Ancient Chinese Historian Describes The First Christians (635 AD) // The Nestorian Stele

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  • Опубликовано: 24 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 2,7 тыс.

  • @drraoulmclaughlin7423
    @drraoulmclaughlin7423 3 года назад +1235

    Brilliant! For historical context I recommend the chapter by Professor Samuel Lieu, ‘Nestorian Christians and Manichaeans as Links between China and Rome’ in Kim, Lieu & McLaughlin, ‘Rome and China: points of Contact’ (2021).

    • @sunnyboy4553
      @sunnyboy4553 3 года назад +25

      Thank you very much. I am currently reading Devotional Classics edited by Richard J Foster and James Bryan Smith. It is a collection of the early writings (and some modern mystics) going back to the 4th Century and St. Augustine.
      I am a "renewed Christian" and focusing on learning from the Early Church and early saints and mystics whose lives were steeped in Holiness for instruction and guidance. I will look up that book you mentioned. I already learned so much from this wonderful video!

    • @goyguy3211
      @goyguy3211 3 года назад +3

      I also enjoyed the Oera Linda....

    • @NA-pr7sf
      @NA-pr7sf 3 года назад +6

      God loves that we seek him.. God bless

    • @benjaminlefkowitz9463
      @benjaminlefkowitz9463 3 года назад +6

      Always nice to see a citation around here

    • @dariusghodsi2570
      @dariusghodsi2570 3 года назад

      The link is the Iranosphere

  • @mjr_schneider
    @mjr_schneider 3 года назад +4566

    "The new religion of the silent operation of the pure spirit of the triune" has got to be the Chinesest possible way to describe Christianity.

    • @tomemery7890
      @tomemery7890 3 года назад +394

      And it sounds really cool

    • @---iv5gj
      @---iv5gj 3 года назад +244

      it sounds strange in english, in reality it would be more similar to german stacking words

    • @williamwan3712
      @williamwan3712 3 года назад +509

      "三一淨風無言之新教,陶良用於正信" this is the original Chinese text of the tablet. The term "new religion" describes the new church founded by Jesus.
      The reason this sounds strange is because nestorian missionaries used a lot of Chinese Taoist terms to describe the concept of Christianity.

    • @MadHatter42
      @MadHatter42 3 года назад +190

      I also quite like the idea that the the cross is modeled on the four points of the compass, and that baptism isn’t to wash away “sin” but rather “ostentation”. Viewing these Christian principles through very Chinese visions of nature and the individual.

    • @letsomethingshine
      @letsomethingshine 3 года назад +59

      @@MadHatter42 South is the longest point? "And Jesus said, go and clean not all of the sin, but all of the ostentation/show-off from yourselves and become Submissive to the Poor, who are ME by any other name!" ~ Said no conservative Christians and neofundamentalists ever.

  • @aqui1ifer
    @aqui1ifer 3 года назад +1929

    I’m honestly amazed at how the Tang were impressed by Christianity. I’m also perplexed that they keep mentioning Syria as if it’s independent, when it was likely still a part of Eastern Rome by the time the missionary left for China.

    • @LiteralCrimeRave
      @LiteralCrimeRave 3 года назад +232

      All but China is barbarian .China never cared for what the Barbarians called themselves, when the British came in the 1700s, they greeted them in Latin, the language of the far western barbarians as far as they were concerned.

    • @Baron_Wurst
      @Baron_Wurst 3 года назад +81

      @@LiteralCrimeRave Desperate words spoken by the sick man of Asia.

    • @LiteralCrimeRave
      @LiteralCrimeRave 3 года назад +243

      @@Baron_Wurst They we're doing pretty well at the time. Relatively speaking. Definitely had a hard fall pretty soon after.

    • @laurensb1b
      @laurensb1b 3 года назад +446

      Syria was often used synonymously with the western Levant. Like how they sometimes called all of Africa Libya

    • @aqui1ifer
      @aqui1ifer 3 года назад +246

      @@LiteralCrimeRave The Han Wudi would disagree; China considered the Romans their equal, which doesn’t happen often.

  • @amadeusasimov1364
    @amadeusasimov1364 3 года назад +2164

    Interesting.
    As a Christian, that sounded like quite the eloquent and epic description of Jesus and Christianity.
    And it was surprising to hear them have such favor towards Christianity at the time.

    • @danielwmwolf
      @danielwmwolf 3 года назад +42

      Against their better judgment. Spreading lies and BS since the beginning of this whole cockup.

    • @GermanFreakvb21
      @GermanFreakvb21 3 года назад +379

      Considering how hostile the communist government is towards Christianity nowadays, it´s wonderful to hear how they first embaced Christians as equals in such a courteus manner.

    • @gofish7388
      @gofish7388 3 года назад +263

      @@GermanFreakvb21 Christianity is growing faster in China right now than it did in Rome in the past. I don't think they're being targeted specifically because they're Christians right now. It's more of a general suspicion towards any religion.

    • @IMZaMaNa37
      @IMZaMaNa37 3 года назад +78

      CCP isn't against Christianity, they are against all religions. There are approximately 100 million Christians currently in china

    • @matthewnelson6103
      @matthewnelson6103 3 года назад +42

      @@GermanFreakvb21 Its a very fast growing religion, Government officials try to control it as they see it as subversive. Besides outright censoring they set up churches and denominations approved and controlled by the state that are severed from outside influence but many faithful in China see it for what it is and worship and gather in communion in their homes instead. Many pastors in my church's community network go to China to preach and learn. They don't preach subversive or anti-government ideas but a couple started to be tailed by local police who kept tabs on them. As it generally wasn't in urban areas they were easy to lose.

  • @nocomment2468
    @nocomment2468 3 года назад +2184

    “It’s principals will survive when the framework is forgotten”
    Now that is brilliant. Not always the case, but we have seen a shift in this direction 1500 years later

    • @jwilson544
      @jwilson544 3 года назад +220

      I was about to say the same thing. While Christianity is Changing/decreasing places like America, people still hold the lessons that Christianity have made with high regard.

    • @nocomment2468
      @nocomment2468 3 года назад +185

      @@jwilson544 yes. For instance, I’m not a Christian, but I find the core values very beautiful and compelling. I hope that Christians see that as a commendation- that those outside of their belief system find wisdom in its teachings.

    • @cameronbruce9650
      @cameronbruce9650 3 года назад +50

      It's also true, although many people aren't religious anymore we should always see Jesus as a great philosopher and use some Christian principles going forward as a society

    • @jacklaurentius6130
      @jacklaurentius6130 3 года назад +126

      @@nocomment2468 eh, it’s a compliment. I learned not to believe what non Christians say about what Christ taught because more often than not, they don’t seriously study it anyway.

    • @eho6380
      @eho6380 3 года назад +26

      @@jacklaurentius6130 Your pfp is cancer

  • @jaromgregson8923
    @jaromgregson8923 2 года назад +612

    "Without holy men, principles can not be expanded. Without principles, holy men can not become magnified. But with holy men and right principles united as the two parts of a signet, the world becomes civilized, and enlightened."
    This wisdom from my brethren in Christ in China gives me an amazing joy.

    • @KalisFlame
      @KalisFlame 6 месяцев назад

      Oh is that what this is. Christianity is EVIL! It is universal weakly trash!

    • @thecrimsondragon9744
      @thecrimsondragon9744 2 месяца назад

      A very Chinese way of expressing the point. Reminds of Confucius and the Daoists. ‘The principles will remain when the framework is forgotten.’

  • @MihanTheNoob
    @MihanTheNoob 3 года назад +1098

    "... Its principles will survive when the framework is forgotten. It is beneficial to all creatures. It is advnatageous to mankind .." These words speak volumes!!

    • @daithiocinnsealach1982
      @daithiocinnsealach1982 3 года назад +33

      And the same is true of all the great religions. It is speaking to the wisdom of the religion, not the belief system. That's the point. So get rid of your belief in Jesus as God and go be a good person.

    • @mike-0451
      @mike-0451 3 года назад +149

      @@daithiocinnsealach1982 It is not true of all great 'religions'. The endless cycle of suffering is not true, nor is it universal. Get rid of your belief in Jesus as God? If you do that, then you forgo the entire point. You can't be a good person unless you acknowledge that the words of Jesus and his acts were from God, otherwise you might as well take them like the opinion of some random bloke.

    • @petrabanjarnahor229
      @petrabanjarnahor229 3 года назад +23

      @@daithiocinnsealach1982 this tilted me tbh. Do you even know God's capabilities ..

    • @Bosscheesemo
      @Bosscheesemo 3 года назад +23

      @@daithiocinnsealach1982
      Islam went on to kill 80-100 million Hindus in the world's largest still-standing genocide. This is more than the sum total if all Christian-caused deaths in (roughly ballpark estimate)
      +The Crusades 100% forgiving anything Islam did during them
      +The Hugenot Rebellion between Catholics and Protestants
      +The Inquisition
      +Recoquista
      +The 80 years war (not actually religious but we don't care we're adding the number in to get competitive with Islam)
      +Sum total of all Habsburg wars.

    • @LaplacianFourier
      @LaplacianFourier 3 года назад +6

      Yes Hitler certainly benefitted from the full support of catholic church and Pope Pius XII in the Final Solution (read the unimpeachably researched book titled "Hitler's Pope" by John Cornwell). Children all over catholic world are benefitting from the "loving pastoral care" when 70 year old virgins are forced to repress innate mammal sexual desires and are forced to perversely enacted them out by child abuse and rape. The other half of christianity can't wait for the death cult of Rapture and Armageddon. Religion infects the minds of otherwise sane persons and commit them to real evil. Evil comes from religion.

  • @leadcloud8290
    @leadcloud8290 3 года назад +506

    The original ancient Chinese text is even more epic. Ancient Chinese is elegant, succinct and during this period, highly highly stylized (the verbal rhythmic, the pairing of words etc). Just glorious glorious writing.

    • @Purwapada
      @Purwapada 2 года назад +17

      where can i learn more about it?
      i always loved how poetic chinese texts were

    • @Rin_Chawngthu
      @Rin_Chawngthu 2 года назад +5

      @@Purwapada same, i also wanna know

    • @hugoramirez7510
      @hugoramirez7510 2 года назад +4

      Messiach in Hebrew, Messias in Latin, Messiah in English all sounds almost alike. So who added christ/ Christianity/ Christian unless you starting a new religion Rome beliefs with bible beliefs you get a new religion Christianity.

    • @Hannestv4607
      @Hannestv4607 2 года назад +6

      *The ETERNAL GOD would do anything for you!!*
      Even out of love for you he went to the cross as a human!!
      Philippians 2:5-8

    • @rk8895
      @rk8895 2 года назад +12

      @@hugoramirez7510 Hopefully this answers your question. Christ means "the anointed one" in Greek, and "Christ" was a title given to Jesus. The term "Christians" was coined by the non-Christian people living Antioch (a Greek speaking city). It specified the group of people who were "the Christ-followers" or "little Christs": the people who followed the teachings of Jesus the Christ.

  • @HerculesMays
    @HerculesMays 3 года назад +940

    This is so fascinating, honestly. Some people may sigh with minor disappointment at how the Chinese got a few things wrong about Christianity, but it's truly far more accurate than I would have imagined considering the great distance, both culturally and geographically, that China was from Israel.
    It really does make one wonder just how much history of the church in China is lost and will never be known when we only know all this from ONE inscription.

    • @thishonestgrifter
      @thishonestgrifter 3 года назад +51

      That's the sad thing with history, when it is lost I can never be found.

    • @Scatmanseth
      @Scatmanseth 3 года назад +72

      You never know. For all we know there may be hidden sects of Christianity unknown to us in some backwoods villages in China. It’s not that far fetched, Japan had a few. They even kept the sacraments of baptism and confirmation alive IIRC.

    • @danielwmwolf
      @danielwmwolf 3 года назад +5

      They finaly came to their senses and gave up on this whole BS. Good for them.

    • @johnrockwell5834
      @johnrockwell5834 3 года назад +14

      The Guangzhou massacre by Huang Chao wiped out most Nestorian Christians in China.

    • @wombatburrito5896
      @wombatburrito5896 3 года назад

      Qwppww

  • @andyzhang7890
    @andyzhang7890 Год назад +515

    As a Christian Chinese my mind is blown. I’ve known about the stele for some time but never expected the text to be so otherworldly and beautiful…

    • @helvetius1572
      @helvetius1572 Год назад +17

      文章精妙绝伦,彻底弄懂绝非易事。

    • @sheerluckholmes7720
      @sheerluckholmes7720 Год назад +8

      @OSULLIVAN101 Elementary dear O'Sullivan ! Do continue,or is that your final opus?🙄

    • @8-bitpersona16
      @8-bitpersona16 Год назад +3

      @OSULLIVAN101oh, how enlightened you must be…

    • @agarykane2127
      @agarykane2127 Год назад

      @OSULLIVAN101you seem to be a highly educated person, so I will definitely consider your opinion

    • @SquareNoggin
      @SquareNoggin Год назад +4

      It's absolutely great. I'm going to try and commit it to memory (at least some of it) so I can recite it to other Christians.

  • @ryane5618
    @ryane5618 2 года назад +355

    I just took a history of Christianity class at university and I’m upset that these kind of accounts weren’t presented

    • @ryanstephen120
      @ryanstephen120 2 года назад

      I wouldn't trust the political bent of any non STEM university class in the West

    • @mryonan5865
      @mryonan5865 Год назад +20

      Because Assyrian people aren’t in the picture. I’m so sick of tired of explaining this to people. Nestorians are Assyrian people.

    • @nolanl3343
      @nolanl3343 Год назад +15

      They neglect primary sources, the class definitely gave you a watered down and probably half-true depiction of what actually happened and what early Christians believed and did. Best way to learn is by going to the primary source of the ante-nicene writings.

    • @ravissary79
      @ravissary79 6 месяцев назад

      In what picture? ​@@mryonan5865

    • @lonewulf44
      @lonewulf44 5 месяцев назад +8

      I'm guessing because it might actually hint of positive elements towards Christianity which in most university classrooms is going to be either avoided, twisted, or downplayed.

  • @MM-vs2et
    @MM-vs2et 3 года назад +716

    The Tang basically did the missionaries' job. They were like "Cool book, tell you what, you build a temple or whatever you guys call it right down the street there and get like 20 of your priests to man it. Ohh and we'll be making copies and spread it across our territories. Have a nice day"

    • @kurteisner67
      @kurteisner67 3 года назад +161

      Well, yes, but everything comes with a catch.
      Because the Tang essentially were so welcoming at that time, later on under the reign of Emporer Wuzong they were like:
      "This Buddhism thing has gotten really out of control, we need to persecute them, including the Buddhist sect that is Christianity."
      Of course people said, "Hold up, Christianity isn't Buddhist", but to this it was replied:
      "Yeah right. Our ancestors established that Christianity is compatible with Buddhism, which makes it Buddhist in nature."

    • @ReformedSooner24
      @ReformedSooner24 2 года назад +45

      Christ grows His church and cares for it.

    • @Hannestv4607
      @Hannestv4607 2 года назад +17

      True love = the love of God!
      *God himself went to the cross for you out of love for you as a human being*
      Philippians 2:5-8

    • @zaggers77
      @zaggers77 2 года назад +12

      Christ is good. He loves you.

    • @Rosecloudlyrics
      @Rosecloudlyrics 2 года назад +2

      @@kurteisner67 😮

  • @AdrienneJung.M
    @AdrienneJung.M 2 года назад +478

    I have a history degree from a public university and I am often dissappointed in the modern "historical" works we were given to study. The authors rarely present the historical texts in a straightforward way. They seem more interested in presenting their thesis to you than allowing their readers to simply view the original source material themselves. Modern historians are taught to quilt together fragments of history in order to construct whatever narrative, thesis, or hot take they are interested in. But this channel offers no commentary, they simply let these documents speak for themselves. Thank you for your work.

    • @MidnightIsolde
      @MidnightIsolde 7 месяцев назад +8

      Very true. I also have a history degree, so have had the same observations sometimes. I've also found that it depends what particular historical area one looks at, as some areas seems to be worse for this than others. My specialism was medieval, specifically crusades and most leasing scholarship there is solid with little influence of trendy critical theories. Depends where the historiography is and influential scholarship. Once the more fragmented and ideological influences sets in, that's when you see this problem.

    • @AdrienneJung.M
      @AdrienneJung.M 7 месяцев назад +2

      @@MidnightIsolde That’s true. My emphasis was on post Industrial America and urbanization.

    • @KD400_
      @KD400_ 7 месяцев назад +1

      ​@@AdrienneJung.Mwell ur a nice looking woman if u don't mind me saying lol

    • @AdrienneJung.M
      @AdrienneJung.M 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@KD400_ thank you Muhammad Ali

    • @KD400_
      @KD400_ 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@AdrienneJung.M lol well thanks.

  • @msb8792
    @msb8792 2 года назад +81

    In case anyone is wondering; the non-Chinese script and language written on the stele and the transcripts is Syriac-Aramaic, written using the classical Estrangela Syriac script (one of 3 used Syriac-Aramaic scripts)… Syriac-Aramaic is still spoken to this day among Syriac Christians in the Middle East and their subdivisions; Syriacs (Arameans), Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Maronites. There are currently 3 mainly surviving forms of the language; 1. Classical Syriac-Aramaic (kthobonoyo), 2. west-Syriac-Aramaic dialect (Turoyo) [Syria, south-west Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine], 3. east-Syriac-Aramaic dialect (Sureth / madinkhaya) [Iraq, Iran, south-east Turkey]…

    • @mryonan5865
      @mryonan5865 Год назад +3

      They’re all ethnic Assyrian. Those other that you mentioned is within a difference church denomination within the Assyrian community.

    • @philregaz599
      @philregaz599 Год назад +4

      @@mryonan5865 Nope. Not even a bit. That's just modern nationalistic assyrian claim.

    • @evanssamuelbiju4315
      @evanssamuelbiju4315 11 месяцев назад +1

      Christians in Kerala as well

    • @alitanicholas9579
      @alitanicholas9579 Месяц назад

      @philregaz599 So what is the truth, in your view?

  • @chrunchy-burrito5373
    @chrunchy-burrito5373 3 года назад +743

    The Nestorian Stele is my favorite archeological artifact. It is simply fascinating, it contains information about the Church of the East, one of the most interesting Christian sects, and shows the vast geographical distance that Christianity crossed. Christianity is generally seen as a Western religion, one propagated mainly by the colonial empires of the 19th century, which prior to that period it was only popular in Europe. This Stele stands in contrast to that, it’s from the 600s, almost a millennium before the Jesuits arrived, and the missionaries weren’t sent by the Catholic pope or even the Orthodox Patriarch in Constantinople but by the Asian Church of the East, a Christian sect unknown nowadays that has sadly declined over the centuries, but at its height it’s metropolitans and dioceses stretched from China to Alexandria and its Catholicos was even having theological discussions with Sultans. Oh yeah, the Church of the East became so geographically extensive largely during centuries of Islamic rule. Which during the first 6 centuries of was relatively peaceful.

    • @sunnyboy4553
      @sunnyboy4553 3 года назад +23

      This is fascinating. Can you recommend any books about the Asian Church of the East??? Thank you for your comment.

    • @chrunchy-burrito5373
      @chrunchy-burrito5373 3 года назад +32

      @@sunnyboy4553 Yes I can! The Lost History of Christianity by Phillip Jenkins was a very comprehensive read. For a book only tangentially related but still focuses on the Church of the East a bit is The Realm of Prester John by Robert Silverberg.

    • @painmt651
      @painmt651 3 года назад +3

      Wow!

    • @barrydysert2974
      @barrydysert2974 3 года назад +2

      👍🤔🙏

    • @jayceebee30
      @jayceebee30 3 года назад +15

      *sigh* Fuck Timur the Lame

  • @DrewPicklesTheDark
    @DrewPicklesTheDark 3 года назад +497

    "It’s principals will survive when the framework is forgotten"
    Dude was prophetic.

    • @user-vx8mh4iy9c
      @user-vx8mh4iy9c 3 года назад +5

      I don’t get this quote can someone explain? 🙏🏻

    • @DrewPicklesTheDark
      @DrewPicklesTheDark 3 года назад +158

      @@user-vx8mh4iy9c In other words, when the religion is dying/dead, it's values and doctrines will persist through the culture, even if there are no practitioners. Most things you know as "moral" (if you are a Westerner) stem from Christian doctrine, even if you are an atheist/agnostic.

    • @DrewPicklesTheDark
      @DrewPicklesTheDark 3 года назад +85

      @Mullerornis You assume too much, I'm not Christian. And yes, of course many Western morals and legal concepts have their origins and Greece and Rome, as do they in places in Europe, but outside those regions (i.e. the Germans and such), but you have to be delusional to deny that the relatively unified code Europe had by the time the world was being explored came from the adoption of Christianity and practicing it's doctrine. The moral code you have seen from the past many centuries was not the same moral code the Romans, or Germans, or Celts, etc. used ~2000 years ago.
      For _better or worse_ Christianity shaped European moral code, and to suggest it had no impact is delusional. Or are you one of those people who just hates Christcuckery and tries everything in their power to diminish the role it's played?

    • @SeraphimGoose
      @SeraphimGoose 3 года назад +1

      Except that those words were incorrect.

    • @dodec8449
      @dodec8449 3 года назад +7

      ​@@DrewPicklesTheDark I'm pretty sure Romans/Greeks/Celts and cultures outside of Europe had laws against stealing or murdering. Or do you have more examples of morals the Christians 'invented'?
      Sure, stories like 'The Good Samaritan' amplified feelings of compassion, but it's not unique to Christians to feel empathy.

  • @ParagonPKC
    @ParagonPKC 3 года назад +327

    VERY fascinating to me that at the event of Christ's birth, the Chinese reconstruction is correct. The wise men were from the area that constitutes Persia at the time, currently Iran. The Bible also never mentions just 3 wise men, only 3 gifts. For the Chinese to record that there were 24 and more accurately narrate the tradition based on Syrian telling better than how we interpret it today is astounding.

    • @SamGarcia
      @SamGarcia 3 года назад +3

      Well, it said that Christ was born in Syria, soooooooo... that's a glaring mistake.

    • @ikengaspirit3063
      @ikengaspirit3063 3 года назад +97

      @@SamGarcia Don't think of Syria as the modern country but as a region. Syria as a region encompasses the Northern levant and greater Syria the southern as well.

    • @ParagonPKC
      @ParagonPKC 3 года назад +25

      @@SamGarcia Syrian and Canaanite history were one and the same for many centuries.

    • @copperlemon1
      @copperlemon1 3 года назад +46

      @@SamGarcia Judaea would be renamed "Syria Palaestina" in the second century following the Bar Kokhba revolt. Some today would claim that Palestine is part of Greater Syria.

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад +3

      There was no man named Jesus
      The wise men were mentioned as Magi,
      Where the word Magic comes from.
      Christianity comes from the Levant and is Semitic
      Persians were predominantly Aryans

  • @pola5392
    @pola5392 2 года назад +210

    As a Christian this struck me very deeply, these men crossed into the unknown where they could easily lose their lives for the sake of telling others the good news...where do we see such faith now? we must be humble and seek to re-establish God at the centre of our lives at all times so His goodness and redemption will shine in our hearts for the world to see and believe. The peace and belonging God manifests in the hearts of those who truly believe is undeniable. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

    • @ian_b
      @ian_b Год назад +16

      It must have been both frightening and exciting to travel to such unknown and exotic lands back then. The world is very small by comparison now. There are no unknown horizons.

    • @petertong572
      @petertong572 Год назад +5

      The silk road was pretty safe.

    • @nakedsushi2009
      @nakedsushi2009 9 месяцев назад +1

      With purity of intention they had no real danger as our Lord and Savior no doubt was there preparing the way. In truth you probably aren’t much different. If you moved to another nation of a different language and wanted to teach the Gospel, you would. So you have what is needed to do your part regardless of the size of its scale.

    • @Maynard-il1yj
      @Maynard-il1yj 6 месяцев назад

      @@nakedsushi2009first the send the holy men… then comes the government to control

    • @alexandria1663
      @alexandria1663 6 месяцев назад +3

      Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. On my best day I have never done anything approaching what these Nestorians did.

  • @beauvaisboy
    @beauvaisboy 3 года назад +116

    To understand our future we must know our past. My 10 year old daughter listens to your videos. Your passion shall be passed on. Thank-you 👍

  • @guhhhh8588
    @guhhhh8588 3 года назад +295

    Classical Chinese art is quite comfy.

    • @jswets5007
      @jswets5007 3 года назад +7

      It has always fascinated me

    • @lyrisio
      @lyrisio 3 года назад +9

      While medieval art is... interesting
      I liked to play with snails as a child

    • @copperlemon1
      @copperlemon1 3 года назад +4

      @@lyrisio I think both can have a similar effect on the viewer; particularly in instilling a sense of mortality and transience. Western Medieval art tends to be much more explicit though.

    • @lyrisio
      @lyrisio 3 года назад +1

      @@copperlemon1 tbh I don't know what's the meaning behind the big snail

    • @copperlemon1
      @copperlemon1 3 года назад +1

      @@lyrisio Yeah, that stuff is a real headscratcher.

  • @tecumsehcristero
    @tecumsehcristero 3 года назад +206

    The Nestorians still exist as The Assyrian Church of the East

    • @TeeComedian
      @TeeComedian 3 года назад +3

      Aren't they also found among the: Chaldean, Maronite, and Syro-Malabar; traditions?
      I think they have a Qurbana rubric that they claim he wrote.

    • @theokra
      @theokra 3 года назад +14

      @@TeeComedian Nestorian theology and christology is pretty much only found in the Assyrian Church of the East. From the churches you mention, Maronites are Catholics, the Chaldean Catholic Church split from the Assyrian Church to join the Catholics, and the Syro-Malabar tradition is also Catholic. All of these use Syriac liturgy though.

    • @TeeComedian
      @TeeComedian 3 года назад

      @@theokra wait so do the East Syriac Catholics both: reject his arguments, and condem him as a heretic; but still use his Qurbana rubric? (I've seen a Mar Nestorius Qurbana section in a service guide book before and have wondered since)
      Any thoughts on the claim that he was misunderstood?

    • @theokra
      @theokra 3 года назад +4

      @@TeeComedian Sorry I've never heard of the Qurbana rubric, and I can't find much from a quick google search.
      However I can say that the Oriental Catholics (Maronites, Chaldeans, Syro-Malabari, etc) do condemn the teachings of Nestorius as they have to adhere to Catholic doctrine. Pretty much the only thing they have in common with the Nestorian Assyrian Church of the East is the use of Syriac and the Peshitta (Syriac version of the Bible)

    • @TeeComedian
      @TeeComedian 3 года назад +1

      @@theokra understood, thank you for what you've given me.
      This is something I'll look into a little deeper.

  • @mannypardo1080
    @mannypardo1080 3 года назад +154

    Love this description. It sounds impossibly epic.

    • @pigsyJTTW
      @pigsyJTTW 3 года назад +1

      Ancient chinese literature is always so grand in nature. I love it

    • @zhouwu
      @zhouwu 3 года назад +2

      You should learn classical Chinese. You'll love it. Classical Chinese literature either sounds epic... Or it gets forgotten...
      Literally... (Ha!)
      Because emperors commission literati to compose anthologies (like an ancient Chinese "curriculum") against which all aspiring Imperial Employees are to be graded for their familiarity and their application of this highly poetic tongue.
      The result was that the Chinese bureaucracy was filled to the brim with highly eloquent, but not necessarily very practical men. Just imagine if all government ministers were academics. The results might not be ideal, actually.
      Plato's theory that a utopia can be created the day philosophers become kings and kings become philosophers kinda break down with Communist history.
      It's still a very interesting rabbit hole to explore. But it's a bit of a hellish rabbit hole to be stuck down. The Queen in "Through the Looking Glass", for example, wasn't necessarily the most beneficial ruler for her Kingdom (Queendom?), in spite of her wide ranging knowledge and profuse use of language.
      The other issue is that the poetic licence Chinese in high positions employ can make comprehension difficult. This can make them hard to work with. It can also make them unapproachable if your language skills is not up to scratch, which, let's face it, in an agrarian society like China, would be pretty much the majority of the population.
      To leave so much of the population in the dark about political discourse is... Probably a mistake. Democracy is hard work, but the necessity of engaging with the public means the PR skills of politicians from democratic countries can run circles around the far more crude propaganda of authoritarian regimes.
      But I digress...

  • @kevinwahl5610
    @kevinwahl5610 3 года назад +274

    The Nestorian Monks from Syria were Assyrians. Their Church, the Assyrian Church of the East (ACOE) still exist to this day

    • @kevinwahl5610
      @kevinwahl5610 3 года назад +31

      This script is in Aramaic, the script of the language Jesus spoke

    • @sunnyboy4553
      @sunnyboy4553 3 года назад +3

      @@kevinwahl5610 Wow.

    • @sarasho6098
      @sarasho6098 3 года назад +10

      @@sunnyboy4553 we mostly live in diaspora in the west but many are perserving the language and traditions.

    • @melissalisaandrean6803
      @melissalisaandrean6803 3 года назад +21

      @@kevinwahl5610 actually Jesus aramaic was Galilean Aramaic. Written in jewish alphabets. Also an extict dialect of aramaic. Different from classical or modern aramic dialects.

    • @kevinwahl5610
      @kevinwahl5610 3 года назад +1

      @@melissalisaandrean6803 k

  • @drmg735
    @drmg735 Год назад +36

    I’m a Syriac Christian and I can read parts of the Syriac script presented ( probably not understand it because of the dialect differences ). There’s a Syriac presence in a lot of churches including the Celtic orthodox, Indian orthodox, Maronite Catholics, and in this context Chinese Christian’s.

    • @noahtylerpritchett2682
      @noahtylerpritchett2682 4 месяца назад

      Syriac Christians are super cool.
      Too bad not prone to proselytizing and evangelizing in the modern day. ( Feel free to Prove me wrong if I'm wrong)

  • @TheSaneHatter
    @TheSaneHatter 3 года назад +280

    The Chinese-style breakdown of Christianity and its workings is so eloquent that, even as I watched, I was trying in my mind to compose my own, more elaborate exposition in the same tone.

    • @pascalbaryamo4568
      @pascalbaryamo4568 3 года назад +10

      It’s not only about the wording, Confucianism is such a calming and humane principle that is too often overlooked

    • @joshg8053
      @joshg8053 3 года назад +22

      It's probably because Chinese is a language of stringing ideas shaped in the form of characters.

    • @mistressofstones
      @mistressofstones 3 года назад

      Pascal Baryamo oppression of women as a class isn't so humane, but the rest is good. Everyone was doing the enslaving women thing after the Bronze Age though.

    • @pascalbaryamo4568
      @pascalbaryamo4568 3 года назад +4

      @@mistressofstones right, I guess men didn’t think about that at all back then. But the idea itself can be adjusted

    • @laosi4278
      @laosi4278 3 года назад +5

      @@joshg8053 yes u right, it's up to the creativity of the translator to make the sentence appear so eloquently, I was studying Japanese and need to translate one long sentence full of kanji without even single one kana letter, I need to even add some new words to make the translated sentence making sense

  • @khust2993
    @khust2993 3 года назад +118

    Part of Nestorian Church reestablished communion with Rome in 1500s, it's now known as Chaldean Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches. The main Nestorian Church though, is now known as Assyrian Church of the East.

    • @folofus4815
      @folofus4815 3 года назад +4

      As I understand it, both those churches, while descended from the Nestorian Church of the East, to Nestorius, condemn Nestorianism and would scoff at being called Nestorian

    • @goodday2760
      @goodday2760 3 года назад +3

      @@folofus4815 No. There was no Nestorianism to condemn as this church existed and showed distinctness before Nestorius and merely sided with him. The non-Roman Catholic group recognizes Nestorius as a father. The Roman Catholics replaced his name in places and removed other things, thought correctly or incorrectly to have been taught by him, which is Nestorianism. But since the church predates Nestorius, they still have much in common.

    • @ikengaspirit3063
      @ikengaspirit3063 3 года назад +7

      @@folofus4815 The Church was never Nestorian in theology, it is just called nestorian because that is where the Nestorian a famous heretic ran to.
      It was always the Church of the East.

    • @suzannehartmann946
      @suzannehartmann946 3 года назад +3

      It is very sad they accepted communion with the idolaters of Rome.

    • @goodday2760
      @goodday2760 3 года назад +1

      @@ikengaspirit3063 He didn't run to the Church of the East. He resigned himself to exile.

  • @nahidbethehonoredone
    @nahidbethehonoredone 3 года назад +170

    This is so amazing! As both a lover of history and cultures and a devout religious Roman Catholic, hearing things like these encounters and crossovers of cultures, faiths, peoples and traditions and the Tang dynasty Chinese warmly accepting our faith is such an awesome and wholesome moment. If only history across the ages and civilizations was something like this.

    • @hugoramirez7510
      @hugoramirez7510 2 года назад +2

      Messiach in Hebrew, Messias in Latin, Messiah in English all sounds almost alike. So who added christ/ Christianity/ Christian unless you starting a new religion Rome beliefs with bible beliefs you get a new religion Christianity.

    • @adamMjarosz
      @adamMjarosz 2 года назад +15

      @@hugoramirez7510 they were first called Christians at Antioch. Christos is Greek for “Anointed One”, therefor Christ. The early Church wrote in Greek in the East.

    • @Look.Upward
      @Look.Upward 2 года назад

      Hi there,
      If you do not mind me sharing, the Sabbath, "..from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath." Lev 23:32 (KJV) which is sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, was "sanctified" or "קָדַשׁ" which means to 'set apart for holy use' Gen 2:3 "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it..." (KJV), and thus Adam and Eve kept it holy. Sin is defined as transgressing or breaking any of the 10 commandments as per 1 Jo 3:4 "..sin is the transgression of the law." (KJV). So, when Satan had sinned, he actually broke the 10 commandments for indeed angels also have to keep them in heaven Psa 103:20 "Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments..."(KJV). Infact, the saints, described as those that "..keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Rev 14:12, KJV), will keep the 10 Commandments when the new heavens and a new earth are created including keeping the Sabbath holy by e.g gathering to worship the LORD as per:
      Isa 66:22-23 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make...it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD." (KJV).
      Heb 4:9 "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." (KJV); The word 'rest' is translated from the Greek word 'σαββατισμός'
      (Sabbatismos) - A Sabbath, Rest. The 7th day Sabbath still stands active today for all GOD'S people to observe.
      I highly encourage to do a study on this, if in disagreement, so as not to 'end up coming short in the end' (if above the age of accountability) as per:
      Heb 4:1 "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (KJV).
      Exo 20:8 "Remember..." (KJV).
      Please have a look at this video (GOD'S Law vs Moses' law) ruclips.net/video/BULfeo9xjU4/видео.html
      Soon Fulfilled Prophecy :
      1. Food shortage will lead to a civil war in America.
      2. Climate change will lead to Sun-day laws.
      Helpful websites:
      1. www.remnantofGOD.org
      2. www.pluckedout.co.uk
      GOD Bless
      💙💙💙

    • @fellowchristian7096
      @fellowchristian7096 Год назад

      They are the Nestorian who are the Anna Baptism vladwas , waldengons , hugannot , etc. Which your evil Roman Catholic Cult brutally kill through Dark age Inquisition.

    • @gerardducharme2146
      @gerardducharme2146 6 месяцев назад

      The late Christopher Dawson wrote a book Journey to Asia about the Franciscans in the 12th century and were greeted by different groups, making their route to China was written in the 1955 I believe from original documents and a Abi in England I believe is called Stanford Abbey by a sister, fascinating reading, and from what I do recall mind you I read this book 10 years ago. One of the monks came back with them and celebrated a mass in a chapel, I don’t know if it was the Vatican that I don’t recall, but they were Nestorian. I found it quite interesting myself and I am traditional Catholic. God bless. And without these Franciscans, or anyone else, we would not have this information that would’ve disappeared into oblivion.

  • @TonyTones123
    @TonyTones123 3 года назад +232

    This reminds me of the book “Christ: The Eternal Dao”
    Very interesting book if anyone wanted to read

    • @SeraphimGoose
      @SeraphimGoose 3 года назад +15

      I finally met Abbott Damascene last week.

    • @nuzzi6620
      @nuzzi6620 3 года назад +9

      @Read Father Seraphim Rose There have been some delays, they’re looking at sometime in 2022. No exact date given in my email correspondence with the brotherhood

    • @НатанаилСталев-ф2р
      @НатанаилСталев-ф2р 2 года назад +7

      What means Dao?
      Jesus is the Eternal God and Life.😏✝

    • @skymanblank6243
      @skymanblank6243 2 года назад +27

      Dao= "the divine principal through which all things came into existence" So the Bible translators translated "logos" from the Greek into the word "Dao" in John 1 "In the beginning was the Dao and the Dao was with God and the Dao was God."

    • @НатанаилСталев-ф2р
      @НатанаилСталев-ф2р 2 года назад +9

      @@skymanblank6243 🤗 Thank you so much for the info.
      God the LORD Jesus the CHRIST bless you and your loved ones, Amen.🤝✝

  • @zenondolnyckyj4325
    @zenondolnyckyj4325 3 года назад +110

    Classical Chinese just did everything the best, including summaries Christianity. Emperor Taizong also had Mosks built. He welcomed a Buddhist Monk back from India with the Sutras which were translated into Chinese. Taizong saw himself as a descendant of Lao Zi (founder of Taoism.) He is regarded as the greatest Emperor in Chinese history.

    • @pigsyJTTW
      @pigsyJTTW 3 года назад +15

      I feel like it would be incredibly useful to use a Daoist perspective when creating governmental doctrine even today.
      The government should only focus on things it needs to: The wellbeing of the nation’s infrastructure, military, political institutions and education. It has no right to get involved with personal livelihood; unless a crime is committed.

    • @FeelingShred
      @FeelingShred 2 года назад

      "Classical Chinese just did everything the best..." Listen here, China and chinese people have to stop with this OBSESSION about being "The Best" on everything... it's impossible for anyone to be PERFECT on all areas, it's humanly impossible. I'm learning a lot of new stuff from the Bible and I'm currently studying this relationship between "3 peoples of earth" which are the Shemites, the Hamites and the Jephites (China would be classified as Hamites, the "technically and phisically proficient" of the world, let's put it this way) This new modern obsession with China being "the best" on all fronts is what is going to bring ruin to China, no culture in the world is supposed to be dominating over others like that. So yeah, it's pretty impressive that China did all this, it's one of their many feats, but try stopping with this mentality of competition, it's useless and brings nothing of actual value to the world. Cooperation is a must.

  • @tedclemens4093
    @tedclemens4093 3 года назад +23

    "He rendered virtue subservient to direct faith." The revolutionary principle of the Gospel so easily forgotten.

  • @williamwan3712
    @williamwan3712 3 года назад +147

    It is important to note that although *Syria* is often mentioned in the inscriptions, it is only describing the *origins of the Nestorians* .
    What we can't ignore is the Chinese characters on the title of this stone tablet"大秦景教流行中國碑"( *A monument to the spread of Roman Christian Nestorianism in Middle Kingdom* )
    Because 大秦/ *Da Chin* refers to *Rome* in ancient China.

    • @jackwalters5506
      @jackwalters5506 3 года назад +13

      Not really accurate to call them Nestorians, Nestorian isn't synonymous with the Syrian Church. The Nestorians were a group of heretics who believed that the human of Jesus was separate from the spirit of the Logos, which merely inhabited Christ's body. The Nestorians became prominent in Mesopotamia because they were promoted by the Persians so that Christians in their Empire wouldn't have sympathies to the Church in Rome(a case against the Chinese Church being Nestorian can be made from the Monks who founded it claiming to be from Syria, which wasn't Nestorian). The Christians in China seem to have held to the original doctrine of Christ being truly both God and man, and also referred to Mary as the Mother of God, which is something Nestorians didn't do, since they believed Jesus was just a man inhabited by God, and was not himself Divine.

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад +1

      All roads lead to Rome
      The Roman Empire never fell
      They converted everyone and today, every government is Roman
      That is the big Scam
      They Marginalize people and steal their identity

    • @definitelynotobama6851
      @definitelynotobama6851 3 года назад +4

      @@jackwalters5506 it’s entirely possible that the Chinese flavor of Christianity was simply the best that eastern missionaries could do to adapt the Nestorian theology to the Chinese framework.

    • @gsmiro
      @gsmiro 2 года назад +4

      Also, for quite a while, they were commonly referred to as the Persian Religion because many of the Nestorian priests were Persians. It took awhile for them to get their correct name Da Chin across to indicate that the origin of their faith came from within the Roman Empire, not Persia.

    • @Beautiful2012redbird
      @Beautiful2012redbird 2 года назад +10

      @@jackwalters5506 @Jack Walters I'm sorry I have to disagree with you. I'm assyrian and belong to that church that you're referring to it as Nestorian as this video is doing so... the people of this church do not refer to themselves as nestorians...It's called the church of the east and we believe that jesus is both God and human and is son of God and not just a human inhibited by divine.

  • @fuferito
    @fuferito 3 года назад +105

    About six hundred years later, some of Gengis Khan's conquering generals who were part of his inner circle were Nestorian Christian.

    • @TheSonOfDumb
      @TheSonOfDumb 3 года назад +26

      Hulagu Khan and Batu Khan would wage crusades and jihads against each other after the fall of the Mongol Empire. Quite sad.

    • @onlygknows7793
      @onlygknows7793 3 года назад +7

      Nothiing like Christianity pairing up with the butcher of humanity , Jesus would have wanted it that way. .

    • @galoobigboi
      @galoobigboi 3 года назад +51

      @@onlygknows7793 Seethe.

    • @Borderose
      @Borderose 3 года назад +11

      Kublai's mother was a Nestorian Christian.

    • @WilliamGMalek
      @WilliamGMalek 2 года назад +8

      And many of their physicians, and wives were Chinese Nestorians too.

  • @miketacos9034
    @miketacos9034 3 года назад +31

    It’s so cool to hear these concepts translated in a different way.

  • @sethl7078
    @sethl7078 3 года назад +384

    This missionary certainly doesn't seem Nestorian in his theology. People often forget that the Church of Syria had a problem with nestorianism, but it wasn't fully Nestorian. St. Isaac the Syrian is an example of a properly Orthodox Syrian of his time. Regarding this stele, the writer states that God became man, and that the Virgin Mary gave birth to God, however, Nestorianism is distinguished because it actually REJECTED these two basic tenets. Nestorius disapproved of calling Mary the "Mother of God" and claimed that the human person, Jesus, was a seperate mortal, human person from The Logos, which merely inhabited him.

    • @myaccount4699
      @myaccount4699 3 года назад +46

      So, Nestorians were heretics?

    • @sethl7078
      @sethl7078 3 года назад +122

      @@myaccount4699 Yes, they were condemned at the council of Ephesus and then Chalcedon.
      They then fled to Persia wherein the Persian government patronized the Nestorian heretics within the Persian Church. The goal was political for the Persian government, because when the Persian Church embraced Nestorianism (due to the Persian government) they declared themselves completely independent from the rest of the Church, which supported the Romans: the enemy of Persia.
      The goal was to ensure that Persian Christians wouldn't be Roman Sympathizers.

    • @dominicm255
      @dominicm255 3 года назад +4

      Interesting....

    • @johnrockwell5834
      @johnrockwell5834 3 года назад +22

      The Logos and human nature of Christ isn't separate however. Jesus didn't have 2 different personalities but one personality and one soul. It's God voluntarily limiting his divinity by allowing himself to experience human nature.

    • @joshg8053
      @joshg8053 3 года назад +19

      Not all Christians of the Church of the East were Nestorian, that's a misnomer.
      Even the conception of Nestorius being heretical might be a misnomer as well.

  • @joesomebody3365
    @joesomebody3365 2 года назад +21

    Their interpretation is very interesting, a lot of commenters have pointed out the bit about "it's principles will be remembered long after it's framework is forgotten" as the best section, and very predictive too.

  • @The-Last-Prime
    @The-Last-Prime 3 года назад +23

    ''...introducing life and destroying death.'' Chills. 8:59 - 9:02.

  • @0animalproductworld558
    @0animalproductworld558 2 года назад +10

    I love the peaceful, educated, in-depth, professional, respectful, good, documentary feeling and atmosphere of this video and its narrator 🐇

  • @RichyArg
    @RichyArg 3 года назад +39

    early and middle christian spread is fascinating, especially some the eastern branches, it's interesting to see how their approach to evangelisation difered from most western branches due to mostly lacking the sponsorship of a large and powerful state, nestorian missionaries especially, they put in quite the ammount of legwork

  • @Thomasfboyle
    @Thomasfboyle 2 года назад +46

    5:20
    Interesting the Christian refusal of slavery was witnessed by the Han as early as the 7th CE

    • @mrpickle9118
      @mrpickle9118 2 года назад

      Then in the 15th century, Europeans who believed in Christianity frantically sold slaves from Africa to America

    • @Thomasfboyle
      @Thomasfboyle 2 года назад

      @@mrpickle9118 And then in the 21st century Africa is the most increasingly Christian continent on the planet, go figure

  • @RandomEevee617
    @RandomEevee617 Год назад +12

    “It’s principles will survive when the framework is forgotten” Spot on

  • @Artur_M.
    @Artur_M. 3 года назад +35

    Fascinating! The style of this text is definitely something else.

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      Other than what? What you are used to?

    • @esotericulmanist8331
      @esotericulmanist8331 3 года назад +2

      @@je-freenorman7787 everything is so vulgar and decadent these days

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      @@esotericulmanist8331 Do vulgar and decadent go together like peas and carrots?
      Its all religion then.
      The rulers use religion to steal :
      A- Your perceptions
      B- Your identity
      C- Your authority
      Religion "IS" the problem

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      @@esotericulmanist8331 We always ask:
      Who are we
      What are we
      Where are we

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      @@esotericulmanist8331 I need a Government to take care of some people that are offending me and trying to make me sick

  • @assyrianchristian764
    @assyrianchristian764 3 года назад +23

    as Assyria Christian of the same church, loved the video about the less know history of Christianity in china

  • @JAdams-jx5ek
    @JAdams-jx5ek 3 года назад +15

    Very well done. Love the translation and the reading voice.

  • @thamill3826
    @thamill3826 3 года назад +147

    As a Catholic this is a beautiful description of Christianity

    • @kaarlimakela3413
      @kaarlimakela3413 3 года назад

      So amazingly described, I scarcely recognize it!!!

    • @timothymatthews6458
      @timothymatthews6458 3 года назад +2

      Yes, T Hamil, but they didn't believe what your evil, disgusting religion preaches. Thank god! I can't wait until the pope and the Vatican are destroyed.

    • @thamill3826
      @thamill3826 3 года назад +44

      @@timothymatthews6458 I will pray for you

    • @wes00chin
      @wes00chin 3 года назад +8

      @@timothymatthews6458 Thank God I don't believe what you preach either

    • @letsomethingshine
      @letsomethingshine 3 года назад +2

      @@timothymatthews6458 Are you talking about the child-rapes and native-massacres and cover-ups committed by Catholic Churches taking money from various Colonial States and following Paul's cultic advice about keeping secretes to paint your religious associations in a better light to the often more unaware outsiders? Or some neofundamentalist King James of England bibliolatry garbage?

  • @ysyonan
    @ysyonan Год назад +15

    Fast forward 1400 years later, Assyrians are still spreading Christianity and still facing genocide and prosecution. Thank you God for giving me the honour of being Assyrian ❤️

    • @bub6871
      @bub6871 3 месяца назад +1

      As a man who has found Christianity very recently, I have found myself watching Assyrians almost everyday. PBD podcast, Mar Mari Emmanuel, Sam Shamoun, and one other I can't think of his name. They were genocided in the East but luckily they have found a good home in the West. Unfortunately they have also seen how far their brothers in the West have fallen in our faith, but they are on RUclips and in churches fighting for Christ in the West.

  • @honey3762
    @honey3762 Год назад +7

    “It’s principles will survive when the framework is forgotten” That’s a very thoughtful sentiment

  • @ReynaSingh
    @ReynaSingh 3 года назад +40

    These videos are great. Keep it up

    • @samurai8698
      @samurai8698 3 года назад +2

      Always fun coming across you in the comments, Reyna! 👋 You should do a cross-over 😎

  • @LivingInTheKaliYogurt
    @LivingInTheKaliYogurt 2 года назад +6

    This is beautiful. Thank you for posting this piece of religious history. Fills important gaps.

  • @VicCrisson
    @VicCrisson 2 года назад +8

    Amazing, I love how much noble is their presentation

  • @Gotz_the_iron_hand
    @Gotz_the_iron_hand 3 года назад +50

    Preserving this history, all history, and not letting it be colored by modern beliefs and preconceptions is incredibly important work. How many people who watched this, for example, would know without this, that China had a deep connection to early Christianity? Mostly, you think of Buddhism, when thinking of ancient China, right? I know I did, at least. Not exactly a scholar of Chinese history am I, though. I only became interested in Chinese history and culture a few years ago and really enjoy learning about it. I love history in general, though. There's just not enough time in the day to study it.
    Point is, thanks for simply letting the voices of history itself, speak for themselves once again in this form.

    • @zaggers77
      @zaggers77 2 года назад +3

      Jesus loves you.

    • @AdrienneJung.M
      @AdrienneJung.M 2 года назад +6

      I agree. I have a history degree and I am often dissappinted in modern historical works. The authors rarely present the historical texts in a straightforward way. Modern historians are taught to quilt together fragments of history in order to construct whatever narrative, thesis, or hot take they are interested in. But this channel offers no commentary, they simply let these documents speak for themselves.

  • @daphneraven6745
    @daphneraven6745 2 года назад +8

    That may have been the single most Beautiful recounting of the creation story that I ever heard.

  • @RazacoReal
    @RazacoReal 3 года назад +7

    This was super touching and informative thanks so much.

  • @pantonal
    @pantonal 3 года назад +8

    This is now one of my favorite RUclips videos. Thank you.

  • @pamelaschutz1248
    @pamelaschutz1248 6 месяцев назад +3

    Its principles will survive when the framework is forgotten! How true! How utterly beautiful!

  • @fishussugon3215
    @fishussugon3215 3 года назад +51

    It's actually pretty nice how being so far prior to globalisation that civilisations would be open to ideas from faraway lands

    • @chrishenniker5944
      @chrishenniker5944 9 месяцев назад

      Christianity was the first globalisation.

    • @billdecompsa4705
      @billdecompsa4705 6 месяцев назад +1

      I feel like globalization makes us more isolated.

    • @Schizz76
      @Schizz76 29 дней назад

      Oh no. This is only the good side of religious history in China.
      Whilst I can’t find much regarding Christian (or any abrahamic religion)‘s persecution other than during the modern age. Buddhism has been subject to several attacks, same with other religions like Manichaeism and Zoroastrianism by the same emperor (Wuzong of Tang).

  • @peterwindhorst5775
    @peterwindhorst5775 3 года назад +76

    The "three constant principles" may perhaps mean faith, hope, and charity.

    • @Hail_Full_of_Grace
      @Hail_Full_of_Grace 3 года назад +31

      More likely a reference to father , son and the holy spirit. Faith hope and charity sounds more modern although i may be wrong.

    • @Hail_Full_of_Grace
      @Hail_Full_of_Grace 3 года назад +4

      @Lucas De Araújo Marques you have to remember the Chinese Nestorians seem to of misunderstood alot about the religion, it wasnt Catholic. I stand by it more likely being a reference to Father , Son and Holy spirit. Then again i may be wrong.

    • @aspektx
      @aspektx 3 года назад +12

      @@Hail_Full_of_Grace
      Faith, hope, and love are mentioned in that order as the three "things that remain" in 1 Corinthians 13.
      The chapter is often quoted at weddings. That may be why it sounds modern to you.

    • @joshuafischer684
      @joshuafischer684 3 года назад +8

      @@aspektx The Catholic Church and I believe some other translations used by the Orthodox Church read that verse as "Faith, hope, and charity." Replacing "charity" with "love" is in translations used predominantly by American Protestants.

    • @colerobbins124
      @colerobbins124 3 года назад +3

      1 Corinthians 13:13?

  • @zaboomafool1911
    @zaboomafool1911 3 года назад +41

    I wonder if they had any idea that Syria was in the midst of being conquered by the first caliphate. The Tang would fight the Abbasids about over a 100 years later.

    • @giacomosimonin212
      @giacomosimonin212 3 года назад +5

      And that event blocked Tang dinasty expansion westward and entrusted much of central Asia to the Abbasids!

    • @peterwang5660
      @peterwang5660 3 года назад +1

      @@giacomosimonin212 yeahp, the deserts were too much

    • @BZY-bu9wr
      @BZY-bu9wr 3 года назад +1

      They actually fought the Umayyads once as well.

    • @fianorian-ce2qr
      @fianorian-ce2qr 2 года назад +3

      @@giacomosimonin212 The war had little impact. After that, several local wars were won in Central Asia, mainly because of the an Shi rebellion, which seriously affected the national order and population

  • @anwingm
    @anwingm 8 месяцев назад +4

    Syriac and Chaldean/Assyrian churches exist to this day in Kerala,South India.

  • @shadowsnake94
    @shadowsnake94 3 года назад +67

    they must have been really good missionaires back then because the emperor seemed really impressed right away

    • @voidremoved
      @voidremoved 3 года назад +2

      Some of the wise men came from China

    • @BZY-bu9wr
      @BZY-bu9wr 3 года назад +13

      Many Chinese emperors are very entertained by novelties such as foreign religions. Later emperors were also fascinated by Islam.

    • @郭龙飞-d4c
      @郭龙飞-d4c Год назад +1

      You don't know Chinese people, allowing missionary work does not mean you have converted to Christianity. The state religion of the Tang Dynasty was Taoism. Although many people embraced Buddhism, in China, the emperor always had more power than religion. For example, the CPC now controls Tibetan Buddhism. This is a Chinese tradition. The Qing Dynasty emperor used Tibetan Buddhism to control Mongolia and Tibet.

    • @billdecompsa4705
      @billdecompsa4705 6 месяцев назад +1

      ​@@郭龙飞-d4cI don't think he said they had converted. Just that they were impressed.

  • @cmcsccw
    @cmcsccw 3 года назад +74

    The Faith Of Our Fathers by Chan Kei Thong is a fascinating read on this subject ...

    • @sunnyboy4553
      @sunnyboy4553 3 года назад +5

      Thank you, I'll look it up. I recommended above Devotional Classics edited by Richard J Foster and James Bryan Smoth.

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      Religion is a curse to humans

  • @Real_Iron_Smith
    @Real_Iron_Smith 3 года назад +19

    I actually really like hearing how the Ancient Chinese interpreted the bible.

  • @dannychu2014
    @dannychu2014 2 года назад +6

    This was so meditative just to listen to.

  • @ramadadiver59
    @ramadadiver59 2 года назад +19

    " it's principles will survive even when.the framework is forgotten "
    There's a lot of atheist writers that recognise.this . Historian Tom Holland and author Duglass.murray for example ..both say things like " we are all Christians we still think Christian thoughts.and dream Christiam.dreams."
    Some atheists have even adopted labels.such as " Atheist Christian.".

    • @thedukeofchutney468
      @thedukeofchutney468 2 года назад +1

      Very true. I do find it a little weird how some militant atheists want to do away with everything Christian in the west due to it being immoral to them. But then use a predominantly Christian based morality system to criticize it.

    • @gustavju4686
      @gustavju4686 Год назад +3

      In one of my classes on Catholicism in University, we talked about how some people leave Catholicism (or Christianity all together) but continue to think like Christians. I noted that it's similar to Atheist Jews. Part of the faith remains in them.

  • @arspsychologia4401
    @arspsychologia4401 2 года назад +7

    This is very interesting, especially since the use of sacrifices mentioned right next to the use of the cross as a symbol seems to indicate it as a symbol in use by pre-Passion Christians, showing it has even deeper meaning than just being a symbol of Christ's sacrifice.

  • @d-vision2426
    @d-vision2426 2 года назад +34

    As a Christian I found this extremely interesting.

  • @peterwindhorst5775
    @peterwindhorst5775 3 года назад +34

    It is interesting to see Jesus like a cross between a Buddha and a guy with a goatee.

  • @barrydysert2974
    @barrydysert2974 3 года назад +10

    That was amazing and perhaps the most beautiful thing i have ever heard!:-) Thank you. 🙏🖖

  • @nlee1943
    @nlee1943 2 года назад +21

    How amazing! I had no idea that China was touched by Christianity this early. It is powerful to hear the praises of the Chinese
    emperor toward Jesus and his recognition of the truth and beauty of the Christian faith. I hope that many modern Chinese
    will learn about this and be drawn to Christ.

    • @amsnad1237
      @amsnad1237 2 года назад

      There's a lot of Christian Churches in China even a big Catholic Church somewhere in Southern part of China and a Black priest was the one presiding there...Even Western Media said that Chrianity in China was becoming bigger and I would say the Western Churches was on the decline...The Chrianity in China was SOLELY on the teachings of God IN WESTERN CHURCHES they mixed with Politics even here in my country they do that it's Disheartening...

    • @郭龙飞-d4c
      @郭龙飞-d4c Год назад

      ​@methodius--9405dao shi not God

    • @郭龙飞-d4c
      @郭龙飞-d4c Год назад +2

      You do not understand Chinese people, allowing missionary work does not mean that you have converted to Christianity. The national religion of the Tang Dynasty was Taoism. Although many people believe in Buddhism, in China, the emperor always has more power than religion. For example, the CPC now controls Tibetan Buddhism. This is a Chinese tradition. The Qing emperors used Tibetan Buddhism to control Mongolia and Tibet. Chinese emperors generally remain curious and knowledgeable about foreign religions, but they do not truly believe in them and only use them. The Huihe people once believed in Christian Nestorianism, and the Tang Dynasty had a good relationship with the Huihe people, so they favored Christian Nestorianism. However, after the downfall of the Huihe people, Christian Nestorianism was completely eliminated.

  • @nsebast
    @nsebast 2 года назад +15

    As a Chinese Christian, I think Christianity's teachings is very similar to Confucianism and Daoism, it holds similar value and does not contradict one another.
    Even in my country Indonesia where 90% of the population is Islam, the Chinese minority mostly convert to Christianity instead of Islam. It is much easier for Chinese to accept Christianity and Judasim compared to Islam or Hindu.

  • @dastaff1889
    @dastaff1889 6 месяцев назад +1

    Beautiful text, good choice IMHO, thank you for making video.

  • @klim5943
    @klim5943 2 года назад +3

    This is wonderful. I have never heard of this great rich history before. Many thanks ✨❤️‍🔥🙏🏼

  • @GamelanSinarSurya
    @GamelanSinarSurya 3 года назад +3

    Another Informative and expertly crafted video with beautiful images and background music. Thank you.

  • @Memememe-is1yn
    @Memememe-is1yn 3 года назад +14

    "He rendered virtue subservient to direct faith."

  • @rosaliesteward2160
    @rosaliesteward2160 2 года назад +2

    wow, this is amazing, thank you so much for sharing.

  • @stephenanthony5923
    @stephenanthony5923 Год назад +1

    Magnificent presentation! Beautifully crafted.

  • @MontChevalier
    @MontChevalier 2 года назад +12

    I never thought that the Chinese could write such a beautiful description of another man's religion. I must say I'm quite touched by such insight.

    • @EOShorts
      @EOShorts Год назад +8

      It’s not another man’s religion. It’s the way home for all humankind. Salvation for all. It’s not a religion but Truth, which is why it resonates in every humble heart and inspires true worship to the One True God. A pattern of holistic healing that man enters into and becomes by grace, what God is by nature.

    • @MontChevalier
      @MontChevalier Год назад +1

      @@EOShorts Well that man doesn't believe in....whatever wishy-washy nonsense you're saying. And it is a religion. Because religion is Latin for religio for the worship of divinity.

    • @EOShorts
      @EOShorts Год назад +1

      @@MontChevalier Yes religio, meaning to bind together, to re-member, to bind together the scattered members into unity within the Body of Christ. I mean it is not a religion in the sense that it’s an option amongst many. I mean that it’s the perfect Union of Heaven and Earth which manifests as a pattern of living, a liturgical lifestyle that a person enters into. It’s not a subjective reality but literally Thee Reality. In that sense it is not “one man’s religion”, but mankinds purpose. That is why the Chinese didn’t simply adopt a teaching, but understood it as ultimate meaning, and therefor worshipped Christ as the way. It sounds wishy washy but it’s not. It’s just beautiful

    • @MontChevalier
      @MontChevalier Год назад +1

      @@EOShorts I'd call Confucianism more of a culture than a religion. And you seem to have a very narrow definition of religion.
      It's great that you're enthusiastic about your religion, but not everyone shares that notion. And even if someone does join the body of Christ, how do you know if it's following the correct christological approach when there's already so many Christian groups that have either excommunicated each other, considered heretical or even deemed unfit as part of the body of Christ, like the Arrians and Gnostics?

    • @EOShorts
      @EOShorts Год назад +2

      @@MontChevalier I confess the creed of the One Holy and Catholic Apostolic Church. I am certainly careful to point a damning finger. Referring to Christianity (Orthodox Christianity) as Reality isn’t really narrow, since it necessarily includes the entire cosmos. But I see what you are saying. I am not good at debating these kinds of things, I’m better at staying a little removed and keeping more quiet. I always regret leaving comments! I never really know what I am saying! 😂

  • @Sprite_525
    @Sprite_525 3 года назад +10

    “Its principles will survive when the framework is forgotten”

  • @Dionaea_floridensis
    @Dionaea_floridensis 3 года назад +30

    I first heard "Olopun" as "Olive One" which is amusing given the general complexion of those from the Eastern Mediterranean

  • @em.c.827
    @em.c.827 3 года назад +2

    Wow! Never heard of this till today. Thanks for sharing :D

  • @aaronbarreguin.4211
    @aaronbarreguin.4211 3 года назад +69

    Praise Jesus!

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад +2

      Jesus was not real
      Christianity is Satanic

    • @nichy7734
      @nichy7734 3 года назад +17

      @@je-freenorman7787 the irony of you calling Christianity Satanic

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      @@nichy7734 There is no Irony
      Unless you consider that Iron is highly magnetic. lol
      Satan is the Father of religion.
      Some call it the deceiver.
      El, Allah and Jehovah are names for the God of Many Names, who is Satan
      Nobody ever even checks if it's their god and it is.

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      @@nichy7734 I am bound to the Truth and I always let go of beliefs
      Believers are the target of the religious Satanic Magic in the Bible

    • @je-freenorman7787
      @je-freenorman7787 3 года назад

      @@nichy7734 The word Satanic means Diabolical and Evil. In English.
      In spanish, Diabolo means the Devil

  • @ZgermanGuy.
    @ZgermanGuy. 3 года назад +58

    I found it very interesting that the chinese understood that the principles christianity are universal to all of mankind something that saddly often at times was forgotten in history leading to
    persecution of other cultures. I have always considered myself more of a deist but I can still see some Value in this type of practice

    • @Andreazor
      @Andreazor 3 года назад +8

      Religious persecution occurred in China just as anywhere else.

    • @michaelrenper796
      @michaelrenper796 3 года назад +20

      The Tang dynasty was exceptionally open-minded towards foreign cultures, religion and goods. One also needs to remember that Buddhism was already known in China a then and certainly to the scholars advising the emperor on all things religious. At first glance basic principles of Christianity and Buddhism look fairly similar. And keep in mind that this is the Nestorian church, NOT catholic orthodoxy or evangelism as you know it today. Nestorianism had a bit of gnostic influence left, which made it more similar to Buddhism than todays Christianity.

    • @LaplacianFourier
      @LaplacianFourier 3 года назад +1

      Not quite. These principals you speak of are innate in homosapiens. If we are lucky, the popular religions will borrow some of these and not twist them into something vile. If we are not lucky, you get Christianity and Islam. Between these two, you are permitted to commit slavery, genocide and ethnic cleansing (amalekites, catholic church support of Hitler, genocide in Central African Republic, Joseph Kony, genocide of Aztec and Mayan natives and erasing of their culture, etc.), you are allowed to defraud people (sale of indulgences, propserity gospel televangelist), you are allowed human sacrifice and scapegoating to wash away your sins (Jesus), you are allowed chain all females and treat them as property not unlike chattle (welcome to Islamic theocracy), you are allowed to be antisemitic, anti-islamic, anti-insert-religion-here (catholic church, crusades, jihad, stealing land for the chosen people). I'll stop here but I can name many others and don't be so sure I can't. All these things a sane secular person will abhor.

    • @godlovesyou1995
      @godlovesyou1995 3 года назад +12

      @@LaplacianFourier lol. Just because someone who says they are Christian does something bad doesnt mean the religion itself is bad. Eg. Conquistadors.
      The catholic church alone did save like 700,000 Jews it is estimated. Christianity is not anti semitic nor is it anti islamic, islam didnt even exist during the time of Christ.
      Saying human sacrifice is encouraged because of Jesus is actually hilarious in how wrong it is. Your only point that made any sense is regarding slavery. All i can say is that if Jesus told slaves to rise up, it would only have led to a lot of death, especially of the slaves most likely.

    • @DanteD84
      @DanteD84 3 года назад +5

      @@LaplacianFourier you’re taking the actions of people who claim to be Christian and writing off the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. That’s very Irresponsible of a student of history. Read what the founder of the faiths said not what “followers” did hundreds of years later.

  • @cmk5724
    @cmk5724 3 года назад +6

    Absolutely beautiful.

  • @JoshFortune-nb8wz
    @JoshFortune-nb8wz 6 месяцев назад +2

    Beautiful video.

  • @Mayagainstheworld
    @Mayagainstheworld Год назад +1

    Thank you you just helped me so much.

  • @QuanLiPR
    @QuanLiPR 3 года назад +4

    the title inscribed on the stele say 大秦, which is what ancient China called Rome (from Republic to Byzantine)

  • @Fenristhegreat
    @Fenristhegreat 3 года назад +4

    Very cool, thanks for the video.

  • @Meanietube
    @Meanietube 3 года назад +11

    And so the most illustrious religion arrived to the honorable country to be most honored by her Majesty the illustrious and most honorable enlightened lord that said it was properly illustrious with honorable principles

  • @ReanCombrinck
    @ReanCombrinck 3 года назад +2

    This is amazing! Thanks for sharing!

  • @juststardust8103
    @juststardust8103 3 года назад +1

    Amazing video as usual. Thanks for posting it.

  • @ripperrooh3759
    @ripperrooh3759 3 года назад +3

    This video should be nominated for The Best Historic Christian Documentary. 🎥
    Thx 😊💖👍

  • @neuto
    @neuto 3 года назад +22

    man, I love the auto-captions. "when the Joe dynasty declined..."

  • @MG-ql8sg
    @MG-ql8sg 3 года назад +31

    Based Christianity content. Need more of this to make the fedora tippers seethe and cope

  • @mercywalschek2695
    @mercywalschek2695 3 года назад +2

    This is absolutely fascinating.

  • @dorayantz3649
    @dorayantz3649 5 месяцев назад +1

    Great video. Thank you. 😍🙏

  • @captindo
    @captindo 3 года назад +42

    So...times kinda change don't they lol. The feeling I get from these Chinese philosophers is that they feel the same way as Kubli Khan felt, that Christianity was a byproduct of civilization but, the Chinese felt it was more unifying for the people than the Khan did.

    • @letsomethingshine
      @letsomethingshine 3 года назад +3

      philosophers? I thought they were barely historians, but modern standards. At least their accounts are 1st person as far as perspective, if not primary sources themselves.

  • @Thoregor
    @Thoregor 2 года назад +3

    Its interesting how open the Tang Dynasty was to accepting new religions and how beautifully they understood Christianity compared to how difficult it proved in Europe (to this day even).

  • @bluesdealer
    @bluesdealer 2 года назад +3

    “Its principles will survive even when the framework is forgotten.”
    Really describes post-Enlightenment western society quite well.

  • @FDCLDN
    @FDCLDN 3 года назад +2

    Thanks for this.

  • @FaithFullCatholicPodcast
    @FaithFullCatholicPodcast 2 года назад +2

    Solid description of the Liturgy of the Hours 😇🙏

  • @istoppedcaring6209
    @istoppedcaring6209 Год назад +2

    the initial method of analyzing nestorian doctrine was absolutely excelent, it must be noted that ancient china was filosofically advanced to a level which rivalled the ancient greeks and highest roman thinkers, i believe they actually surpassed them in many ways