The Geopolitical Blueprint

For thousands of years, the Great Pyramid of Giza has captivated and captured the imagination of the world. Why was it built?

Professor Jiang Xueqin argues against the mainstream theory that the Great Pyramid was built as a grand tomb for the Pharaoh. He argues that the Great Pyramid was Ancient

Egypt’s Manhattan Project, an attempt to unravel the secrets of the universe and channel the power of God to create eternal peace on Earth.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor vJiang Xueqin explains why Mesopotamia became the cradle of civilization. He explains that geography determined the destinies and mythologies of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Protected by natural boundaries and nurtured by the bountiful Nile, Egypt believed in benevolent Gods. Mesopotamia had no natural boundaries and its two rivers -- the Euphrates and Tigris -- were mercurial and chaotic, which led people to believe that the Gods demanded their servitude and struggle. This belief is expressed in the two major mythologies of Mesopotamia -- "Enuma Elish" as well as "The Epic of Gilgamesh." This belief, as well as the fact that Mesopotamia was the center of the Bronze Age world, led the Sumerians to create the innovations that would form the basis of civilization.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley were the three great civilizations of the Bronze Age. What made the Indus Valley Civilization distinct? Why did they decline? What is their legacy?

Professor Jiang Xueqin explains that the Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization) was mainly a peaceful and egalitarian society, which prospered because of its global trade networks. This civilization had standardized weights and measurements, sophisticated urban planning, as well as private indoor latrines. The dramatic climate change of the 4.2 kiloyear event caused Egypt’s Old Kingdom, Mesopotamia’s Akkadian empire, and the Indus Valley Civilization to decline. The Egyptians left us the Pyramids, the Mesopotamians left us the Epic of Gilgamesh, and the Harappans left us spiritual wealth. From the interaction with the Proto-Indo-Iranians, the Harappan civilization would eventually give birth to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, which continue to give hope and meaning to billions of people today.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Jiang Xueqin argues that the Bible was originally written as an apology for King David of Israel to establish his legitimacy and authority. The Bronze Age Collapse altered the geo-political landscape of the Levant, and with the retreat of the Egyptians and Hittites new political entities emerged. Threatened by the Philistines, the Israelites elected Saul to be their king. With the death of Saul, a violent civil war erupted between the House of Saul and the House of David. Even with his triumph, David continued to engage in acts of immorality and violence, most famously in the Bathsheba episode. Although designed as political spin, David's story is crafted with such care and beauty that it continues to captivate the imagination of audiences today.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Jiang Xueqin explains the power and beauty of the Book of Genesis.The chronology of the Pentateuch is confusing and contradictory. Archaeologists and historians have failed to discover any concrete evidence that Noah or Abraham or Moses ever existed. Jiang Xueqin argues that the Bible is not a chronology, but a cosmology designed to accomplish three major objectives:1. To legitimize King David of Israel. The poet-God Yahweh favored him because he was the first poet-king. 2. To create a new national identity. The Bronze Age collapse allowed the formation of new multi-cultural political entities in the Levant, including Israel. The Torah brought these disparate groups into a national narrative.3. To differentiate the Israelites from their powerful neighbors. The Bible focused on how the Israelites formed their new nation out of their religious and cultural struggle against the Egyptians and Canaanites. The writing of such a cosmology was common practice back then. What distinguished the Bible and turned it into the world's most powerful book was the literary genius of the Yahwist. With her stories of Adam and Eve and the Patriarchs, the Yahwist wrote domestic comedies that highlighted the universal and eternal human themes of love, childbirth, and family.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Jiang Xueqin explains the influence of Zoroastrianism on the development of the Hebrew Bible. After Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, he enabled the Jews to return to Jerusalem to build the Second Temple. Ezra oversaw major religious reforms, including the creation and redaction of what we know today as the Hebrew Bible. Because of the influence of Zoroastrianism, the Bible began to emphasize eschatology, which in turn will pave the way for Christianity.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Jiang Xueqin argues that Jesus was a unique religious genius who synthesized the major global religions of his day to create a new religion, which we today refer to as Gnosticism. Like other great religious leaders, Jesus had a three-tier gospel. To the public, he taught that true faith demanded compassion. To his disciples, he taught that true faith demanded self-sacrifice. Then there were the secret teachings that he shared with his proteges. Jesus believed that we lived in a false reality, and it was only by seeking truth that we could escape from the darkness into the light.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are the teachings of Jesus and his apostle Paul so different? Jesus preached compassion and mercy towards all, while Paul preached that Jesus was the son of God who atoned for our sins with his sacrifice.

Professor Jiang Xueqin presents a unique perspective on Paul’s motivations. He argues that Paul was an agent of the Roman empire who wanted to use Jesus to combat messianic Judaism. The Roman empire and the Jews would fight three costly wars, and the fanaticism of the Jews would awe and scare the Romans. The most fanatical Jews believed that a Messiah would arise to lead them to victory against the Romans. Paul taught that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and he had come to redeem us from our own failings, not to wage war against the Romans.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Jiang Xueqin argues that the idea of monotheism launched modernity.At the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, the bishops of the Roman Empire had to decide on the relationship between God and Jesus. They established the Godhead as orthodoxy, and rejected Arianism as heresy. The Holy Trinity marked a radical intellectual revolution that would eventually give birth to capitalism, science, and the nation-state.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Jiang Xueqin explains why Europe experienced the Dark Ages.After Rome was sacked in 410 CE, Europe experienced a crisis of faith. Were the Pagan Gods taking vengeance? Did Christianity preach a religion of meekness? In response, the Catholic theologian Augustine wrote "The City of God," in which he proposed to take the Catholic Church "out of history." From now on, kings would fight for control of Rome, but the Catholic Church would always reside in Jerusalem, offering eternal salvation to those who obeyed it.Augustine argued that we were born in sin, and so our actions could only lead to evil. Passivity was the best path to salvation.

Please consider making a small donation here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/jiangprofessor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.