Politely asking Genghis Khan to stop killing people

In observance of Genghis Khan Day, I talk a little bit about Genghis Khan and his friendship with a Taoist monk called Changchun.
SOURCE
There are two English translations of 長春真人西遊記 (Changchun's Journey to the West) that I am aware of. Both are in the public domain and available online:
- Emil Bretschneider, 1888: archive.org/de...
- Arthur Waley, 1931: archive.org/de...
Some have commented asking about availability of translations in other languages. To my knowledge, Changchun's Journey to the West has only been translated into English, Russian (Palladius, 1866), and Japanese (Iwamura, 1948).
Thank you to B. Cichoszewski for preparing the Polish subtitles.

[@fyllingenoy131]

Genghis Khan really made Changchun travel thousands of miles just to completely ignore all his advice

[@elio7610]

An effective political strategy to halt the efforts of your opposition under the guise of cooperation.

[@CraigStCyrPlus]

And he would say limericks and musings such as, "How many boards would the Mongols hoard if the Mongol hoards got bored?" edit: Hordes*

[@olluxi]

mingus

[@CraigStCyrPlus]

@@jasoncullen8430 I haven't seen that play. My first of many questions is - is it Twister (the board/floor game) themed or is the play based on the 1996 box office thriller starring Helen Hunt? edit: he deleted his comment after saying it wasnt a limerick. Said it was a mere play on words. Tongue twister was another term he used.

[@sethrussell6393]

Genghis Khan was literally like "I ain't reading allat"

[@rohitchaoji]

Genghis Khan basically: "You make valid points but I'm still going to do whatever the hell I want. Good to see you though."

[@phoenixj1299]

False

[@wedoalittlemonkeybusiness6545]

gengis wanted to change he even said he was right he just fell to old habits like most people

[@monkeeseemonkeedoo3745]

@@wedoalittlemonkeybusiness6545 Wow, he wanted to change... too bad he killed millions of people instead. Woopsie.

[@11th_defender51]

@@wedoalittlemonkeybusiness6545 the old habits of murdering millions?

[@extrafreshhh]

My dad everytime I come home to visit

[@sagitarriulus9773]

How ironic, the monk tells him to stop killing to live for ever but the killing is what made him immortal in the eyes of history.

[@GSPfan2112]

Im certain there mustve been a point of diminishing returns.

[@Bambino_60]

🤯mind blown

[@dexorne9753]

@@GSPfan2112 isn't diminishing returns basically a law of nature? (not considering things to do with energy or physics)

[@rudi_tabootie]

@@dexorne9753 wdym by that specifically?

[@dexorne9753]

@@rudi_tabootie just that generally investments have diminishing returns. Natural law was probably the wrong word though since that can be confused with actual natural laws like conservation of energy and such.

[@luxent]

Thanks for reminding us to remember the peacemakers. Those who stop violent changes (conquerors) are quite unappreciated in history.

[@docaz9453]

Many people dltried to stop usa from invading iraq vietnam afghanistan , many tried to stop world wars but in end talking not what stop wars you cant fight violence with speech

[@maxsonthonax1020]

Deep stuff.

[@theothertonydutch]

It's just weird that "conflict" right now is people funding other people to assault hospitals with children in them. Like, the bottomline of every conflict is (mostly) men who basically disagree with each other about resources and it shouldn't be that hard to do that in a more agreeable way. Only psychopaths enjoy war.@@AllenCrawford3

[@noahjones9833]

@@AllenCrawford3 in what possible capacity are we indebted to conquerors like ghenghis and hitler? Advancements or maybe the existence of history made by the conflicts they lead and represented? If so, bullshit, beyond the complex layers of lies and propoganda enveloping those topics, at absolute best, some possibly net positive changes occurred in select facets of those events, ignoring the far wider senseless endless horrors and destruction. Furthermore, we should remain careful of how and why we treat such people the way we do, because that is the sole way througu which they can function and manipulate us and the history of the world, and one should not give power to tyrants.

[@TheREALTheRealAdam]

Except this story is about how he failed to stop violence...

[@hamsta11]

I think Genghis Khan could appreciate Changchun but realizes he cannot live in that world... literally one of his retainers would assassinate him if he actually followed all of Changchun's advice. And for him to stop hunting for two months is an extremely significant amount of time for the Khan given that he's never hesitated in anything in his life. Changchun was like a rare bird in his view that could survive clean in a really ugly, dirty, violent world. They're both naturalists but existing on opposite ends of the wilderness.

[@joshlamingo1145]

Exactly and anyone who doesn't understand that is very pampered in my opinion. Holding this opinion this opinion is no reflection of your moral views on his actions. It's the reality of the world has was living in. He wasn't the only killer or war lord there just the most efficient. Which is why he's still remembered till this day because the world has for a long time been run by the likes of him.

[@VersionBest]

Beautifully said.

[@arnowisp6244]

True. It is a feat for a Man like Changchun to continue existing in the Harsh world as he understands it.

[@Ipipeyourmom]

Great point but let’s not give him a pass here. ‘He was just the most effecticient’ that’s pretty meaningless because he still chose to do what he did, it wasn’t just societal pressure but an active choice. Like yeah there was societal pressure and it’s important to recognize that but he was the most powerful man in the world at that point and he chose to keep massacring people and create mass death and destruction. That was a choice he made

[@opalfishsparklequasar8663]

Best comment. Beautifully stated! 🙂👍💖💎🏆💐🎯

[@JoeKawano]

“I think it’s worth-…not just remembering the Conquerors in history-but also remembering the Peacemakers.”

[@olliefoxx7165]

Conquerors are peacemakers. When they destroy all resistance there is no one to fight, peace is all that's left.

[@Laotzu.Goldbug]

@@olliefoxx7165 pieces are all that's left

[@olliefoxx7165]

@@Laotzu.Goldbug lol, yes. I suppose you're right. Clever

[@jvukovic4]

@@olliefoxx7165 there's this great piece written by one of the tribe leaders conquered by the Romans, who says "They plunder, they butcher, they ravish, and call it by the lying name of 'empire'. They make a desert and call it 'peace'"

[@olliefoxx7165]

@@jvukovic4 It seems that all the great empires left pieces of the conquered strewn in their wake as they brought them "peace". Humanity's cruelty and kindness are woven in our DNA like the Yin and Yang.

[@jimoday2078]

To me, the most impressive thing in the account is that these two men -- opposites in such significant ways and who remained opposites throughout -- still also remained on friendly terms with each other.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

Hard to say what other considerations and interests structured those terms.

[@bk-lx6cb]

Democrats and Republicans in congress should read up on this account ....maybe learn a thing or two ......

[@Sernival]

@@bk-lx6cb theyre both the same they just bounce between controlled opposition and autocrat so the US thinks its a democracy

[@thecondescendinggoomba5552]

@@bk-lx6cb the things that democrats and republicans happily agree on tend to be bad for the rest of us

[@rohitchaoji]

@@bk-lx6cb That's another illusion. In most countries in the world, seemingly opposing political parties are friendly with each other in private. They just put up that front to the public so that their political races seem like they have some meaning or significance for the general public.

[@aeiro5390]

I really appreciate you subtitling the videos - I'm fascinated by this type of history and it's so rare to find accessible videos about them as a deaf person!

[@user-ms7gt2km5f]

I am delighted that we share this interest and hope you can hear his gentle voice speak it too one day if not in this world then in heaven.

[@dane1382]

tbh subtitles are nice even for people who can hear. sometimes it gets quiet, or the surroundings are too loud, or the speaker's accent is thick, and having everything in words just helps immensely.

[@user-tp4ii6hs3l]

Interesting how western history classes often portrayed the Mongols as quite tolerant to religion, and often instilled an advanced society when they passed through an area. We never learned about the religious dogma that they adhered to which lead to the deaths of many. Of course we learned that they killed everyone in a city but only as a method to decrease bloodshed later on. I wonder why there was a temptation to treat the Mongols as more benevolent then they might be...possibly racism from World War II era and before about Mongoloid Hordes from the steppes...I know this was present in Nazi propaganda and no doubt spilled into anti-communist propaganda.

[@profet1385]

How refreshing it is to hear a commentary on KZbin which doesn't include music and FX and that includes thought pauses to let mind get into storytelling

[@sugoi9680]

Couldn't agree more

[@Honthefup]

Here here

[@poocabraxi]

Oui Oui

[@sethleoric2598]

When a conversation with a bloodthirsty warlord is more civil than most arguements on Twitter.

[@yj9032]

You know the account is a translation of a translation of a translation of a translation?

[@emani2704]

@@yj9032 You need to understand that's how some parts of the world worked in past, particularly in Asia. Buddha literally walked among thugs, warlords and 99% people who had nothing to do with Buddhist philosophy/religion and yet he was completely alive and untouched after 100s of religious debates. Killing a monk was a big sin in Asia doesn't matter if he is from your religious philosophy or have different religious philosophy.

[@Oujouj426]

Bloodthirsty warlords back then were todays politicians. He had no reason to not treat the monk amicably, his conquests weren't done out of insanity.

[@zaberfang]

When you realize that said "bloodthirsty" warlord is actually more reasonable than current US politicians.

[@sethleoric2598]

@@zaberfang yeah actually,now that i think about it most of these guys were a lot more practi cal about things than a lot of modern politicians lmao

[@HeartOfChina]

Thanks for sharing this! I have a BA in Mongolian Language and Literature from Inner Mongolia University in China. I learned the Classical Uighur “Mongol” script. Cyrillic has sadly devastated the written language in Mongolia. But the Mongols in China have kept it alive. 😄 The Mongols were a warring people until they converted to Buddhism. They practice Mystic Buddhism, AKA Tibetan Buddhism, which is a mixture of Shamanism and Buddhism. In order to convert them, to subdue them, they could keep many Shamanistic practices. Converting the Mongols and Tibetans to Buddhist practitioners subdued them. Apparently, this was a kind of psychological warfare, and it was successful in subduing the warrior spirit of the Mongols. The Mongolian Language and culture is fascinating! When learning the language, the one verb that has stood out for me is the verb ᠨᠠᠮᠨᠠᠬᠤ (namnaho). It means “to ride a horse and shoot an arrow.” Obviously, the Mongolian culture is connected strongly to horses. A horse was the one thing that anyone needed to be successful in life. The fact they have a verb expressing riding and horse while shooting an arrow also expresses the importance and commonality of this dual action in their culture at some point in time. Cheers! 😊

[@premodernist_history]

Very cool! I like that tidbit about namnaho. Chinggis must have used namnaho in his conversation with Changchun. I'm jealous you got to learn Mongolian. That's a language I wish I could learn but will never have the time to. Incidentally, with your background you're probably one of the few Westerners with the linguistic skills necessary to read The Secret History of the Mongols in the original. (For other reading: it was written in Classical Mongolian using Chinese characters used phonetically.) I plan to do more Mongol content in the future, at the very least once a year in November.

[@premodernist_history]

@Todd Cornell I love the video. I took Mandarin classes in undergrad but I didn't keep it up after graduating. But your narration is slow and clear, great for listening practice. I miss studying Chinese. Such a great language. You have a cool channel. I'm not in the target audience but I can see I can still get a lot out of the cultural observations.

[@sd8c]

When the great Indian ruler and conqueror Ashoka become Buddhist it also cause a subduing of the Indian people as many generations after him the Indian people became more non-violent and then the intruders started to make there way in from the western frontier of India.

[@ichkaodko7020]

lol, straight chinese and russian propaganda outta your mouth. I am damn native speaker and i have no damn idea about the verb you like. Due to 70+ years communist and post-communist propaganda, many people in Mongolia subscribed the your idea of Buddhism subdue the "warrior spirit of Mongols" bullshit. Also, cyrillic devastated the Mongolian written language and only chinese(Inner Mongolian) keeps it alive is another propaganda straight outta china. Well, from the neo-colonist or reductionist perspective, what you wrote here seems true. Alas, the reality is far from it. De-colonize yourself and study again, then you would probably get why this is the case.

[@HeartOfChina]

​@@ichkaodko7020 Thanks for sharing your perspective. Unfortunately, it appears being narrow. History does not exist in a box and the things I speak of, aside from the forced usage of Cyrillic script by the USSR, have nothing to do with the past 70 years. Yes, Cyrillic is much easier to learn than traditional Mongol script. Yes, the Mongols of China are keeping the Mongol script alive. They have no need for Cyrillic. The Mongols in the Republic of Mongolia don’t have the desire to bring the traditional script back and leave behind the simplistic Soviet script. They’re now Russian hybrids after 70 years of exposure to Russian education and Russification. The history of the Mongols is at the core of Chinese history. The Mongols ruled China during the Yuan Dynasty (1100s CE) and have been intrinsically connected to the History of China, a multi-ethnic country. Over the millennia, many ethnic minority groups have ruled China, not just the Han Chinese. That is a historical moot point and is information easily accessible on Wikipedia. Clammer all you want. The history books were written hundreds of years ago. This has nothing to do with the propaganda or colonization you refer to. 😅 Chill!

[@anhedonianepiphany5588]

What’s most puzzling is that the algorithm actually recommended thoughtful and inspiring content which aligns with my real preferences. Your channel is a surprising delight, and I wish you well with it.

[@walterkerr1194]

Weve been programming them for years! I think mine has a very complex understanding of who I am and knows that I like to learn, you cant hide who you are from the Algorithm

[@tikimillie]

@@walterkerr1194 think what they’re saying is that their algorithm usually doesn’t do that…

[@acaptainnachoz2111]

You're more likely to click on thoughtful videos so youtube will continue to recommend you them until your preferences change

[@bingxilao9086]

@@walterkerr1194 I had to use a browser extention to block a hundred mainstream news channels.

[@arethur]

lol

[@serrajav]

Changchun had some serious balls lecturing Genghis Khan

[@700gsteak]

Genghis Khan chose not to kill Changchun. Like Indy, he chose wisely.

[@lindadechiazza2924]

It is like if someone is picking their boogers you have to tell 'em to stop because its disgusting So he try to tell GK to quit it

[@TheRealRusDaddy]

Mongolians seem to have a history of standing up to crazy leaders stalin and the pipe slapping incident for example

[@freppie_]

it is beqause he lectures him in a firm but gentle manner. like how you should teach ur children.

[@geesixnine]

He didn't kill any envoys lol

[@jeromedelrosario]

I honestly thought this was a shitpost.

[@Aks0_0]

Same lol

[@tf-ok]

Shitpost as click bait works!! Now you've been educated

[@Honkwaddle]

"It was indeed two months before he again went hunting" 🤣 I love these kind of details - incredible sassy humour to bring the account to life in a way that's so relatable to most modern humans

[@Skywalker96214]

When I heard that, I'd like to think the monk Changchun had a facepalm moment when he realized the Khan went hunting again

[@bigying]

I also wonder if there is censorship of their writings, since they were in his court, even if the writing were made public later. If they weren’t more “polite” then they may be inviting trouble.

[@NickMak-m2c]

That's your interpretation, sassy and sarcasm were not nearly as much a cultural artifice as they are now, in fact in many cultures sarcasm had no meaning, because the word was given with impeccability. And this is giving reverence to the monk for Ghengis Khan's behaviorial change at all, this not girls of the Valley in modern California, there is a different spirit to their words. There was a different spirit to the word even 70-80 years ago, if you listen to the way people spoke candidly, it differs given cultural context, your own lens can warp impeccability.

[@emersonpage5384]

Really though, two months is kind of impressive given how much Mongol society centered riding and hunting.

[@BallBatteryReligion]

​@@NickMak-m2cokay so what I got from your comment was "to us two months is a short amount of time, so we assume the writer was being sarcastic but in reality given the context and difference in languages; it was likely not sarcastic. In fact, it was probably evidence that Khan took the man's advice."

[@SuperLeroy66]

You can never give the little blacksmith too much credit. His peace offerings were as generous as you can get.

[@johnclay5499]

Subutai?

[@andrewsuryali8540]

@@johnclay5499 Temujin means blacksmith.

[@huuchinduu]

@@andrewsuryali8540 blackmisth means Darkhan. not Temujin

[@andrewsuryali8540]

@@huuchinduu Temujin = төмөрчин (tömörchin) = ironworker. It comes from the root words төмөр (tömör) = iron and чин (chin) = worker. It's the actual Mongolian way for saying blacksmith in a pre-industrial sense. дархан (darkhan) actually means craftsman and it comes from the root words дар (dar) = press and хан (khan) = plate, so someone who presses plates. It's the modern industrial-age way of saying blacksmith.

[@nannettefreeman7331]

Khan never cared about material wealth. His family had been quite wealthy, but that wealth didn’t help when his father died & the clan turned their backs on them. He reasoned very early on that with power one could always acquire wealth, but that wealth did not ensure that one could retain power. He was very generous with his plunder. He kept very little for himself. It wasn’t what he valued. ✌🏼

[@lordsiomai]

"... but we could still hear dogs barking in the streets." fucking chills man!

[@andreascovano7742]

I remember a quote from Ogedei's brothers to the Great Khan (Ogedei) when he was debating wether a city should be wiped out: "Are you gonna cry for the people again?" That is stone cold and why fantasy can never top history

[@joriankell1983]

You've never heard of Warhammer 40k, have you?

[@danentakoto2701]

Maybe Arthas from War craft could applied here? Only a little bit.

[@yous2244]

Actually fantasy is inspired by history a lot so don't agree

[@Regarded69]

This is on a similiar level of brutal as that quote "Kill them all, god will recognize his own" by the commander before the massacre at Beizers during the Albigensian crusade.

[@birisuandrei1551]

It's rather horrific to imagine some poor merchant enter that city only to see no people at all, looking around calling for anyone.... Only to find the mountain of corpse's left behind... I'd straight up die on the spot seeing that.

[@ShavoSoaDer]

Merchant was probably like "huh, I guess they didn't paid Mongolian taxes" and go somewhere else.

[@samuraijackoff5354]

@@ShavoSoaDer After the 5th city, probably yeah.

[@MartinThomas-m1g]

It goes to prove what's already beyond doubt i.e. the inherent savagery of the Homo Sapiens.

[@ADPuckey]

I've been enjoying the hell out of this channel. This guy is now near the top of my list for people I'd just like to have dinner and chat with

[@Pauly421]

Sounds like you're asking him out :P

[@Pauly421]

But jokes aside I agree, he's very articulate and his calm demeanor is disarming :)

[@Jobe-13]

Actually so cool to hear accounts of people conversing and interacting with Genghis Khan and getting a glimpse of who the Khan was as a person and what he was like.

[@DestinyAwaits19]

He was nothing but a bloodthirsty and murdering coward.

[@ac4740]

Your presentation style is disarming, which is odd, because i didn't know i went into history videos armed. This is a fascinating topic and I'm glad to have found this video.

[@sakesaurus]

yes. Disarm now. A lot of the history was not conflict. It was just life

[@bassistguy13]

Really well said, I realize I share the same sentiment!

[@thebitchprince]

I just discovered your channel this afternoon and I already watched 4 videos. I must say I love your narration. There’s something so casual in the way you talk about what happened in the past that it doesn’t come off as a new lesson to me - it sounds like youre giving a friendly insight but in a non patronizing way on what we can also notice from the past instead of what is directly obvious popping out of a history book page. Breezy and casual. I like it. Thanks for not making it sound controversial or commercialized. I hope you cover more topics. More power!! ❤🧚🏻‍♀️

[@BS-vx8dg]

Kennet, you have put my own feelings into words. I just discovered his stuff a week or two ago,but I could listen to Postmodernist every day.

[@the_mad_fool]

I'd suggest your impression of Changchun's obscurity is more a function of the Eurocentrism of Western education, as Changchun is actually really famous in China as "Qiu Chuji" (which was his real name). That said, his common depiction in Chinese culture is very different (much like most ancient figures), and his most well-known depiction is as a younger man in "Legend of the Condor Heroes," where he is ironically characterized as a bullheaded priest whose inflexible morality and hotheadedness regularly causes him to get into fights.

[@yetanothergracchi2994]

everyone grows up eventually, some sooner than others though

[@NickMak-m2c]

Let's not forget the context of modern China's and the old China's differences in depictions of history. Taoism is more of a relic, since freedom of religion altered for the communist revolution. From freedom house: "Chinese Buddhism and Taoism have revived significantly over the past 30 years from near extinction, but their scale and influence pale in comparison to the pre-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) era ... "

[@rohanking12able]

But how's that eurocentrism. Dog that's called literally being European. With primarily European text. Along with most people not knowing more languages than 2 unless needed. But that is interesting he's depicted as so. Makes sense given current Chinese governmental overhaul on society

[@mikewaters2126]

True, but everyone in the west has heard of Genghis Khan regardless. Even eurocentrist tellings of history will take bits and pieces from other regions. And it's very telling which bits it takes.

[@enutrofdude]

I haven't watched/read "Legend of the Condor Heroes", but it seems that Changchun's characterization was possibly inspired by Lu Zhishen (Sagacious Lu) from "Water Margin" aka "Outlaws of the Marsh" - a brash, loyal and unforgettable character.

[@itayweiss4901]

I just discovered your videos and have been binge watching them. The topics of your videos are intriguing and your delivery of them is amazing! thanks for all your hard work!!!

[@premodernist_history]

Thanks!

[@Marianne-Bachmeier-Extremist]

"It was indeed two months before he again went hunting" definitely sounds like a sarcastic remark lmao

[@zhangmike4852]

Years later Genghis Khan wrote letters to Qiu Chuji(chang chun) that he missed him a lot.

[@StAmander]

This is a good example of why it’s important for bystanders to speak up. Changchun had no force to force Genghis Khan to stop killing, but still encouraged him to stop. I do wonder if the mention of the the two months with out hunting is really a jab at Genghis Khan or if it’s an achievement of Changchun’s wisedom. I am not a historian or a cultural expert in any way, but without more context I wouldn’t be able to figure that out.

[@PatrickPease]

I enjoy so much your vocal style. it feels extemporaneous and thoughtful and is a joy to experience. And the topics are always so fascinating...

[@psr0459]

Thank you. That was very thought provoking. It's difficult to imagine such a brutal Warrior who habitually held life cheap, massacring any enemies that proved rebellious, was also interested in calmly debating philosophy & wanted to learn about other cultures. I also learnt there was a Genghis Khan Day. I'll plan for next year to celebrate by building a token pyramid of skulls of my. enemies 🥳

[@meinkek7896]

They killed your far away cousins in central asia

[@SuLokify]

A real "Hitler was a vegetarian dog lover" moment eh

[@burrito1413]

@@SuLokify I love that guy

[@SuLokify]

@@burrito1413 Ye

[@burrito1413]

@@SuLokify Ye 2

[@Damian-qv6wh]

You’re videos are so thorough please don’t stop!

[@jackhazardous4008]

One of the most interesting things about Genghis Khan to me was how he refused to wear exquisitely decorated armor, and instead his honor guard were the ones covered in jewels and engraved armor. I imagine this was a very useful social tactic in negotiations not just with his men, but his negotiations with foreign entities as well.

[@hachwarwickshire292]

Not really. Like Pol Pot he was hiding his presence. He still feared assassination.

[@Viranical]

Your end note is such an important one. A lot of atrocious people in the past get given a free pass as being "products of their time" but it's bs, there have always been people who spoke out against them.

[@mikeoath9541]

At the same time it is pure idiocy to also hold them to the same standards of modern times. It just isn't the same thing.

[@algorithmgeneratedanimegir1286]

​@@ULTRAOutdoorsman So you're saying there is a chance.

[@magesalmanac6424]

It’s not idiotic at all. We have modern standards, and why should we put those aside for anyone? We may as well not have those standards at all then. Never make excuses for bad behavior.

[@johannuys7914]

@@magesalmanac6424 According to statistics the US has killed over 6 million people, directly and indirectly, since their "War on Terror" started 20 years ago. Tell me again about these modern standards?

[@reanbowlerd5988]

@@magesalmanac6424 its just important to know the difference between excuses and explanations I guess

[@Moowe291]

This was a really great lesson I was unaware of. You made me feel a lot more courageous about our individual causes. I am in a heavy place right now and needed a reminder that I know what I am doing and what my message is. And it doesn't take a victory to have my message heard. Thank you I really enjoyed that.

[@Quitbit]

Imagine submitting to the mongols, then rebelling before the army is even that far away

[@ginxxxxx]

the armies are local, the same is though of the sea peoples, they are all local and pissed off at the world.

[@beatrixxxkiddo]

I love that final note about remembering peacemakers in history, it is incredibly easy to name violent historical figures but those who tried to bring peace to the world get overlooked or forgotten. Great video man

[@baneofbanes]

Tbf that’s generally because it’s easier to change the word through violence than through peaceful means.

[@kevinpezza6684]

Never in my life would I ever expect to be listening about Genghis Khan but you sure are a fantastic storyteller

[@Kevin-jb2pv]

The other cool part about old travel logs is that it tells you just as much about their own culture as the one that they're describing, because it clues us into what their home culture must be like for them to think certain things are strange.

[@2Cerealbox]

This is a great title for a video. Makes me want to click, but doesn't feel like clickbait. And you deliver actual history.

[@uncut_cowboy]

Beautifully eloquent and insightful commentary, thank you so much for breaking this down for folks like me who have a very fragmented view of world history.

[@yj9032]

Your channel is a breath of fresh air among all the routine WW2 and civil war stuff.

[@MRmagicoli]

well spoken, well told. Thank you for this refreshing history lesson

[@timkelehan5147]

Just discovered your channel, please keep it up! Love your enthusiasm for these topics....I've already watched several, can't wait to watch more. Thank you.

[@PsychorGames]

Man this is quality content. Never stop making these!

[@MissMaserati]

Really glad KZbin threw this video into my recommended. Very interesting piece of history to consider. Thank you for sharing it!

[@premodernist_history]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

[@m3bmuadib]

I don't know how did I come across this video. But I liked it a lot. Thanks.

[@danielbabb4776]

Another great video! You’ve got a really great, unique style for this type of video. Others have distracting music, visuals, and transitions, but yours is a lot more reserved and I love it! It’s like the difference between Sesame Street and Mr. Rodgers :)

[@premodernist_history]

Thanks!

[@auraaaaaaa]

My grandpa is a huge history geek and I myself have also been interested in history but never really started diving in deep. Not really relatable with this video but just wanted to say this was very interesting and fascinating! A true example of the ying & yang. I subscribed and cant wait for more content/videos from you! Much love! 💯

[@premodernist_history]

Thanks!

[@jankan4036]

Eyo Guts

[@auraaaaaaa]

@@jankan4036 eyo

[@CaptainTerrific09]

Great video, love the historical context about how the morality of war has been discussed for a millennia! Would love for you to discuss Timur, another historical figure I know little about

[@lightbeingform]

This channel is such a neat corner of the internet. I like hanging out here when I have a moment, it's kind of a concentrated dose of humanity.

[@Wolfe-Tone-]

And the world is severely lacking in humanity right now. I'm struggling myself to stay positive, humans are such complicated beings

[@RijaMo]

"The dogs are still barking" line is so harrowing. It kind of reinforces that it was not random acts of violence and barbarism, since they left the animals alone. It was deliberate.

[@enutrofdude]

I think the Mongols knew that the dogs weren't a part of the rebellion. : )

[@PHDL1295]

i love your pronunciation of their names, pretty spot on!

[@2shabbs]

"Genghis Khan... I wonder if he means old Genghis Khan..."

[@billwilliamson1506]

It opens up Ghengis to being understood as a person in his own way. Either through his maybe sense of humor in “heeding” the calls for peace or in his good ol boy manner of “such is steppe life”.

[@algorithmgeneratedanimegir1286]

Ghengis just simply Stepped the hardest.

[@Nathanfx2006]

As soon as you said you love medieval travel stories i instantly subscribed.

[@genesislauu1641]

Echoing the sentiments of many others when I say I've been really excited to discover this channel - fantastic content and topic areas. I'd love to know more about your academic background if you're willing to share that with us?

[@premodernist_history]

Thank you for the kind words! I got a PhD in medieval Islamic history, but obviously my history interests extend beyond that.

[@NiklasKing87]

This is my new favorite channel!!

[@ohaRega]

What a wonderful take. I can't get enough of this channel! Please do more.

[@maddogbasil]

You should do a video on Ibn Khaldun visiting Tamerlane This is literally the same situation between changchun and Chingis Khahan A talk between a man of the pen and a man of the sword

[@premodernist_history]

Yeah, that's another great meeting.

[@majungasaurusaaaa]

More like an ass kisser and a butcher who could use some cultural decoration to polish his image.

[@maddogbasil]

@@majungasaurusaaaa yh I'm not gonna disagree with you their Timur was definitely a butcher It's sad knowing how many Muslims his killed throughout his life while still trying to hold on to the mantle of Emir

[@ziggytheassassin5835]

@@maddogbasil he was the "sword of islam" but used it to kill more muslims then anyone else.

[@geesixnine]

@@maddogbasil Didn't he want to be considered "Khan" but he had no connections to Mongolia at all?

[@maverikmiller6746]

Thank you very much for telling more about Genghis Khan to us.

[@carlsmith4568]

I absolutely loved this video. I really cannot stress enough how fantastic of a listen that was.

[@premodernist_history]

Thank you!

[@boat1280]

I love the straightforward approach of this channel SO much.

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

You are a great presenter. Thankyou so much.

[@randomassguy]

I've been thinking about how schools teach history to students. I think schools only care to teach students how our current political distribution came to be, and more often than not the answer is war. Also I loved this video, you gained a subscriber, looking forward for more!

[@airingcondo3068]

Thank you so much for this interesting, intriguing and thought-provoking video! I’m very surprised to find that these medieval texts preserve the local dialect elements of Penglai(in ancient and text, Teng Chou) perfectly, for example, Si hia, called Qi xia in pinyin, are pronounced exactly like people from Penglai would do and alongside Teng Chou is still here to stay after a thousand years. Sometimes I feel the ancient way of dividing regions is way more accurate than now, as far as China’s concerned. Also it is my first time learning Chang Chun, even though he’s a Laoxiang of mine. Indeed, you can tell and say that the great peacemaker’s story was not told enough for the people to know. Quanzhen Taoism should preserve itself well.

[@getmoneybyanymeans6564]

this was a great video thank you for the time you put into this

[@johnran6015]

I'm glad I got the gunk out of my youtube algorithm and seeing some valuable videos finally, I got The Travels of an Alchemist on my "to read" list and I'm going to check out more of your videos, thank you.

[@kujojotarostandoceanman2641]

I'm a working to be a manga story writer and is looking for Mongolian traditions/Kan and their lifestyles for story inspiration, and this is amazing, this is such a interesting character dynamic to see the most brutal man and a pacifist having respect towards eachother, thank you for giving the spotlight to the small but more interesting details of history and to make historical figures being more 3 dimensional and human

[@TheDarklugia123]

this reminds of the encounter between St. Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt.

[@24HourGeorge]

I will never stop

[@BimpytheWimpyShrimpy]

.... _Pretty please?_

[@johnmeier7284]

Khan you try?

[@Kimballion]

At first I thought the title was strange, but the video really explains it!

[@rueadinfinitum]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights. At the end of the video you summarise my thoughts on storytellers or historians who talk about events and tales from the past, and encourage the reader that they: "have to think of the it all as a different time", and that "standards (with regard to rape or murder for example) were different". I feel it is important to challenge that. As you say, "many of us don't take into account that there were people... who had moral standards, and had principles, and were virtuous". It is not to destroy the story but to protest the storyteller.

[@lukecash3500]

Instantly you've hooked me to your channel.

[@claymore9359]

I could listen to this guy talk all day.

[@davidderidder2667]

Thank you for your video. You make this world a better place, and you are doing right by the positive human potential that we have.

[@sidaraslanoglu5322]

this is some of the most civilized comments sections I have ever seen, especially considering the fact that historical videos tend to polarize the viewers somewhat

[@neon9999]

This is one of the greatest titles to a KZbin video that i've ever seen :)

[@Minyassa]

Thank you for this bit of information. I must admit that since I was old enough to understand who Gengis Khan was and what he did, I have always felt a little sick whenever his name came up, and I had absolutely nothing positive to associate with that mention. Now I will remember that there was at least one connection with that name that was to a person who was good, and I will remember Changchun as an antidote.

[@jaydendrelinger4304]

A parallels here…the ratios of peace and violence run in equal proportions to sense and non-sense. For every one of this type of video is about 10,000 TikToks Wish there were more guys like you, thank you

[@bobbytran3878]

we quote genghis khan so much that it really shows insanely how much we romanticize and glorify historical conquerors and war criminals. also for fans of legend of the condor heroes, the author does have a scene where Genghis Khan and Qiu Chuji (changchun) talk about immortality, etc

[@premodernist_history]

I know. For some reason people seem to give historical leaders a pass for doing things we would not approve of otherwise. Thanks for the tip! I hadn't heard of Legend of the Condor Heroes. Looks like it's on KZbin with subtitles, so I'm going to check it out.

[@bobbytran3878]

@@premodernist_history there’s also a new English novel translation (the novel is split into 4 volumes)

[@premodernist_history]

@@bobbytran3878 This has sent me down a rabbit hole. I didn't realize there is so much Chinese historical fiction translated into English. Louis Cha is quite prolific.

[@bobbytran3878]

@@premodernist_history yeah he’s very influential to the genre of wuxia. His characters and stories are really popular, comparable to how popular stars war or lotr are in the west.

[@ziggytheassassin5835]

It makes me wonder how adolf hitler or stalin will be remembered 1000 years from now

[@GUNUFofficial]

"Hey, could you please stop?" "No."

[@ahyaok100]

That's a pretty long distance for Changchun to travel considering he was three-hundred years old. Very inspiring.

[@bentraplay6754]

Second video of yours that I found, this one and the election of George Washington one. Subscribed and love your videos and learning along with them

[@chi-jenyang9752]

According to Chinese historical records, Changchun (長春子, 丘處機) was born on February 10, 1148, and died on August 22, 1227. He met Genghis Khan in April, 1222, when he was 74 years old.

[@jemborg]

He may have well intended, with all sincerity at the time, that it was good advice that he'd follow... He just didn't follow through. That's common for a psychopath.

[@islandbry]

I'm not super into history, I'm more into science, but this is a damn interesting/ good video. I'm subscribing.

[@SisypheanRoller]

Such an underrated channel. This was extremely interesting to listen to and to think I only clicked because of the derpy thumbnail and title haha

[@magdalenaholt2967]

Immaculate narration. Thank you.

[@ItachiEyez]

“Eternal Spring” (changchun) Qui Chuji. I was first introduced to this specific line of history via Legend of the Condor Heroes series, book 4 -‘A Heart Divided’. 5 ⭐️’s. IYKYK!

[@OrganicGreens]

I just found your channel and I enjoy your passion for history. The way you put things in context by telling stories rather than trying to sound smart is very refreshing.

[@trentostgaard]

"Yeah I am 300 years old... Plus or minus a factor of ten"

[@xconnorgrillox]

Wow just found your channel great content!

[@jasonm9216]

Out of everything ten thousand videos KZbin recommends, there is one that is interesting and shines with intelligence. Great job, KZbin.

[@billfred9411]

This is actually very interesting. At the end of the day Changchun was kind of a conman since he was going around claiming he is over 300 years old but at the same time his philosophy was respectable and worthy of admiration. I think this also points to Genghis Khan being an excellent leader willing to learn. I also think when you gain so much power your desire being humbled by some one not afraid to tell you what he thinks. Its kinda like why royalty had court jesters. They are there to be a anti yes man. Its a person that can speak his mind without fear of punishments. Of course nobody is really immune to punishment but trust me when i say if they found out you talk shit about royalty and you weren't a jester that basically means your a dead man.

[@andrewsuryali8540]

He didn't make the claim, and openly admitted his true age to the Khan. Changchun (Qiu Chuji) was Master Qiu of the Seven True Daoists of the North. This title was the source of confusion because he wasn't the first Master Qiu of the True Daoists. There had been several before him, and all of them got conflated into one in the public imagination. That's why people thought "Master Qiu" was 300 years old.

[@billfred9411]

@@andrewsuryali8540 Oh I see. No wonder why the Khan liked this guy he seems pretty respectable.

[@andrewsuryali8540]

@@billfred9411 Well, he was 73 when he met the Khan (who was 59), so even his physical condition relative to his age would have looked astonishing to most of the Mongols present there, especially given very few of them lived past 50. Also, the name Changchun itself means eternal spring (the season, not the water source), so the man himself was clearly hoping for longevity. Alas, he passed away in 1227 at the age of 79.

[@bassistguy13]

How can a philosophy that requires fraud to be known be admired?

[@dancerinmaya6813]

@@andrewsuryali8540 this context is important for understanding his seeking advice from a Taoist practitioner, it would have been unfathomable if he was 30. Thanks.

[@Geo.StoryMaps]

Huge fan hope you make videos more regularly 👍 studied political science back in college and you see like a great professor

[@testest12344]

It'd be cool if you did more videos on historical people whose morality might seem more forward thinking than we usually think they might have been like when we think of someone from centuries past.

[@richardaaron4454]

This is a great channel. Thank you for your work.

[@justicewillprevail1106]

What an interesting video I came across this morning. I’ve always find kahn interesting. Subscribed.

[@inotmark]

An extremely interesting discourse. One can only compare it with the words of a Priest in Peru justifying the violence of the conquistadors: "... for the good of our Lord the church has always been on the side of the strong." It would seem that the west suffers by comparison.

[@Jackissimus]

The moral of the story seems a bit more depressing to me. Genghis Khan apparently didn't consider this guy as anything more than a novelty item. An interesting object he acquired, a pet. By having him become part of his court, he seemed to be sending a message to his friends and foes alike: "See? This supposedly moral man is now enjoying my protection too, while looking the other way when I commit all my slaughtering. It's about power all the way down, there is no deeper truth. Even your spiritual gurus obey me. You either bend to my will or you go against it, that's all there is."

[@marcusestube]

What a wonderful video. I wish more people were as thoughtful in their historical analysis as you.