0:00:41.630,0:00:44.225 Hello everybody. 0:00:44.225,0:00:48.461 Before I start today’s talk, [br]I’d like to ask a few questions. 0:00:48.461,0:00:50.291 Be honest now! 0:00:50.291,0:00:55.697 Raise your hand if you think [br]history is a worthwhile major. 0:00:55.697,0:00:57.187 (laughter) 0:00:57.187,0:01:00.387 Raise your hand if you would jump for joy [br]if you or your child 0:01:00.387,0:01:04.685 successfully tested into history.[br](laughter) 0:01:04.685,0:01:09.204 Raise your hand if you’ve memorized [br]countless names, places, years, events, 0:01:09.204,0:01:13.415 and thought to yourself, “This is useful.”[br](laughter) 0:01:13.415,0:01:19.870 From the show of hands, it’s obvious [br]what people think about studying history. 0:01:19.870,0:01:22.850 Many years ago, when [br]the entrance exam results were posted, 0:01:22.850,0:01:26.238 people would ask me [br]which university I tested into. 0:01:26.238,0:01:31.017 I replied “National Taiwan University”[br]and everyone’s reaction was “Wow!” 0:01:31.017,0:01:34.825 Then, they’d ask [br]which major I tested into. 0:01:34.825,0:01:39.761 I replied “History”,[br]and everyone’s reaction was “Oh.” 0:01:39.761,0:01:41.301 (laughter) 0:01:41.301,0:01:50.073 It’s clear from their reactions[br]what they thought. 0:01:50.073,0:01:54.193 From that moment, I became interested [br]in researching the following: 0:01:54.193,0:01:58.140 What’s the point in studying history? 0:01:58.140,0:01:59.810 Think about it. 0:01:59.810,0:02:02.934 Ever since we were kids, [br]we had to study history, but why? 0:02:02.934,0:02:06.089 We’ve all had to memorize [br]years, locations, people, events, 0:02:06.089,0:02:07.185 but why? 0:02:07.185,0:02:10.991 After the tests are over, [br]how much do you retain? 0:02:10.991,0:02:15.409 Most importantly, even if you remember, [br]what value does it add to your life? 0:02:15.409,0:02:20.481 When I thought about these questions, [br]I realized something interesting. 0:02:20.481,0:02:24.161 In ancient times, emperors and scholars [br]had to study history 0:02:24.161,0:02:27.130 and they thought it was extremely useful. 0:02:27.130,0:02:30.390 These days, we’ve all to studied history[br]since we were kids 0:02:30.390,0:02:32.766 but we often don’t know why we do it. 0:02:32.766,0:02:35.576 Why is there such a huge discrepancy [br]between then and now? 0:02:35.576,0:02:37.346 Were all these ancients idiots? 0:02:37.346,0:02:40.494 Or is our intelligence a hundred times [br]more advanced than theirs? 0:02:40.494,0:02:42.542 I don’t think so. 0:02:42.542,0:02:46.132 In the end, I discovered the answer[br]is in the way we study history. 0:02:46.132,0:02:50.284 The way the ancients learned history [br]is vastly different than our way. 0:02:50.284,0:02:52.648 How so? 0:02:53.548,0:02:58.754 When the ancients read history books[br]and they read about a pivotal moment 0:02:58.754,0:03:06.837 in an important historical figure’s life,[br]when that person needed to make a choice, 0:03:06.837,0:03:10.511 at that point in their studies, [br]the ancients would close their books, 0:03:10.511,0:03:14.212 and they imagined themselves [br]in that situation and thought, 0:03:14.212,0:03:16.324 “What would I do?” 0:03:16.324,0:03:20.536 Only when they thought it out, [br]did they then open the books back up 0:03:20.536,0:03:24.257 and see if that person’s decision [br]matched up with theirs. 0:03:24.257,0:03:27.698 Why did that person make this decision?[br]Did that person succeed or fail? 0:03:27.698,0:03:29.956 What did he lose or what did he gain? 0:03:29.956,0:03:34.003 Using this method, [br]we can utilize the ancient’s wisdom 0:03:34.003,0:03:36.583 to hone our own intelligence. 0:03:36.583,0:03:39.693 Why aren't we using this method today? 0:03:39.693,0:03:43.663 Because the goal [br]of our modern education system 0:03:43.663,0:03:46.680 is to train workers. 0:03:46.680,0:03:49.515 This training, [br]which starts in primary school, 0:03:49.515,0:03:51.565 began during The Industrial Revolution. 0:03:51.565,0:03:54.433 There was a need to supply [br]the demand for manpower 0:03:54.433,0:03:57.433 created by the industrial revolution 0:03:57.433,0:04:00.931 so the new education system [br]focused on skills and technology. 0:04:00.931,0:04:04.608 It doesn't care [br]how a man becomes fully realized 0:04:04.608,0:04:07.798 or how to solve [br]life’s complicated questions. 0:04:07.798,0:04:12.843 This system demands that we memorize [br]large swaths of historical knowledge 0:04:12.843,0:04:16.785 but never tells us [br]how this information relates to our lives. 0:04:16.785,0:04:22.702 Therefore, the pedagogy stresses[br]rote, rote, rote. 0:04:22.702,0:04:25.874 Right? This was our schooling. 0:04:25.874,0:04:28.460 The ancients needed to train [br]emperors and scholars 0:04:28.460,0:04:32.026 so they demanded critical thinking [br]when studying history. 0:04:32.026,0:04:37.303 Today, we need to train workers[br]so we demand rote when studying history. 0:04:37.303,0:04:41.460 The ends are different [br]so obviously the means are different. 0:04:41.460,0:04:43.917 How did I come to this theory? 0:04:43.917,0:04:47.484 It actually began with [br]two of my professors from Taiwan 0:04:47.484,0:04:49.831 The first is Professor Yu. 0:04:49.831,0:04:52.910 Professor Yu was grew up [br]towards the end of the Qing Dynasty. 0:04:52.910,0:04:56.560 Born into the royal family, [br]he studied at the imperial school. 0:04:56.560,0:05:00.060 Sixty years ago, he arrived in Taiwan [br]and started a private academy,[br] 0:05:00.060,0:05:03.210 where I was his student [br]for nearly twenty years. 0:05:03.210,0:05:06.756 From him, [br]I learned what real Chinese knowledge is. 0:05:06.756,0:05:09.781 I learned that the education [br]the emperor gave his own children 0:05:09.781,0:05:13.035 was different from that [br]offered to the commoners’ children. 0:05:13.035,0:05:16.551 He taught me that Chinese studies [br]was meant to be practical. 0:05:16.551,0:05:20.325 The second is my academic advisor, [br]Professor Jy-Sheng Ruaan. 0:05:20.325,0:05:22.724 He spent his life [br]researching historical documents 0:05:22.724,0:05:25.864 and taught me [br]how to analyze Chinese historical texts. 0:05:25.864,0:05:29.454 He also taught me to analyze and observe,[br]from a historical context, 0:05:29.454,0:05:33.184 the thoughts and actions [br]of these ancient emperors and scholars. 0:05:33.184,0:05:36.554 It’s because of these two teachers, [br]that I was inspired to bring forth 0:05:36.554,0:05:39.424 the wisdom of the ancient emperors. 0:05:39.424,0:05:43.590 It should no longer be kept a secret.[br]It should be accessible to everyone. 0:05:43.590,0:05:46.707 In order to achieve this goal, [br]and with the enormous support of 0:05:46.707,0:05:50.537 National Taiwan University’s Center [br]for Teaching and Learning Development, 0:05:50.537,0:05:53.414 we started the first ever, large-scale, [br]free web course 0:05:53.414,0:05:56.414 in Chinese literature and history. 0:05:56.414,0:06:00.395 Initially, I only wanted to conduct [br]an online teaching experiment. 0:06:00.395,0:06:04.846 I wanted to know if old knowledge [br]would be accepted by people today. 0:06:04.846,0:06:10.388 Imagine my surprise when [br]over 43,000 students enrolled. 0:06:10.388,0:06:14.580 Everything we've talked about up to now [br]has just been principles and theories, 0:06:14.580,0:06:17.060 which are meaningless without application. 0:06:17.060,0:06:22.978 Next, I’ll show you an example of how [br]the ancient emperors studied history. 0:06:22.978,0:06:26.528 How many of you recognize this painting? 0:06:26.528,0:06:29.146 Good![br]You all know this depicts “Yi Shang Na Lu” 0:06:29.146,0:06:32.426 which is the story of Zhang Liang [br]retrieving Huang Shi Gong’s shoe. 0:06:32.426,0:06:34.751 Most of us have read this as children. 0:06:34.751,0:06:36.821 Since everyone is familiar with this story[br] 0:06:36.821,0:06:38.901 can anyone tell me [br]what is this story really about? 0:06:38.901,0:06:41.497 This is a story about wisdom. 0:06:41.497,0:06:47.613 Its moral is certainly not as simplistic [br]as respect your elders, be punctual. 0:06:47.613,0:06:53.050 If that's all there was to the story, [br]then Chinese wisdom is way too shallow. 0:06:53.050,0:06:57.274 What does this story want to tell us?[br]Let’s take a look. 0:06:57.274,0:07:01.789 “One day, Zhang Liang was strolling [br]along a bridge in the city of Xiapi.” 0:07:01.789,0:07:04.021 This phrase seems straightfoward enough 0:07:04.021,0:07:06.855 but historians interpret this phrase [br]a bit differently 0:07:06.855,0:07:08.605 by adding historical context. 0:07:08.605,0:07:12.750 When we examine something, [br]we must view it as a moment in time. 0:07:12.750,0:07:16.351 What was Zhang Liang doing [br]before he took his stroll? 0:07:16.351,0:07:18.871 Well he just committed [br]an earth-shattering crime; 0:07:18.871,0:07:22.404 he had attempted to assassinate [br]the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. 0:07:22.404,0:07:24.639 Why did he want the Emperor dead? 0:07:24.639,0:07:27.499 Zhang Liang was a descendant of [br]Han state chancellors. 0:07:27.499,0:07:32.559 The Qin state destroyed the Han state. [br]Zhang Liang wanted revenge. 0:07:32.559,0:07:36.284 To achieve this goal, he wiped out [br]his family fortune and hired assassins, 0:07:36.284,0:07:39.604 but the attempt failed and [br]he's a wanted man. 0:07:39.604,0:07:42.086 So now, he’s fled to Xiapi. 0:07:42.086,0:07:45.121 Now a normal person [br]would be panicking and laying low, 0:07:45.121,0:07:48.702 but Zhang Liang is just [br]strolling along a bridge. 0:07:48.702,0:07:53.089 From this, you know that this young man [br]is extraordinarily bold. 0:07:53.089,0:07:55.469 Then again, [br]you'd have to be extraordinarily bold, 0:07:55.469,0:07:57.634 to try to assassinate the Emperor![br](laughter) 0:07:57.634,0:08:01.562 At this point in time, [br]Zhang Liang meets a remarkable person. 0:08:01.562,0:08:06.361 An old man walks towards him [br]and does an incredibly odd thing. 0:08:06.361,0:08:09.247 The old man takes off his shoe, [br]throws it over the bridge, 0:08:09.247,0:08:11.947 and says to Zhang Liang, [br]“Kid, go fetch my shoe!” 0:08:11.947,0:08:14.015 Alright! [br]Time to apply my method. 0:08:14.015,0:08:17.090 Everyone, close your textbooks, [br]shut your eyes, and ponder this: 0:08:17.090,0:08:21.726 If you were Zhang Liang, [br]what would you do? 0:08:21.726,0:08:23.618 Think! Think it through! 0:08:23.618,0:08:26.672 Sorry, this talk is only 18 minutes [br]so I have to cut this short. 0:08:26.672,0:08:31.212 Ok, let’s see what Zhang Liang does.[br]His reaction is pretty extraordinary. 0:08:31.212,0:08:33.213 “Liang was surprised; desired to assault.” 0:08:33.213,0:08:35.666 In other words, [br]he wants to beat up the old guy. 0:08:35.666,0:08:39.802 We expect this from a fiery youngster[br]but does he follow through? 0:08:39.802,0:08:41.432 He doesn't. Why not? 0:08:41.432,0:08:44.798 What he says next is very blunt, [br]“He is old. I must restrain myself.” 0:08:44.798,0:08:48.673 This is not an easy thing to do. [br]He is forcing himself to tolerate this guy 0:08:48.673,0:08:50.615 because remember, he’s still a fugitive, 0:08:50.615,0:08:53.837 he’d really be screwed if he accidentally [br]beat an old man to death. 0:08:53.837,0:08:57.180 Since he’s decided to hold his temper, [br]he fetches the old man’s shoe. 0:08:57.180,0:09:00.366 Then the old man absurdly says, [br]“Help me put it on.” 0:09:00.366,0:09:02.526 Ok! Shut your eyes. 0:09:02.526,0:09:06.326 If you were Zhang Liang and encountered [br]such a presumptuous old man, 0:09:06.326,0:09:08.090 what would you do? 0:09:08.090,0:09:13.264 Let’s see what Zhang Liang does.[br]Why he’s the Zhang Liang we know today. 0:09:13.264,0:09:17.263 “Liang retrieves the shoe, [br]genuflects at length to help put it on.” 0:09:17.263,0:09:20.754 He doesn’t just help put on the shoe.[br]He doesn’t just kneel down and help. 0:09:20.754,0:09:23.850 He kneels for a lengthy time and [br]helps the old man with his shoe. 0:09:23.850,0:09:25.805 Why does Zhang Liang do this? 0:09:25.805,0:09:31.351 Because he knows the first principle [br]the old man is trying to teach him. 0:09:31.351,0:09:35.121 Which is, in life, you choose [br]either to not put up with something 0:09:35.121,0:09:37.641 or to endure it to the very end. 0:09:37.641,0:09:40.472 When we do something, [br]we can choose either not to do it 0:09:40.472,0:09:44.052 or to see it through to perfection. 0:09:44.052,0:09:46.940 If you’re going to show restraint, [br]bear it to the end. 0:09:46.940,0:09:50.520 Since you’ve already fetched his shoe [br]and decided to help him put it on, 0:09:50.520,0:09:53.893 you might as well genuflect at length. 0:09:53.893,0:09:57.173 This was what the old man [br]wanted to teach Zhang Liang 0:09:57.173,0:10:00.940 about the importance of "restraint." 0:10:00.940,0:10:05.809 Why did he want to teach Zhang Liang?[br]Let’s take a look at what happens next: 0:10:05.809,0:10:10.677 “Satisfied, he smiles, walks away. [br]Liang is stunned.” 0:10:10.677,0:10:13.352 Why is Zhang Liang surprised? 0:10:13.352,0:10:17.729 When masters match wits,[br]they don’t use lengthy monologues. 0:10:17.729,0:10:20.845 Yelling in the streets? [br]That’s for lesser men. 0:10:20.845,0:10:24.625 With masters, [br]a few glances, a few words, a few moves, 0:10:24.625,0:10:27.516 and they've sized each other up. 0:10:27.516,0:10:30.536 When the old man ordered Zhang Liang [br]to fetch his shoe, 0:10:30.536,0:10:34.197 he wanted to unnerve Zhang Liang [br]but Zhang Liang wasn’t fazed. 0:10:34.197,0:10:36.394 Likewise, [br]when Zhang Liang kneeled at length, 0:10:36.394,0:10:39.371 he wanted to unnerve the old man [br]but the old man wasn’t fazed. 0:10:39.371,0:10:42.988 Instead, the old man extended his foot, [br]and once shoed, walked away smiling. 0:10:42.988,0:10:45.532 What was Zhang Liang’s reaction? [br]"Liang is stunned!" 0:10:45.532,0:10:49.290 We know that in this short timeframe, [br]these two have sparred three times. 0:10:49.290,0:10:51.961 And the old man has dealt Zhang Liang [br]a crushing defeat. 0:10:51.961,0:10:53.719 (laughter and applause) 0:10:53.719,0:10:56.329 Why did the old man [br]treat Zhang Liang this way? 0:10:56.329,0:11:00.329 Know this, Zhang Liang was [br]highly talented and courageous; 0:11:00.329,0:11:02.741 he received the best education [br]money could buy. 0:11:02.741,0:11:06.105 In his past, [br]he was always better than everyone 0:11:06.105,0:11:08.756 so he never needed to show restraint. 0:11:08.756,0:11:12.370 But ever since the old man appeared, [br]he's thoroughly bested Zhang Liang. 0:11:12.370,0:11:14.042 This was to teach Zhang Liang that 0:11:14.042,0:11:16.574 there will always be someone[br]better than you. 0:11:16.574,0:11:18.826 It’s good for young people to be brave 0:11:18.826,0:11:21.694 but if you can’t show restraint, [br]then you can’t be prudent. 0:11:21.694,0:11:24.427 So restraint is the first principle. 0:11:24.427,0:11:26.626 Let’s see what happens next. 0:11:26.626,0:11:30.624 The old man walks away, but turns around[br]and tells Zhang Liang “You can be taught.” 0:11:30.624,0:11:33.847 That’s why we know [br]the old man is there to train Zhang Liang. 0:11:33.847,0:11:36.804 “After five days time, [br]meet back here at dawn. “ 0:11:36.804,0:11:39.646 Zhang Liang knows that the old man [br]is extraordinary, 0:11:39.646,0:11:41.918 so he genuflects and says, “I promise.” 0:11:41.918,0:11:43.931 This next passage, I’ll read for everyone. 0:11:43.931,0:11:46.888 “At dawn on the fifth day, [br]Zhang Liang arrives at the bridge.” 0:11:46.888,0:11:50.602 The old man is there before Zhang Liang [br]and rebukes, “You broke your promise.” 0:11:50.602,0:11:53.464 He walks away and says, [br]“Come back at dawn after five days.” 0:11:53.464,0:11:57.374 On the fifth day, when the rooster crowed,[br]so it's still dark, Zhang Liang arrives. 0:11:57.374,0:11:59.294 The old man is already there before him 0:11:59.294,0:12:02.122 and once again scolds, [br]“Come back at dawn after five days.” 0:12:02.122,0:12:03.693 Ok, now I’d like to ask everyone, 0:12:03.693,0:12:06.894 in these few short phrases, [br]which two words are the most important? 0:12:06.894,0:12:10.118 When you read, you must be able [br]to grasp the keywords 0:12:10.118,0:12:14.455 otherwise you'll miss [br]the point of the entire essay. 0:12:14.455,0:12:18.746 Which two words?[br]“Before” and “after”. 0:12:18.746,0:12:21.444 Why stress before and after? 0:12:21.444,0:12:26.018 Because the old man is teaching [br]Zhang Liang the art of war. 0:12:26.018,0:12:29.138 The art of war states that [br]the first to the battlefield controls 0:12:29.138,0:12:31.658 while the army who arrives after [br]will be controlled. 0:12:31.658,0:12:35.154 Controlling versus being controlled[br]makes all the difference in the world. 0:12:35.154,0:12:38.634 So far, the old man has bested [br]Zhang Liang twice. 0:12:38.634,0:12:42.041 So if you were Zhang Liang, [br]what would you do? 0:12:42.041,0:12:43.541 Let's take a look. 0:12:43.541,0:12:45.911 "After five days, [br]Liang arrives before midnight." 0:12:45.911,0:12:47.797 Why before midnight? 0:12:47.797,0:12:51.658 We agree to meet on the fifth day, so I [br]arrive before midnight on the fourth day. 0:12:51.658,0:12:56.822 There’s no way Zhang Liang can lose. 0:12:56.822,0:13:01.700 Even if the old man were already there,[br]Zhang Liang wouldn't be considered late 0:13:01.700,0:13:03.707 because they agreed to meet [br]on the fifth day. 0:13:03.707,0:13:06.450 As it turns out, [br]the old man wasn’t there first. 0:13:06.450,0:13:09.885 "After a while, the old man arrives and [br]happily says, 'This is the correct way.' 0:13:09.885,0:13:12.895 He presents Zhang Liang with a book, [br]Sun Tzu’s The Art of War." 0:13:12.895,0:13:14.915 Why was the old man delighted? 0:13:14.915,0:13:18.089 Because he knew that Zhang Liang [br]has learned the second principle 0:13:18.089,0:13:20.479 which is the importance of [br]“striving to be first”. 0:13:20.479,0:13:24.785 How do you become first?[br]What does “first” even mean? 0:13:24.785,0:13:28.784 If you don't get this concept[br]then you'll miss the point of the story. 0:13:28.784,0:13:32.510 Previous students have answered that [br]to be first is to be earlier than others. 0:13:32.510,0:13:35.729 But if you’re earlier than others, [br]that’s just a relative first; 0:13:35.729,0:13:37.999 that’s not an absolute first. 0:13:37.999,0:13:40.523 The art of war demands absolute first. 0:13:40.523,0:13:42.922 So what is absolute first? 0:13:42.922,0:13:46.867 Absolute first is when you exceed [br]your opponent’s expectations. 0:13:46.867,0:13:50.404 Since the old man wasn’t expecting [br]Zhang Liang to arrive before midnight, 0:13:50.404,0:13:53.291 Zhang Liang has attained absolute first. 0:13:53.291,0:13:57.108 So the crux is how do you exceed [br]your opponent’s expectations? 0:13:57.108,0:14:00.121 If you can’t figure this out,[br]then everything else is pointless. 0:14:00.121,0:14:04.936 How do you exceed expectations [br]and achieve absolute first? 0:14:04.936,0:14:10.150 The answer lies in the first principle [br]that the old man taught Zhang Liang 0:14:10.150,0:14:17.119 Only by showing restraint to the end [br]can you then achieve absolute first. 0:14:17.119,0:14:20.826 These two principles are clear in[br]Sun Tzu’s Art of War. 0:14:20.826,0:14:25.334 Appear as weak as a young maiden, [br]and the enemy, with defenses down, 0:14:25.334,0:14:26.792 will open their gates. 0:14:26.792,0:14:31.970 The moment the gates are open, [br]charge in as quick as a fleeing rabbit. 0:14:31.970,0:14:37.101 Restraint and first are achieved when [br]the enemy can’t close their gates in time. 0:14:37.101,0:14:40.693 The essence of the art of war [br]is these two principles. 0:14:40.693,0:14:43.809 Are you powerful? [br]Absolutely 0:14:43.809,0:14:46.813 Why was Zhang Liang able to destroy [br]the powerful Qin Dynasty? 0:14:46.813,0:14:48.927 Because he choose to assist Liu Bang. 0:14:48.927,0:14:51.211 How did Liu Bang conquer China? 0:14:51.211,0:14:54.737 He proved his legitimacy by being first[br]through the gates of Guanzhong. 0:14:54.737,0:14:57.087 But when Liu Bang entered [br]the gates of Guanzhong, 0:14:57.087,0:15:01.188 southern Guanzhong was ruled by a general [br]whose forces were much stronger than his. 0:15:01.188,0:15:06.835 Liu Bang wanted to attack at once but [br]Zhang Liang advised him not to. 0:15:06.835,0:15:10.973 Instead, since the general was rumored[br]to be extremely avaricious, 0:15:10.973,0:15:16.648 Zhang Liang proposed that they[br]offer the general a bribe. 0:15:16.648,0:15:20.460 With such corrupt leadership, [br]no wonder the Qin Dynasty collapsed. 0:15:20.460,0:15:21.420 (laughter) 0:15:21.420,0:15:25.034 After the general accepted the bribe, [br]Liu Bang thought they're in the clear. 0:15:25.034,0:15:28.296 Zhang Liang disagreed [br]and said they must attack immediately. 0:15:28.296,0:15:30.251 Liu Bang asked why? 0:15:30.251,0:15:33.388 Zhang Liang replied that [br]even though the general took the bribe, 0:15:33.388,0:15:36.465 his subordinates are Qin subjects [br]and they might not capitulate. 0:15:36.465,0:15:39.235 But since the general took our bribe, [br]his guard is down. 0:15:39.235,0:15:41.192 If we attack now, we will surely win. 0:15:41.192,0:15:43.781 So, it's because Liu Bang [br]heeded Zhang Liang’s advice, 0:15:43.781,0:15:46.031 that he was able to [br]overthrow the Qin Dynasty. 0:15:46.031,0:15:48.658 The Han Dynasty’s four glorious centuries [br]started with 0:15:48.658,0:15:52.128 that old man teaching Zhang Liang [br]how to achieve "restraint" and "first." 0:15:52.128,0:15:53.762 Now back to our original question. 0:15:53.762,0:15:57.644 Why did the ancient emperors and leaders [br]study history? 0:15:57.644,0:16:00.584 What’s the point of learning history? 0:16:00.584,0:16:04.894 The goal of studying history [br]is to understand human nature. 0:16:04.894,0:16:10.936 For millennia, history has been recorded,[br]all the way from princes to paupers, 0:16:10.936,0:16:18.456 how they made decisions [br]as the times and their lives changed, 0:16:18.456,0:16:22.271 only by studying this, [br]can you fully comprehend human nature. 0:16:22.271,0:16:26.922 The purpose of studying history [br]is to inspire wisdom. 0:16:26.922,0:16:31.413 We can use the wisdom of the ancients[br]to ignite our own wisdom. 0:16:31.413,0:16:34.718 We can use the lives of the ancients [br]as the grindstone upon which 0:16:34.718,0:16:38.583 we sharpen the metaphorical sword [br]called our own intellect. 0:16:38.583,0:16:42.528 A grindstone can’t cut anything, [br]only a sword can cut. 0:16:42.528,0:16:47.457 You must extract wisdom from history, [br]memorizing facts is useless. 0:16:47.457,0:16:52.802 Ok, so why do we want to understand [br]human nature and inspire wisdom? 0:16:52.802,0:16:57.090 Because when you face [br]a difficulty in your life, trust me, 0:16:57.090,0:17:03.631 you're not the first person in history [br]to have encountered this problem. 0:17:03.631,0:17:08.552 There have been countless others [br]who have faced this exact challenge. 0:17:08.552,0:17:15.292 How did they approach the problem?[br]What was their solution? 0:17:15.292,0:17:20.562 When you're filled with hopelessness, [br]remember that there was once a man 0:17:20.562,0:17:26.996 who had suffered immense humiliation,[br]but he licked his wounds, regrouped, 0:17:26.996,0:17:30.097 and with three thousand Yue troops [br]he overthrew the Wu kingdom. 0:17:30.097,0:17:33.571 When you feel that [br]you’ve been taken advantage of, 0:17:33.571,0:17:37.881 remember that there was once a clan [br]who'd been mistreated for three centuries, 0:17:37.881,0:17:41.001 innumerable soldiers and civilians [br]had been killed. 0:17:41.001,0:17:44.930 The day came when they started to believe [br]that they should change their destiny. 0:17:44.930,0:17:48.330 When they amassed seven hundred soldiers,[br]they swore to the heavens that 0:17:48.330,0:17:53.443 the Qin would control its own fate,[br]the Qin would conquer the world, 0:17:53.443,0:17:56.218 and in the end, [br]they united the warring states 0:17:56.218,0:17:58.093 and established China’s first dynasty. 0:17:58.093,0:18:01.869 When you’re feeling sorry for yourself [br]because your parents aren't good enough, 0:18:01.869,0:18:03.899 that life is undependable, 0:18:03.899,0:18:05.734 remember that there was once a man, 0:18:05.734,0:18:09.009 his dad died when he was three, [br]his mom died when he was a teenager, 0:18:09.009,0:18:10.734 he grew up absolutely destitute, 0:18:10.734,0:18:16.344 he received no formal education, [br]everything he learned he taught himself, 0:18:16.344,0:18:20.134 That man grew up to be one of the most [br]learned individuals in Chinese history, 0:18:20.134,0:18:21.686 a sage of the East, 0:18:21.686,0:18:24.496 he's influenced Eastern thinking [br]for over two millennia, 0:18:24.496,0:18:26.276 that person is Confucius. 0:18:26.276,0:18:29.642 And even that Western sage [br]was born in a manger. 0:18:29.642,0:18:30.672 (laughter) 0:18:30.672,0:18:34.858 When you think that you have nothing [br]left worth living for, 0:18:34.858,0:18:40.049 remember that there was once a young man [br]strolling on a bridge in Xiapi, 0:18:40.049,0:18:43.318 at that moment, [br]he had lost everything, 0:18:43.318,0:18:48.298 but he believed that one day, [br]he would annihilate the Qin dynasty 0:18:48.298,0:18:51.227 and in the end, he did the impossible. 0:18:51.227,0:18:54.094 He destroyed the world’s [br]most powerful empire, 0:18:54.094,0:18:56.554 and became an enduring symbol [br]for Chinese wisdom. 0:18:57.044,0:19:00.275 As long as you apply the right method, 0:19:00.275,0:19:03.390 history is an unlimited [br]treasure trove filled with wisdom, 0:19:03.390,0:19:06.854 it’s a source of inexhaustible strength. 0:19:06.854,0:19:09.839 I firmly believe the goal of education 0:19:09.839,0:19:17.409 is for people to master knowledge, [br]not for people to be slaves to knowledge. 0:19:17.409,0:19:20.088 But to master knowledge, 0:19:20.088,0:19:24.067 you must first understand [br]how to ignite your own wisdom. 0:19:24.067,0:19:29.933 I hope you can obtain wisdom from history,[br]be the master of your own destiny, 0:19:29.933,0:19:32.229 and start living your ideal life. 0:19:32.229,0:19:34.185 Thank you![br](applause)