1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,280 All right, so get ready, because today we're taking a deep dive into some, well, let's 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:05,720 just say fascinating territory. 3 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:07,440 Yeah, fascinating is a good word for it. 4 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:08,440 Yeah. 5 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,840 You sent over these excerpts from Scholar Who books. 6 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:15,280 These are Oizham, volumes one and two. 7 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:19,760 And on top of that, you sent a whole bunch of YouTube videos from the Yu-Gi-Oh channel. 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:20,760 Right. 9 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,880 And we're going to be talking about, get this, potential connections between the ancient 10 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:29,600 Chinese I Ching and the Hebrew Bible. 11 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,840 Yeah, it's definitely a bold theory, to say the least. 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:38,200 I mean, just the thought that these two traditions, you know, separated by so much time and distance 13 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:39,640 could be linked. 14 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,480 It's kind of mind blowing when you think about it. 15 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:46,000 Right, because, I mean, on the surface, you've got the I Ching, this ancient divination text, 16 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,200 right, used for wisdom and guidance, all that. 17 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:49,200 Yeah. 18 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:54,200 And then you've got the Hebrew Bible, this foundation of, well, Judaism and Christianity, 19 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:55,200 huge religions. 20 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:56,200 Yeah. 21 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:57,960 Not exactly what you'd call an obvious pairing. 22 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,560 No, not at all. 23 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,840 And yet, that's what our scholar Ding is proposing. 24 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:10,240 He's arguing that the I Ching, specifically the part attributed to King Wen of Zhu, might 25 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:16,240 actually be drawing inspiration from these ancient stories, these narratives that are 26 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:17,480 found within the Hebrew Bible. 27 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,360 It's like he's suggesting that King Wen was working from some kind of lost book. 28 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:23,360 Right. 29 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:27,080 And that book just happened to be, get this, an early version of the Hebrew Bible circulating 30 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:28,080 in the ancient world. 31 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,440 Okay, you've definitely got my attention, but before we get too far, let's just back 32 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:32,440 up for a second. 33 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:33,440 Okay. 34 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,600 For those listening who might not be super familiar with the I Ching, what exactly are 35 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,000 we even dealing with here? 36 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,240 So the I Ching, you might also hear it called the Yijing. 37 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:42,240 Okay. 38 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,080 It's all about this symbolism, you know, understanding these patterns in the universe. 39 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,160 So imagine a system that's built on these 64 hexagrams. 40 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:50,240 64, okay. 41 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:55,840 Each one of those, composed of six lines, and those lines, they can either be broken 42 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,560 representing yin or solid representing yang. 43 00:01:58,560 --> 00:01:59,560 Okay. 44 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:01,560 It was kind of like a binary code in a way. 45 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:02,560 Interesting. 46 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,760 And each hexagram symbolizes like a different situation or concept. 47 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,440 Each one of those hexagrams is like a snapshot of a specific moment, like capturing what 48 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,360 that situation is all about. 49 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:15,360 Precisely. 50 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,400 And here's where it gets really interesting. 51 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,400 Ding Digang, he's proposing that King Wen, he wasn't just making these hexagrams up 52 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:22,400 out of thin air. 53 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:23,400 Right. 54 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:24,720 He was actually interpreting existing stories. 55 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:29,000 He was using this system, these yin and yang lines, to kind of express their core meaning. 56 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:35,600 So you're saying King Wen was, what, translating, interpreting, encoding these ancient narratives, 57 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:40,440 these stories, but he was doing it using the I Ching as the language. 58 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:41,440 That's the theory. 59 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:42,440 Yeah. 60 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,440 And to really illustrate this, he points to some, well, some pretty striking parallels 61 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:50,520 between specific I Ching hexagrams and, you know, some really well-known stories from 62 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:51,520 the Hebrew Bible. 63 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:52,520 All right. 64 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:53,520 Now you've got me hooked. 65 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:54,520 Yeah. 66 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,400 So where do we even begin? 67 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,600 Let's start with hexagram, Ha Li. 68 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,720 It's the one that revolves around the element of fire. 69 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,160 Fire, okay. 70 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:08,600 Ding connects this hexagram directly to the story of Moses and, you know, that one, the 71 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:09,600 burning bush. 72 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,320 That was like one of the most famous narratives in the Bible. 73 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,000 Wait, Moses, you mean the parting of the Red Sea, the whole Ten Commandments, that Moses? 74 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,000 The one and only. 75 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,640 What's the connection to the I Ching? 76 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:20,780 So it's all about the imagery, the symbolism. 77 00:03:20,780 --> 00:03:22,200 Think about the burning bush, right? 78 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:23,200 Yeah. 79 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,920 It's a symbol of this divine presence, right? 80 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:26,920 Right. 81 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:28,240 And it's central to the whole Moses story. 82 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:29,240 Yeah. 83 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,760 The name of the hexagram, Lili, it evokes the idea of separation. 84 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:33,760 Okay, separation. 85 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:37,640 Which you could easily connect to, well, Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. 86 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:38,640 Right. 87 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,560 Plus, within the hexagram's text, there's this mention of a setting sun. 88 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:43,560 Okay. 89 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:47,560 Which Ding links to Moses, you know, receiving his divine mission. 90 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:49,680 But, and here's the thing, later in life. 91 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:50,680 Okay. 92 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,840 I don't know where he's going with this, but it still feels kind of general. 93 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:54,840 Right. 94 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:55,840 Does it get more specific? 95 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:56,840 Oh, it does. 96 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:02,720 There are some really vivid phrases in the hexagram's text, like, sudden and fierce, 97 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,440 like fire, like death, like abandonment. 98 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:06,800 Pretty intense, right? 99 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:12,380 And Ding argues that this directly mirrors the plagues, you know, the ones who were unleashed 100 00:04:12,380 --> 00:04:13,380 upon Egypt. 101 00:04:13,380 --> 00:04:14,380 Right. 102 00:04:14,380 --> 00:04:17,840 It was a time of just chaos, upheaval, divine judgment, you know. 103 00:04:17,840 --> 00:04:18,840 Okay, yeah. 104 00:04:18,840 --> 00:04:20,280 Now, that's a pretty compelling parallel. 105 00:04:20,280 --> 00:04:21,280 I can see it. 106 00:04:21,280 --> 00:04:26,680 I mean, the language definitely evokes that same sense of, you know, huge upheaval, dramatic, 107 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,320 and yeah, definitely divine intervention that you find in the Exodus story. 108 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:31,320 Exactly. 109 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:32,320 And he doesn't stop there. 110 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,400 He goes on to connect another hexagram, this one's Danaean, to the story of Joseph. 111 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:37,400 Okay. 112 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:38,520 Joseph, also from the Hebrew Bible. 113 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:39,520 Yeah. 114 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,480 And this hexagram represents a pit, you know, or a challenging situation, something difficult. 115 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:44,480 Okay. 116 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,880 And that aligns with Joseph's experiences, like betrayal, imprisonment, all that happened 117 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:49,880 to him in Egypt. 118 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:51,480 That's about bad luck. 119 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:52,480 Poor Joseph. 120 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:53,480 I know, right? 121 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,160 And Ding focuses on this one phrase in the hexagram's text. 122 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,680 It says, honoring wine, punishing food. 123 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:01,680 Interesting. 124 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,320 And his argument is that this reflects the fates of those two guys, the cup bearer and 125 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:07,440 the baker, remember? 126 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,280 They were imprisoned alongside Joseph. 127 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:10,280 Oh, right. 128 00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:11,280 Right. 129 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:12,280 And their fates are totally different. 130 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:13,280 Right. 131 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:15,160 One is a score to favor, the other, well, not so much. 132 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:16,160 Exactly. 133 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:17,160 Interesting. 134 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:23,320 These little details within the I Ching that seem to echo these specific events that are 135 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:24,320 happening in the Bible. 136 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:25,800 It's pretty wild. 137 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:27,440 What about the parting of the Red Sea, though? 138 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,560 There's got to be an I Ching connection there, right? 139 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:30,560 Right there is. 140 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:32,320 That's where the hexagram Juan comes in. 141 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:33,320 Okay. 142 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:38,700 Ding believes this hexagram lines up with the song of Moses, that song of praise and 143 00:05:38,700 --> 00:05:40,280 triumph after the Red Sea crossing. 144 00:05:40,280 --> 00:05:41,280 Oh, yeah. 145 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:43,360 I remember that one from, like, Sunday school. 146 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,200 I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously. 147 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:47,520 Exactly. 148 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:52,160 And when you look at the text of hexagram Juan, you find these lines like saving with 149 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,960 strong horses and just boosting the running chariots. 150 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:55,960 Wow. 151 00:05:55,960 --> 00:06:00,440 It's almost like it's this poetic description of the Red Sea parting with the Egyptian chariots 152 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,120 being swallowed up by the waves. 153 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:03,440 That's incredibly specific. 154 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:04,440 Okay. 155 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:09,160 Are there connections to any other, like, major figures from the Bible? 156 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:10,600 There's one more that's really striking. 157 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,960 Ding connects the hexagram dash dong to the story of Abraham. 158 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,040 You know, the near sacrifice of his son Isaac. 159 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:19,040 Oh, wow. 160 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:20,040 Yeah. 161 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:21,040 The binding of Isaac. 162 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:22,040 That's a powerful one. 163 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:23,040 The ultimate test of faith. 164 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:24,040 Absolutely. 165 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,080 And this hexagram, it's all about sacrifice. 166 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:30,320 There's a phrase that translates to losing the sheep easily, no regret. 167 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:35,000 And Ding's take is that this captures this idea of substitutionary atonement, the idea 168 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,560 of one life offered up in place of another. 169 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:41,960 You know, it's interesting because that concept, that idea also shows up in Christian theology, 170 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:42,960 right? 171 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:43,960 Yeah. 172 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:44,960 Yes. 173 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,720 That's a pretty profound connection to make, especially embedded in an ancient Chinese 174 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:49,720 text. 175 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:50,720 It is. 176 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:51,720 And it gets even deeper. 177 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:57,760 Ding points to this potential linguistic connection between the ancient Chinese character for 178 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,920 God, which is Di, and get this, the burning bush. 179 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,360 Wait, a linguistic connection, too. 180 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:03,360 What do you mean? 181 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:04,960 So the character for God, it's made up of two parts. 182 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,560 You have Ji, which means one, heaven, and it's positioned above the character for Thorn, 183 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:11,160 which is Ji. 184 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:16,960 Ding's suggesting that this might actually be a visual representation of the burning 185 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:17,960 bush itself. 186 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:18,960 Wow. 187 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:20,840 The fire of heaven, but within this thorny bush. 188 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,320 OK, now that is just mind blowing. 189 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:28,600 He's suggesting that the concept of God in ancient China, like the very concept, might 190 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:33,280 have been influenced by this event, this meeting between Moses and the divine. 191 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:34,280 You're right. 192 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:35,280 If that's true. 193 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:36,280 I mean, that's huge. 194 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,920 It's a very compelling piece of the puzzle, that's for sure. 195 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,780 It really makes you rethink what we even know about cultural exchange back then. 196 00:07:43,780 --> 00:07:48,000 We tend to assume that ancient civilizations were all isolated from each other. 197 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:52,680 But what if ideas were actually traveling a lot farther than we realize and maybe had 198 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:53,680 a much bigger impact? 199 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:54,680 Right. 200 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,320 This whole idea of cultural purity, it really makes you rethink that, doesn't it? 201 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:58,320 It does. 202 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,840 Maybe the most interesting cultures out there are actually the ones that have this blend 203 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:06,480 of influences, even if those influences are kind of hidden beneath the surface. 204 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:07,480 Exactly. 205 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,120 And if the teachings does have these echoes, these remnants of the Hebrew Bible within 206 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:16,000 it, it really could completely change how we see just how interconnected the ancient 207 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:17,320 world really was. 208 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:18,720 This is all incredibly exciting. 209 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:23,760 We've got these like intriguing parallels between the hexagrams and these biblical stories. 210 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:28,880 Plus, now we've got this potential linguistic link with this character for God. 211 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:30,200 It's a lot to take in. 212 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,940 I'm curious what stands out to you so far. 213 00:08:32,940 --> 00:08:36,800 You know, honestly, it's the sheer audacity of this theory. 214 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:42,560 It makes us really question our assumptions about where culture comes from, how knowledge 215 00:08:42,560 --> 00:08:45,720 was spread back then across time and space. 216 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:50,960 It's like this reminder that the past is way more complex, way more interconnected than 217 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:51,960 we tend to think. 218 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:52,960 I completely agree. 219 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,720 It's like we're getting this tiny glimpse into this hidden dialogue that was happening 220 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,720 between two of the world's greatest civilizations. 221 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:05,240 And it really does make you wonder what other connections might be out there just waiting 222 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:06,240 to be discovered. 223 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:07,320 Absolutely. 224 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,760 And that brings up another really interesting part of Ding's theory, the whole role of translation. 225 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:12,760 Yeah. 226 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,160 Like, how did these ideas even move between these cultures? 227 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,560 That's right, because he's not saying these stories were just copied word for word, right? 228 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:22,600 There had to be some kind of creative adaptation involved. 229 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:23,600 Exactly. 230 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:28,600 Ding suggests that King Wen might have been working with a version of the Hebrew Bible 231 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:29,600 that was already translated. 232 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:30,600 Okay. 233 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,080 It might have been an Aramaic or even an ancient Indian language. 234 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:35,080 Who knows? 235 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:36,080 Wow. 236 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,440 There's already this layer of interpretation built in, right? 237 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:45,240 These stories have been filtered through another culture, another language, before they even 238 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:46,240 got to King Wen. 239 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,240 So it's like a really intense game of telephone. 240 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:50,240 Yes. 241 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:54,640 But instead of these silly phrases, we're talking about these really deep philosophical 242 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,040 spiritual ideas. 243 00:09:57,040 --> 00:09:58,760 It's fascinating to think about, right? 244 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:04,340 How these ideas might have morphed and changed with each retelling, with each translation. 245 00:10:04,340 --> 00:10:09,020 So it's not just about finding exact matches between the I Ching and the Bible, is it? 246 00:10:09,020 --> 00:10:15,180 It's about looking at how these ideas, these big concepts, could have been transformed 247 00:10:15,180 --> 00:10:17,740 and reinterpreted as they traveled. 248 00:10:17,740 --> 00:10:18,740 Exactly. 249 00:10:18,740 --> 00:10:21,580 And that's really what makes Ding's theory so interesting, I think. 250 00:10:21,580 --> 00:10:25,300 He's not just drawing a straight line from point A to point B. He's getting at this whole 251 00:10:25,300 --> 00:10:30,820 different way of thinking about cultural exchange, about translation, about how fluid these ideas 252 00:10:30,820 --> 00:10:32,340 were in the ancient world. 253 00:10:32,340 --> 00:10:35,900 So we've laid some groundwork here, explored this theory a bit, even touched on these really 254 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:39,060 complex ideas of translation and interpretation. 255 00:10:39,060 --> 00:10:41,300 But what about the specifics, though? 256 00:10:41,300 --> 00:10:44,420 How does all of this play out in the I Ching itself? 257 00:10:44,420 --> 00:10:45,420 That's work. 258 00:10:45,420 --> 00:10:46,420 It's really good. 259 00:10:46,420 --> 00:10:50,100 Let's actually look at a few of these hexagrams, dive into some of the verses that Ding highlights 260 00:10:50,100 --> 00:10:51,740 as evidence for his theory. 261 00:10:51,740 --> 00:10:59,220 One that's really interesting is how he connects the hexagram, Qian, with the story of Adam 262 00:10:59,220 --> 00:11:01,620 and Eve from the book of Genesis. 263 00:11:01,620 --> 00:11:03,500 Wait, the Garden of Eden? 264 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:05,060 How does he connect that to the I Ching? 265 00:11:05,060 --> 00:11:12,260 Well, if you remember, Qian represents heaven, that primal force, the act of creation itself. 266 00:11:12,260 --> 00:11:14,340 And what's the very first book of the Bible about? 267 00:11:14,340 --> 00:11:15,340 Creation. 268 00:11:15,340 --> 00:11:16,340 Exactly. 269 00:11:16,340 --> 00:11:18,180 The creation of humanity, our whole relationship with the divine. 270 00:11:18,180 --> 00:11:19,180 Okay. 271 00:11:19,180 --> 00:11:21,660 I see the theme, the connection there. 272 00:11:21,660 --> 00:11:25,660 But is there anything more, like, does he go beyond just that? 273 00:11:25,660 --> 00:11:27,580 What specific details does he point to? 274 00:11:27,860 --> 00:11:33,380 Well, he points to this one verse in the hexagram that talks about a hidden dragon. 275 00:11:33,380 --> 00:11:38,020 It emphasizes this idea of staying unseen, unburdened by knowledge. 276 00:11:38,020 --> 00:11:41,480 And Ding connects this to the idea of Adam and Eve, like back when they were in the Garden 277 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:42,540 of Eden. 278 00:11:42,540 --> 00:11:46,140 They exist in this state of innocence, unawareness. 279 00:11:46,140 --> 00:11:49,300 They're hidden in a way, sheltered from the world. 280 00:11:49,300 --> 00:11:50,300 Right. 281 00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:55,460 It's like they're living in this state of pure potential before everything happened, 282 00:11:55,460 --> 00:11:57,980 before the fall, you know, the knowledge. 283 00:11:57,980 --> 00:11:58,980 Exactly. 284 00:11:58,980 --> 00:12:02,460 And as the hexagram goes on, it describes this dragon ascending. 285 00:12:02,460 --> 00:12:04,640 It becomes more visible, more active. 286 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,020 And Ding sees that as mirroring Adam and Eve's story. 287 00:12:08,020 --> 00:12:09,020 Oh, interesting. 288 00:12:09,020 --> 00:12:13,860 Gaining knowledge, becoming aware, facing the consequences. 289 00:12:13,860 --> 00:12:18,420 So the hidden dragon, as it becomes more prominent, that symbolizes the shift. 290 00:12:18,420 --> 00:12:19,420 Yeah. 291 00:12:19,420 --> 00:12:20,940 From innocence to experience. 292 00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:21,940 Right. 293 00:12:21,940 --> 00:12:24,420 Pure potential to knowledge responsibility. 294 00:12:24,580 --> 00:12:25,580 Precisely. 295 00:12:25,580 --> 00:12:29,300 And this really highlights how King Wen might have been using the I Ching. 296 00:12:29,300 --> 00:12:31,460 It wasn't just to, you know, retell these stories. 297 00:12:31,460 --> 00:12:32,460 Right. 298 00:12:32,460 --> 00:12:37,940 But to capture these really deep meanings, philosophical, spiritual, even psychological 299 00:12:37,940 --> 00:12:38,940 ideas. 300 00:12:38,940 --> 00:12:41,300 It's like we're peeling back the layers of an onion here, right? 301 00:12:41,300 --> 00:12:45,940 With every layer we uncover, there's this whole new set of insights, new connections. 302 00:12:45,940 --> 00:12:47,180 I like that. 303 00:12:47,180 --> 00:12:50,380 And speaking of layers, there's another fascinating piece of Ding's theory that we haven't even 304 00:12:50,380 --> 00:12:51,380 gotten to yet. 305 00:12:51,420 --> 00:12:54,500 The idea of a cultural code within the I Ching. 306 00:12:54,500 --> 00:12:56,140 OK, a cultural code. 307 00:12:56,140 --> 00:12:57,380 Now you're really speaking my language. 308 00:12:57,380 --> 00:12:58,380 What is that? 309 00:12:58,380 --> 00:13:03,060 Well, Ding argues that King Wen wasn't just reinterpreting these stories from the Hebrew 310 00:13:03,060 --> 00:13:04,060 Bible. 311 00:13:04,060 --> 00:13:08,500 He was strategically taking this whole system, these values, beliefs, and he was embedding 312 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:09,940 them in the I Ching. 313 00:13:09,940 --> 00:13:11,700 So it's not just the stories themselves. 314 00:13:11,700 --> 00:13:17,580 It's like this whole deeper philosophical framework, even a moral framework, that might 315 00:13:17,580 --> 00:13:19,980 be subtly woven into the I Ching. 316 00:13:19,980 --> 00:13:20,980 Exactly. 317 00:13:20,980 --> 00:13:27,580 It's like a Trojan horse carrying these foreign but still resonant ideas right into the heart 318 00:13:27,580 --> 00:13:28,580 of Chinese culture. 319 00:13:28,580 --> 00:13:29,580 That's a big claim. 320 00:13:29,580 --> 00:13:31,580 And what kind of evidence does he have to back that up? 321 00:13:31,580 --> 00:13:38,580 Well, he points to things like the I Ching's emphasis on certain values, humility, self-reflection, 322 00:13:38,580 --> 00:13:40,900 the importance of following a righteous path. 323 00:13:40,900 --> 00:13:42,020 These aren't just random themes. 324 00:13:42,020 --> 00:13:44,900 They're recurring ideas in the I Ching. 325 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:48,940 And it just so happens that they're also pretty central to the teachings you find within the 326 00:13:48,940 --> 00:13:49,940 Hebrew Bible. 327 00:13:49,940 --> 00:13:50,940 Interesting. 328 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:55,500 But the ethical core of the I Ching, how it approaches morality, righteousness, right 329 00:13:55,500 --> 00:14:00,100 action, that could have been shaped, at least in part, by these biblical influences. 330 00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:01,100 Exactly. 331 00:14:01,100 --> 00:14:06,340 And it raises all these questions about influence, about how ideas spread, about how easily concepts 332 00:14:06,340 --> 00:14:12,420 can be adapted and adopted, even transformed as they move between cultures and time periods. 333 00:14:12,420 --> 00:14:17,220 It makes me think about that debate surrounding Greek philosophy and its influence on early 334 00:14:17,220 --> 00:14:18,740 Christianity. 335 00:14:18,740 --> 00:14:23,780 How much did those earlier ideas from the philosophers actually shape how Christian 336 00:14:23,780 --> 00:14:24,780 thought developed? 337 00:14:24,780 --> 00:14:27,580 It's a similar question, but yeah, on a much bigger scale. 338 00:14:27,580 --> 00:14:28,580 It is. 339 00:14:28,580 --> 00:14:33,420 And what I think makes it so fascinating is that it shows us how studying these old texts, 340 00:14:33,420 --> 00:14:36,980 it doesn't just teach us about the past, it helps us understand these cultural forces 341 00:14:36,980 --> 00:14:42,940 that have shaped our own worldviews, our values, even how we approach morality and ethics today. 342 00:14:42,940 --> 00:14:47,900 It makes you wonder if there are other cultural codes like this hidden in plain sight within 343 00:14:47,900 --> 00:14:49,580 other ancient texts. 344 00:14:49,580 --> 00:14:50,940 It's an exciting thought, isn't it? 345 00:14:50,940 --> 00:14:51,940 It really is. 346 00:14:51,940 --> 00:14:55,900 Just this idea that there's always more to learn, more connections to find, and that 347 00:14:55,900 --> 00:15:00,540 searching for that understanding, especially across cultures, well, it's a worthwhile thing 348 00:15:00,540 --> 00:15:01,540 to do. 349 00:15:01,540 --> 00:15:02,540 Absolutely. 350 00:15:02,540 --> 00:15:07,220 Like discovering a secret library or something, right, filled with these ancient texts, and 351 00:15:07,220 --> 00:15:10,660 each one has a piece of a much bigger story. 352 00:15:10,660 --> 00:15:15,580 I'll be honest, you've got me hooked on this whole cultural code idea. 353 00:15:15,580 --> 00:15:20,820 What else can you tell me about how Ding sees this code playing out in the I Ching? 354 00:15:20,820 --> 00:15:25,740 Well, one of the most fascinating things is how he links it to this idea of God or a higher 355 00:15:25,740 --> 00:15:30,220 power in both traditions, the I Ching and the Hebrew Bible. 356 00:15:30,220 --> 00:15:32,780 Okay, now we're getting into some deep stuff. 357 00:15:32,780 --> 00:15:37,420 What does he see as similar in how they approach the divine? 358 00:15:37,420 --> 00:15:42,540 So one of the key things that he points to is this emphasis on a single deity, often 359 00:15:42,540 --> 00:15:48,020 called heaven, or the creative, you know, and this really lines up with the idea of 360 00:15:48,020 --> 00:15:55,060 God in the Hebrew Bible, like a single, all-powerful creator, the one in charge of the universe. 361 00:15:55,060 --> 00:16:02,460 So both traditions have this idea of one divine force, not this whole pantheon of gods that 362 00:16:02,460 --> 00:16:04,060 you see in some other religions. 363 00:16:04,060 --> 00:16:05,060 Exactly. 364 00:16:05,060 --> 00:16:06,060 And he actually goes even further. 365 00:16:06,060 --> 00:16:10,740 He points to some specific passages in the I Ching that talk about the qualities of this 366 00:16:10,740 --> 00:16:16,820 supreme being, things like wisdom, justice, benevolence, and a real concern for what's 367 00:16:16,820 --> 00:16:18,860 going on with humans, you know? 368 00:16:18,860 --> 00:16:22,860 And of course, those same qualities, they're also associated with the God of the Hebrew Bible. 369 00:16:22,860 --> 00:16:24,940 It's a really interesting connection. 370 00:16:24,940 --> 00:16:28,980 But the I Ching, it's also used for divination, right? 371 00:16:28,980 --> 00:16:32,060 For guidance, understanding how things might turn out. 372 00:16:32,060 --> 00:16:36,100 How does that piece fit in with this whole shared understanding of God? 373 00:16:36,100 --> 00:16:39,140 That's where this whole concept of divine will comes in. 374 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:43,100 Ding would say that the I Ching, it's not just about predicting random stuff or trying 375 00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:45,240 to outsmart fate. 376 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:50,900 It's more about aligning yourself with this bigger flow of the universe, a flow that's 377 00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:52,500 ultimately guided by this divine will. 378 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:59,300 So it's less about trying to manipulate things, force a certain outcome, and more about understanding, 379 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:02,220 seeking wisdom, aligning yourself with something bigger. 380 00:17:02,220 --> 00:17:03,220 Exactly. 381 00:17:03,220 --> 00:17:07,980 It's about recognizing that there's this greater force at work, this divine intelligence 382 00:17:07,980 --> 00:17:10,580 that kind of shapes everything, the good and the bad. 383 00:17:10,580 --> 00:17:16,540 And Ding argues that this idea, this seeking out alignment with the divine, that's a core 384 00:17:16,540 --> 00:17:17,820 theme in the Hebrew Bible, too. 385 00:17:17,820 --> 00:17:18,820 Right, yeah. 386 00:17:18,820 --> 00:17:20,620 Like the prophets in the Bible, right. 387 00:17:20,620 --> 00:17:25,940 They were trying to understand God's will, make sense of signs and events, and then communicate 388 00:17:25,940 --> 00:17:27,820 that understanding to everyone else. 389 00:17:27,820 --> 00:17:28,820 Exactly. 390 00:17:28,820 --> 00:17:31,200 So in both traditions, it's not about controlling the divine. 391 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,380 It's about finding a way to be in harmony with it. 392 00:17:34,380 --> 00:17:41,540 So the iQing, in a way, it's less about fortune telling and more like this guidebook for living 393 00:17:41,540 --> 00:17:44,980 your life in tune with some kind of divine plan. 394 00:17:44,980 --> 00:17:45,980 Precisely. 395 00:17:45,980 --> 00:17:50,620 And Ding really emphasizes this ethical side of the iQing, how it focuses on doing the 396 00:17:50,620 --> 00:17:53,580 right thing, living a virtuous life. 397 00:17:53,580 --> 00:17:57,660 He sees that as deeply connected to this idea of the divine. 398 00:17:57,660 --> 00:18:00,380 It's not enough to just know that something bigger exists. 399 00:18:00,380 --> 00:18:04,340 It's about reflecting that understanding in how you live your life. 400 00:18:04,340 --> 00:18:08,100 That's like how a lot of people approach religious texts, like the Bible. 401 00:18:08,100 --> 00:18:10,820 It's not just these abstract concepts or old stories. 402 00:18:10,820 --> 00:18:16,500 It's about finding something practical, something to help them live a good life, make choices 403 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:18,580 that are ethical, compassionate. 404 00:18:18,580 --> 00:18:19,580 Right. 405 00:18:19,580 --> 00:18:24,260 And both the iQing and the Hebrew Bible, they wrestle with those big questions, like the 406 00:18:24,260 --> 00:18:26,980 nature of God, the meaning of life, all of that. 407 00:18:26,980 --> 00:18:32,140 But they also offer this guidance for dealing with the everyday stuff of being human. 408 00:18:32,780 --> 00:18:38,500 So we've got this shared focus on one God, this idea of aligning yourself with this divine 409 00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:41,180 will and living a good life, being ethical. 410 00:18:41,180 --> 00:18:42,180 Yeah. 411 00:18:42,180 --> 00:18:45,380 It's a pretty strong argument for them having a similar worldview. 412 00:18:45,380 --> 00:18:50,620 But the iQing also talks a lot about yin and yang, these two forces that are always interacting. 413 00:18:50,620 --> 00:18:51,620 Right. 414 00:18:51,620 --> 00:18:53,220 How does that concept sit in? 415 00:18:53,220 --> 00:18:54,340 That's another interesting part. 416 00:18:54,340 --> 00:18:59,380 So Ding argues that yin and yang, even though it's this unique concept, it actually lines 417 00:18:59,380 --> 00:19:04,060 up with a fundamental idea in the Hebrew Bible, this idea of duality. 418 00:19:04,060 --> 00:19:07,100 Duality, like good and evil, light and darkness. 419 00:19:07,100 --> 00:19:08,100 Exactly. 420 00:19:08,100 --> 00:19:11,020 You see those themes all over the Hebrew Bible, this interplay between opposites. 421 00:19:11,020 --> 00:19:12,020 Right. 422 00:19:12,020 --> 00:19:13,340 Like in the creation story even. 423 00:19:13,340 --> 00:19:14,340 Exactly. 424 00:19:14,340 --> 00:19:15,860 God separates light from darkness. 425 00:19:15,860 --> 00:19:18,100 Or think about Adam and Eve, right? 426 00:19:18,100 --> 00:19:20,460 Tempted by the serpent, the whole knowledge of good and evil. 427 00:19:20,460 --> 00:19:24,620 It's like the universe itself is built on these opposing forces, right? 428 00:19:24,620 --> 00:19:29,900 That tension, it drives everything, creation, destruction, joy, sorrow, you name it. 429 00:19:29,900 --> 00:19:30,900 Precisely. 430 00:19:30,900 --> 00:19:36,420 And Ding's point is that the iQing, with its idea of yin and yang, it understands this 431 00:19:36,420 --> 00:19:37,420 cosmic duality. 432 00:19:37,420 --> 00:19:42,140 Now, it's important to remember that yin and yang, they're not good versus evil in the 433 00:19:42,140 --> 00:19:45,460 same way that, you know, Western thought sometimes sees it. 434 00:19:45,460 --> 00:19:47,180 They're more like compliments to each other. 435 00:19:47,180 --> 00:19:48,180 Yeah. 436 00:19:48,180 --> 00:19:50,900 Two sides of the same coin, both needed for balance, for harmony. 437 00:19:50,900 --> 00:19:54,540 So it's not about picking sides, saying one is good and one is bad. 438 00:19:54,540 --> 00:19:57,420 It's about understanding that they exist together. 439 00:19:57,420 --> 00:19:58,420 Exactly. 440 00:19:58,420 --> 00:20:02,780 And that's where Ding sees this really deep connection between these two traditions. 441 00:20:02,780 --> 00:20:08,340 It's recognizing that life, even the universe itself, it's not black and white. 442 00:20:08,340 --> 00:20:12,540 It's about understanding that complexity, that inherent duality, and finding a way to 443 00:20:12,540 --> 00:20:14,140 live in balance with it. 444 00:20:14,140 --> 00:20:19,420 You know, it makes me think about Eastern philosophies, things like Buddhism or Taoism. 445 00:20:19,420 --> 00:20:22,460 Talk a lot about the middle way, avoiding extremes. 446 00:20:22,460 --> 00:20:23,500 Exactly. 447 00:20:23,540 --> 00:20:27,420 And it shows how the I Ching, even though it's used for things like fortune telling, 448 00:20:27,420 --> 00:20:32,620 it's really about understanding reality itself, accepting that things are always changing, 449 00:20:32,620 --> 00:20:37,900 flowing between these forces, and that we need to learn to move with that flow, not 450 00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:38,980 fight against it. 451 00:20:38,980 --> 00:20:43,340 It makes me think about how much we, especially in Western cultures, how much we get stuck 452 00:20:43,340 --> 00:20:48,940 in that binary thinking, dividing everything into good or bad, right or wrong. 453 00:20:48,940 --> 00:20:53,220 Maybe there's a more nuanced way of seeing the world that we can learn from these traditions, 454 00:20:53,220 --> 00:20:56,180 a way that's okay with paradox and complexity. 455 00:20:56,180 --> 00:20:57,380 That's a really great point. 456 00:20:57,380 --> 00:21:00,980 And that's the beauty of engaging with different cultures, different ways of thinking, right? 457 00:21:00,980 --> 00:21:01,980 Absolutely. 458 00:21:01,980 --> 00:21:02,980 It challenges us. 459 00:21:02,980 --> 00:21:04,100 It makes us question our own assumptions. 460 00:21:04,100 --> 00:21:06,420 It opens us up to new possibilities. 461 00:21:06,420 --> 00:21:08,820 I'm seeing the I Ching in a whole new light now. 462 00:21:08,820 --> 00:21:10,500 It's not just some fortune telling manual. 463 00:21:10,500 --> 00:21:13,180 It's this really deep philosophical text. 464 00:21:13,180 --> 00:21:17,860 It's asking these big questions about reality, the universe, everything. 465 00:21:17,860 --> 00:21:18,860 Exactly. 466 00:21:19,020 --> 00:21:24,580 Ding argues that this depth, this nuanced way of understanding things like duality and 467 00:21:24,580 --> 00:21:29,420 divine will, that could be a direct result of its connection to the Hebrew Bible. 468 00:21:29,420 --> 00:21:30,420 Wow. 469 00:21:30,420 --> 00:21:34,700 He's suggesting that the I Ching is a blend of wisdom, both Chinese and Hebrew. 470 00:21:34,700 --> 00:21:38,020 It's this unique mix of Eastern and Western thought. 471 00:21:38,020 --> 00:21:40,780 It's like these two separate rivers of thought. 472 00:21:40,780 --> 00:21:44,540 They meet and they create something completely new, something insightful. 473 00:21:44,540 --> 00:21:47,940 It makes you think about how powerful cultural exchange can be. 474 00:21:48,020 --> 00:21:49,020 Exactly. 475 00:21:49,020 --> 00:21:50,700 Ideas, they don't just travel in a straight line. 476 00:21:50,700 --> 00:21:54,740 You know, it's more like a tapestry, all these threads weaving together, influencing 477 00:21:54,740 --> 00:21:56,940 each other in unexpected ways. 478 00:21:56,940 --> 00:21:59,440 And the I Ching, it might be a perfect example of that. 479 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:04,180 This fusion of traditions, that still has so much to teach us today. 480 00:22:04,180 --> 00:22:07,620 It makes you wonder what other connections are still hidden out there. 481 00:22:07,620 --> 00:22:11,780 What other cultures or traditions that we think of as totally different might actually 482 00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:17,140 share some deep connection, you know, if we're brave enough to actually look for it. 483 00:22:17,140 --> 00:22:22,820 It's like we've stumbled onto this secret passageway to this whole network of knowledge. 484 00:22:22,820 --> 00:22:28,380 That's what I love about scholarship, you know, this constant pursuit of knowledge, 485 00:22:28,380 --> 00:22:31,100 this desire to understand. 486 00:22:31,100 --> 00:22:34,300 There are always new things to discover, new connections to make. 487 00:22:34,300 --> 00:22:35,300 And Dings work. 488 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:36,300 It's a testament to that. 489 00:22:36,300 --> 00:22:37,300 He doesn't have all the answers. 490 00:22:37,300 --> 00:22:38,300 Yeah. 491 00:22:38,300 --> 00:22:42,340 But he's asking the right questions, the kinds of questions that can totally change 492 00:22:42,340 --> 00:22:43,980 how we see the world. 493 00:22:43,980 --> 00:22:47,020 You know, I'm feeling that, that excitement of discovery. 494 00:22:47,020 --> 00:22:51,300 It's like we're on the verge of something big here, a whole new way of understanding 495 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:55,460 not just history, but the connections between us as humans. 496 00:22:55,460 --> 00:22:58,300 That's the power of a truly groundbreaking theory. 497 00:22:58,300 --> 00:23:00,380 It doesn't just teach you facts. 498 00:23:00,380 --> 00:23:02,620 It changes how you see yourself. 499 00:23:02,620 --> 00:23:04,460 It changes how you see history. 500 00:23:04,460 --> 00:23:07,460 It changes how you see the connections between everything. 501 00:23:07,460 --> 00:23:11,580 But you know, before we get too carried away with all of this, let's bring it back down 502 00:23:11,580 --> 00:23:12,580 to Earth alone. 503 00:23:12,580 --> 00:23:13,580 Right. 504 00:23:13,580 --> 00:23:15,380 We've talked a lot about the philosophy, the theology, all that. 505 00:23:15,380 --> 00:23:17,420 What about the practical side of things? 506 00:23:17,420 --> 00:23:21,780 Does Dings see any way that this theory is relevant to the real world? 507 00:23:21,780 --> 00:23:22,780 Oh, absolutely. 508 00:23:22,780 --> 00:23:28,660 In fact, he believes that his theory has huge implications for interfaith dialogue. 509 00:23:28,660 --> 00:23:29,660 Okay. 510 00:23:29,660 --> 00:23:32,260 You know, understanding between different faiths, especially in the world today. 511 00:23:32,260 --> 00:23:34,820 So you're saying it's not just some interesting historical thing. 512 00:23:34,820 --> 00:23:39,660 It's something that could help people understand each other better today, build bridges. 513 00:23:39,660 --> 00:23:40,820 Exactly. 514 00:23:40,820 --> 00:23:44,860 Dings says that this kind of dialogue, this interfaith dialogue, it's so crucial now, 515 00:23:44,860 --> 00:23:47,580 especially with everything going on in the world, you know. 516 00:23:47,580 --> 00:23:52,700 He sees the I Ching as this powerful reminder that even cultures that seem totally different 517 00:23:52,700 --> 00:23:58,920 on the surface, they can still have that shared humanity, that shared search for meaning for 518 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:00,740 something bigger than themselves. 519 00:24:00,740 --> 00:24:05,260 It's like we might use different words, have different rituals, different ideas about, 520 00:24:05,260 --> 00:24:07,260 you know, God or the divine. 521 00:24:07,260 --> 00:24:08,260 Yeah. 522 00:24:08,260 --> 00:24:12,660 But underneath it all, there's that shared human experience that connects us. 523 00:24:12,660 --> 00:24:13,660 Exactly. 524 00:24:13,660 --> 00:24:19,300 So maybe, just maybe, by exploring those roots, that common ground, we can actually find ways 525 00:24:19,300 --> 00:24:22,020 to understand each other better, build those bridges you were talking about. 526 00:24:22,020 --> 00:24:25,420 It's a beautiful idea and one that we definitely need right now, don't we? 527 00:24:25,420 --> 00:24:26,420 I think so. 528 00:24:26,420 --> 00:24:28,860 It's so easy to get caught up in what divides us. 529 00:24:28,860 --> 00:24:34,420 But he's saying like, hey, look, we've been asking these same questions, searching for 530 00:24:34,420 --> 00:24:37,420 the same truths for thousands of years. 531 00:24:37,420 --> 00:24:41,140 Let's talk about that, you know, let's talk about what we share. 532 00:24:41,140 --> 00:24:42,140 Exactly. 533 00:24:42,140 --> 00:24:46,180 He sees the I Ching as a tool, you know, a way to start those conversations, to build 534 00:24:46,180 --> 00:24:49,500 those bridges instead of focusing on what separates us. 535 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:53,620 He wants it to look deeper, to find those connections, those common threads that tie 536 00:24:53,620 --> 00:24:54,620 us all together. 537 00:24:54,620 --> 00:24:55,620 Yeah. 538 00:24:55,620 --> 00:24:56,620 I love that. 539 00:24:56,620 --> 00:25:00,260 It's that reminder that we're more alike than we think, even when it doesn't seem like it. 540 00:25:00,260 --> 00:25:01,260 Exactly. 541 00:25:01,260 --> 00:25:05,620 And he sees the I Ching as a symbol of that, of that possibility, you know, that we can 542 00:25:05,620 --> 00:25:08,740 find common ground, we can overcome these huge divides. 543 00:25:08,740 --> 00:25:13,540 After all, the I Ching itself, if he's right, it is the result of that process. 544 00:25:13,540 --> 00:25:18,620 Different cultures, different wisdoms coming together to create something new, something 545 00:25:18,620 --> 00:25:22,860 insightful, something that speaks to that deeper shared human story. 546 00:25:22,860 --> 00:25:27,580 It really makes you think about how much we have to learn, how many connections are still 547 00:25:27,580 --> 00:25:29,280 waiting to be made. 548 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:34,100 And that search for understanding, especially across cultures, yeah, it's so important. 549 00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:35,100 It really is. 550 00:25:35,540 --> 00:25:39,580 I think what Ding's work shows us, I think, is that scholarship, this search for knowledge, 551 00:25:39,580 --> 00:25:41,300 it's not just about the past. 552 00:25:41,300 --> 00:25:43,840 It's about understanding who we are today. 553 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:45,300 It's about building a better future. 554 00:25:45,300 --> 00:25:51,000 I love that because it's so easy to think of these ancient texts as like relics, right? 555 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,460 But they're not, they're still relevant. 556 00:25:52,460 --> 00:25:54,340 They still have something to teach us. 557 00:25:54,340 --> 00:25:55,540 They absolutely do. 558 00:25:55,540 --> 00:25:59,260 And there's another layer to Ding's work that I think is so relevant to all of this, to 559 00:25:59,260 --> 00:26:01,740 this idea of building a better world. 560 00:26:01,740 --> 00:26:05,940 He talks about how the I Ching, it explores these ideas about leadership, about how societies 561 00:26:05,940 --> 00:26:07,600 should be governed. 562 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,420 And there are these fascinating parallels to what you find in the Hebrew Bible, especially 563 00:26:11,420 --> 00:26:12,980 in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy. 564 00:26:12,980 --> 00:26:13,980 Oh, interesting. 565 00:26:13,980 --> 00:26:18,980 So we're moving beyond just personal ethics now and looking at how these principles might 566 00:26:18,980 --> 00:26:22,780 apply to leadership, to guiding an entire society. 567 00:26:22,780 --> 00:26:23,780 Exactly. 568 00:26:23,780 --> 00:26:28,780 And he points out that the I Ching, it really emphasizes certain qualities in a leader, 569 00:26:28,780 --> 00:26:33,260 qualities like justice, humility, a genuine concern for the people. 570 00:26:33,260 --> 00:26:36,260 And these aren't just like optional, nice to has, they're essential. 571 00:26:36,260 --> 00:26:40,300 They're what's needed to create a harmonious, prosperous society. 572 00:26:40,300 --> 00:26:41,300 Right. 573 00:26:41,300 --> 00:26:42,580 And those seem like pretty universal ideas. 574 00:26:42,580 --> 00:26:46,460 It's hard to imagine any society where people wouldn't want their leaders to have those 575 00:26:46,460 --> 00:26:47,460 qualities. 576 00:26:47,460 --> 00:26:48,460 Exactly. 577 00:26:48,460 --> 00:26:52,700 And Ding, he highlights how those same principles, they're right there in the Hebrew Bible's 578 00:26:52,700 --> 00:26:55,100 depiction of what a good leader should be. 579 00:26:55,100 --> 00:26:56,860 Think about Moses again. 580 00:26:56,860 --> 00:27:02,420 Moses portrayed as this humble servant, totally dedicated to his people, to creating a just 581 00:27:02,420 --> 00:27:03,420 society. 582 00:27:03,420 --> 00:27:04,420 Yeah. 583 00:27:04,420 --> 00:27:08,060 The ultimate example of a selfless leader, not in it for power, but for the people. 584 00:27:08,060 --> 00:27:09,060 Exactly. 585 00:27:09,060 --> 00:27:14,580 And you see that same emphasis on selflessness, on service, woven throughout the I Ching. 586 00:27:14,580 --> 00:27:16,960 It's not about power for the sake of power. 587 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,420 It's about responsibility. 588 00:27:18,420 --> 00:27:23,380 It's about using that power, that influence to help people, to guide them, to make things 589 00:27:23,380 --> 00:27:24,380 better. 590 00:27:24,380 --> 00:27:25,380 Exactly. 591 00:27:25,900 --> 00:27:26,900 That's sad, isn't it? 592 00:27:26,900 --> 00:27:31,260 Because we see this disconnect so often between these ideals, these beautiful ideas about 593 00:27:31,260 --> 00:27:34,580 leadership and the reality of how things actually work. 594 00:27:34,580 --> 00:27:35,580 All the time. 595 00:27:35,580 --> 00:27:40,140 It's like we have this ancient wisdom, this blueprint for creating a better world. 596 00:27:40,140 --> 00:27:42,620 And it's like we've just forgotten it. 597 00:27:42,620 --> 00:27:44,780 It's a good thing we have these texts then, isn't it? 598 00:27:44,780 --> 00:27:45,780 Yeah. 599 00:27:45,780 --> 00:27:47,660 To remind us, to give us that fresh perspective. 600 00:27:47,660 --> 00:27:52,700 It's like we need to hit the reset button sometimes, step back from all the craziness 601 00:27:52,700 --> 00:27:54,660 and reconnect with that ancient wisdom. 602 00:27:55,140 --> 00:27:56,620 It's still there for us. 603 00:27:56,620 --> 00:27:57,780 Beautifully said. 604 00:27:57,780 --> 00:27:59,900 And that's what makes Ding's work so powerful. 605 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:01,140 It's not just about the past. 606 00:28:01,140 --> 00:28:02,140 It's about today. 607 00:28:02,140 --> 00:28:03,140 It's about tomorrow. 608 00:28:03,140 --> 00:28:07,060 He's offering us this roadmap, this guide to a better future. 609 00:28:07,060 --> 00:28:09,700 And it's all based on these timeless principles. 610 00:28:09,700 --> 00:28:13,580 Justice, compassion, recognizing how interconnected we all are. 611 00:28:13,580 --> 00:28:19,180 It's about bridging that gap, right, between this ancient wisdom, these old stories, and 612 00:28:19,180 --> 00:28:20,660 the challenges we face today. 613 00:28:20,660 --> 00:28:21,660 It really is. 614 00:28:21,660 --> 00:28:25,500 And it shows that the answers we're looking for, they might already be out there. 615 00:28:25,500 --> 00:28:30,020 We just have to be open to finding them, to learning from them, to applying them to our 616 00:28:30,020 --> 00:28:31,020 lives. 617 00:28:31,020 --> 00:28:32,380 Ai, this has been fantastic. 618 00:28:32,380 --> 00:28:35,180 Thank you so much for taking us on this deep dive. 619 00:28:35,180 --> 00:28:38,700 It's been eye-opening, thought-provoking, and honestly pretty inspiring. 620 00:28:38,700 --> 00:28:40,300 The pleasure was all mine. 621 00:28:40,300 --> 00:28:41,860 And remember, this is just the beginning. 622 00:28:41,860 --> 00:28:45,460 If any of this resonated with you, go out and explore it some more. 623 00:28:45,460 --> 00:28:46,460 Read these texts. 624 00:28:46,460 --> 00:28:47,580 Learn about these cultures. 625 00:28:47,580 --> 00:28:49,020 You never know what you might find.