How China Sees India and the World

By

Shyam Saran

 

The emergence of China as a politico, economic and military super power has been one of the greatest events of the last 30 years, specially at the speed at which it has taken place.  It has become the second pole if not the principal opponent of the United States in world affairs.  This book by Shyam ASaran, the former foreign secretary and one of the experts on China throws light on how that country sees the India and the world around it

China sees itself as ‘Tianxia’ (All Under Heaven) as the Centre of the World, the centre around which all other counties transfixed and to which others pay obeisance. On the contrary they see India as ‘slave nation’ because of its occupation by foreign  and alien powers and, therefore, not to be copied. These opposing and contrasting view points are to govern the relationship of these two countries till today.  Similarly, Tibet and Uigher have been colonized by China and have been under its rule and, therefore, do not deserve any independent existence whereas, China itself has been under the rule of non-Han (specially Mongol), as the author points out).

The very first contact between the two countries came with the spread of Buddhism into China during 2^nd century BC. Buddhism and the monks of the religion were severely criticized as an alien religion.  Despite the opposition, a number of  pilgrims travelled to India to learn and collect Buddhist texts in Nalenda and Taxila, the most famous of them being Xuan Zang and Fa Xien.  Beyond these pilgrims, there was no other contact between the two civilizations.

These contacts through pilgrims and scholars resulted in the spread and  sincization of Buddhism which was a Hinrayana form of the religion. From China, Buddhism spread to Japan with its own variation (Zen) forming a cultural sphere including countries like Vietnam and the entire south east asia.

The author deals with the question of Chinise-tibean relationship in its historical context and throws up evidence to prove that Tibet had remained an independent and extensive kingdom of its own for a long period of time before it was occupied by China in 1950. 

The much talked about “century of humiliation” from 1839 to the founding of the republic in 1948 is dealt with in some detail.  While dealing with the conquest and occupation of China by the western powers, the author makes a passing reference to opium wars of the 19^th century and the role played by India and Indian soldiers in the production of opium and defeat of china then.  Indian soldiers fought on the side of Britishers in the defeat of the chinese.  The role played by India and the Indian soldiers in the opium trade and war must have played a part  in the antipathy exhibited by China towards India subsequently.

China’s gigantic growth  during the last 40 years is primarily due to  merit based employment of its young in the workforce and continuous and sustained economic reforms.  As pointed out, China had a system of meritorious, exam-based civil service selected irrespective of social status whereas in India  the criteria for employment was based on wealth, caste and social status.  The reasons for different levels of economic development of these two countries rest there.