The China History Podcast Laszlo Montgomery

In this episode we begin our look at Neo Confucianism. In English, we called it that. But in Chinese it was referred to in other ways, most commonly as Sòngxué 宋学 (Song Studies) since the foundation was poured during this dynasty. The concept of Qi 气 will also be discussed. Then we'll head straight to The Five Founders of Neo Confucianism: Zhou Dunyi 周敦颐, Zhou Dunyi’s Taiji Tu 太极图 Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate, Shao Yong 邵雍 and Zhang Zai, Cheng Yi 程颐, Cheng Hao 程颢, 张载, Yin and Yang, the Five Elements and the Five Constant Virtues. A lot to cover. Enjoy!
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For the third time on the CHP, I'm featuring another episode from Empires-An Asian Business Podcast, this time featuring India's watch and jewelry giant, Titan. Empires, from Singapore's 1UpMedia is one of the top shows in that region that explores some of the biggest business empires in Asia and the founders who built them. This time Empires features the story of Xerxes Desai and the Titan Company Ltd. They manufacture fashion accessories like jewelry, watches, eyecare, fragrances, fashion accessories, and Indian dress wear. The Jewelry division is the largest contributor to the group, making up nearly 80% of the business, followed by Watches and Wearables at 8-9%. Titan's products are sold through a combination of direct sales and franchising, with nearly 3,000 stores across over 400 towns in India, covering a retail space equivalent to about 60 football fields.
Check out Empires on your favorite podcast app. There are so many great podcast shows coming out of Asia. And this is one of them. Enjoy!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/titan-in-about-time-1-5/id1674467595?i=1000657648597
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5RFFgeGbcpMjWdjNAzhT0l?si=fb96ba282b964a4f
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For our eighth CSP offering this season, we open up the Book of Han once again and hear the story behind Jiāo Bīng Bì Bài 骄兵必败. It doesn't always happen this way but the timeline of history is filled with examples of more powerful military forces being defeated on the field of battle by their weaker opponent. Arrogant soldiers must be defeated. Look what happened in Vietnam between 1954 and 1975. When you look into it, even today in our own time, Jiāo bīng bì bài is still happening. On a geopolitical level, this must be one of the hardest lessons to learn. More pugnacious world leaders should consult the Book of Han and ponder these words. Enjoy!
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We pick up with the second part of this overview of Daoism with Zhuangzi and his beloved book, "The Zhuangzi." We'll also move beyond Laozi and Zhuangzi and take a look at the rise of Fangshi’s 方士 in society, Daoist Thought and Religion, Xuanxue Dark Learning 玄学, Guo Xiang 郭襄, Xiang Xiu 向秀, and the compilation of the Daozang 道藏. I hope this basic overview gives some of you a good jumping-off point to explore more about Daoism the philosophy 道家 and Daoism, the religion 道教. Enjoy!
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We've already heard about Confucianism, The Hundred Schools, and the Yi Jing. In this episode, we look at Daoism. The life of Lao Tzu (Laozi) will be introduced along with the book he probably never wrote but which is ascribed to him anyway. This is the Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing. Laozi was quite a character and by telling his story, it will give you the fundamentals to explore on your own what this philosophic thought is all about. We'll look at the Daoist concept of Wu Wei 无为 and the art of quiescence. We'll close with one of the earliest and greatest interpreters of the Daodejing, Wang Bi. In the History of Chinese Philosophy Part 13, we'll start looking at Zhuangzi and his classic book.
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Here's another well-worn favorite from the long list of great chengyu's: 磨杵成针 Mó Chǔ Chéng Zhén. The story behind this Chinese Saying stars none other than (one of China's greatest poets) Li Bai. As a youngster, Li Bai chanced upon an old woman, surnamed Wu, who was intent on accomplishing a seemingly impossible (in Li Bai's eyes) task. Don't let any naysayers deter you. Don't fear the impossible. Listen to this quick story and maybe acquire a little bit of inspiration in what you're trying to accomplish. Thanks everyone for listening.
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