The civil rights, as a political movement, succeeded. I believe that as a social change movement, there is still a lot of work to be done. And that we put a little bit too much of a dependence on the wins that we had politically. And then We believed that, because those wins were, that the world would change as a result of that. Hearts and minds were not necessarily changed. And the heart and mind work is the work of community, the work of storytelling, the work of arts, generally. The work of building relationships with people, so that irrespective of the label that they thought that you carry, that you can have a greater understanding of desires and motivations, needs, and ways in which you might be able to be mutually with each other. So we have to start by actually being in relationship with people versus relationship with our ideas. A relationship with points of view and that is something that we may have given short shrift to. And I would say that that's like a Western kind of thing, like, you know, okay, we're going to have a meeting and, let's sit down for a meeting. By the way, we're not going to spend any time getting to know each other. We want to get directly to. Whatever the point of the meeting happens to be, or in the case of family. You know, it's like, families are complicated. One of the reasons why families are complicated is because we are in blood relationship to each other and therefore forever bound. But that does not mean that we have actually done the work to get to know each other. It does not mean that at all.   Miko Lee: [00:51:09] Thank you. I'm wondering if you can, talk about how do we hold on to our work as activists, and kind of the ultimate urgency of what's happening in the world, like I'm thinking specifically, there's a lot of conversations about the new laws that might happen right after the inauguration . And so there's a sense of urgency there. How do we hold on to ourselves but balance that with that sense of urgency.    Norma Wong: [00:51:34] Well, I like to put urgency in a slightly different perspective. Which is to say that the urgency that I see is what is the work that needs to be done to ensure that descendants that are not yet born will be able to live the kind of life that I would hope them to have in a world that would be able to sustain that. And if I put that out, as. What is urgent, then that forces me, in a way that I choose into, to pay attention to. Larger stories, larger work, more extensive aspects of work that also require many more people to be engaged in. And, to begin right now, because it's urgent, you know, for example, if there's a possibility, That the aquifer will become contaminated, and we do not yet know whether or not that will be the case. Then it's urgent that we work to make sure that whatever contaminant is in the ground will not get to the aquifer and therefore, we have to work on that right now. And so that which we may advocate for with urgency will be about the things that are going to be required. For the long haul and not just a defensive reactive, type of action, just to attempt to defend the things that are collapsing around us at the moment caught. In a tighter and tighter action reaction, a kind of way in which we make choices and make decisions, which will mean that the urgent work to ensure that the descendants will be able to have a better life in a sustainable place. will not be done and will not done in time for that to occur.    Miko Lee: [00:53:26] Thank you so much, for pulling that sense of urgency out to a broader perspective. It reminds me of that Grace Lee Boggs quote, what time is it on the clock of the world that we're really thinking about multiple generations and the ancestors to come and not just what the deadline is immediately. Can you talk with us a little bit about the hu, Hu, that you describe in your book?    Norma Wong: [00:53:50] So I think of Hu as, you know, capital H and, small U as like the missing element on the periodic table. Okay. So, you know, the periodic table it contains all of the elements that are supposed to exist in the universe, and I believe that there's an element called the human quotient. The human quotient is the stuff that humans need to have in order for us to actually evolve as the peoples that we're intended to be. And that the earth requires so, you know, among the human quotient elements would be courage, for example, courage being that which we do, even in the face of fear. So there'll be characteristics like that, but even more fundamental than the characteristics, there is whether or not we will access.and hold d center to everything, the collective humanity of who we are and who we need to become. Whether we take that at the center or will we, will we just see people as a series of identities, a series of allegiances to particular flags as keepers and adherence to ideologies. as, generations or genders, will we just see people as categories? And so, this aspect of coming into our humanity, is what I'm referring to as the human quotient. One of the chapters in the book.    Miko Lee: [00:55:27] Thank you so much. Can you tell us what you would love people to understand after reading your book, When No Thing Works?   Norma Wong: [00:55:37] I would want them to understand that the work is a distillation. So it's very concentrated. It's like Malolo syrup, a favored concentrated syrup that is essentially the fruit punch of the islands. You have to add water to it in order for you to get it to a place where it can actually bear fruit and it can be delicious for you. And that water is yourself, your own experience, your own practice, your own hopes, your own purposes. And if you add that to the book, then the book will be your Malolo syrup.    Miko Lee: [00:56:17] Oh, that is such a great analogy. I love that you're talking to it. It's a syrup. And actually there is a tudy guide or it's called navigate, but the resource to help people go through the book and have conversations with family and friends, which I think is so lovely. It's such a great way for people to read the book in community.    Norma Wong: [00:56:37] Yes. The book site is, Normawong.com and, I believe that the Navigate Guide will be available on that site.    Miko Lee: [00:56:46] And I will host a link to all those things on the show notes for Apex Express. Norma Wong, thank you so much for spending time sharing with us about your work. Um, I really appreciate you and the wisdom that you're sharing for multiple generations. Thank you so much.   Norma Wong: [00:57:04] Thank you, Miko. Thank you so much. Please enjoy your day.    Miko Lee: [00:57:09] You too. And I also want to give a shout out to my amazing friend that introduced me to you, Mariah Rankin Landers, whose book, Do Your Lessons Love Your Students? Creative Education for Social Change really influenced me. And she helped provide some of the context for this conversation. So I thank you to Mariah and thank you for spending time with me, Norma. Please check out our website, kpfa.org. To find out more about our show tonight. We think all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. APEX Express is created by Miko Lee, Jalena Keane-Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar, Anuj Vaidya, Swati Rayasam, Aisa Villarosa, Estella Owoimaha-Church, Gabriel Tangloao, Cheryl Truong and Ayame Keane-Lee.     The post APEX Express – 1.16.25 – Pathways To Humanity appeared first on KPFA.

Ignite Your Authentic Spiritual Self with HSP Coach BarbaraIn this episode, Dr. Tami Patzer talks with HSP Coach Barbara, an exceptional transformation coach, speaker, and author who specializes in helping highly sensitive people (HSPs), empaths, intuitives, and spiritual entrepreneurs embrace their true selves and create fulfilling, profitable lives.Barbara has dedicated her career to supporting HSPs and similar individuals worldwide. Through her guidance, countless clients have discovered their passions, unleashed their inner power, and built Soulful businesses that make their hearts sing. Barbara is also the host of the popular podcast “100% Yourself with Barbara,” where she shares valuable insights and interviews inspiring individuals about the transformative journey of being true to oneself.During the conversation, Barbara shares her journey of discovering her highly sensitive nature after experiencing severe burnout in 2010. This pivotal moment led her on a path of self-discovery, where she uncovered the puzzle pieces that make up her unique identity – from being an HSP and empath to an extroverted introvert. Barbara explains how understanding these aspects of herself helped her learn to love and accept herself, paving the way for her current work as a “Soul Igniter.”At the core of Barbara's approach is the powerful combination of Human Design and the I Ching (the Yijing). These systems provide a blueprint that reveals an individual's gifts, shadows, decision-making strategies, and highest potential. By guiding her clients through this process, Barbara helps them uncover their authentic spiritual selves and align their businesses and lives with their true purpose.Whether you're still working a 9-to-5 job and feeling unfulfilled, or you've already embarked on your entrepreneurial journey but are struggling to attract the right clients or make progress, this episode offers invaluable insights. Barbara shares how she supports people at different stages of their journey, from uncovering deep-seated blocks to designing Soulful, profitable businesses that truly reflect who they are.Listeners who are highly sensitive, empathic, intuitive, or simply seeking to live a more authentic, purposeful life will find this episode particularly resonant. Barbara's easygoing, compassionate approach combined with her extensive knowledge and personal experience make her a trusted guide for those who want to ignite their Soul's calling and create lives that make their hearts sing.To learn more about Barbara and her work, visit her website at HSPCoachBarbara.com, where you can request a personalized blueprint based on your birth details and explore her various programs and resources. You can also connect with her on social media, including her YouTube channel, where she hosts her “Awaken to Your Soul Path” and “HSP TV” shows. Embark on your journey of self-discovery and unleash the power within you to live a life that truly reflects your authentic spiritual self.Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/hsp-coach-barbara-reigniting-passion-and-purpose-for-highly-sensitive-souls

Apologies for any degradation of the sound quality.  This was recorded while we were traveling, and the room setup was not ideal, so if sounds like I'm in a cave, you know why ;) This episode we head over to the continent to kick off the Tang dynasty.  The Tang dynasty was extremely influential on Yamato and later Japan, as well as the rest of East Asia.  And so we'll take a look at how it got its start and how it expanded along the silk road, while at the same time talking about the literally cutthroat politics of the period.  Especially in the royal house.  Nobody fights like family. For more information, check out the podcast webpage:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-104   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is episode 104: A Bloody Start to a Golden Age It was early in the morning on the fourth day of the sixth month of the ninth year of Wu De.    Brothers Li Jiancheng, Crown Prince, and his younger brother, Li Yuanji, were more than a bit annoyed--Their brother had apparently slandered them to their father, the Emperor, claiming that they had had illicit relationships with his concubines.  Although the accusations were false, they still had to come to the palace to clear their names.  So they left the crown prince's residence at the Eastern Palace and were traveling on horseback with a retinue of men through the private, forested royal park north of the city towards the Xuanwu Gate—the northern gate to the palace and to the great city of Chang'an. As they approached Linhu Hall, they noticed something was afoot: there were soldiers in the park, headed their way. It was immediately apparent that the accusations had been a ruse, and their brother meant for more than just to tarnish their honor.  As they fled eastward, back towards the Eastern palace, their brother, Li Shimin, came galloping towards them and called out to them.  Li Yuanji tried to draw his bow, but couldn't get to it in time, and Li Shimin shot and killed Li Jiancheng, their older brother and the crown prince. Li Yuanji himself fell from his horse as he dodged arrows from the attacking troops, but Li Shimin also became entangled in the brush of the park and had to dismount.  Li Yuanji ran up to his brother and tried to strangle him with his bow string, but soon he was chased off by reinforcements.  Li Yuanji fled on foot to Wude Hall, where he was finally caught and struck down with arrows.  Li Shimin's forces struck off the heads of the two murdered princes, and took them to the Xuanwu gate, where opposing forces were still fighting.  Seeing the heads of the two princes, it was clear that Li Shimin's ambush was victorious, and the princes' forces quickly dispersed. Three days later, the victorious Li Shimin was instated as the new crown prince.  Two months later, his father, Li Yuan, known to history as emperor Tang Gaozu, abdicated in favor of his son, who came to power as Emperor Taizong.  This was the start of the Zhenguan era, which would come to be seen as a golden age in the history of the various Chinese empires. --------------- Alright, so as may be apparent, we are deviating a bit from our discussion of Yamato to look at some of the events on the continent.  This is because the rise of the Tang dynasty would have an incredible impact on the Japanese archipelago.  For one, it was the alliance between the Tang and Silla that would eventually mean the removal of Yamato and its allies from the Korean peninsula.  In addition, however, the Tang dynasty's access to the silk road and its grandiose government would become an exemplar for Yamato and many other polities who wished to demonstrate their political and cultural sophistication.  Many of the laws and even court dress would mimic that of the Tang court—with a local flare, of course.  In addition, the Tang dynasty brought a relative stability to the continent that would last for over two hundred years.  Of course, none of that was known at the outset, and like many previous kingdoms, the Tang dynasty was born out of bloodshed. We've mentioned several times how the Sui Dynasty was growing increasingly unpopular in the late 6th and early 7th centuries.  Wars continued to cost money and lives, as did the giant public works projects of the periods - though the Grand Canal would be one of the greatest constructions of any age, uniting the Yangzi and Yellow River basins in myriad ways, powering the regions' economies for centuries to come. Into this Sui period came a man of the Li family named Yuan.  We mentioned him back in episode 102, but I figured he could do with a little more backstory.  Li Yuan's family originated in the frontier regions.  Official biographies had connected him to the founder of the Western Liang dynasty, and his family had served in various roles as the different northern kingdoms rose and fell.  The Li family had been providing military service since the time of Yuan's great-grandfather, and Li Yuan himself had been serving since the early 600s.  He was made a general and placed in charge of the Dongguang pass  in the Taihang mountains.  There, he largely stayed out of the limelight.  At one point, he was summoned to the palace and rather than going he feigned illness, instead. You see, around this time there was a prophecy flying around that someone with the surname of Li would try to take the throne from Sui Emperor, Emperor Yang, so it may have been in Li Yuan's best interest to avoid the court and anything that could draw Emperor Yang's suspicions.  He continued to do everything in his power to make himself seem unthreatening, even as rebellions were breaking out across the Empire. In 614, the Sui army was defeated by Goguryeo, and the Sui court was plagued by numerous uprisings.  Li Yuan may have sat it out if it weren't for his son, Li Shimin.  Like many youthful individuals, Li Shimin was less than invested in the current administration.  He and several of his close acquaintances began to scheme behind his father's back, with plans to join the other uprisings and hope to take a piece of the pie.  Eventually, they blackmailed Li Yuan into marching on the capital of Daxingcheng in 617, threatening to expose several illicit relationships from his time at the court—relationships that would have surely put him at odds with the Emperor.  At the same time, Emperor Yang had fled to the southern capital along the banks of the Yangzi River, but his son and heir, Yang You, was still in the capital.  Li Yuan marched on imperial city of Daxingcheng, near the ancient capital of Chang'an, claiming that he was coming to protect the young heir. Taking control of the capital city put Li Yuan at odds with imperial forces, who did not necessarily accept Li Yuan's altruistic claims.  Li Yuan and his sons, including Li Shimin and Li Jiangcheng, were drawn into fighting.  Even Li Yuan's daughter, Pingyang, the wife of general Chai Shao, contributed to the war effort.  She personally raised an army and led it into battle, becoming the first female general of what would be known as the Tang dynasty. In 618, Emperor Yang of Sui was assassinated by another general, Yuwen Huaji, and the throne passed to his son, Yang You, known as Emperor Gong of Sui.  However, Li Yuan pressured the newly made Emperor Gong to yield the throne to him.  Since Li Yuan had inherited the title “Duke of Tang” from his paternal line, he used that as the name of his new dynasty, and became known as Tang Gaozu—the High Founder of Tang. It wasn't enough to simply take the throne, though.  There were still many other warlords looking to take his place.  After all, unification had only come about some thirty or forty years prior.  Up to that point, there had been numerous, often competing kingdoms, especially in the north.  It was quite possible that the Sui dynasty was just a fluke, and most people no doubt expected the empire to fall once more into chaos. Still, although he definitely had to back it up with military might, often led by his sons and close confidants, Li Yuan went about the process of enacting his sovereignty.  This included various state rituals, as well as a reform of the administration.  For one thing, they renamed the capital.  Daxingcheng had been built nearby the ancient capital of Chang'an, and so they renamed Daxingcheng to the ancient name of Chang'an. In addition, he sought out various supernatural portents.  He also enjoyed the support of various Daoists, who believed that the founder of Daoism, Laozi, was from the Li family.  There was a belief at the time that a messianic ruler from the Li family would bring about the Daoist millennium.  And to better understand that, it may be useful to understand a little bit about Daoism. Daoism, first and foremost, is one of the more well known religions to come out of China, and often is found side by side what would seem to be its polar opposite, Confucianism.  However, the two have more in common than one might at first assume. The believed founder of Daoism is known as Laozi, though some later sources, including the Qin dynasty “Records of the Grand Historian”, by Sima Chen, would claim for him the name Li Er.  Laozi was said to have been a scholar who abandoned the world, and as he was leaving the empire for parts unknown, an astute guard recognized him and requested that before he left that he write down his accumulated wisdom before he would let the old sage leave.  That became the work known as the Dao De Jing, or the Classic of the Way and Virtue. The opening of the Dao De Jing is rather famous: Dao ke Dao, feichang Dao. Or, according to one translation:  The Dao that can be known is not the eternal Dao. However, no English translation truly does the original justice. Traditionally, Laozi is said to have been a contemporary of Confucius, and some of the earliest writings on him, in the Warring States period writings of Zhuangzi, often show Confucius in awe of Laozi.  That said, most tend to agree that Laozi himself likely never existed, and that the Dao De Jing was assembled over the years from various poems and sayings that fit with the general theme of formlessness and a general concept of following the Way, a rather ill defined concept of natural order, one which humans are constantly pushing against, often to our detriment. Truth is that both Confucius and Laozi—or whomever compiled the Dao De Jing—wrote about a thing called the “Dao” or “Way”.  Confucius was often talking about the “Way of Heaven”, describing an ordered universe where balance was kept by everyone remaining in their proper place, creating a series of rules around strict, hierarchical relationships, such as those between a father and son, or the ruler and subject.  According to Confucian thought, as long as things on Earth were properly ordered, that order would be reflected in the Heavens, and all of creation would be ordered as well. In Daoism, it is much less about attempting to order the universe, but rather about giving in to your natural place in the universe.  This is a much simplified version of both religions, but in general, where Confucianism tended to see serving at court as a virtue, Daoism tended to reject official life.  For many court officials, they would embrace Confucian ideals in their official lives, but often seek out Daoist pleasures in their free time. Religious Daoism, where it became more than simply a philosophical ideal, appears to have coalesced around the Han dynasty.  There are Daoist temples, though in this instance it is often intertwined with many other Sinitic philosophies and beliefs.  Thus things like the Queen Mother of the West and the Peaches of Immortality could be included in Daoist practice.  Things like the Yijing, the Book of Changes, and various divination methods could also be included. In many cases, “Daoist” seems to be used less to refer to a strict adherent to the philosophy of the supposed Laozi, and more as a general catchall for various folk beliefs.  Thus many people see the images of the Queen Mother of the West on Han Dynasty mirrors imported to Japan as evidence of a Daoist influence on the archipelago, while others note the lack of the further panoply of religious accoutrements that we would expect if it was truly a “Daoist” influence, and not just a few folk beliefs that made their way across the straits. However, by the time that Li Yuan was coming to the throne there was a thriving Daoist community in the Sui and burgeoning Tang dynasties, and if they believed that Li Yuan was an incarnation of Laozi—or at least a messianic descendant—who was he to dissuade them of such a notion? Li Yuan reached back into the past in other ways as well.  For one, he would reinstitute the Northern Wei “equal-field” system of state granted land, along with a system of prefectures and districts to help administer it.  This was largely an effort to help fill up the coffers, which had been emptied by the Sui and constant warfare, while also emphasizing state ownership of land, with individuals being mere tenants.  It also helped bring back into cultivation lands that had long lain fallow, often due to the constant fighting of the previous centuries. In 621, Li Yuan ordered the minting of new copper coins to help stabilize the currency.  Later Sui currency had been devalued by numerous forgeries as well as official debasement—mixing in less valuable metals to make the coins, while attempting to maintain the same denominations as before.  These new coins were meant to restore faith in the currency, but shortages would continue to plague the dynasty throughout its history, leading to the use of cloth as a common medium of exchange and tax payment, something that was also common on the archipelago, along with other goods, in lieu of rice or money. By 624, Li Yuan also announced a new legal code based on the old Han era code, although this was quickly expanded, since the needs of the code from the 3rd century Now initially, for all of their claims to the entire geographic area of the Sui dynasty, the newly established Tang dynasty really only had effective control over a small are of Guanzhou—the area around Chang'an itself.  Li Yuan hadn't been the only one to rise up, and just because he had declared himself the new emperor didn't mean that the other warlords were just giving up.  It wasn't like they had reached the end of a football match and everyone was now just going to go home. And so he and his sons found themselves campaigning for at least the next five years, and that was against the active threats.  Plenty of local elites, especially along the Yellow River basin, simply opted to hole up in their fortified settlements.  After all, they had no guarantees that this new Tang dynasty would last longer than any of the others in the past several centuries.  Often these local elites came under nominal vassalage of the Tang—and probably any other warlord that showed up—but in reality, based on how we see the Tang administration at work, it seems they were primarily left to their own devices, at least early on.  After all, Li Yuan and his sons had plenty of active threats to worry about. And it was definitely his sons who bore the brunt of the work.  Li Jiancheng, the eldest son, who would eventually be named Crown Prince, and Li Shimin each took charge of various troops against  the threats to the new Tang empire.  And they were, for the most part, successful.  They eventually brought a majority of the former Sui territory under their control, such that by 623 internal resistance had begun to wane, and by 624 the situation was largely under control. At least internally.  To the north and west there was another threat:  The khaganate of the Göktürks. Now for many people, if you hear “Turks” you might immediately think of the Ottomans in the region of modern Turkiye.  However, that is not where the Turkish people originated from.  In fact, the first mention of Turkic people appears to be out of the Altai mountains, in modern Mongolia, from around 545.  They appear to have been a nomadic group, as were many of the people of the steppes of central Eurasia.  By 551, only a short time after they were first documented by outside groups, they had established the Göktürk, or Celestial Turk, Khaganate, based in the Mongolian plateau.  From there they expanded in the 6th century, at one point spanning from the Byzantine and Sassanid Persian empires in the west all the way to the kingdoms and empires of the Yellow River basin in the east. Many of the ethnic Han kingdoms that clashed with the Göktürks instituted practices of basically paying them off to prevent raids and invasions of their territory.  Shortly after the founding of the Sui dynasty, the Turkic Khaganate split in two, after the death of the khagan, and so the Sui and Tang were actually dealing with what we know as the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.  They were known to the ethnic Han people as the Thuk-kyat people, a term that today is often transcribed as Tujue, due to the shift in Sinic pronunciation over time.  “Tujue” is often how you'll see it rendered in sources referencing Chinese documents. The Eastern Turkic Khaganate remained an issue for the Sui and Tang dynasties.  Initially, when the uprisings against the Sui began, the Göktürks actually pulled back for a bit, hoping to allow the internal conflicts to weaken their eastern neighbors, but as they saw the direction things were taking, with the Tang dynasty solidifying their power, they began to launch invasions and harass the border, forcing the Tang dynasty to send troops.  Initially Li Yuan attempted to by off the Eastern Turks, as previous dynasties had done, but while they were happy to take his money, the invasions did not stop. Eventually, things got so bad—and the internal conflicts were in a stable enough state—that Li Yuan, decided to send a force against them.  A fairly straightforward decision, supposedly, except, well… Throughout all of this conflict, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin had been building up their own influence.  Li Jiancheng, as the eldest son of Li Yuan, was the Crown Prince, but Li Shimin had built up his own power and influence, to the point that Li Jiancheng and his other brother, Li Yuanji, were starting to look at how they could take care of him before he got so powerful and popular that Li Yuan was tempted to make him Crown Prince instead of Jiancheng.  At one point, Li Yuanji proposed inviting Li Shimin over and just having him killed, but Li Jiancheng balked at such direct and obvious fratricide. Instead, Li Jiancheng reportedly pushed his younger brother into positions that would possibly get him killed, but Li Shimin continued to succeed, thwarting his brother's plans and growing his own fame and power in the process. Finally, Li Jiancheng decided to take a different approach, and he suggested to his father that the army to defend the empire against the Turks should be led by none other than Li Yuanji.  This would mean moving a large portion of the army out from under Li Shimin's command to his brother, Li Yuanji, who would also accrue much of the fame and respect if he proved successful.  This was a huge blow to Li Shimin, who had heard rumors that his brothers were out to get him. Before setting out on such a campaign, it would have been expected that Li Shimin and his other brothers turn out to wish Li Yuanji success in his campaign.  That would have put Li Shimin in an extremely vulnerable position, where he could be arrested or even killed, without the usual protection of his own forces.  And so Li Shimin decided to be proactive. Before the campaign could set out, Li Shimin submitted accusations against Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji that they were having illicit relations with the concubines of their father, the emperor.  This got Li Yuan's attention, and he called both of his sons back to the palace to investigate what was going on.  This is what led to that fateful incident known as the Xuanwu Gate Incident.  Unbeknownst to Li Yuan or his other sons, Li Shimin had forces loyal to him take over the Xuanwu gate the night before Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were to have their audience.  Ideally, at least from Li Shimin's position, they would have both been assassinated at Xuanwu gate, but as I noted at the start of the episode, things did not go exactly to plan.   There were several moments where a single stray arrow could have completely changed the course of things, but in the end, Li Shimin was triumphant. As the fighting was going on, Li Yuan heard the commotion.  Apparently he had been out in a boat on the lake in the palace enclosure—and yes, you heard that right, the palace included a lake, or at least a very large pond, such that the emperor could partake in a lazy morning upon the water.  When he heard the commotion, he guessed that the tensions between his sons must be at the heart of it, and even surmised that Li Shimin was likely behind it.  He got to shore and surrounded himself with courtiers, including known comrades and acquaintances of his son, Li Shimin. Eventually, a representative of Li Shimin arrived, and he told the court that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji had risen up in rebellion, but that Li Shimin had had them both put to death.  With Li Shimin's troops literally at the gates of the palace, and Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji not exactly able to defend themselves, the accusation stood.  Several days later, no doubt under pressure from Li Shimin, Emperor Tang Gaozu, aka Li Yuan, officially made Li Shimin the Crown Prince.  Two months later, he abdicated in favor of Li Shimin, who came to power as Tang Taizong in 626 CE.  Li Yuan himself took on the title of Retired Emperor, and continued to live life in the palace, but with a much reduced impact on the political affairs of the empire. Li Shimin himself took the reins of power immediately, and set about cementing his rule in several different ways.  First off, to offset his particularly unfilial method of coming to the throne, Li Shimin engaged in performative Confucian virtue signaling.  He played the part of the dutiful son, at least in public, providing for his retired father and attempting to act the part of the sage ruler.  This was somewhat impeded by the cold relationship he and his father appear to have maintained after that point—apparently killing your siblings and forcing your father to abdicate are not exactly the kinds of bonding experiences that bring a father and son closer together.  Still, that was mostly kept in the confines of the private areas of the palace.  Publicly, he gathered accomplished military and civilian officials, and made sure to seek out their opinion.  The era of emperor Tang Taizong is known as the Zhenguan era, lasting from roughly 627 to 649, and it was considered to be synonymous with good governance by later historians and philosophers.  Granted, most of the examples of good governance only lasted long enough for Li Shimin to establish himself in his position as emperor.  Once he had solidified his power, and felt secure in his position, his rule changed to a more traditional and authoritarian model. Regarding the threat of invasion from the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Li Shimin met the Turks at the Wei River, where he accused them of invading Tang territory and demanded restitution.  The Turks were impressed enough by his forces that they agreed to settle, offering thousands of horses and other goods, but Li Shimin declined their attempts to make it good.  Eventually, Li Shimin supported some of the more disaffected members of the Turkic Khaganate in a coup, and by 630 the Eastern Turkic Khaganate and their gateway to the Silk Road was under Tang dynasty control.  The Turks granted Li Shimin the title of Heavenly Khagan, placing him over both the Tang dynasty and the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. He then went about resettling surrendered Eastern Turks while sending agents to foment rebellions and civil wars in the Western Turkic Khaganate, which controlled the area from Yumenguan, the Jade Gate, west of Dunhuang, all the way to Sassanid Persia.  Dunhuang is an oasis city at the western end of the Gansu corridor, and the Jade Gate was considered to be the entry way to the Western Regions. As Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin placed a puppet Khagan on the throne of the Western Turkic Khaganate in 642, and then sent numerous campaigns against the Western Turks in a series of wars against those who hadn't simply given in to his will—first against the kingdom of Gaochang, a city cut from the rock of a giant plateau, and then on to the cities Karashr—known today by the Chinese name of Yanqi—and on to Kuqa.  The campaigns would outlive Emperor Taizong himself, and the khaganate was completely annexed by 657, giving the Tang dynasty complete mastery over at least one part of the silk road out to Sassanid Persia and the west. This would be huge, not only for the Tang dynasty, but for all of the cultures on the far eastern end of that silk road.  There would be an increase in material and cultural items that traversed the routes.  Chinese court dress even came to incorporate Turkic and Sogdian dress and clothing styles, which would eventually make their way to the Japanese archipelago, where they would take the tailored, round-necked collar designs for their own, eventually changing them, by the late Heian era, into their own distinctive garments. It also opened a route to India for those Buddhist scholars who wished to go and study at the source, such as it was.  As for Emperor Taizong, by the 630s, with his title as Heavenly Khagan, Li Shimin seems to have stopped worrying about performative Confucian virtues.  He took more direct control, and more often would quarrel with his ministers on various issues.  In 637 he also reworked the Tang legal code, further refining the law. At the same time, there were family matters he also had to attend to.  It seems like father, like son—while Li Shimin's eldest son, Li Chengqian was the Crown Prince, Shimin appeared to favor another son, Li Tai.  As such, these two brothers became bitter rivals.  Li Chengqian started to worry about his position as Crown Prince, and he consulted with some of his close advisors and confidants.  Their solution was not to take his brother out of the picture, but rather to take his own father out of the picture.  And so Li Chengqian reportedly entertained the idea of overthrowing his father, Emperor Taizong, at least as a thought experiment. And really, at this point, I have some suspicions that Li Shimin might very well have been a bit of an absentee father, because does Chengqian even know whom he is talking about trying to coup? Sure enough, Li Shimin learned about his sons extracurricular activities in 643 and he was less than happy with all of this.  Li Chengqian's defense, appears to have been that they only discussed it, they never went through with anything.  As such, some of Chengqian's conspirators were put to death, but Chengqian himself was simply reduced in rank to commoner status, stripped of his titles.  When he died a few years later, though, Li Shimin had him buried as a Duke, and a later emperor would even posthumously restore his rank as an imperial prince. Of course, the question came up as to just what to do about the Crown Prince.  Li Tai seemed the obvious choice, as he had clearly impressed his father with his apparent talent and skill.  However, it was pointed out that Li Tai's competition with his brother is what had led to Chengqian's fear and thoughts of rebellion in the first place.  He hadn't exactly been the model of filial virtue. In fact, if he hadn't been scheming, none of this would have taken place.  And so it was decided to pass him over and to create Li Zhi, a younger brother, as Crown Prince.  Li Tai himself was demoted, though only down to a minor princely state, and exiled from Chang'an, making it extremely difficult for him to influence politics.  Records of the time suggest this was an extremely difficult decision by his father, but one that he considered necessary for the responsible administration of government. All of this was taking place in the early 640s, but it wasn't the only thing that Li Shimin had on his mind.  With the Turkic threat being handled in the west, the emperor let his ambitions get the better of him, and he turned his eyes towards Goguryeo, to his northeast.  Previously, Emperor Yang of Sui had failed in his campaigns against Goguryeo, and that was one of the things that had led to the popular uprisings and rebellion that had taken down the dynasty.  Now, Emperor Taizong seemed determined to succeed where the prior dynasty failed. And so the Tang dynasty allied with the kingdom of Silla, hoping to force Goguryeo into a war on two fronts.  Silla was already expanding on the Korean peninsula, and a natural ally for the Tang dynasty.  Furthermore, they were far enough away that they weren't an immediate threat if they decided to go back on their part of the deal. Unfortunately for the Tang, these campaigns in 645 were not exactly a cake walk, and they handed Li Shimin his first defeat since the attempts to unify everyone under the Tang dynasty.  Not exactly a great look.  Relations with Goguryeo were normalized for a brief time, but then Emperor Taizong decided to give it another try.  They started gathering ships and men for another invasion, no doubt having played out why they had lost the previous go round and hoping that it would be better in round two. The invasions, however, would come to naught.  As it was being prepared, Tang Taizong grew ill.  He called off the invasion, and then, in 649, he passed away.  His youngest son, the Crown Prince Li Zhi, came to the throne as Emperor Gaozong.  The reign of him and his wife, Empress Wu Zetian, would have an enormous impact on the rest of the 7th century. Through all of this fighting, bloodshed, and politics, this set the stage for the future of the Tang dynasty, which would once again place the area of modern China in the center of what many considered to be the civilized world.  Besides being a center for Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist religion, Chang'an became an extremely cosmopolitan city, with Sogdian and Turkic traders visiting the markets and establishing themselves in the city.  Many foreign families would adapt over time, integrating into the culture of their new home. These foreigners brought other ideas with them as well.  Zoroastrianism, a Persian religion, may have come eastward much earlier, but in the 6th and 7th centuries, both Manichaeism and Christianity—at least an eastern version of Christianity—had made inroads into the capital of Chang'an.  Manichaeism would have its ups and downs, especially in conflict with Buddhism.  Christianity, on the other hand, was not necessarily the Christianity of Rome, but typically connected with the Syriac church that existed in the Persian empire, where it was a decidedly minority religion.  Later proponents of Rome and the Latin rite would connect it with the supposed heresies of Nestorius, referring to the Church of the East as Nestorian Christianity, but this is not a term they would have used for themselves.  These religions kept some of their traditions, but also incorporated some aspects of the culture of their new home, such as the use of rice in place of bread in some rituals. This was an exciting time, and the court at Chang'an was fascinated with various customs of the Western Regions.  Music, clothing, and even pasttimes were influenced by contact with the western lands.  This would, in time, be passed on even to the archipelago.  For instance, the pipa was an instrument that had origins in the Western regions.  It is found in the area of modern China in at least the Northern Wei dynasty, but no doubt it grew more popular over time.  A version of this same instrument traveled west to Persia, where it became the oud, and further on to Europe, where it became the famous lute.  In the archipelago, the pipa became the Biwa, and while we can never be one hundred percent certain about early music, we have instructions from the Tang dynasty on music for the pipa, and Tang dynasty and early music, along with music from Goguryeo, came over to the Japanese courts in the form of gagaku, traditional Japanese court music, in the early 8th century. Moving forward in our story about the Japanese archipelago, we are going to see more and more about the kentoushi, the Japanese embassies to the Tang dynasty, and just what they would bring back.  At the same time, we will also see the reaction of the court to the alliance between the Tang and Yamato's largest competitor on the Korean peninsula, Silla.  That alliance, which outlived emperor Taizong and even the king of Silla, would dramatically shift the balance of power on the peninsula and in all of northeast Asia. But we need to get there, first.  For now, let's move our gaze back across the waters to the archipelago, where Prince Tamura was about to take the throne, later becoming known as Jomei Tennou.  Of course, he was dealing with his own politics, especially regarding the Soga house and the powerful hold they had over government.  Next episode we will get back to just what was happening over there. Until then, thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, 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 Tweet at us at @SengokuPodcast, or 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 her 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.

In diesem Podcast geht es um die fünf Wandlungsphasen und die Philosophie dahinter. Wir stellen das I Ging (Yijing), das Buch der Wandlungen, als eines der ältesten und bekanntesten Werke der chinesischen Philosophie vor. Es basiert auf dem Konzept des Yin und Yang und verwendet 64 Hexagramme, um verschiedene Lebenssituationen und deren mögliche Weiterentwicklung zu symbolisieren. Die Hexagramme repräsentieren verschiedene Zustände oder Phasen im ständigen Fluss der Veränderungen des Universums. Wir können sehen, wie sich die Hexagramme durch veränderliche Linien in neue Phasen oder Entwicklungen verwandeln. Wir erkennen auch eine sequenzielle Beziehung der Hexagramme, die den Zyklus der Veränderung in der Natur und im menschlichen Leben widerspiegelt. Wir stellen den Philosophen Zhuangzi als wichtige Figur im Daoismus vor. Seine Lehren betonen Perspektivismus und Relativismus und stellen die Idee einer einzigen absoluten Wahrheit in Frage. Eine bekannte Geschichte aus dem Zhuangzi ist der Schmetterlingstraum, der seine philosophischen Ideen über Realität, Identität und Transformation veranschaulicht. Die Geschichte regt uns dazu an, über die Natur des Bewusstseins, die Fluidität, die Identität und die Unbeständigkeit der menschlichen Erfahrung nachzudenken. Zusammenfassend können wir sagen, dass einer der Hauptbestandteile unserer chinesischen Weltanschauung das Prinzip der stetigen Veränderung ist und dass wir für diese Veränderungsprozesse immer unseren Standpunkt in Betracht ziehen müssen.

Finally giving some attention to my thesis, Baumann's "First Principles of Science," the creative and the receptive in Yijing and Timaeus, the merits of the new Netflix film "Fair Play," and reevaluating the economy of storytelling in Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey."

Discover the fascinating world of Feng Shui through two distinct systems – Xuan Kong and Na Jia. These methods offer unique insights and applications for achieving your goals. To unveil the secrets of harnessing their power and enhancing specific aspects of your life, watch this video. Learn how to leverage Xuan Kong and Na Jia the right way to manifest your desires and create a harmonious living environment.For more videos like these, hit that subscribe button and never miss a transformational video from us: https://www.youtube.com/joeyyap?sub_confirmation=1=================================================== CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/datojoeyyapInstagram : https://www.instagram.com/djoeyyapTelegram : http://www.joeyyap.com/telegramTikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@realjoeyyapPinterest : http://www.pinterest.com/djoeyyap#JoeyYap #ChineseMetaphysics #FengShui

Discover the intriguing world of Feng Shui's 'Five Ghost Carry Treasure' technique. This age-old practice harnesses the natural energy of the environment to attract wealth and prosperity. But here's the catch: it follows specific Feng Shui laws and conditions. To master this art and reap its rewards, watch this video on the correct implementation and the keys to unlocking its potential in your life. For more videos like these, hit that subscribe button and never miss a transformational video from us: https://www.youtube.com/joeyyap?sub_confirmation=1 =================================================== CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/datojoeyyapInstagram : https://www.instagram.com/djoeyyapTelegram : http://www.joeyyap.com/telegramTikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@realjoeyyapPinterest : http://www.pinterest.com/djoeyyap#JoeyYap #ChineseMetaphysics #FengShui

Joey Yap talks to his old classmates of 36 YEARS about friendship, hardship, growing up, school and life!  This will give an entirely new meaning to the term BFFs ! How were they like in school? Were they studious, badass , delinquent, cute? Was Joey Yap always so driven even as a kid or maybe he was wimpy and nerdy. Find out in this episode of Forged in Fire - The Legend of Satu Hijau !#JoeyYap #ForgedInFire #LeadershipAndBreakthroughs

Joey Yap speaks to Sales Grandmaster Hanzo Ng on how to pivot one's approach for the new economy and the new norm after Covid 19. Things will never be the same again. Get ready for the New Norm!#JoeyYap #ForgedInFire #LeadershipAndBreakthroughs

Does this sound familiar? You've been told to follow certain self-improvement practices, but despite your efforts, you still feel stuck, disconnected, and unsure of your true path. The pain of putting in the work without seeing the desired results can leave you feeling frustrated and discouraged. It's time to explore a different approach - human design. Discover the empowering world of human design and unleash its potential to bring deep self-awareness and alignment into your daily life.“Just learning the very first, most simple foundational level of human design, which would be your type, can literally change your life.” - Dana StilesDo you want to unlock your true potential and live a life of increased self-awareness and alignment? Are you searching for a solution that can guide you towards personal growth? Look no further, as our guest experts, Dana Stiles and Shayna Cornelius, are here to share the key to achieving this transformative result. By delving into the world of human design, they will provide you with the tools and insights needed to tap into your unique strengths, understand your natural tendencies, and align your life with your authentic self. Get ready to discover a path towards self-discovery and personal growth like never before. Meet Shayna and Dana, visionaries at heart and co-founders of DayLuna. They stand at the intersection where ancient wisdom converges with modern science, using human design to chart unique pathways for personal growth. With a steadfast commitment to delivering life-changing insights, they combines aspects of astrology, I-Qing, Kabbalah and Vedic philosophy, creating a map that invites you to embark on a journey to deeper self-understanding and empowerment. In this episode, you will be able to: Delve into the empowering world of human design and its role in driving personal development.Gain an understanding of the various aura types and the distinct traits each one carries.Grasp the vitality of tuning into your body's signals and adhering to them for a healthier life.Discover how walking the path of life based on your distinct energy and objectives can lead to authentic fulfillment.Access to resourceful tools and aids designed to facilitate your journey in comprehending and incorporation human design principles.For this episode's full show notes, guest bios and summaries, visit our website: https://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/blog/human-designResources:Visit DayLunalife.com to pull up your free human design chartCheck out their podcast at DayLunaLife.com/podcast Read their book: Your Human Design Guest Info:Website: daylunalife.comInstagram: @d.a.y.l.u.n.aSupport the Show:Rate/review Us Here:https://lovethepodcast.com/SkepticMetaphysicians Purchase Merchandise:https://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/store Buy Me A Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SkepticMetaphys Connect With The Skeptic Metaphysicians:Website: skepticmetaphysician.comFacebook: @TheSkepticMetaphysicianIG: SkepticMetaphysician_PodcastTik Tok: @skepticmetaphysicians Other episodes you'll enjoy:The Truth Behind Astrologyhttps://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/the-truth-behind-astrology-with Best Way to Figure Out Your Life's Purpose - Hand Analysishttps://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/best-way-to-figure-out-your-lifes-purpose-hand-analysis Soul Profile Reading and Realignmenthttps://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/soul-profile-reading-and-realignmentThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5652646/advertisement

Joey Yap speaks to Dr Octavian Sbarna about Covid 19 from the perspective of Mind, Body and Energy healing. Learn about how you can strengthen your immunity and natural healing with TCM and Metaphysics.#JoeyYap #ForgedInFire #LeadershipAndBreakthroughs

Joey Yap talks to Raymond Koh about contracting Covid19 and recovering from it!#JoeyYap #Covid19 #ForgedInFire #LeadershipAndBreakthrough

Imagine stepping into a space where everything feels just right – where tranquility and positive energy embrace you. That's the magic of good Feng Shui. Good Feng Shui isn't just about arranging furniture or decor; it's about being in-sync with the natural flow of energy in your environment. In this video, find out how your surroundings help you to thrive in all aspects of life.#JoeyYap #ChineseMetaphysics #FengShui

Ever wondered what makes a day truly special or downright challenging? The answer lies in the elements and energies that shape our daily experiences. Good or bad elements can wield a surprising influence, defining whether a day is auspicious or not. It's like tapping into the cosmic rhythm, where each element contributes its unique vibes.Whether you're navigating challenges or riding high on opportunities, tune in to this video and discover how to grasp the role of elements and energy alignment that unveils the key to orchestrating a day that resonates with positivity and purpose.

Yi Jing, also known as the "Book of Changes," is a fascinating ancient Chinese oracle and wisdom system that offers profound insights into the dynamics of change, revolution, and evolution.It's like having a cosmic playbook for life's twists and turns. Through a system of symbols, hexagrams, and lines, Yi Jing helps us understand the ebb and flow of situations, guiding us on how to respond wisely. So, whether you're facing a curveball or plotting your next move, Yi Jing, this centuries-old guide (or language) offers us insider info on the Dao and it's messages to us.

Intuition isn't just a hunch; it's your personal compass guiding you through life's labyrinth. This innate superpower holds the key to wiser decisions in every facet of your journey. Imagine making choices with an extra dose of certainty, tapping into a wellspring of insights that defy logic. From relationships to career crossroads, health choices to creative pursuits, intuition whispers the truth that your conscious mind might miss. The Art of QiMen is a navigation tool for life's twists and turns, a guide that helps you align with your authentic path through training your inner instinct. 

Joey Yap speaks to his good friend , Financial Strategist Mr. Yee S. Ong, about how one should invest strategically in times of crisis.  Yee is a hedge fund manager with a truly unique investment approach and an excellent time-proven track record. Unlike many of Joey Yap's friends in the seminar circuit, Mr Ong does not have a teaching course nor a seminar to offer. One needs to have a substantial financial capacity before he takes on as his client. He is an "doer" and a "master" of his craft.  With much persuasion, Mr Ong has finally agreed to share some of his views with Joey Yap's community. Here's a little background on Mr Yee S. Ong . He has successfully invested in the global stock market for more than twenty-one years through the great bull market of the twentieth century, the collapse of the dot-com at the turn of the century, the great commodity bull market, the surge of the Chinese economy, the 2008 financial crisis, and the most recent coronavirus pandemic. He founded his money management company, YSO Capital Management, in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2004 and the company has moved to Hong Kong in 2015. Mr. Ong is the author of The Strategist's Mind, a book about investing with a high return and low risk mindset, and he has earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley and the Chartered Financial Analyst accreditation from the CFA Institute. In addition, he was the co-founder of a technology firm, GLO Comp. Inc., and a sports equipment company, Majassin Inc. Being the principal of companies allows him to understand the critical factors that make a business successful and is a unique attribute that is important but rare among money managers. With his successful business experiences, Mr. Ong invests with the mindset of a business owner and not merely a trader.#JoeyYap #ForgedInFire #LeadershipAndBreakthroughs

Joey Yap meets with 4 millennial leaders to discuss challenges and leadership during times of crisis . Meet Sheng Yi, Tzia, Jennifer Ling, and Dennis Yin and learn about thriving in the social media & influencer world.#JoeyYap #ForgedInFire #LeadershipAndBreakthroughs

Joey Yap answers the though questions from the Founder and CEO of Panpages Trinity Group, Chris Ng, talking from everything DIGITAL , online businesses and how SMEs can thrive and make the most out of this crisis. Chris Ng will play HOST this time, talking to Joey Yap about the NEW NORM in the digital sphere. Chris is a premier partner to Alibaba Group and Google Malaysia that helps regional SMEs move their businesses online, and in this #forgedinfire series, Chris talks to Joey Yap  about his personal journey and how he shifts the majority of his businesses online. Was this done deliberately or was this just pure coincidence that he already has an online business empire ? Find out in this talk.

​ @TheDouglasLim , Malaysia's King of Comedy shares with Joey his insights, inspiration and motivation in times of crisis. Douglas Lim is a Malaysian actor, comedian, television presenter and emcee. He is well known for his involvement in local television, theater and film and comedy show.#ForgedInFire #JoeyYap #DouglasLim #LeadershipandBreakthroughs

Joey Yap chats with his friend,  @AdamKhoo about leadership, crisis and wealth management in Challenging Times. Adam Khoo is an award-winning financial educator, professional investor & trader, and  national best-selling author. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he is the founder of the Piranha Profits® online trading school.#ForgedInFire #JoeyYap #AdamKhoo

Joey Yap speaks to Lee Chong Wei , the Legendary Badminton Champion and National Hero on how he manages his time, energy and life in this times of Crisis. Learn from the mind of a Great Champion.#ForgedInFire #JoeyYap #LeeChongWei #LeadershipandBreakthroughs

This episode we talk about the first recorded instance of Buddhism--or at least the worship of the Buddha--in Japan, and we look at some of the politics and issues surrounding its adoption, as well as some of the problems in the story we have from the Chronicles.  We also look at what legend says happened to the oldest Buddhist image and where you can find it, today.  Hint: It is in a place that once hosted the Winter Olympics! For more check out our podcast website:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-85 Rough Transcript:   Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 85: The Buddha Comes to Japan. Last couple episodes we've talked about Buddhism.  We talked about its origins in the Indian subcontinent, with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, aka Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, and how those teachings spread out from India to Gandhara, and then followed the trade routes across the harsh deserts of the Tarim Basin, through the Gansu corridor, and into the Yellow and Yangzi River Valleys.  From there the teachings made it all the way to the Korean peninsula, and to the country of Baekje, Yamato's chief ally on the peninsula. This episode we'll look at how Buddhism came to the archipelago and its initial reception there.  For some of this we may need to span several reigns, as we'll be looking at events from early to late 6th century.  This is also about more than just religion, and so we may need to dive back into some of the politics we've covered up to this point as well.  Hopefully we can bring it all together in the end, but if it is a bit of a bumpy ride, just hang with me for a bit. So let's start with the official account in the Nihon Shoki, which we already mentioned two episodes ago: the first mention of Buddhism in the Chronicles.  The year was 552, or the 13th year in the reign of Ame Kunioshi, aka Kimmei Tennou.  That winter, during the 10th month—which was probably closer to December or January on a modern calendar—King Seongmyeong of Baekje had a special gift for his counterpart, the sovereign of Yamato.  By this time there are numerous accounts of gifts to Yamato, generally in conjunction with the Baekje-Yamato alliance and Baekje's requests for military support in their endeavors on the peninsula, generally framed in the Yamato sources as centering on the situation of the country of Nimna. In this case, the gift was a gilt-bronze image of Shakyamuni Buddha, several flags and umbrellas, and a number of volumes of Buddhist sutras.  King Seongmyeong sent a memorial explaining his intent:  “This doctrine” (aka Buddhism) “is amongst all doctrines the most excellent.  But it is hard to explain, and hard to comprehend.  Even the Duke of Zhou and Confucius had not attained to a knowledge of it.  This doctrine can create religious merit and retribution with appreciation of the highest wisdom.  Imagine a man in possession of treasures to his heart's content, so that he might satisfy all his wishes in proportion as he used them.  Thus it is with the treasure of this wonderful doctrine.  Every prayer is fulfilled and naught is wanting.  Moreover, from distant India it has extended hither to the three Han, where there are none who do not receive it with reverence as it is preached to them. “Thy servant, therefore, Myeong, King of Baekje, has humbly dispatched his retainer, Nuri Sacchi, to transmit it to the Imperial Country, and to diffuse it abroad throughout the home provinces, so as to fulfil the recorded saying of Buddha: ‘My law shall spread to the East.' “ Upon receiving all of these things and hearing the memorial, we are told that the sovereign, Ame Kunioshi, literally leapt for joy.  He thanked the envoys, but then put the question to his ministers as to how they should proceed.  Soga no Iname no Sukune, holding the position of Oho-omi, recommended that they should worship the statue of the Buddha.  After all, if all of the “Western Frontier lands” were worshipping it, then should Yamato really be left out? On the other side of the argument were Mononobe no Okoshi as well as Nakatomi no Kamako.  They argued against stopping the traditional worship of the 180 kami of Heaven and Earth and replacing it with worship of some foreign religion. With this split decision, Ame Kunioshi decided to have Soga no Iname experiment, first.  He told him to go ahead and worship the image and see what happens. And so Soga set it up at his house in Oharida, purified it, and, per Buddhist tradition, retired from the world.  He had another house, in nearby Mukuhara, purified and made into a temple.  Here he began to worship the Buddha. Around that same time, there was a pestilence—a disease—that was in the land.  People were getting sick and some were dying.  This was likely not unprecedented.  Healthcare was not exactly up to our modern standards, and while many good things traveled the trade routes, infection and disease likely used them as pathways as well.  So diseases would pop up, on occasion.  In this instance, though, Mononobe no Okoshi and Nakatomi no Kamako seized on it as their opportunity.  They went to Ame Kunioshi and they blamed Soga no Iname and his worship of the Buddha for the plague. Accordingly, the court removed the statue of the Buddha and tossed it into the canal at Naniwa, and then they burned down Soga no Iname's temple—which, as you may recall, was basically his house.  As soon as they did that, though, Ame Kunioshi's own Great Hall burst into flames, seemingly out of nowhere, as it was otherwise a clear day. Little more is said about these events, but that summer there were reports from Kawachi of Buddhist chants booming out of the sea of Chinu near the area of Idzumi.  Unate no Atahe was sent to investigate and found an entire log of camphorwood that was quote-unquote “Shining Brightly”.  So he gave it to the court, where we are told they used it to have two Buddha images made, which later were installed in a temple in Yoshino; presumably at a much later date. And then the Chronicles go quiet for the next couple decades, at least on the subject of Buddhism, but this is the first official account of it coming over, and there is quite a bit to unpack.  For one thing, the memorials and speeches once again seem like something that the Chroniclers added because it fit with their understanding of the narrative, including their insistence that Yamato was a fully fledged imperial state, and there is some fairly good evidence that King Seongmyeong's memorial is clearly anachronistic.  But there are a few other things, and conflicting records on things such as dates and similar. So first off, let's acknowledge that there are too many things in the main narrative in the Chronicles that are just questionable, such as the sovereign “leaping with joy” at the chance to hear about Buddhism, and the fact that King Seongmyeong's memorial apparently quotes a part of the sutra of the Sovereign Kings of Golden Light, known in Japanese as the Konkoumyou-saishou-ou-kyou, but that translation wasn't done until 703, during the Tang dynasty, by the monk Yijing in the city of Chang'an.  While it would have been known to knowledgable monks like Doji, who may have been helping put the narrative together in 720, it is unlikely that it was in use during the 6th century, when the memorial is said to have been written. In addition, there is question about the date that all of this supposedly happened.  The Nihon Shoki has this event taking place in 552, well into the reign of Ame Kunioshi.  However, there are at least two 8th century sources, roughly contemporary with the writing of the Nihon Shoki, the Gangoji Garan Engi and the Jouguuki, and both of these put the date at 538, a good fourteen years earlier, and in the era of Ame Kunioshi's predecessor, Takewo Hiro Kunioshi, aka Senka Tenno.  The first of these, the Gangoji Garan Engi, is a record of the founding of the first permanent temple in Japan, Gangoji, aka Hokoji or, informally, Asukadera, which was founded by Soga no Iname's heir, Soga no Umako.  More on the temple itself, later, but for now we want to focus on the historical aspects of this account, which mostly corroborate the story, talking about Soga no Iname's role in receiving the image and enshrining it, as well as the early conflict between the Soga clan and their rivals.  The other source, the Joguki, focuses on the life of Shotoku Taishi, aka Prince Umayado, who will become a major subject of our narrative at the end of the 6th and early 7th centuries.  Not only is he considered the father of Japanese Buddhism, but he had strong connections to the Soga family.  Today, most scholars accept the 538 date over the 552 date when talking about Buddhism's initial arrival into the islands   If the Chroniclers did move the event from 538 to 552, one has to wonder why.  This isn't a simple matter of being off by 60 years, and thus attributable to a mistake in the calendrical sexagenary zodiac cycle of stems and branches, so there must have been something else.  One suggestion is that the date conflicted with the chronology that had already been set for the sovereigns.  538 is during the reign of Takewo no Ohokimi, aka Senka Tenno, but what if succession was not quite as cut and dried as all that?  What if Ame Kunioshi no Ohokimi had his own court and was in some way ruling at the same time as his half-brothers, Magari no Ohine and Takewo no Ohokimi? They were from different mothers, and thus different factions at court.  Ame Kunioshi was young, so it was possible that there were rival lineages attempting to rule, or even some kind of co-ruler deal hearkening back to more ancient precedent.  Some even theorize that Magari no Ohine and Takewo Hiro Kunioshi were simply fictional inserts to help span the period between Wohodo and Ame Kunioshi. Whatever the reason, this theory suggests that it would not have happened in the 13th year of Ame Kunioshi's reign, but that his reign started in 526, rather than 540.  An intriguing hypothesis, but one that begs the question of whether everything in the reign would then need to be shifted to account for that.  Given that there are a few attributable events noted that fit with outside sources as well, that doesn't seem quite as plausible without some very conscious efforts to change the timeline. Another thought is that the compilers weren't sure exactly when this event happened, but given Ame Kunioshi's reputation and long reign, they chose his reign to place it in because it just fit.  I suspect that this happened more than once, with people more likely attributing past events to well-remembered sovereigns.  If this is the case, then when searching for a date they may have just chosen one that seemed auspicious.  In this case, 552 CE was, in some reckonings, an important year in Buddhist history, as there were those who say it as the beginning of the age of “mappou”, the “End of the Law” or perhaps the “Latter days of the Law”. This definitely is an intriguing theory, and resonates strongly.  For most of Japanese history, the idea that we are in this period of “mappo” has had a strong influence, and to a certain extent it is kind of an apocalyptic view of things.  The idea of mappo is that while the Buddha was alive, his teachings were fresh and available to all living things.  However, after his death, his teachings had to be remembered and passed on.  Even with the advent of writing, the meaning and understanding of his teachings, and thus an understanding of dharma, would also atrophy.  Different translations, changes in meaning, and just bits and pieces lost to time would mean that for the first 500 to 1,000 years, the Buddha's disciples would keep things well and the meaning would be protected, but in the next 500 to 1,000 years things would decline, but still be pretty close to the truth.  Then – and this is when the period of “mappo” starts - things would really start to decline, until finally, about 5,000 to 10,000 years later—or about 1,000 to 12,000 years after the time of the historical Buddha—things would break down, factions would be fighting one another, and eventually everyone would have forgotten the dharma entirely.  It was only then that there would come a new Buddha, Miroku or Maitreya, who would once again teach about the dharma and how to escape suffering, and the whole cycle would start again. The year 552 would have coincided, according to some estimates, with 1,000 years since the time of Siddhartha Gautama, and so it would have had particular significance to the people of that time, particularly if you counted each of the first two Ages as 500 years each, meaning that the word of the Buddha, that his teachings would spread to the East, would have been completed just as we entered the latter days of the Law. Regardless of the time—and, as I said earlier, 538 is the more accepted date—the general events described – the statue, the offer of Soga to experiment, and the resulting events - are usually agreed to, although even here we must pause, slightly and ask a few questions. First off, was this truly the first time that Buddhism had ever shown up in Japan?  The answer to that is probably not.  There had been many waves of immigrants that had come over to Japan from the peninsula, and even if only a small handful of them had adopted the new religion before coming over it is likely that there were pockets of worshippers.  Later, we will see that there are people in Japan who are said to have had prior experience as a monk, or who had their own Buddhist images.  These images were probably used by people in their homes—there is no evidence of any particular temples that had been built, privately or otherwise, and so there is no evidence that we have any active monks or nuns in the archipelago, but who knows what was going on in communities outside of the elite core?  There were plenty of things that were never commented on if it wasn't directly relevant to the court. Furthermore, with all of the envoys that had been to Baekje, surely some of them had experience with Buddhism.  And then there were the envoys *from* Baekje, who no doubt brought Buddhist practices with them.  So there was likely some kind of familiarity with the religion's existence, even if it wasn't necessarily fully understood. The second point that many people bring up is the role of the sovereign, Ame Kunioshi, or whomever was in charge at the time that the first image came over.  While the Nihon Shoki attempts to portray a strong central government with the sovereign at its head, we've already seen how different households had arisen and taken some measure of power for themselves.  At the end of the 5th and into the early 6th century, the Ohotomo and Mononobe houses were preeminent, with Ohotomo Kanamura taking on actions such as negotiating dealings with the continent and even manuevering around the Crown Prince.  The Mononobe wielded considerable authority through their military resources, and now, the Soga appeared to ascendant.  It is quite possible that the idea of the sovereign giving any sort of permission or order to worship Buddhism is simply a political fig leaf added by the Chroniclers.  The Soga may have been much more independent in their views and dealings.  To better understand this, let's take a look at the uji family system and the Soga family in particular. Now the Nihon Shoki paints a picture as though these noble uji families were organic, and simply part of the landscape, descending from the kami in the legendary age, with lineages leading down to the present day, although there is some acknowledgment that the earliest ancestors did not necessarily use the family names until a later date.  For much of Japanese history, the concept that these family, or uji, were one of the core building blocks of ancient Japanese political and cultural spheres is taken as a matter of course.  However, in more modern studies, this view has been questioned, and now the prevailing view is that these families are somewhat different.  In fact, the uji are likely just as much an artificial construct as the corporate -Be family labor groups. According to this theory, early on people were associated with local groups and places.  Outside of the immediate family, groups were likely held together by their regional ties as much as anything else.  Names appear to be locatives, with ancient titles indicating the -hiko or -hime of this or that area. Some time in the 5th century, Yamato—and possibly elsewhere in the peninsula—began to adopt the concept of -Be corporate groups from Baekje.  We talked about this back in Episode 63, using the Hata as a prime example of how these groups were brought together.  More importantly, though, was that each of these -Be groups reported to someone in the court, sometimes with a different surname.  These were the uji, created along with the -Be to help administer the labor and work of running the state.  They were essentially arms of the state itself, in many ways.  The kabane system of titles emphasizes this, with different families having different ranks depending on what they did, whether locally, regionally, or at the central court.  Some of these titles, like -Omi and -Kimi, were likely once actual jobs, but eventually it came to represent something more akin to a social ranking. There have been some questions and emails asking for a bit more in depth on this, and I'd really like to, but I'm afraid that would be too much for now.  At the moment I want to focus more on the uji, particularly on those at the top - the uji with the kabane of either Omi or Muraji, as these are the ones most likely to be helping to directly run the government.  They even had their own geographical areas within the Nara basin, and elsewhere, that were uji strongholds.  The Hata had areas near modern Kyoto, the Mononobe clearly had claims to land around Isonokami, in modern Tenri, and the Soga clan had their holdings in the area of modern Asuka and Kashihara city.  At the very least, that is where Soga no Iname's house was—in Mukuhara and Oharida, both located in the modern area of Asuka, which will become important in the future. It wasn't just the landholdings that were important, though.  Each uji had some part to play in the functioning of the government.  In many cases it was the production or control of a particular service, such as the Hata and silk weaving, or the Mononobe and their affinity with all things military.  For the Soga, they appear to have had a rather interesting portfolio. Traditionally, the Soga family is said to trace its lineage back to Takechi no Sukune, the first Oho-omi back in the time of Okinaga no Tarashi Hime and Homuda Wake no Ohokimi—see episode 46 for more on him.  That lineage is likely fabricated, however, and the earliest actual evidence for the family may be from the Kogoshui, where we are told that Soga no Machi was put in charge of the Three Treasuries.  These were the Imikura, or sacred treasury; the Uchikura, or royal household treasury; and the Ohokura, the government treasury.  This seems like quite the position of responsibility, and it would fit with some of what we see later as the Soga are involved in helping set up Miyake, the various royal storehouses across the land that acted as Yamato court administrative centers for the purposes of collecting goods and funneling them to the court, as well as keeping an eye on the local regions.  Although here I feel I would be remiss if I didn't also note that the “Three Treasuries”, or “Sanzou” is one way to translate the Tripitaka, and given the Soga's role, I don't think I can entirely ignore that point. So the Soga family had experience with administration, and specifically they were dealing with a variety of different goods produced in different regions.  If that is the case, then their authority did not necessarily derive from the standard uji-be constructed familial connections, but rather they were deriving positional authority from the central government itself.  This may seem like common sense to us, but in the world of ancient Yamato, where family connections were everything, this may have been something new and innovative—and very in keeping with various continental models of administration.  It is quite likely that the Soga were dealing with some of the latest innovations in government and political authority, which would also have opened them up to the possibility of new ideas. In addition, their position meant they likely had wide-ranging contacts across the archipelago and even onto the peninsula.  The Soga themselves have connections to the peninsula in the names of some of their members, such as Soga no Karako, where “Karako” can be translated as a “Son of Kara” or a “Son of Gaya”, possibly referring to their origins, and Soga no Kouma, where “Kouma” is a general term for Goguryeo, and so quite possibly indicates a connection with them as well.  On top of that, there is a now-out-of-favor theory that once suggested that Soga no Machi might be the same as Moku Machi, an important Baekje official in the late 5th century.  While that has been largely discredited, the fact that “Machi” is possibly of Baekje origin cannot be entirely overlooked. Then there are a series of notes in the Nihon Shoki, particularly surrounding the area of Shirai, in the land of Kibi.  These start in 553, just one year after Soga no Iname's failed attempt to launch a Buddhist temple, at least according to the Nihon Shoki's record of events.  It is a relatively simple note, but it mentions how Soga no Iname made a man by the name of Wang Jinnie the “Funa no Fubito”, or “Recorder of Ships”, and put him in charge of the shipping tax—all at the behest of the sovereign, of course. Later, in 555, Soga no Iname went with Hozumi no Iwayumi no Omi to Kibi, where they consolidated five districts, or agata, under the administration of a single administrative Miyake in Shirawi.  Later, in 556, he would go back to Kibi and establish a Miyake in Kojima, putting in place Katsuraki no Yamada as the Tazukai, or “rural rice field governor”.  That same year he and others went to the Takachi district in Yamato and established the Miyake of Ohomusa, or “Great Musa”, for immigrants from Baekje and then Womusa, or “Small Musa”, for immigrants from Goguryeo. In 569, the person that Soga no Iname had put in charge of recording the ships, Wang Jinnie, had a nephew, Itsu—or possibly Danchin, depending on how you read it—go out to Shirawi to take a census.  This is the same Shirawi that Soga no Iname had helped establish in 555.  Itsu becomes the Shirawi no Obito, and in 574 we see Soga no Umako, Iname's heir, heading out to Shirawi with an updated register for Itsu. So, in short, the Soga family clearly is doing a lot of government administration, and particularly of the Miyake, which is the extension of the court authority into the rest of the archipelago.  On top of that, look at how often the names that are coming up in conjunction with what they are doing are referencing immigrant groups.  Even the Hozumi family are known at this point for their work on the peninsula, and we see the Soga heavily involved with the Wang family and their fortunes, not to mention Greater and Lesser Musa and the Baekje and Goguryeo individuals there.  Wang Jinnie will have even more of a part to play, but we'll hold onto that for later. Given everything we can see about how they are operating, is it any surprise that the Soga would advocate in favor of Buddhism?  I'd also note that, while other clans have clear connections to heavenly ancestors and kami whom they worshipped, it is unclear to me if the Soga had anything similar.  There is mention in the 7th century of the creation of a shrine to their titular ancestors, Takeuchi no Sukune and Ishikawa no Sukune, and today there is a shrine that is dedicated to Soga tsu Hiko and Soga tsu Hime—Basically just lord and lady Soga.  But there isn't anything like the spirit of Futsunushi or Ohomononushi, let alone an Amaterasu or Susano'o. Why is that important?  Well, prior to the 6th century, a lot of clans claimed authority from the ritual power they were perceived to wield, often related to the prestige of their kami.  One of the ways that Yamato influence had spread was through the extension of the Miwa cult across the archipelago, and there were even members of the Himatsuribe and the Hioki-be, basically groups of ritualists focused on sun worship, which upheld the royal house.  The Mononobe controlled Isonokami shrine, where they worshipped their Ujigami, Futsu-mitama, the spirit of the sound of the sword.  And then there were the Nakatomi, who haven't had much to do in the narrative so far, but we know that they were court ritualists, responsible for ensuring that proper rituals were carried out by the court for the kami to help keep balance in the land. The dispute between the Soga and the Mononobe and Nakatomi is presented as a struggle between a foreign religion and the native kami of Japan—leaving aside any discussion, for now, about just how “native” said kami actually were.  This is, in fact, the primary story that gets told again and again, that the Mononobe and Nakatomi were simply standing up for their beliefs, sincerely believing that if too many people started worshipping foreign gods then it would supplant the worship already present in the islands. And that may have been a genuine fear at the time, but I would suggest that it was only a small one.  What seems more apparent is that we are really looking at just an old fashioned power struggle.  Because what all of the information we have about the Soga distills down to is: they were the new kid on the block.  The Soga were the up and coming nobility.  They had connections with the continent and various immigrant groups.  That gave them access to new ideas and new forms of resources.  The Mononobe were built on a more traditionalist line.  They had been around, ever since at least Wakatake no Ohokimi, playing a significant role in things, alongside the Ohotomo.  The Mononobe were at their apex, claiming descent through their own Heavenly Grandson, and having held sway at court through numerous reigns at this point.   They represent, in many ways, the old guard. Worship of a fancy new religious icon—effectively a new kami—threatened to give the Soga even more power and sway.  They already had control of the three treasuries, if the Kogoshui is to be believed, and likely had a rather impressive administrative apparatus.  Soga no Iname had also ended up successfully marrying off two of his daughters to Ame Kunioshi, making him father-in-law to the current sovereign.  If he added to that a spiritual focus that people came to believe in, that would only enhance the Soga's power and place in the hierarchy. And what better way to taint all of that, and neutralize these upstarts, than to blame this new god for the plague and pestilence that was killing people.  We see it all too often, even today—when people are scared and when there are problems, the easiest people to scapegoat are the foreigners and the outsiders.  Those whom we do not see as “us”.  It was probably easy to turn the court against Buddhism, at least initially.  They threw the image in the canal and burned down the temple, and no doubt they were pleased with themselves. But that was merely the opening salvo, and as we'll see in the coming years, the Soga family were hardly done with Buddhism.  One can argue whether they were truly devout or if this was merely for political gain, but the Soga family tied themselves to this new foreign religion, for good or for ill, and they wouldn't be pushed around forever. When next we touch base on this topic we'll look at Soga no Iname's heir, Soga no Umako, and his attempts to start up where his father left off.  He would again clash with the Mononobe, and the outcome of that conflict would set the path for the next half a century.  It would also see Buddhism become firmly enmeshed with the apparatus of the state.  As this happens , we'll also see the character of Buddhist worship in the archipelago change.  Initially, the Buddha was treated little differently from any other kami, and based on the way it is described, probably worshiped in a very similar manner.  However, as more sutras came to light and as more people studied and learned about the religion—and as more immigrants were brought in to help explain how things were supposed to work—Buddhism grew in the islands to be its own distinct entity.  In fact the growth of Buddhism would even see the eventual definition of “Shinto”, the “Way of the Gods”, a term that was never really needed until there was another concept for native practices to be compared against. Before we leave off, there is one other story I'd like to mention.  It is tangential to our immediate discussion of Buddhism and the Soga, but I think you may find it of interest, nonetheless.  This is the story of just what happened—supposedly—to that first Buddhist icon that was tossed into the Naniwa canal. Because you see, according to tradition, that gilt-bronze icon did not stay stuck in the mud and muck of the canal, nor did it just disappear.  Instead there is a tradition that it was found almost a century later.  The person who retrieved it was named Honda no Yoshimitsu, and from Naniwa he traveled all the way to Shinano, to the area of modern Nagano, and there he would found a temple in 642.  Another reading of his name, Yoshimitsu, is Zenko, and so the temple is named Zenkoji, and you can still go and visit it today.  In fact, the main hall of Zenkoji is considered a national treasure, and it was featured prominently during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.  It is a popular attraction for tourist both in Japan and from abroad, and if you get a chance I highly recommend going to see it.  On the street leading up to the temple entrance are many traditional shops that still sell various foods and traditional arts and crafts, and there are many intriguring features.  For example, there is a narrow walkway underneath the main temple that is completely dark, where you are meant to feel along the wall to try to find the key to enlightenment, a kind of physical metaphor of Buddhist teaching. And of course there is the icon that Honda Yoshimitsu is said to have fished out of the canal. According to the temple, the icon still exists, and many worshippers believe it to be the oldest extant Buddhist icon in Japan, even older than the icons at Horyuji.  However, there is one catch—nobody is allowed to see it.  Shortly after it was installed in the temple, the statue was hidden in a special container, or zushi, and it became what is known as a hidden Buddha.  This is a tradition particularly prevalent in Japan, where some Buddhas are hidden away and only brought out on very special occasions.  Some cynics might note that those occasions are often when the temple needs to raise funds.  As for this hidden Buddha, however, it has not been seen more than a handful of times since it was locked away in the 7th century. Despite that, we know what it looks like—or at least what it is supposed to look like.  The image is said to be a triad, and though the Nihon Shoki claims it was an image of Shakyamuni, the central figure of the Zenkoji triad is actually the figure of Amida, aka Amithabha, as in the Pure Land sect of Buddhism.  Amida Nyorai is flanked by two attendants.  We know all of this because a copy of the Zenkoji image was made in the Kamakura period, and that image, said to be a faithful recreation of the original is also kept at Zenkoji.  While the original is kept hidden in the back, the replica, which is thought to have all of the miraculous powers of the original, sits in front, and is therefore called the Maedachi Honzon, basically the image standing in front, vice the original, the Gohonzon, the main image. Except it gets even better, because the replica is *also* kept hidden away most of the time, and only revealed on special occasions, known as Gokaicho, or “opening of the curtain”, which occurs once every seven years. The Zenkoji triad became extremely important in later centuries, and copies were made and installed in sub-temples throughout Japan.  Even today you may find a Zenkoji-style triad here or there, each one considered to have a spiritual tie back to the original, and some of them even have inscriptions confirming that they are, indeed, Zenkoji style triads Of course, the big question remains: does the original image actually still exist, and is there any chance that it actually is as old as it claims to be?  There really is no good way of knowing.  Zenkoji is not offering to open up the zushi any time soon.  We do know a few things, however.  We know that the temple has burned down at least 11 times over the years, and the Gohonzon was rescued each time, or so they say.  There are some who claim that it still exists, but perhaps it is damaged.  If that is the case, how did they make the replica, though? There was an inspection during the Edo period.  There was a rumor that it had been stolen, and so an Edo official was sent to check on the status.  They reported that it was still there, but crucially they never described actually laying eyes on the statue.  In one account where a monk did open the box it is said that their was a blinding light—kind of like the Ark of the Covenant in Indiana Jones but just overwhelming; no faces were melted, at least none that were reported. The monks of Zenkoji, when asked how they know the image is still there, will point to the weight of the container, which, when lifted, is apparently considerable.  They say that is how they know it is still there.  Of course, a melted lump of metal might be the same weight as it was when it was full statue, as long as it didn't lose any actual mass, so it is hard to tell if it is still in good condition. Even with all of that, there is the question about the veracity of the original objects lineage to begin with.  Did Honda Yoshimitsu really just find *the* original statue?  And even if he did, how would he have known what it was?  Was there an inscription:  To Yamato, from Baekje, hugs and kisses? I've yet to see anyone directly compare the purported replica with other statues, but I suspect that would be the route to at least check the age, but nobody seems to be saying that the style of the replica is blatantly wrong for a 6th or 7th century icon from the peninsula or by peninsular craftsmen.  Then again, there were plenty of local immigrants in the Naniwa area who could have potentially crafted an image.  Indeed, the area around modern Nagano even has traces of Goguryeo style burial cairns, possibly from immigrants settled out there to help with early horse cultivation, and so there is even the possibility that there were locals with the connections and skills to craft something. If you really want to know more, there is an entire work by Donald McCallum, titled “Zenkoji and Its Icon”, on not just the icon but the entire worship that sprang up around it and caused copies to spread throughout the archipelago. And that's where we will leave off for this episode.  In the next couple of episodes I want to finish up some of the secular history of this reign, and look a little bit outside of Yamato and the evidence in the Chronicles as well. Until then, thank you for listening and for all of your support.  If you like what we are doing, 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 Tweet at us at @SengokuPodcast, or reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

SÍBS hefur framleitt 18 örmyndbönd sem ganga undir heitinu Heilsumolar. Myndböndin svara áleitnum spurningum um málefni helstu áhrifaþátta heilsu og gefa góð, einföld og hagnýt ráð. Hvert myndband svarar mikilvægri spurningu varðandi svefn, streitu, mataræði eða hreyfingu sem eru veigamiklir áhrifaþættir heilsu. Guðmundur Löve framkvæmdastjóri SÍBS og Gunnhildur Sveinsdóttir verkefnastjóri komu í þáttinn í dag og sögðu frá þessum heilsumolum og starfseminni. Breytingarritningin, eða Yijing, sem á ensku er kölluð Book of changes, er að öllum líkindum þekktasta rit Kínaveldis. Ritið byggir á ævafornum texta og er grunnur að kínverskri heimspeki. Breytingarritningin hefur verið leiðbeinandi rit fyrir bæði valdamenn og venjulegt fólk í Kína í árþúsundir, og fræðimenn um allan heim hafa sömuleiðis velt fyrir sér eðli og inntaki ritsins, frá því löngu fyrir ártalið núll og til dagsins í dag. Á morgun fer fram málþing um Breytingarritninguna á vegum Konfúsíusarstofnunarinnar Norðurljósa í Háskóla Íslands. Geir Sigurðsson, prófessor í kínverskum fræðum kom í þáttnn og fræddi okkur nánar um ritið og vangavelturnar því tengdu. Við fengum póstkort frá Magnúsi R. Einarssyni í dag og í póstkorti dagsins segir hann okkur frá áramótunum í Berlín sem urðu ansi róstursöm, en líka frá þýska þjóðarréttinum Kurrywurst, en hann er að tapa vinsældum hjá ungu fólki sem kýs frekar pasta, pizzu eða kebab. Undir lokin segir frá þeirri nýju tilhneigingu ungra manna að brynna músum eftir tapleiki í fótbolta. Tónlist í þættinum í dag: Það þarf fólk eins og þig / Rúnar Júlíusson (Buck Owens og Rúnar Júlíusson) Changes / David Bowie (David Bowie) While My Guitar Gently Weeps / The Beatles (George Harrison) Draumur fangans / Erla Þorsteinsdóttir (Freymóður Jóhannsson (12. september) UMSJÓN: GUNNAR HANSSON OG MELKORKA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR

SÍBS hefur framleitt 18 örmyndbönd sem ganga undir heitinu Heilsumolar. Myndböndin svara áleitnum spurningum um málefni helstu áhrifaþátta heilsu og gefa góð, einföld og hagnýt ráð. Hvert myndband svarar mikilvægri spurningu varðandi svefn, streitu, mataræði eða hreyfingu sem eru veigamiklir áhrifaþættir heilsu. Guðmundur Löve framkvæmdastjóri SÍBS og Gunnhildur Sveinsdóttir verkefnastjóri komu í þáttinn í dag og sögðu frá þessum heilsumolum og starfseminni. Breytingarritningin, eða Yijing, sem á ensku er kölluð Book of changes, er að öllum líkindum þekktasta rit Kínaveldis. Ritið byggir á ævafornum texta og er grunnur að kínverskri heimspeki. Breytingarritningin hefur verið leiðbeinandi rit fyrir bæði valdamenn og venjulegt fólk í Kína í árþúsundir, og fræðimenn um allan heim hafa sömuleiðis velt fyrir sér eðli og inntaki ritsins, frá því löngu fyrir ártalið núll og til dagsins í dag. Á morgun fer fram málþing um Breytingarritninguna á vegum Konfúsíusarstofnunarinnar Norðurljósa í Háskóla Íslands. Geir Sigurðsson, prófessor í kínverskum fræðum kom í þáttnn og fræddi okkur nánar um ritið og vangavelturnar því tengdu. Við fengum póstkort frá Magnúsi R. Einarssyni í dag og í póstkorti dagsins segir hann okkur frá áramótunum í Berlín sem urðu ansi róstursöm, en líka frá þýska þjóðarréttinum Kurrywurst, en hann er að tapa vinsældum hjá ungu fólki sem kýs frekar pasta, pizzu eða kebab. Undir lokin segir frá þeirri nýju tilhneigingu ungra manna að brynna músum eftir tapleiki í fótbolta. Tónlist í þættinum í dag: Það þarf fólk eins og þig / Rúnar Júlíusson (Buck Owens og Rúnar Júlíusson) Changes / David Bowie (David Bowie) While My Guitar Gently Weeps / The Beatles (George Harrison) Draumur fangans / Erla Þorsteinsdóttir (Freymóður Jóhannsson (12. september) UMSJÓN: GUNNAR HANSSON OG MELKORKA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR

English Description (German below)Gast: Kai MarchalAccording to the authors of this ancient oracle book, if we engage with or relate to the Yijing, we will be able to attune ourselves to the perpetual change of the world. Kai Marchal makes accessible to us a source text of Chinese philosophy that he sees as having long since arrived in everyday and popular culture, whether in music, film, or architecture.But the Yijing is not a simple text, even if it seems that one only needs to pick out one or the other saying in order to adorn oneself with its wise or supposedly wise content. Kai Marchal enlightens us about the historical background of the book and its many customs. Even those who do not want to or cannot read the book as a text of divination will find in the Yijing a text with high relevance to life.Das deutsche und das englische Transkript finden Sie auf unserer Homepage: www.metis.ethz.ch. Dort stellen wir auch weiteres Material zum Thema zur Verfügung. Folgen Sie unseren Social-Media-Kanälen auf Mastodon, Twitter und Instagram!Schreiben Sie uns eine Mail mit Fragen und Kommentaren an: metis@phil.gess.ethz.ch Dieser Podcast wurde produziert von Martin Münnich mit Unterstützung der ETH Zürich und der Udo-Keller-Stiftung, Forum Humanum in Hamburg.German DescriptionGuest: Kai MarchalWenn wir uns mit dem Yijing auseinandersetzen bzw. uns mit ihm in Verbindung setzen, werden wir in die Lage versetzt, uns auf den immerwährenden Wandel der Welt einzustimmen, so die Autoren dieses alten Orakelbuchs. Kai Marchal macht uns einen Quelltext der chinesischen Philosophie zugänglich, den er längst in der Alltags- und Popkultur angekommen sieht, sei es in Musik, Film oder Architektur.Doch das Yijing ist kein einfaches Schriftstück, auch wenn es scheint, man bräuchte sich bloß den einen oder anderen Spruch herauspicken, um sich mit seinem weisen oder vermeintlichen weisen Gehalt zu schmücken. Kai Marchal klärt uns über den historischen Hintergrund des Buches und seine vielfältigen Gebräuche auf. Auch, wer das Buch nicht als Weissagetext lesen möchte oder kann, findet im Yijing einen Text mit hoher Lebensrelevanz.You can find the German and the English transcript on our homepage: www.metis.ethz.ch. There we also provide further material on the topic. Follow our social media channels on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram!Send us an email with questions and comments to: metis@phil.gess.ethz.ch. This podcast was produced by Martin Münnich with the support of ETH Zurich and the Udo Keller Foundation, Forum Humanum in Hamburg.

German Description (English below)Guest: Kai MarchalIn diesem Podcast vertiefen wir zusammen mit Kai Marchal unsere Kenntnis vom Yijing. Das Buch erhebt den Anspruch alle Weltzustände des Universums in sich zu enthalten. So verwundert es nicht, dass bspw. C.G. Jung dort sein Synchronizitätsprinzip wiederzufinden glaubte. Auch außerhalb der Gelehrten Verwendung des Buches suchen die Menschen im Yijing Rat und Hilfe z.B. bei Verdauungsproblemen oder Scheidungen. Dagegen sei nichts einzuwenden, doch schon im alten China wendete man sich gegen eine solche vergleichsweise verdinglichende und kurzweilige Lesart des Buches. Dieses Buch brauch Zeit, sonst verkommt es nur zur Projektionsfläche der eigenen Sehnsüchte und Hoffnungen.You can find the German and the English transcript on our homepage: www.metis.ethz.ch. There we also provide further material on the topic. Follow our social media channels on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram!Send us an email with questions and comments to: metis@phil.gess.ethz.ch. This podcast was produced by Martin Münnich with the support of ETH Zurich and the Udo Keller Foundation, Forum Humanum in Hamburg.English DesctiptionGast: Kai MarchalIn this podcast, we deepen our knowledge of Yijing together with Kai Marchal. The book claims to contain all world states of the universe within itself. So it is not surprising that C.G. Jung, for example, believed to find his principle of synchronicity there. Also outside of the scholars use of the book people look for advice and help in the Yijing e.g. with digestion problems or divorces. There is nothing wrong with that, but already in ancient China people opposed such a comparatively reifying and entertaining reading of the book. This book needs time, otherwise it will only degenerate into a projection screen for one's own longings and hopes.Das deutsche und das englische Transkript finden Sie auf unserer Homepage: www.metis.ethz.ch. Dort stellen wir auch weiteres Material zum Thema zur Verfügung. Folgen Sie unseren Social-Media-Kanälen auf Mastodon, Twitter und Instagram!Schreiben Sie uns eine Mail mit Fragen und Kommentaren an: metis@phil.gess.ethz.ch Dieser Podcast wurde produziert von Martin Münnich mit Unterstützung der ETH Zürich und der Udo-Keller-Stiftung, Forum Humanum in Hamburg.

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/philosophy

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/korean-studies

Does human existence have a meaning? If so, is that meaning found in the world outside of us, or is it something we bring to our experience? In Cross-Cultural Existentialism: On the Meaning of Life in Asian and Western Thought (Bloomsbury, 2020) Leah Kalmanson shows how East Asian philosophies challenge the dichotomy implicit in the way this question is often framed. Her book investigates Korean Buddhist meditation, Confucian ritual practices, and Yijing divination. Along the way she argues that the speculative approaches implicit in these traditions, contrary to the views of many modern European philosophers, means that metaphysical theorizing need not be in opposition to cultivating practical techniques and taking subjectivity seriously. Taking the Korean Buddhist nun Kim Iryŏp as her center point, Kalmanson traces lines of historical influence backwards to Song-dynasty Ruist (or “Confucian”) thinkers such as Zhu Xi and considers conceptual connections outwards to modern existentialists such as Georges Bataille, all the while reflecting on one of philosophy's big questions: just what does life mean, if anything? Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on Sanskrit works of philosophy in Indian traditions, in the areas of language and epistemology. He is the author of Language, Meaning, and Use in Indian Philosophy (Bloomsbury Press, 2019) and host of the podcast Sutras & Stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day

Last time we spoke, the ironclad steam warship Nemesis had made a name for herself wrecking havoc upon the Qing navy. Lin Zexu was dismissed and Qishan began negotiations with the British. Hong Kong island was now under British occupation, Chuanbi fell to the British and it seems a treaty would be ratified but both the Emperor Daoguang and Britain's parliament rejected it forcing Britain to continue its war. The British attacked the Bogue, the First Bar island, Whampoa Island and soon Qishan was rushed to Beijing and cast into chains by the Emperor. Then the British attacked Canton hoping to force the Qing government to come to a deal. Emperor Daoguang was being fed false reports from his officials of the ongoing war, but how long could they delude him until everyone realized this was a serious war? This episode is the First Opium War Part 3: treaty of nanjing   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War.   As usual the reports coming back to the emperor were embezzled. It was said the British were stopped at the walls of Canton by the army of General Fang and repelled. In fact, on top of the Qing forces beating back the British it was said a peasant militia had killed thousands of British forcing them to flee Canton. Some went further than this and said the British expedition was on its last legs. Yishan's report to the Emperor said “the barbarians had begged the chief general that he would implore the great Emperor in their behalf, that he would have mercy upon them, and cause their debts to be repaid them, and graciously permit them to carry on their commerce, when they would immediately withdraw their ships from the Bocca Tigris, and never dare again to raise any disturbance."The Qing court urged the emperor to build upon the great victory and to bring an even larger army into the field against the barbarians. Now that the factory quarter was secure, Elliot turned his attention back to Amoy, but he still had a large problem. The British force was full on facing an epidemic of malaria and dysentery causing numerous casualties. The British warships were becoming hospitals for the countless decimated troops. Elliot had to take the force to Hong Kong island to treat the men. On July 21 of 1841 while Elliot was forming plans to attack Amoy a merchantman from India arrived with opium and a copy of the Canton Press. The newspaper read that Elliot had been dismissed by Palmerston on April 30th of 1841! It turned out the British press had vilified Elliot for making truces with the Chinese instead of pushing for a decisive victory. The Canton truce was lambasted because the 6 million was just a fraction of their demands. Elliot sent word back to Palmerston to ask why he was being dismissed and got a reply. “Throughout the whole course of your proceedings, you seem to have considered that my instructions were waste paper, which you might treat with entire disregard, and that you were at full liberty to deal with the interests of your country according to your own fancy.”. Elliot would make a public statement “it has been popularly objected to me that I have cared too much for the Chinese. But I submit that it has been caring more for lasting British honour and substantial British interests to protect a helpless and friendly people”.   Even Queen victoria made a statement about Elliot when she wrote to her uncle King Leopold of Belgium “All we wanted might have been got, if it had not been for the unaccountably strange conduct of Charles Elliot, who completely disobeyed his instructions and trie to get the lowest terms he could”. Sir Henry Pottinger, a diplomat and veteran of the Afghan wars replaced Elliot as superintendent of Trade and given an annual salary of 6000 pounds, twice that of Elliots to rub it in. Sir William Parker was also sent to be commander in chief and both he and Pottinger held impressive resumes and vast military experience. Pottinger served during the Napoleonic wars as a cabin boy at the age of 12 and then later joined the Indian army. Parker at the age of 31 retired with the rank of captain and a large fortune in prize money from the French ships he captured during the Napoleonic wars. Parker had been spending 15 years on his estate in Litchfield as a gentleman farmer before being called out of retirement by Palmerston. Parker and Pottinger arrived in August of 1841 and were met graciously by Charles Elliot before he left with his family back home to England. The opium smugglers were delighted to finally be rid of Charles Elliot and his moralistic distaste for the opium trade. They had hoped the new guys would be more amenable than Elliot and were in for quite a shock. One of the first things Pottinger did was tell the residents of Canton “could allow no consideration connected with mercantile pursuits…to interfere with the strong measures which he might deem necessary, and if they put either themselves or their property in the power of the Chinese authorities, it must be clearly understood to be at their own risk and peril.”. While Elliot was argued to be a Sinophile, Pottinger was the very opposite a Sinophobe. Pottinger did not have any understanding of Chinese culture nor their protocol for saving face in dealings. When the governor of canton came to greet Pottinger in Macao, Pottinger simply sent a subordinate to meet the man insulting him greatly.  On August 21 of 1841 the British armada was 32 ships strong, with 4 regiments of over 27,000 men aboard them. Pottinger left 1350 men to garrison Hong Kong and sailed for Amoy (present day Xiamen). Amoy was a granite island around 300 miles north of Macao and not really of any value, it was quite barren, but it was closer to Beijing and thus a threat to Emperor Daoguang. Amoy had been fortified by the Qing recently, they built a few batteries on Gulangyu island which lies just off the coast of Amoy and they prepared defenses all along Amoy's coast. Amoys coast held 96 embrasures and over 200 cannons to defend its harbor. Then the Qing sent a force to garrison it, adding an additional 42 cannons and 10,000 troops. Gulangyu island's batteries had 76 cannons including some more modern artillery smuggled over from singapore. The British armada first made contact with Gulangyu island as it protected the approach to Amoy and the Druid, Blonde and Modeste blasted its fortifications from 400 yards away. As was typical of this war, the cannons at Amoy and Gulangyu were antiquated and in fixed positions. To give you a visual idea of the issue, these cannons could not swivel well, they were basically fixed to the ground, greatly hampering range and accuracy. Thus when the British ships began to bombard them they could not effectively return fire. After 90 minutes of bombardment, the Qing cannons went silent and the British began landing troops without any opposition. Major General Gough disembarked from Nemesis by 3:45pm as Amoy's batteries were neutralized and 26 chinese war junks in the harbor were put out of commission. Despite the ferocity of the British bombardment , Amoy's fortresses cannons began opening fire upon the troops and Gough personally led a bayonet charge towards the fortresses southern wall. The Qing soldiers on the fort began to fire their matchlocks at the British but were overwhelmed by the enemy's gunfire. Soon many of the Qing soldiers routed and when the Qing commander realized the situation was hopeless he marched straight into the sea committing suicide by drowning himself. The reports going back to Emperor Daoguang were “that the Manchu commander rushed out to drive back the assailants as they landed, fell into the water and died” sort of a positive spin on the story. The British forces scaled the forts walls and opened its gates. Inside the fort the British found a large number of opium pipes lying beside the cannons its alleged. When the British found Amoy's treasury they found a record indicating that there were thousands of silver taels, but none were to be found. It turned out the Qing officials had snuck the silver out before the British arrived. Pottinger took no time ordering the armada to refit and continue sailing north, now he wanted to make up for Elliot's giving away of Chusan.  On September 25 of 1841, the armada assembled to attack the fort of Dinghai on Chusan for a second time. Dinghai was much better fortified than Amoy and held more cannons. Dinghai's garrison was commanded by General Keo who had a large number of Gingalls. Gingalls are quite interesting and a bit comical to look at. Google one up and you will understand immediately, try to imagine a giant gun that takes a tripod and 2 men to fire. The gingall was one of the most used weapons by the Qing during this part of the century and it was not very effective against the British. The defenders of Dinghai put up an impressive resistance as noted by the British. The British sent the 55th foot to assault them and took the Dinghai fort, losing 2 men with 28 wounded. When General Keo knew the British had won the battle he slit his own throat. The British found 100 iron guns, 36 outdated brass cannons and 540 gingalls in the fort indicated the capability of the Qing military. Pottinger wrote back to Palmerston to make his resolve adamantly clear “under no circumstance will Dinghai and its dependencies be restored to the Qing government, until the whole of the demands of England are not only complied with, but carried into full effect”. Catastrophe hit again when the British ship Nerbudda transporting some British and Indian soldiers went aground off Taiwan. The British soldiers fled in lifeboats leaving the Indians behind who spent 5 days on ship until dehydration and starvation forced them to go ashore on rafts. The Qing forces in Taiwan seized them and imprisoned them. In march, an opium ship named the Ann also went aground on Taiwan and 14 of her survivors were imprisoned alongside the Indians from Nerbudda. The Qing officials were desperate for good news and sent reportes to the Emperor that a large naval battle had been won at Taiwan and 2 ships were sunk. Emperor Daoguang was delighted and rewarded the Taiwan officials with honors and silver.   Meanwhile the British armada left a garrison at Dinghai and sailed for Jintai which lies 10 miles east of the mainland. They began to bombard Jintai's forts on October 10 and it proved to be a difficult task as its forts were atop a large cliff. Around 4000 Qing troops garrisoned the city, quite a few were Mongol bannermen. Major General Gough sent a force of 15000 men to flank the fort on the cliff while Wellesley and Blenhem covered their march with bombardment. By the afternoon the British had 3 men dead and 16 wounded, but as they allegedly killed several hundred Chinese. Jintai was taken by the late afternoon and the Qing commander Yukien attempted to drown himself, but having failed to do so committed suicide by overdosing on opium. The British captured around 150 cannons and noticed amongst the majority which were antiquated, the usual sort they kept finding, a few were state of the art. The Qing were replicating the British style cannons it seemed. Many prisoners were taken, but Gough had to let them go; he simply did not have enough men to spare to guard them. Yet before letting the POW's go, the British attempted a rather heinous act. The British marines used their jackknives to cut off the Manchu queues of the Qing prisoners as take away gifts. Before too many of these marines were able to do so, to the credit of Gough he ran to the scene to stop the act.   After securing Jintai, the British sent Nemesis up the Yung River and soon discovered it was crossable and that they could navigate it to get to Ningbo. On October 13th, the British armada landed troops on Ningbo 10 miles southeast of Jintai. Ningbo's gates opened for them without a fight as the Royal Irish band played “saint patrick's day in the morning”. The British found the building that held the prisoners from the Kite and burned down the prison. Pottinger wrote to Palmerston that he “looked forward with considerable satisfaction to plundering Ningbo as a reprisal for the maltreatment there of British prisoners” and that is just what he did. The British looted 160,000 in funds and placed a 10% taxation on its citizens. Pottinger also confiscated provisions, Chinese ships, property and the main Pagoda's bell as a prize sent back to India. The Qing authorities left Ningbo and the British failed to set up any form of police and thus many looters ran rampant, Chinese and British alike. Gough and Parker were livid at the conditions, the inhabitants of Ningbo had opened the gates without a fight and should be left unmolested. They both argued Pottinger was allowing British honour to be stained at Ningbo.  Now while a lot of these victories seemed easy they were also pyrrhic in nature. Disease continuously reared its ugly head reducing the British troops. Every place they occupied had to be garrisoned and now they were down to 700 able men and had to winter in Ningbo. The humiliated and pissed off citizens of Ningbo began hurling rocks at the occupiers. Soon it became very apparent police were needed at Ningbo and thus a Qing official was set up as the chief of police named Yu Dechang. In reality the British were having Yu Dechang compile a list of the wealthiest residents of Ningbo so they could extort them for more money. Yu was also doing something else, he was spying for the Qing military who was currently massing troops outside Ningbo to retake the city! Emperor Daoguang had taken up action as soon as reports came that Ningbo had fallen. He sent his cousin Prince Yijing to recruit an army to “drive the English into the sea”. Prince Yijing was a 48 year old general and a honored veteran of wars against Muslim rebels in Xinjiang province from a decade earlier. Yijing brought with him quite an unlikely band of literary scholars whose expertise lay in confucian teachings and not the art of war. The scholars also happened to be rampant opium addicts and were deemed by the British later to be “weekend warriors”.  On march 10th of 1842, Yijing had a force of 5000, mostly ill trained intellectual types. When they came to the gate of Ningbo they were met with a head impaled on a pike and a sign reading “this is the head of the Manchu official Lu Tai-lai who came here to obtain military information”. Prince Yijing was enraged and ordered his men to scale the walls and charge the center of the city. However the British had spies of their own who had warned them of the incoming assault force. The British had deliberately left the city's western city gate quasi open in order to give the impression they did not mean to defend it. In truth the western gate had been mined heavily and when the Qing rushed to it, the mines exploded killing many. Over in the southern gate the Qing pushed back some British defenders all the way up to the city center. British soldiers reported that the Qing attacks appeared to be visibly impaired by opium, including their 2nd in command General Zhang Yingyun who was leading the rearguard once the city was breached. In the city center Major General Gough with 150 men and a field artillery piece met Zhang's force with massive gunfire. The artillery piece, a single howitzer tore the Qing troops to pieces at such a close range. Corpses began to pile apparently 15 feet high blocking the streets if you believe British sources. Not all of the Qing were these intellectual types by the way, there was a volunteer force of 150 aboriginal Chinese from Golden River. This group were not using matchlocks and instead pikes,swords and spears which were their favored weapons traditionally. The 150 unfortunate and very brave souls had rushed the British position and were completely annihilated. The British lost 5 men and reported to have inflicted up to 600 casualties upon the Qing. Bei Qingjiao a literary scholar with the Qing forces reported Zhang to behaving bizarrely during the battle in the city center. Bei reported that Zhang was commanding with an opium pipe in his mouth and collapsed in a narcotic daze. When his men began to rout, Zhang also abandoned the fight by crawling onto a litter and fleeing.  It was also reported the Qing forces had devised a rather comical military tactic during this battle. In order to destroy the British warships, some of the Qing wanted to throw monkeys holding firecrackers at the ships to set them ablaze. This was not the first time the idea was thought of during the first opium war by the way, though there is little evidence it ever occurred. There was also an idea put forward to sent Chinese merchants with smallpox contaminated meat to weakened the British prior to the attack, but General Yijing vetoed this plan deeming it to be too unethical. The battle had a devastating psychological effect on the Qing military. They had suffered nearly 600 casualties and taken nearly no British down with them. The Qing commanders were realizing the British technological superiority was too significant and a defeatist mindset began to set into the Qing military as a whole. For failing to retake Ningbo, Emperor Daoguang sentenced Prince Yijing to death. Prince Yijing would escape death and instead was exiled to Turkestan. When the Qing forces made their retreat from Ningbo and sent over 270 Chinese vessels to blockade Jintai, but it seems the commander of that force, Chen Tingchen did not want to risk an invasion and never landed troops. Instead they found a British shipwreck and salvaged pieces from it to sent to Beijing as proof they had won a great naval victory. Having failed to take Ningbo, the Qing began to poison its food supply which prompted the British to attack a village named Tzeki just up the river in retaliation where many Qing soldiers had fled to. Pottinger returned to Hong Kong in February of 1842 and found the city transformed since he last saw it. Now it really looked like a westernized city, there was a four mile road, 2 dozen brothels and builders busy constructing everywhere. The tea trade was continuing in Canton and so was the opium trade. It was estimated every 4th ship that stopped at Hong Kong was carrying opium at this point. Another 100 ships were sent to China carrying thousands of troops. Gough went from having a force of 3000 to 10,000. By may of 1842 the hostilities would fire up again. On may 18th, the British were sailing further north edging closer to Beijing to put pressure on the Emperor and came across Chapu, a town 75 miles northwest of Chusan island. Major General Gough divided his force of 2220 men into 3 groups with a right and left wing and artillery in the center. The British force landed on Chapu without resistance until they reached a joss house further inland. There were 300 Chinese barricaded inside the joss house who refused to surrender and fired upon the British inflicting casualties. The fight over the joss house went on for many hours as the British stormed parts of Chapu city bombarding its walls with artillery. Gough lost one of his senior officer Lt Colonel Nicholas Tomlinson who died leading a breaching party of the 18th Royal Irish storming the city. Aside from the Joss house fight and the initial breaches the battle went over quite well for the British as the Qing defenders had only seriously guarded one side of the city walls. In Goughs words after the battle “the enemy were completely taken by surprise as usual, they were unprepared for anything except a frontal attack. They gave way on all sides and took to flight, with the exception of a body of some 300 Tartar troops who seized a small joss-house and held it with indomitable pluck and perseverance”.  The Royal Irish were infuriated at the loss of their commander and wanted to kill POW's, but British officers intervened. Instead the POW's were subjugated to having their Manchu queues tied up together in groups of 8 to 10 men and marched in public after the city was officially captured. Despite this many POW's were bayoneted. When the British found the main Qing barracks they found a horrid scene. The Manchu had a military tradition of not being taken alive and a large force of Manchu had committed suicide after poisoning their wives and children. Black and bloated faces were seen alongside soldiers with slit throats. The British reported 13 dead and 52 wounded taking the city while the Qing they claimed lost thousands. Next the British sailed forth to attack Wusong which lay at the mouth of the Yangtze River. By taking Wusong they would be able to cut off the important second capital of Nanking from its riverway. They believed taking Nanking would bring the Qing to the bargaining table and would be easier than an attack on Beijing itself. They could also take Shanghai and cut its tax revenue to Beijing. On June 13th, the British armada made it to Wusong after being fired upon by forts along the Huangbu river, an estuary of the Yangtze which caused 3 deaths. They laid anchor off Wusong and began naval bombardments of its port on June 16th. After a few hours the Qing forts stopped returning fire and the British began landing troops to assault them. As was becoming typical, the Qing defenders had mostly fled during the cannon exchange but some stayed put to meet the invaders such as the Qing commander Chen Huacheng. Chen would go down fighting to the end as the British scaled the fort walls and occupied them. Hundreds of Qing soldiers were killed during the invasion and bombardments and by the late evening Wusong was occupied in full.  On June 19th, the British marched on Shanghai just a few miles south of Wusong. They found no sign of the enemy there, just 2 pieces of artillery left on the city's walls. The invaders scaled the walls and opened the gates as its residents fled the city. The residents of Shanghai bribed the British with 300,000 dollars to prevent looting, but the British officers simply let their men plunder. An eyewitness saw some of this pillaging go down. A wealthy and respected Qing official named Cao was living in a walled home with a courtyard in the suburbs of Shanghai when some British soldiers kicked down his front door. They began to loot the man's entire food supply and demanded of Cao to show them where he was hiding his silver. They put a knife to his throat and shouted “fan ping! Fan ping!” meaning “foreign cakes” an idiom for silver. Despite their belief the man was hiding silver about, they did not find any. Cao and his family lost all their food and to make matters worse after a few days some Chinese looters came by and stole some food Cao's family had found. Cao was forced to go door to door begging for food to feed his family, but the city had been picked clean. Cao himself wrote “foreigners have contented themselves with loot and rape, but as the city fell without resistance there has been no general slaughter. They are pressing the people into their service to do all their heavy work, such as shifting gun emplacements and gunpowder. They take anyone, buddhist monks, notables, and well known people”.  Despite Shanghai's commercial and strategic importance, the British only occupied it for a week before marching towards Nanking. By taking Nanking they hoped to end the entire war, but between them and Nanking was the walled city of Zhengjiang around 50 miles west of Nanking.  Zhengjiang held around 1583 bannerman and 2700 Green Standard Army troops and by mid july the British were blockading the route between the Yangtze river and the grand canal. On the morning of July 21 the British landed 4 brigades and attacked Zhengjiang from 3 different directions. The 1st brigade of 2310 soldiers and supported by an artillery brigade made a frontal assault attacking a Qing army in front of Zhengjiang's walls. The 2nd Brigade of 1832 men attacked Zhengjiangs western gate supported by a naval bombardment. The 3rd brigade consisting of 2155 soldiers attacked the northern gate.   At 7am the British 3rd brigade landed at Beigu mountain and its grenadiers charges the north gate as bannermen atop Zhengjaings walls fired down upon them using gingalls mounted on tripods. The 3rd brigade managed to set up artillery battered the defenders atop the walls who in the haste were trying to fire back with their own artillery. After an hour the artillery of the bannermen were knocked out and the British grenadiers bayonet charged the gate and scaled the walls bringing the fight to the wall tops.  The British 1st brigade landed and took some highlands near Jinshan and by 8am began to attack the Green standard army stationed outside the walls of Zhengjiang. When the 1st brigade began to battle the Green standard army, the British 2nd brigade stormed the western gate as the armada naval bombarded its walls. There were many houses in front of the western gate which the British occupied and fired from at the wall top defenders. The bannermen atop the walls desperately fired using gingalls upon the invaders but could not stop the British grenadiers from reaching the gate. British engineers blew up bombs using gunpowder at the west gate and it was soon breached. The Green Standard army occupied with the 1st british brigade saw the city had been breached and fires were emerging. They assumed the city was a lost cause and the commander of the Green standard army ordered a retreat. Within the city the street fighting was fierce and the British third and second brigades managed to fight towards another pincering the bannermen within the city. The Manchu commander of the bannermen, General Hailin ordered the Manchu to kill themselves rather than fall to the enemy. Again families were poisoned and soldiers strangled or slit their throats. General Hailin gathered up all his court papers into a pile, sat upon the pile and lit himself on fire. Pottinger wrote of this scene “he was worthy of a nobler and better fate”. The non Manchu residents of the city did not share this view however as before his death General Hailin ordered all the non manchu residents executed on charges of treason. I am hardly qualified to explain this, but just know the animosity between the Manchu and Han Chinese at this time was particularly bitter. A poet named Zhu Shiyun who lived on the outskirts of Zhengjiang city gave an account of this event. Of General Hailin he wrote “Hailin was in a very excited state. All over the town he arrested harmless people on the ground that they were in league with the enemy. He handed them over to the Prefect to imprison and flog. It was only at the four gates that he had a cannon pointing outwards. Inside the city his whole activity consisted in arresting passersby on suspicion of their being traitors. Whenever women or children saw Manchu soldiers, they fled in terror, upon which the soldiers ran after them and slew them, announcing to Hailin that they had disposed of traitors , for which he gave them rewards. The Barbarians different and the same were now on both sides of the gates”. The British had around 40 dead, a hundred wounded and allege they killed perhaps a thousand Chinese.   In contrast to the Manchu led horror, public opinion in the city improved of the invaders on July 24th when the British hung a rapist and looter from their own ranks. They hung placards to the men warning anyone would face the same fate for such crimes. It should be said, both these men happened to be Indian, a noticeable pattern in this war, the blaming of everything upon Indian soldiers. By August 16, a proclamation was made officially forbidding looting oh and on September the 5th opium was proclaimed fully legal and traded to the residents.  Major General Gough used his artillery to blast holes in Zhengjians walls before taking the army to march onwards, making sure the city could be easily retaken later if need be. With the capture of Zhengjiang, the British gained control over the traffic upon the Yangtze river. The British quickly blockaded the Grand Canal paralyzing the region. The governor of Nanking, Yilibu sent word to the emperor summing up the situation “The Yangtze River is a region like a throat, at which the whole situation of the country is determined. Now they have already cut off our salt and grain transportation and stopped the communication of merchants and travelers. That is not a disease like ringworm, but a trouble in our heart and stomach.”. In addition to all of that, the path to march upon Nanking was now wide open. After that it was Beijing that could be marched upon! Emperor Daoguang appointed Yilibu and a Manchu court official named Qiying to negotiate with the British. The emperor gave Qiying plenipotentiary power and ordered both men to do anything necessary to halt the British advance before it reached Beijing. Meanwhile the British were marching towards Nanking with naval forces sailing the river threatening to bombard the city. Yilibu quickly raised the white flag before a shot could be fired. Unlike previous Qing officials, both Yilibu and Qiying recognized the impending disaster should they embellish reports to the emperor. No they knew they had to tell him straight what was occuring to make sure they were not caught doing anything that would bite them in the ass later so to say. One of their first reports back to Emperor Daoguang to explain the situation in Nanking read “should we fail to ease the situation by soothing the barbarians, they will run over our country like beasts, doing anything they like”.  Yilibu approached the British displaying the typical arrogance the British had become accustomed to in China. Yilibu sent a low ranking soldier to meet Pottinger. Pottinger as you might remember was …well an asshole honesty, a complete sinophobe who knew not much about the rigid Qing protocol and its hierarchical nature, but he knew when he was being insulted. Pottinger declined the low ranking solider and demanded to meet with Yilibu himself, whom he assumed held plenipotentiary power. Pottinger accused the Qing of performing the same ruse they did with Elliot countless times, making promises without the emperors authority so they could just back out of them later. While Yilibu hesitated, Pottinger made a point by ordering attacks on local villages along the Yangtze river. Yilibu did not hold plenipotentiary power however and the Emperor quickly dispatched a seal to give it to him when Yilibu pleaded for it. As Yilibu stalled waiting for the seal, Pottinger brought up the steam warship Queen and trained her guns on the walls of Nanking and began setting up 18 howitzers on the beach to rain hell into the city. Yilibu panicked and sent his subordinate Zhang Xi to meet the British aboard the Queen. Zhang Xi took a very aggressive stance with Pottinger demanding he stop his threatening actions or else. Pottinger replied he would attack Beijing after Nanking fell, a blunt message. Zhang Xi retorted that the British military successes were only due to the kindness and forbearance of the Emperor saying “who cannot bear to kill or injure human creatures. But if pushed too far would arm every inhabitant of the great empire to fight off the invaders”. The interpreter Thom looked at Zhang Xi and objected to saying his message to Pottinger and Zhang Xi screamed while pounding the table with his fists an spitting on the floor “you kill people everywhere, plunder goods, and act like rascals; that is very disgraceful; how can you say you are not rebellious?”. Zhang Xi was escorted off the ship after his outburst which honestly could have made the British attack Nanking at any moment, kinda a loose cannon of an official. Luckily on August 9th, Yilibu received the seal of plenipotentiary power just as the British brought Cornwallis into firing range of the city walls and landed troops to camp outside them.  On August 11, Yilibu offered 3 million off the bat to postpone the British attack upon Nanking, he even said Qiying would bring it himself to Queen Victoria. Pottinger agreed to postpone and begin negotiations. Yilibu then began the classic Chinese ploy of procrastination instead of negotiation. He hoped to weary the enemy down. When Pottinger sent Yilibu a treaty, he pretended to examine it, but in truth was just biding time. Then the British told him they would commence attacks on August 13th. Yilibu was cornered now, he begrudgingly made an appearance aboard the Queen and promised to begin serious negotiations if the British called off the attack. Yilibu and other emissaries met for 4 days traveling back and forth from ship to shore until Yilibu agreed to terms. However despite his potentiary powers, Yilibu argued he still had to send a copy of the treaty to the Emperor for approval. Basically the terms were so terrible he knew he was facing death if he just signed off on them. The British understood Yilibu's predicament and allowed for this, then they invited him and his colleagues aboard Cornwallis on August 20th to wine and dine them. They served the Chinese tea and cherry brandy and Yilibu and Qiying put on a show of Qing manners by bowing before a painting of Queen Victoria. Macartney, Napier and Amherst probably smiling from their graves. While Yilibu awaited Beijing's approval, Pottingers spoke to him about the opium trade. At first Yilibu refused to discuss the subject all together, until Pottinger told the interpreter to tell him the meeting would be kept secret. Then Yilibu explained the decades of hardship opium had brought upon the Qing dynasty and suggested a common solution. Why could the British simply stop the production of the crop in its held parts of India? Pottinger replied that the Americans, French or some other nation would simply take up the business and added “If your people are virtuous, they will desist from the evil practice; and if your officers are incorruptible, and obey their orders, no opium can enter your country.”. Yilibu quickly realized the opium issue was a deal breaker and dropped the matter.  Yilibu was under terrible stress, while he was dealing with the British he was simultaneously receiving orders from Beijing to not meet with the British until they sailed away from Nanking. Yilibu ignored these imperial edicts and continued negotiations which was quite brave of him. When the British demanded Fuzhou be opened to British trade, Beijing ordered him not to allow it, but Yilibu ignored that order, also accepting the term.  The result of the negotiations was the Treaty of Nanking and it represented a total diplomatic defeat for the Qing dynasty. The original demand for 6 million in reparations for the 20,000 chests of confiscated opium and the cost for Britain's war reparations ballooned to a sum of 21 million. That was half of China's yearly tax revenues back then. Yilibu accepted the amount to be paid in installments. The British gained everything they wanted except for the legalization of the opium trade in China. Despite written instructions from Lord Palmerston to “strongly impress upon the Chinese plenipotentiaries how much it would be to the interest of that Government to legalize the trade,” Pottinger did not press upon the issue after receiving a message from Emperor Daoguang through Yilibu “gainseeking and corrupt men will for profit and sensuality defeat my wishes, but nothing will induce me to derive revenue from the vice and misery of my people.”. The Emperor Daoguang refused to agree to a formal recognition of the treaty and sent another letter to Yilibu to give Pottinger “Our nations have been united by friendly commercial intercourse for 200 years. How then, at this time, are our relations so suddenly changed, as to be the cause of a national quarrel from the spreading of the opium poison? Multitudes of our Chinese subjects consume it, wasting their property and destroying their lives. How is it possible for us to refrain from forbidding our people to use it?”. The Qing government did not want to admit publicly that a shocking amount of the Chinese population were suffering from opium addiction. On August 27th of 1842 Beijing approved what it thought to be the complete text of the treaty of nanking. The draft was signed on August 29th aboard the Cornwallis and Yilibu was so sick he had to be carried onto the British ship to sign it. The signatories, Yilibu, Qiying, Parker, Gough and Pottinger gathered in the cabin of Cornwallis as the seals were fixed. A lunch was served afterwards as the Qing banner and Union Jack flew on Cornwallis's masts. Qiying insisted on stuffing Pottinger's mouth with a candied plum at dessert time stating it was a Manchu custom and symbol of agreement. An English crewmember who witnessed this said “I shall never forget Sir Henry's face determined resignation”. The Qing left after lunch and despite Qiyings playfulness with the plums it masked their despair at the terms of the treaty. The British had agreed to give back Chusan and Amoy after the reparations were paid in full. They demanded access for trade and permanent residence at the ports of Canton, Amoy, Fuzhou, Ningbo and Shanghai. Each port had to have a British consular official and the limited trade through the Cohong system was to be abolished. The pretense that Britain was a tributary inferior nation to the Qing dynasty was to be abolished and now they were to be treated as equal nations. Hong Kong island was to be a permanent British colony and Nanking would be blockaded by Britain's armada until the first reparation payment of 6 million was paid. Yilibu was so terrified of the Emperor he sent an edited version of the Treaty of Nanking to Beijing omitting the points the Emperor and screamed not to allow. The British flotilla at Nanking remained for several weeks until the British crews began to all get sick. By october 12 of 1842 the 6 million was paid and the British fleet departed Nanking. Those shipwrecked prisoners from the Ann and Nerbudda would become unfortunate victims. The Daoguang emperor ordered their execution and on August 10th the captives were taken 3 miles outside the city walls and executed. As reported in the Chinese repository a publication in Canton All the rest—one hundred and ninety-seven [prisoners]—were placed at small distances from each other on their knees, their feet in irons and hands manacled behind their backs, thus waiting for the executioners, who went round, and with a kind of two-handed sword cut off their heads without being laid on a block. Afterwards their bodies were all thrown into one grave, and their heads stuck up in cages on the seashore. Pottinger threatened retaliation for the massacre but the governor of Canton Yiliang said he arrested the ring leaders and they would be punished at Beijing for their crimes. Back in Britain the Treaty of Nanking was hailed,  the Illustrated London News crowned  “it secures us a few round millions of dollars and no end of very refreshing tea. It gives an impetus to trade, cedes us one island in perpetuity, and in short puts that sort of climax to the war which satisfies our interests more than our vanity and rather gives over glory a preponderance to gain,”. The London Times hailed it and the British fleet “early victorian vikings”.  Much like the Treaty, the press made no mention of the reason why the war occurred, ie the illicit opium trade. Now Hong Kong island would fill its function as an offloading point for opium. Despite the Qing governments best efforts, demand in China rose for opium and it continued to flood into China. Many in the British parliament wanted to abolish the trade and many tried. In the end most paid lip service to it. An Order in Council gave Pottinger the power to “forbid the opium traffic in Hong Kong.” Pottinger paid lip service by issuing a lukewarm threat on August 1, 1843: “Opium being an article the traffic in which is well known to be declared illegal and contraband by the laws and Imperial Edicts of China, any person who may take such a step will do so at his own risk, and will, if a British subject, meet with no support or protection from HM Consuls or other officers.” The Opium merchants ignored Britain's sanctions and efforts to stop them were laughable. The Opium trade continued to thrive in China and the end of the First Opium war had done nothing to end the controversy over the illegal trade. Jardine and Mathson both left China and entered parliament as staunch Whig supporters. Their Chinese counterpart Howqua died of diarrhea a year after the signing of the treaty of nanking. Howqua most likely died the richest man on Earth at the time. Lin Zexu was eventually forgiven by the Emperor in 1845 and assigned a new post but died near Canton in 1850 before he could return to service. Emperor Daoguangs wrath over the treaty of Nanking fell unevenly. Qiying was still in his favor, while Yilibu was sent into exile in chains. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.  And so the Qing dynasty sued for peace, but at what cost? The underlying problem had not changed, that of Opium. Could China rid itself of the illicit substance or what conflict rear its ugly head yet again?

Today I spoke to anthropologist William Mathews about his new book, Cosmic Coherence: A Cognitive Anthropology Through Chinese Divination (Berghahn Books, 2021). This book explores how humans are unique in their ability to create systematic accounts of the world – theories based on guiding cosmological principles. Mathews explains the role that cognition plays in creating cosmologies, and explores this through the ethnography and history of Yijing divination in China. Diviners explain the cosmos in terms of a single substance, qi, unfolding across scales of increasing complexity to create natural phenomena and human experience. Combined with an understanding of human cognition, it shows how this conception of scale offers a new way for anthropologists and other social scientists to think about cosmology, comparison and cultural difference. Dr. Suvi Rautio is an anthropologist of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today I spoke to anthropologist William Matthews about his new book, Cosmic Coherence: A Cognitive Anthropology Through Chinese Divination (Berghahn Books, 2021). This book explores how humans are unique in their ability to create systematic accounts of the world – theories based on guiding cosmological principles. Mathews explains the role that cognition plays in creating cosmologies, and explores this through the ethnography and history of Yijing divination in China. Diviners explain the cosmos in terms of a single substance, qi, unfolding across scales of increasing complexity to create natural phenomena and human experience. Combined with an understanding of human cognition, it shows how this conception of scale offers a new way for anthropologists and other social scientists to think about cosmology, comparison and cultural difference. Dr. Suvi Rautio is an anthropologist of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Today I spoke to anthropologist William Mathews about his new book, Cosmic Coherence: A Cognitive Anthropology Through Chinese Divination (Berghahn Books, 2021). This book explores how humans are unique in their ability to create systematic accounts of the world – theories based on guiding cosmological principles. Mathews explains the role that cognition plays in creating cosmologies, and explores this through the ethnography and history of Yijing divination in China. Diviners explain the cosmos in terms of a single substance, qi, unfolding across scales of increasing complexity to create natural phenomena and human experience. Combined with an understanding of human cognition, it shows how this conception of scale offers a new way for anthropologists and other social scientists to think about cosmology, comparison and cultural difference. Dr. Suvi Rautio is an anthropologist of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Today I spoke to anthropologist William Mathews about his new book, Cosmic Coherence: A Cognitive Anthropology Through Chinese Divination (Berghahn Books, 2021). This book explores how humans are unique in their ability to create systematic accounts of the world – theories based on guiding cosmological principles. Mathews explains the role that cognition plays in creating cosmologies, and explores this through the ethnography and history of Yijing divination in China. Diviners explain the cosmos in terms of a single substance, qi, unfolding across scales of increasing complexity to create natural phenomena and human experience. Combined with an understanding of human cognition, it shows how this conception of scale offers a new way for anthropologists and other social scientists to think about cosmology, comparison and cultural difference. Dr. Suvi Rautio is an anthropologist of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

This week on China Corner Office, Chris Marquis talks to Yijing Wang, founder of 2060 Advisory, an impact investing advisory firm based in Hangzhou. Yijing discusses the impact landscape in China and how it has accelerated since China's announced its 2060 carbon neutrality goal. She provides context on this goal and how it has shaped the mission of her company and its projects. Also discussed are differences between western and Chinese impact investment infrastructure, with Yijing offering advice to western audiences interested in impact funds in China. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wang Yijing is the Founding Partner and CEO of 2060 Advisory, an impact investing consulting firm. In this episode we learn how 2060 Advisory helps Chinese entrepreneurs navigate social and environmental issues and the road to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Subscribe to the China Cleantech podcast newsletter here. Relevant links: 2060 Advisory: https://www.2060advisory.com/ Wang Yijing's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yijingwang/

One continent, thousands of cultures, over 4.5 bn people. Asia is large, heterogeneous and constantly shifting. No country is the same. In this podcast, Yijing and Laura will dive deep into what makes this myriad of countries, cultures and subcultures tick by speaking with industry experts and leaders. We will uncover hidden trends and surprising facts, with the goal of gaining a bottom up understanding rather than making top down assumptions. With a combined decade of experience in thinking about consumers, brands and culture, Yijing and Laura are united by a passion for understanding why people do what they do and think what they think. So welcome to this journey of staying In Tune with Asia!

The classical Greeks give us a concept of substance that guarantees a permanent and unchanging subject as the substratum for the human experience. Roger Ames argues that in the Yijing or "Book of Changes" we find a stark alternative to this ontology which reflects a holistic, organic, and ecological worldview. This cosmology begins from “living” itself as the motive force behind change, and gives us a world of boundless “becomings:” not “things” that are, but “events” that are happening, a contrast between an ontological conception of human “beings” and a process conception of what Ames calls human “becomings.” Roger Ames is the Humanities Chair Professor at Peking University in Beijing and also Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. He's the author and co-author of many books including his study of ancient Chinese political thought, "The Art of Rulership" and "Confucian Role Ethics: A Vocabulary". See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Asia Suler is a writer, teacher, medicine maker, and earth intuitive bringing forth, healing into the world and helping people connect to their intuition and the earth's guidance. She is also the creatress behind One Willow Apothecaries; An online heart-centered space for learning, healing, connection, and a virtual apothecary where you can order Asia's celestial flower essences and Elixirs. Both a seeker and sage, Asia keeps herself connected to the wisdom of the earth, living and working from the lush green Blue Ridge mountains of Western North Carolina, also the ancestral lands of the Cherokee. Her courses in herbalism, vaginal healing, medicine making, and business are available online, both through One Willow Apothecaries and as a core online teacher at the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. Asia's gifts of healing come wrapped in compassion and goodness with an overarching understanding that we are all our own healers; We sometimes need just a little guidance tapping into our inner navigational system, and this is where she works. In this powerful conversation, Tahnee and Asia talk about the alchemy of healing through heartache/pain, learning to trust intuition, the healing power of Daoist stone medicine and the mineral world, healing through holistic herbalism, Asia's Pussy Portal online journey, and so much more spiritual, esoteric goodness.   "I think this is a natural part of being a human being that we are in this relationship, really, with the parent of the earth, this parent that actually never forsakes us and has always been there for us and is helping us to really step into that power because that power is what will change the tide of our culture and our world". - Asia Suler     Tahnee and Asia discuss:   Daoist stone medicine. Daoist poetry and animism. Communing with nature. Dealing with chronic pain. Asia's Pussy Portal course. Vulvodynia and chronic pain. How Asia works with stone energy. Remembering The Truth Of Feminine Energy. Opening your intuitive connection with plants. Our relationship with stones and the mineral world.     Who is Asia Suler? Asia Suler is a writer, teacher, and ecological philosopher who lives in the folds of the Blue Ridge mountains. She is the creator and concoctress of One Willow Apothecaries— an Appalachian-grown company that offers handcrafted herbal medicines and online education. Asia's work— which is a unique combination of herbalism, animism, Daoist stone medicine, ancestral healing, and earth-centered mysticism— is rooted in the belief that self-compassion is a force of ecological healing. Her forthcoming book of nature writing will be available through North Atlantic Books in 2022. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST    Resources: The Pussy Portal Asia's Instagrtam Asia Suler YouTube One Willow Apothecaries What Is Your Earth Healing Archetype?   Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We'd also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or  check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus  we're on Spotify!   Check Out The Transcript Here:   Tahnee: (00:00) Hi, everybody. I'm Tawny from SuperFeast and I'm really, really honoured to interview Asia Suler today. She is located in North Carolina. That's right? On some beautiful Cherokee land. And she's a stunning writer, a beautiful herbalist. She teaches about earth medicine and mineral medicine, and she crafts these beautiful medicines, which I'm really excited to talk to her about. And she's the founder of One Willow Apothecaries. Some of you might follow her online. I know a lot of our team are really into Asia's work. So it's such a privilege to have you here today, Asia. Thank you for joining me.   Asia Suler: (00:36) Thank you so much for having me.   Tahnee: (00:38) Yeah. So exciting. And did I get that right? Are you in North Carolina?   Asia Suler: (00:43) Yes. You got that exactly right, yep. I'm in the mountains of Western North Carolina.   Tahnee: (00:48) One of the most stunning parts of the States from my understanding, yeah?   Asia Suler: (00:53) Yeah. Well, I think so. It's very, very beautiful old mountains here, some of the oldest mountains in the world.   Tahnee: (01:02) And could you give us a sense of the landscape? Is it big forests or kind of more planes? What are we thinking when we think of Carolina?   Asia Suler: (01:10) Yeah. So Western North Carolina, where I live, is the Appalachian mountains. So it's a Southern Appalachian. So you can think about basically this is a temperate rainforest here. So it's just lush green, lots of life, lots of trees, coves mountain tops, but it's very undulating landscape. It's like being in a grandmother's lap being here. So, yeah. That's kind of how the land feels here. And for a bit of a pop culture reference, if anybody watches Outlander, they end up here at some point, so that ...   Tahnee: (01:47) My best friend is obsessed with that show. She's going to be like, "Yes."   Asia Suler: (01:51) Yeah. I don't think they actually filmed it here, but they do end up here. And so just the soft mountainous, old growth kind of feel is a good description, I think.   Tahnee: (02:04) Are you born and raised in that part of the world or did you have a journey there?   Asia Suler: (02:10) Yeah, no. I moved here about 10 years ago. I grew up in Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia. So I grew up in the suburbs between Philadelphia and New York city. And my family is all, both sides, from New York City and that city area. So, yeah. It was a pretty big change to move down here, but I felt very guided and at the time I was living in New York City and I just woke up one day and in my head, I thought I'm going to study herbalism. Now, at the time I think I thought I knew what that meant, but I actually had no idea. The bliss of the ignorant.   Tahnee: (02:57) The rest of your life.   Asia Suler: (02:57) Yeah. But I just knew it was the right path for me. I was passionate about plants and earth connection already. And so, yeah. I applied to a school here, which ended up being the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine and just fell in love with the school and the place and just never really looked back. This became home.   Tahnee: (03:17) And full circle, you teach for that school now don't you?   Asia Suler: (03:22) I do. Yeah.   Tahnee: (03:23) Yeah. It's so beautiful. Must be nice to maintain that connection to the community.   Asia Suler: (03:28) Yeah, definitely. It's a great school and they have amazing programmes. Yeah. I just feel so lucky that they're here and that I got to get my education with them because they're stellar.   Tahnee: (03:41) And so tell me, you were in New York. What were you doing there? Obviously you weren't into herbalism at that point. So did you have another career or another path before?   Asia Suler: (03:51) Yeah. So I had a couple jobs while I was living there. It was after I graduated from college. So I was kind of just figuring things out. My first job out of college there was as a plant technician, which means I took care of people's office plants. So all day long, I ranged around Manhattan with a watering can and a duffel bag full of plant supplies and would take care of hundreds of plants a day, like Rockefeller Centre and down in the Financial District. So, yeah. I went all over the place taking care of plants and I just was looking for any job I could find that would be interacting with plants or nature in the city. And that's what I found. And so I did that for a while until just basically the grind of commuting into Manhattan and having probably upwards of 300 30 second conversations a day with every ... I love talking to the plants, but the socialising with the people part got hard, especially for an introvert like me. So I ended up leaving that job and becoming a dog Walker.   Tahnee: (05:04) How cute.   Asia Suler: (05:04) It was actually one of my favourite jobs I've ever had. I loved it so much. I did freelance writing on the side but my main job was as a dog Walker and it was just such a beautiful time to daydream and just walk around my neighbourhood, where I lived in Brooklyn, so it was a lot quieter there. And, yeah. That was really a time where I seeded a lot of the dreams that I ended up following. So I like to share that because I think a lot of times everyone has big dreams for their life and I truly believe that those dreams are possible. And sometimes those jobs that we would never expect are the things that actually ended up really giving our spirit something that they need, whether it's time or space or financial support that we then can really use as a springboard into taking that next step in our life.   Tahnee: (05:57) I mean, that dreaming for you was that this life that you've built now, or were there stepping stones along the way for you? How did that manifest in your visioning?   Asia Suler: (06:07) Yeah. Every time I would dream into it I saw myself spinning in a meadow on a mountain top, that was my vision-   Tahnee: (06:16) Like Julie Christie.   Asia Suler: (06:16) ... of my life. Yeah. I didn't totally know what that meant, but at the time I had gotten my Reiki masters and so I was wanting to work with clients and I thought, "Well, I'm going to go to school for Western herbalism." So I will learn the things that I probably would have a hard time teaching myself, things like physiology and disease process and chemical constituents of plants. And then I'll open a practise and I'll start combining these things, Reiki and energy healing with herbalism in an informed way and work with people. I had really no idea that I would graduate from school and there would be a very strong directive from my intuition to start a products business.   Asia Suler: (07:05) And I was very resistant to it at first. I was like, "I don't want to have a products business." I had worked for a lot of brick and mortars growing up. So I saw just the challenge of selling physical items-   Tahnee: (07:20) Yeah. Retail business.   Asia Suler: (07:20) ... and replenishing stock. Yeah. It's hard. And so I was really reluctant to do it, but the message just would not go away. So, yeah. Finally I did it. I launched One Willow Apothecaries and that, again, it was like that next step that helped reveal what had been waiting for me. So I don't think I could have conceived of the life that I'm living now. I didn't really have a template for it then, but I think that I started that business, that products business, and then people started asking me to teach. And I thought, "Okay, well, why not?" I'll give this a try and found that actually I loved it and that it flowed really naturally from me. And it was a passion I didn't even know that I had. And so while my intention was this open a healing practise, I did do that, but eventually where it took me was really more into this realm of being a teacher and a speaker and a guide.   Asia Suler: (08:17) And I just would never have been able to conceive of that before. At one point I thought, "Oh, maybe I'll become a professor." Maybe one day I'll go back to school and get my PhD or whatever and I'll become a professor. I just didn't have a template for what that would look like to teach and not be teaching in, for example, the school system in elementary school or middle school or even college or university, but what would it be like to teach outside of that? I just didn't know. And so I really now have come to learn to trust those intuitive hits that, say, "Go there, do this thing, try this." Because even if it seems like it's not fully in alignment with where you think you were wanting to go or what you thought your next step was, it opens you up, taking that last little walk on a vista to see this new part of the path open up for you. So I'm excited to keep walking and see what is around the bend.   Tahnee: (09:24) [crosstalk 00:09:24].   Asia Suler: (09:24) Yeah. Because I think our journeys are always unfolding.   Tahnee: (09:28) And even on that point of, I guess, you seem to have such a master of the internet as a platform for sharing and teaching. And I think that wasn't even a reality 15 years ago. None of us could imagine being an internet [inaudible 00:09:44], to be here talking to you via Zoom. I couldn't have conceived of that, that long ago. So I think it's this sense of trusting that it's so much bigger than even what our tiny little consciousness can conceive in the moment. But I also noticed one of your favourite books is Buhner's Secret Teaching of Plants. And we've had him on the podcast before. My husband and I are very big fans of his and I guess I'm feeling into that connection to the sort of awakening he speaks about around the heart space and learning to interact with everything is kind of sentient. And then how that cultivates a sense of trust and, I guess, purposing and guidance coming from this awareness of how interconnected everything is. Is that something would you say that's helped influence this trust and faith you have an intuition or is it just through living or is there anything in particular you can point to?   Asia Suler: (10:39) Yeah, absolutely. When I was in college, I developed a chronic pain condition called vulvodynia, which is basically chronic valvular pain. There's not really a medical explanation for it in the Western model. So I was diagnosed with this chronic pain condition and really I didn't have much of a recourse of what to do. And at some point I was told the only thing I could do was to get surgery to remove nerve endings from my vulva. And it was just one of those moments where you have a breakthrough voice come through and that voice said there's another way and you can find it. And so really what I started doing and how I took solace during that time was I started going outside, talking to the trees and communing with nature and sitting with the plants. And I was really lucky where I went to college, that there was a farm nearby with Woodlands and places to wander.   Asia Suler: (11:42) And that was where I felt seen. It was where I felt heard, it was where I experienced comfort. I think anytime people experience chronic pain, it's often invisible. A lot of times people don't see it. And especially chronic pain in that area of your body, it's sort of like a double whammy because you're really not supposed to talk about it. You're not supposed to talk about your vagina. You're not supposed to talk about anything having to do with your vulva. So, yeah. So to me, my primary caregiver and guide became the natural world mostly out of anguish and strife. But the amazing thing is I started bringing the heartache and the pain that I was experiencing to the earth. And I started hearing the plants speak back to me. And this was before I had started on my herbalism journey or if he had even gardened or anything like that before, but I could hear them and I could feel them.   Asia Suler: (12:44) It was like this dimension of the world that I always knew was there, but that I had closed down my perception of at a young age, just because of the culture that many of us grew up in where that was considered unintellectual, silly at times, and just in some ways antithetical to the culture that I was brought up in, which was very much this Northeastern, a bit sarcastic, highly intellectual way of viewing the world. And so, yeah. I started having these amazing experiences and then nature started guiding me. I started receiving dreams and messages about next steps to take. And so it was a very windy path that included things like realising I had undiagnosed food allergies and going to physical therapy and working with trauma and really releasing trauma that I had in my body from previous in my life. I realised that it was this multifaceted thing, ancestral healing, and it was through these different avenues that I did eventually heal something that I was told was unhealable. It took about five years.   Asia Suler: (14:02) And on the other side, it was like this trial by fire to really learn how to trust those intuitions that come in and how to trust the earth and that the earth has me and holds me and wants to help me. And so I think for a lot of people, there is something that happens, some sort of initiation. Sometimes it has to do with health, physical health, mental health, where it feels like everything is falling apart and what's really happening is you're being taken apart so you can be put back together again into a wholeness that you always knew was there, but perhaps hadn't fully accessed before. And I think for a lot of us who experience that, we end up here on a podcast like this and on journeys of healing like this. And we end up on that other side learning to trust more of what we received because we have found that there is guidance in the unseen and there is guidance within us. And oftentimes that guidance is more accurate than perhaps some of the well-meaning but misguided guidance that we've gotten from other systems that we're a part of.   Tahnee: (15:11) I mean, I want to bookmark about five things there because I want to go into more detail about your relationship with the living world, but I'm also really interested in when you work with others. And I mean, I've seen it in your teaching that there is this real, I guess, sense of deep connection to nature. And is that, for you, the key? If you were guiding someone or supporting someone on their healing journey, how much of it is your reading of them and how much of it is you encouraging them to go and find their own path to healing? I hope this is making sense, but trying to tease this out because I do healing and energy work sometimes, not so much in the last few years due to business demands, but it's something I often find is there's this, co-creation in that space with myself and the person, but really they're leading the unveiling, I suppose, of what they need and I'm just this vessel for, I guess, what they can't see for themselves. I hope this makes sense. So how would you encourage a client or a customer or someone you're dealing with to go and get into this space themselves, especially if you're not dealing with them face to face?   Asia Suler: (16:24) Yeah. I think my role, how I see my role, is that of the guide. That I come in for a period of time, whether it's through my teaching or my practise, which is also currently on pause for me, but I come in and I see them where they're at, but I also see what their spirit is asking them to step into. I think that's my favourite part about working with people is you can really see their divinity. You really feel just their deep beauty and talent and wisdom. And so my job is really just to reflect that back to them. And it's a great job. It's really wonderfully fulfilling to do that and to just like fall in love, basically, with every person that you work with, because you're just seeing like, "Oh my gosh, this person's amazingly special." And so I get to reflect that back to them and really that's oftentimes all people really need, is to keep having it reflected back to them and shown to them.   Asia Suler: (17:27) And that is the guidance that they need to tap into that inner navigational system, because everybody is their own healer. Everybody knows on a deeper level what they need. And so I'm really passionate about helping people connect to their intuition and to speak to the earth, to speak to their guides here on this planet and beyond, because I think what they receive for themselves is going to be dead on and what I receive might help them understand that message, but ultimately it's like we are all receivers and we are all channels for this wisdom that wants to flow through us for our wider selves. That's the term that I like to use. So, yeah. I very much see myself as this benevolent earth mirror and guide in my work. And it's a wonderful place to be.   Tahnee: (18:26) I really love that. Yeah. I teach yoga sometimes and having a child now it's like having all these little babies, especially at the end when everyone is vulnerable. I teach yin yoga too. So it's like slug yoga. Nobody moves for hours. But I watch them all the veils ... They're all the faces are clear and they come out and it's like this huge overwhelming sense of love. And I've seen a lot of transformation through people just being loved in that way. And it does remind me a lot of parenting. You have to just, no matter what, hold this open heart for your child and your partner and your family and your business. Yeah. I think it's a really nice place to give from, I suppose.   Tahnee: (19:09) I mean, I want to go back to what you were saying about this relationship with the natural world, because one thing that I guess I haven't had a lot of people speak about this. There's a guy called Elliot Cohen. I don't know if you know his work. I really love ... His book was one of those ones that I cried through. I was just like, "Yes." And he talks a bit about stone medicine and the relationship with the mineral kingdom. And I know that's something you're teaching and working with. And my first experience with ... I've always had a real connection to rocks and stones, but I actually on plant medicine one time had a proper three hour conversation with this grandfather rock. And I just remember it's one of the most visceral memories of my life that I can draw from and the wisdom and the like, "I've seen all this before," kind of vibe. The same is very comforting from that kingdom, I think, in terms of this like, "Don't take any of this too seriously. It's all just part of the unfolding." Is that how you've ended up? What sort of lessons or teachings have you drawn from that kingdom? How do you encompass that relationship?   Asia Suler: (20:27) I love that you said grandfather rock because all stones feel like grandmothers and grandfathers to me. We have a lot of really big, beautiful boulders where I live, including some big quartz boulders and just the wisdom and the peace that emanates from them, I mean, it's almost addictive. You're like, "I just love stones. I just want to be with them." They are some of the oldest beings on earth. They are really our great grandparents in a way in that stones and the minerals they're made up of are what feeds the green world, the world of the plant kingdom. And then we eat the plants. And so really indirectly, but our lives are dependent on stones and on the mineral world. And our relationship with stones as humans is very ancient.   Asia Suler: (21:23) The time that we've been out of the quote-unquote stone age is very short. For most of our experience as human beings, we have really been reliant upon stones. As tools, yes, in a very physical craftsmanship kind of way, but I think also as spiritual conduit. So there's a reason why in the neolithic era, as it's described, we built these amazing temples of stones, stone circles, and dolmans and standing stones, because we had carried with us through, at that point, over 100,000 years of working with stones, this knowledge that stones are these gatekeepers to deep earth wisdom, to other dimensions of experience and being. I mean, thinking about what stones have lived through, just the literal metamorphic journey of some stones, I mean, they have seen so many aeons and years of this earth flourish and die back, flourish and die back. So I think just being with stones, it gives you this long view and it reminds you of the eternal part of yourself.   Asia Suler: (22:36) And so part of my training is in Daoist stone medicine, which was brought to this country by Jeffrey Yuen, who's an 88th generation Daoist priest.   Tahnee: (22:46) I love him.   Asia Suler: (22:47) Yeah. He's amazing. And one of his teachings around the stones is that stones help us go to basically the deepest level of our being and the Daoist understanding, which is this Yuan level of our being. So this is the level of our being that is where our unconscious lives, it's where archetypes live. It's where our quote-unquote junk DNA lives, the realm of dreams. So literally stones have this ability from this Daoist perspective to take us into the absolute deepest layer of our being, to commune with this deep layer of ourselves, basically the part of ourselves that is still in touch with our soul and our soul's plan. And I have found that to be true with stones that they're interesting to work with as medicine in that I think sometimes their signature is very similar to how they are. It can be slow and it can be incremental, but once a change is made, it's set in stone. It is as permanent as stone itself. And so I've seen really amazing changes happen for myself and people I work with through working with the energy and the medicine that stones can bring.   Tahnee: (24:04) And how are you doing that in a practical sense? Is it through physically holding them or through infusing fluid with their energy or what's the kind of process with that?   Asia Suler: (24:17) I think the easiest way is to interact with them on the body. So holding them in meditation, having jewellery where the stone is actually touching your skin or doing meditations, or even acupressure work with having stones on particular parts of the body. It's the most accessible way to work with stones and I find it to be quite effective. I was trained in using elixirs. If you're new to using stone elixirs, then it's a really good idea to be super safe because a lot of stones have components to them that are just not safe for us to ingest. So a good place to start if you're interested in this is with any of the quartz crystals. So if it's an untreated quartz crystal like clear quartz, rose quartz, untreated citrine and smoky quartz, those are all really safe stones to start with.   Asia Suler: (25:12) Another way to do it is to make an elixir where you basically put the stone inside a glass cup and you put that glass cup inside of a water bowl, so that the stones basically energy and electromagnetic energy can affect the water, which we know it does, without the stone actually touching it. So that's another safe way to make an elixir. I think elixirs are nice because it gives us that grounding ritual of interacting with the stone. And of course, in Daoist medicine elixirs and internal preparations are a really big part of how they like to interact with stones. It also got them into trouble in the past, just getting mercury poisoning or whatever. So they had to learn the hard way about using stones in certain ways. So, yeah. For I would say anyone who's listening, working with stones on your body or making the safe elixirs that I mentioned are a really good place to start.   Tahnee: (26:15) Yeah. I think I really like that idea of separating it out, but the frequency is still affecting it. That's how I was taught. So my teacher taught us a little bit about this, but you don't put it directly into your water. You have it around or nearby and let it spend time together. And I hope this is okay to ask, but I noticed when you said the energy, you were sort of like, "Oh." Is that something you find hard to talk about, the energy of something like a stone or is it just something that makes you kind of giggle? I guess I ask because for me, I find sometimes I have this quite academic brain and then I've also had these quite insane experiences that are completely beyond the realm of current science, I suppose. There's some fringe stuff that is articulating what I experienced, but it's not really mainstream. And, yeah. Sometimes I find myself just going, "How do I even explain this to people? How to even make this known?" Could you relate to that or was I completely misreading that?   Asia Suler: (27:25) Yeah. I definitely also have an academic brain and have had wild unexplainable experiences and I'm a lover of language, so I'm always wanting to find the description that captures an experience the best. And I think maybe the pause with energy was twofold. One, I sometimes think that that word is used so much that people start skimming over what that really means and start tuning it out when they hear someone talk about energy, like, "What does that even mean? What are you trying to describe with energy?" And then the other side of that is that I do see myself as a bridge builder, helping people who might come from that more like academic, rational background to feel safe enough to start bridging this world. I know for a long time I was really resistant to starting to do this type of work because I saw it as very ungrounded, so in some ways, unthought through and unintellectual, et cetera, as I mentioned before.   Asia Suler: (28:41) And so I'm always trying to be as specific as I can with my language to describe things, because I want people to have that bridge to walk over and to know that this is something I've thought about, that I really thought about how to articulate this and have researched what is the terminology that we can use to describe what we understand with our limited tools. And then beyond that, what is the poetry we can use to describe this rather than defaulting sometimes to these words that tend to lose their meaning over time. I still think energy's a really beautiful word. And frankly, for a lot of things, it's still the most accurate.   Tahnee: (29:23) Totally.   Asia Suler: (29:24) But I am always searching for just the right lexicon for things.   Tahnee: (29:30) Well, because one of the things about you is you're a stunning writer. You have this incredible gift with language and it was actually one of the first things I noticed about you is your way with prose. And there is a poetry to it and you do manage to capture. I guess that's something I admire, especially about your Instagram, is how you turn that platform into this conduit for wisdom and beauty, which isn't always. So I'd like to compliment you on that. And I wonder about your journey with writing. You said you were a freelance writer, so did you study something to do with that in college or was it just something you've always been passionate about? Or how did your journey with writing happen?   Asia Suler: (30:11) Yeah. Writing was really the heart of my journey for a long time. So I grew up writing poetry and in high school really dedicated myself to that. Started a poetry slam club and entered poetry contests. And it was really the centre of my life. And then when I went to college, I was an English major and specialised in poetry. And I always wanted to be a writer, but I had no idea how that would be possible. And again, I think as we mentioned before, and as you brought up, we didn't even know what would happen with the internet in the next 15 years of our life. So at that time, it was, and it still is very hard to get a publishing deal, et cetera, but it was just hard to get your writing out there to get people to read.   Asia Suler: (31:08) There were no alternative routes, it felt like. It seemed like the blog world was actually still quite small and this other world of going traditional publishing was really hard if you didn't have a name and you didn't have an expertise in a certain field or had a position at a university. And so I just didn't know how that would be possible. So when I moved to New York, I started doing freelance writing for different journals having to do with natural living and green beauty. And, yeah. So I kept my writing chops up in that way. And then I decided to start a blog. I was like, "I'm going to do this blog thing." And then I really realised through starting One Willow Apothecaries that so much of what spoke to people in my work was my writing, that the writing that accompanied different products and different offerings wasn't secondary to the healing that people were experiencing, it was a part of it. And so it's been really cool to just watch the world evolve and see how there's so many more avenues now for writers to express themselves and to have their writing reach who it's meant to reach. So, yeah. I am very excited actually to announce that my first book will be coming out next year.   Tahnee: (32:33) Yay. I was going to ask, because I saw you say in another interview, "I want to write a book." So I was like, "It has to be happening."   Asia Suler: (32:37) Yeah.   Tahnee: (32:37) Do you have a publish date?   Asia Suler: (32:38) I do. It'll be next June, June 2022. So it'll be a little ways away. The publishing world for you, it's amazing how just much time and energy goes into it. But, yeah. It's something I started working on, at this point, eight or nine years ago, started collecting pieces for not totally sure how they were going to fit together. And the book really took me on a journey to understand it and therefore understand myself and what it was I was bringing through in my writing, which the book centres on and what I think a lot of my writing has centred on in the past 10 years of my life, this concept of learning self-compassion through interacting with a sentient world and that the living world really wants us to see and recognise our goodness because it is through seeing ourselves and seeing our goodness and accepting our worthiness and our beauty that we access our gifts, the gifts that we're meant to bring to this planet.   Asia Suler: (33:42) So I really have experienced myself interacting with the living world through these affirmations of love and support and these reflections that I'm natural and what I'm going through is normal and natural as an earthling on this planet, that I've received so much from that. And I think this is a natural part of being a human being that we are in this relationship, really, with the parent of the earth, this parent that actually never forsakes us and has always been there for us and is helping us to really step into that power because that power is what will change the tide of our culture and our world. So anyways, that is what the book is about and that is what I've realised I've been writing towards in these past 10 years and been just so passionate about.   Asia Suler: (34:39) And I just feel so grateful that this childhood dream that I had of being a writer has now become a reality through just all the different avenues and tools that we have in this day and age.   Tahnee: (34:52) I love that sense that I just heard from that, that the earth is providing that mirror of your divinity that you were talking about providing. So there's this beautiful kind of ... Yeah. I guess your journey is now something you're able to offer others. I worked in publishing, so I know the suffering of authors and I also know the industry and I think it's such a, again, one of those things you can't see, but to do what you're doing and to then publish into the world that you've created for yourself, it's the best case scenario because, like you said, it's this culmination of your journey and then there's this tangible thing at the end that you're able to share and then you'll build on that. Yeah. It's really exciting. Can't wait to get a copy.   Tahnee: (35:41) So I wanted to talk a little bit about your writing still. There's an amazing post you did called Nice Girl, Kind Woman. I hope I got that right. Obviously you remember that piece I hope. And I, like probably many women, reading that was like, "Ooh, that's some powerful writing right there." And I guess I'm wondering if that theme is what your healing around your vulva and all of this kind of stuff? Is that the essence or the distillation of what that journey was for you, or is that a bit too simplistic? And could you tell us a little bit about what you were pointing to in that piece? Because I think it's a really important topic.   Asia Suler: (36:26) Yeah, sure. So the piece is called Nice Girls Versus Kind Women, and the piece is exploring the difference between the two and the reality that we're socialised in Western culture to be nice girls. So nice being something that someone decides for you. So you don't decide whether or not you're nice, that's dependent on how someone perceives you. Nice being someone who's agreeable and easy and accommodating. So that is in comparison and contrast to kind women. So a kind woman is kind because she's deciding to be kind. There's a sovereignty to it. You're deciding to be compassionate and loving. And sometimes that doesn't look so cosy. So goddesses can be kind. Goddesses aren't nice.   Tahnee: (37:24) They are not.   Asia Suler: (37:25) And I think this is important that we remember that the truth of what you might call feminine energy is, that it's not about being smoothed over and acquiescent and agreeable to all those you meet and flattering to all those you meet and putting people at ease, but it is in part about being kind. So it's a kindness, sometimes, to call people out on their BS. It's a kindness to stand up for yourself and for other people. And I think as an empath and a highly sensitive person, I've always been very aware of how other people felt. And because I was socialised as a woman, a lot of times that defaulted to me being a nice girl, really putting aside my own needs, my own thoughts and feelings, and literally experiences in order to make someone else comfortable. I think a lot of us have been trained to do that.   Asia Suler: (38:38) So the flip side of that would be, you can still be sensitive and empathic and deeply compassionate and caring and just be kind, starting with being kind to yourself. What would be the kindest thing to do right now at this moment? I have some stories in that blog. There was one story that happened after that blog that was just a really amazing distillation of this, which is that I was out hiking and came across this man. And I've never had a negative experience hiking here ever. But unfortunately this guy was really projecting a lot of violating creepy energy and started to make comments about myself and my body. And we were alone on this trail far away from other people. And I think in the past, I might've defaulted to being the nice girl. And I think it has been the case in the past that to be nice was to be safe. Our foremothers and in our matrilineal line, that's a code that's been embedded is I just need to keep myself safe right now and the best way to do that is to be nice.   Asia Suler: (39:56) But I really asked myself what would I do if I was being kind, not only to myself, but to this person. It's a kindness to alert him to what's actually happening when he's expressing this to me. So I turned around and faced him. He was following me. And I turned around and faced him. And I just told him straight up what I was experiencing. I said, "The way that you're speaking and what you're saying to me, it's making me really uncomfortable. And here's why." It was almost as if this angelic force took over my body, because I said it with so much love. I just felt myself beaming love out of my eyes to this person. And just saying like, "Can you understand and see in this moment that this is actually really scary for me and you understand why that would be."   Asia Suler: (40:49) Yeah. So I didn't say it with daggers. I said it with love. And it was like night and day. It was like I saw the blood drop out of his head or something. And he just mumbled some apology and turned tail and left. And it was just such a powerful moment for me to realise like, "Oh my goodness. It is powerful to be kind and it is protective to be kind and kindness means standing in your power and seeing another person's power in its truth." Not in the ways that they're abusing it, but their power to be good and their power to be kind to themselves. And, yeah. I think this was definitely a part of my journey with vulvodynia and chronic pain, I don't think it was all of it, but I think that just the cultural conditioning that is inside of us is absolutely acting on us all the time and the stress that those stories cause, the stress alone of those stories can really cause actual physical malfunction in our bodies. So to start rewriting that story, I think it is essential.   Tahnee: (42:04) Well, because I guess I think about ... There's another story you share in that article and I'll link to it in the show notes for this, but around being in a hot tub and someone grabbing you. And I relate to that, where you're just like, "I'm just going to get out of here," instead of confronting the situation. I think a lot of women I've spoken to and worked with have had those experiences, where it's not "proper rape" or anything like that, but it's inappropriate touch or inappropriate behaviour and we're not taught how to handle it. And a lot of us do default to don't rock the boat, just get out of the situation and stay safe. And I think, I know for myself in my own work around ... Yeah. I mean, just in your Pussy Portal, I'm heading there, but I've done a lot of work with my vagina over the years and had a beautiful home birth with my first daughter.   Tahnee: (42:58) And I think a lot of the reason I was able to do that was because of the healing I'd done over the years. I had chronic pain when I first went on the pill when I was 17 or 16. And I didn't realise ... Now I'm completely aware of what was going on, but it was not being able to communicate about sex, having inappropriate sex. It wasn't like I was ... It was with one partner, but I wasn't able to communicate my needs. So it was tensing up and then the pill hormonally was causing dryness and there was all this stuff going on. And I just thought I was broken. And I was this little girl just thinking everything was wrong with me. And over the decades of healing around that, it's been through internal work and through Dyadic work and Daoist practises and things that I've really come to value and almost worship that energy of how much power we hold as women. It's quite insane. And for me, my first pregnancy and birth was probably the culmination of recognising that, just really seeing and honouring, I guess, myself in that capacity to hold the power of that experience. And, yeah. I'm interested in your Pussy Portal, how you teach that and what practises and things you're encouraging people to explore through that work. Can you tell us please?   Asia Suler: (44:21) Sure. Yeah. So the Pussy Portal is an online library of resources having to do with root healing. It's created for anybody who feels they have a pussy or whatever word you want to insert there. That is the word that I use often in the work and felt very guided to use that word as a reclamation. But everyone has different words that they like, and it's all beautiful. And, yeah. So there's a lot of different practises that are featured in the portal. We do have Jade Egg and uni massage and different tantric practises. We also have herbal support and herbal protocols for various things, including hormone balancing, yeast infections, BV.   Asia Suler: (45:09) Yeah. There's so much. It's divided into four sections. So the idea of the portal is that when we're manifesting issues in the root of our body, it's because there's one of four relationships that's asking to be healed: your relationship to yourself, your relationship to others, your relationship to your ancestors, and your relationship to the earth. So within each gateway, there's a lot of resources focusing on those different areas of relationship. So everything from learning how to dance in a way that releases your pelvic floor and how to use your pussy as an oracle to actually understand what your truth is and make decisions. And there's science to back this up, that our pelvic floor and the nerves that innervate this part of our body are very connected into our nervous system.   Asia Suler: (46:03) And then tantric practises and relationships to others and how to have sex that heals your vagina because what you shared about having these early sexual experiences that were not in alignment with you and that were not appropriate and that ended up causing harm is I think a lot of people's experience of having sex, which it doesn't have to be. Yeah. And so the ancestral portion goes into the ancestral, sometimes the transgenerational and ancestral trauma that can manifest in this area of our body. And that is just very real. If you're someone who has ovaries, then literally you at one point were an egg in your grandmother's body.   Tahnee: (46:52) You've been through what she's been through.   Asia Suler: (46:54) You've been through what she's been through. We pass these things down the lineage and they live in our roots. So there's a lot to explore there. And then the connection to the earth, I think is this frontier that I'm very excited about. The reality that this is the root of our body, this is how we root here on this planet. And so when we are ... I also think that there's been times, especially in Western history, because that's what I'm most familiar with, where this connection to this part of our body has been severed specifically to sever us from the connective power of being in alignment with the earth. And so when we have this part of our body flourishing, we're able to receive earth energy and earth power and be embodied and emboldened by [inaudible 00:47:47] as birthers, as you mentioned, people who literally bring forth new life, literal new terrain and land onto this planet. And so there's so much there that I'm really excited about exploring, and it's really my growth edge. But, yeah. Those are the four different categories we explore in the portal.   Tahnee: (48:10) It sounds amazing. And I feel like those pieces are all loosely what I've experienced, especially the ancestral ones. It's really interesting because even though I had ... My midwife was like, "That was like a textbook home birth. It was perfect." And then I went to this shamanic pregnancy workshop four years later, my daughter was four and I was about to get married. And I sat through this experience with the 60 other women. And all I felt was shame and I couldn't work out where it was coming from. I was so ashamed of my birth and my experience. And then we did a journey and I came back that it was like my grandmother, not my mother, but her mother. My mum was adopted so I don't have a lot of stories about her. I don't really know her story, but I know she was a single mother and it was very embarrassing for their family. They were a [inaudible 00:49:05] family. It was really interesting to feel how I was carrying that shame. And I had to go on quite a deep process to move it through my buddy. And I was like, "Wow, this is an incredible experience." So, yeah. I can really relate to that ancestral piece as well. It's a big one. And you do a lot of shamanic work.   Asia Suler: (49:28) Yeah. What a powerful story.   Tahnee: (49:29) Yeah. I mean, it was a big day. I'm not going to say it's a pleasant experience, but it was a big day. But, yeah. You do a lot of shamanic work and I notice your relationship with herbs seems quite shamanic. I've read, and I don't know if this is true, that you said this or someone else, but that you see reishi almost like a psychedelic and that's been my experience working with her. I find, especially with meditation, it's like ... I can't even explain it. It's like a whole nother dimension of reality opens up when I work with reishi. And I know angelica is another one of your favourite herbs. So would you speak a little bit to that, I guess, other dimensional experience that you feel when you work with certain herbs or is it every herb that you have that with? Because I don't have it with every herb, just a couple.   Asia Suler: (50:15) Yeah. I think all plants are these multidimensional beings and working with them helps us to recognise our own multidimensionality. I think certain plants speak more to certain people. I also think certain plants have sole missions and life paths of helping to open up certain gateways in that way. So there's certain plants that I'll use for shamanic type work for communicating with the other world and receiving divine guidance and other plants that function in a different way for me. But everyone's different in what they experience and receive, but I've always felt really connected to plants on that spiritual level. And it's part of why I wanted to go to herbal school because I was like, "If it was up to me, I would just make flower essences and have the plants talk to me all day and I wouldn't learn."   Tahnee: (51:10) The practical stuff.   Asia Suler: (51:10) The more physical aspects, the practical stuff. Which is not saying everybody needs to learn that, but it felt important for me if I was going to work with people and their health and suggest taking whole herbs that I learn that stuff. So, yeah. But always to me, it always pointed back to that multidimensional experience, that sort of spirit to spirit encounter with a plant and how transformative that can really be. And while I do think there are certain plants, for example, like you mentioned, reishi and angelica that I really use to open the portals of my perception and download information from the other world that I've been ... Over the years of teaching thousands of people how to open their own intuitive connections with plants, it's been amazing to see the plants that come in and change everything for them.   Asia Suler: (51:59) It might be really different than a plant that came in for me, but it's absolutely perfect for them. And perhaps what it was that was blocking their intuition might be very different than what was blocking mine. And that plant was just the perfect ally for helping to dissolve that block and really step into this two way street of communication. So I think it is different for everybody, but just to know that if there's a plant that you're really excited about or you just can't get enough of, or you just want to be around that there's a reason for that. That plant is really reaching out to you, to interact with you and wants to help you in your healing. And so just listening to that impulse, getting yourself into a presence with that plant, working with that plant in whatever way you can, can really just ... It helps open that gateway of healing that the plant is already there nudging you towards.   Tahnee: (52:59) One of the last things I want to touch on with you is your ... Because you do have this flavour of Daoism in your work and I'm interested in that. You've spoken of Jeffrey Yuen, so perhaps it's through him that I'll get back to that in a sec. One of my teachers, he teaches that the reason we need herbs is because plants and humans being perpendicular to the earth's horizon, we're in this journey between heaven and earth, so one of these Daoist concepts, and he's like, "Plants are really one of the few things that can help us with this process of reuniting ourselves between this root and the heavens." And I don't know if you have any thoughts on that, but I've always really related to that. He speaks of how animals' spines are aligned to the calmer of the earth based on their horizontal spine and this upright spine is the big distinction. And, yeah. I wonder if you have any thoughts on that and if you could speak a little bit to how the Daoist worldview, I guess, influences your work with herbs?   Asia Suler: (54:04) Well, that's beautiful. I haven't heard that reference before, but I love it. I think it's so poetic and gorgeous. And this is I think a big part of why I've been so drawn to Daoism is the deep poetry that is inherent in their understanding. And I grew up, my father was really into Eastern philosophy. He was a psychologist, but one of his specialties was where psychology and Eastern philosophy meet. And so from a young age, I was exposed to things like Daoism and we threw the Yijing coins as a family and things like that. So it was always a part of my ethos. And I think the way that they describe what feels sometimes indescribable and to go into the idea of the Dao through this lens of poetry, which a lot of times these Daoist texts are poetry because that's kind of the only thing that can really capture this concept of the way the Dao, the unceasing flow of energy in life that you align yourself with.   Asia Suler: (55:16) And so I love that aspect of Daoism and I love this the way in which Daoism has its roots in deeply mystical and animistic traditions, which I didn't know that term animism until later in life, but I realised that that's so much of how I experienced the world, animism being this idea that everything on this world is alive and animate and animated by spirit, energy, chi, as you would say in the Daoist tradition. So that languaging made a lot of sense to me. And also the way in Daoism where the opposites and polarisation is actually a conduit to wholeness. Whereas especially in Christian doctrine in the Western world, and then outside of Christian doctrine, which is one big foundation of Western thought is that, and then another is this rational materialism. It's like things are divided from one another.   Asia Suler: (56:23) It's like the good and the bad and high and low and rational and irrational, whereas in Daoist thought forms and belief systems, actually the polarisation, the yin and the yang, it's part of this greater process of wholeness and within the yin is the yang and within the yang is the yin and that actually this process of dividing is a divine process of alchemy, of dividing and then coming back together. And when you come back together, you are creating more wholeness than there was before. And so to me, that just feels so much closer to the truth of what I experienced, even in my own journey that these disparate sides of me or parts of my life don't exist in these separate categories, but that they exist in separation because there [inaudible 00:57:15] to bring me back into wholeness the more I integrate them back into my own being. So, yeah. I'm perpetually fascinated by Daoist philosophy and it ended up just being a coincidence in some ways that it just ended up being a part of my work because it just spoke to me. And, yeah. Then I did end up studying with Jeffrey and his student, Sarah Thomas, who specifically specialises in the stone medicine aspects that he passes on. So it did end up becoming a part of my work, but I'm a perpetual student and always learning more just ever enchanted in that field.   Tahnee: (57:54) Yeah. I can feel that generative aspect in your work of that academic part of you and I guess revive you, for want of a better word, and then how that generates this strength, this force that's carrying you through life. Yeah. It's a really beautiful metaphor. And I guess it's a good spot to leave it, I think. I wanted to thank you so much for your time. I know it's late where you are. I'm really grateful for you for spending the time with us. And I wanted to invite everyone to come and ... I mean, you've got amazing products. You've got your courses. They're on your website, but also through the Chestnut School, right? You're able to offer different pathways.   Asia Suler: (58:43) Yeah. So my main work is on my website, Onewillowapothecaries.com. I am a guest teacher in some of the Chestnut School's programmes. So if someone was interested in Western herbalism, that would be a good place to go study. What I offer on my website is not traditional Western herbalism. It's what we've been discussing, more of these aspects of spiritual esoteric, holistic herbalism in earth medicine. But, yeah. I would love to connect with anybody there on the site and I'm also on social media on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram underneath my name, which is Asia Suler. So any of those places are great places to connect.   Tahnee: (59:26) Yeah. I'll link to everything because, like I said, I love your Instagram and you're very generous. Your videos are great. Everything you do is very generous and very warm. So it's really nice to connect with you in that way. Yeah. Like I said, thank you so much. I'm really, really grateful and I can't wait to get my hands on your book next year. So congratulations again. It's very exciting.   Asia Suler: (59:50) Thank you so much. This has been such a delight to be with you. Thank you for having me on the show. So welcome.   Tahnee: (59:56) All right. Chat again soon.

En el capítulo 126 de El Libro Rojo entrevisto a Jordi Vilà i Oliveras, maestro de Qigong y Taijiquan y alumno de la escuela taoísta de Wudang, escritor y traductor de varios libros sobre medicina y arte tradicional chino. ¿Qué importancia tiene el Yijing, o I Ching, para la cultura y filosofía chinas? ¿Cuál es su origen histórico y mitológico? ¿Cuál es la estructura del texto y cómo se utiliza a nivel práctico?

L'Yijing