For the first time, the Chinese are going to talk about the influence of the Gupta period on their art at the Forbidden Palace in Beijing no less. An acknowledgement of Indianness, albeit in the cultural space, is indeed a way ahead in bilateral relations. “Creating such cultural events, which bring us closer to different countries who got their inspiration from India, will result in dynamic dialogues,” says ICCR president lokesh Chandra.
The ICCR is at the forefront of the Modi Government’s cultural diplomacy and is using shared civilisational heritage, particularly the Ashokan legacy of Buddhism, in softening the rough edges of contention with China and claiming its space in the consciousness of South and South-East Asia.
This is being done by expanding the bouquet of cultural exchanges from just performances and arts showcases to interactive dialogues and Indology conferences on the Buddhist heritage in the region. “Culture has always taken a backseat since Independence. We must realise that it becomes effective and relevant in a multi-polar world. By engaging with China on the shared Silk Route and Buddhist history, we can create goodwill at a very fundamental level. China has to feel it owes a lot to India as well. Needless to say they have used cultural contiguity to expand their sway in the region. China has been aggressive about pushing its cultural diplomacy from the time of President Hu Jintao. President Xi Jinping too quotes liberally from history when he talks about the One Belt One Road initiative, a revival of the old Silk Route conglomeration of economic, political and cultural engagement. China has posited itself as the propagator and disseminator of common linkages and followed it up with swift economic hard talk. It is time we told them of common linkages that would work towards changing perceptions about us,” Prof Chandra told The Pioneer.
Emphasising the need to build on shared templates, Prof Chandra says the National Museum will be showcasing a major exhibition of Gupta art and its influence on Chinese art later this year. “We will be sending 150 pieces and the Chinese will be bringing in 150 pieces which show the Gupta influence. I have written a paper on the mission of Indian emissaries who went during the Gupta period.”
The linkages begin with the construction of the Ashokan stupa. "Ashoka started making brick chaityas in place of clay stupas. The stupas had to be of an imperial size with 84,000 bricks. What has so far been interpreted as 84,000 stupas are actually 84,000 bricks in one stupa. These stupas became very popular throughout China because they represented the imperial concept. In China, particularly, the imperial concept was important. So they wanted to have a stupa not just made of clay but of imperial bricks. The Thunder Hill pagoda is a good example." Prof Chandra said.
The Chinese have restored that pagoda in a modern style, Hangzhou being an important tourist spot with beautiful lakes. According to him, Hangzhou was actually founded by an Indian in the 10th century, who felt the hills there resembled the Gridhakuta hills in Bihar, where lord Buddha delivered many sermons. For the last 1,000 years, many monasteries have been constructed in this area.
"Other than the Buddhist legacy, key Ashokan concepts trickled into China too. Ashoka exiled some of his kinsmen to Khotan in Central Asia after his son Kunala was blinded. This outpost was looked after by one of his ministers. He had to encounter the hostility of the Chinese, who were already there since 800 BC and declared that only a bhumiputra or son of the soil could be king, neither an Indian, nor a Chinese. This concept of localised, home-grown leadership still survives in Malaysia. The Chinese are citizens in Malaysia but they are not bhumiputras. No major commercial undertaking can be run by a Chinese citizen unless there is a bhumiputra heading the organisation. The idea of a bhumiputra has been very important in history and even today it is important, without going into the politics of it," Prof Chandra said.
The Ashokan paradigm was very important in China. Some ancient Chinese texts say Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who built the Great Wall and unified territories, had Ashokan blood. "It could be physical blood inherited through descendants of Ashoka in Khotan. Besides, he introduced the idea of bureaucracy in China for the first time, perhaps in the world. He assessed the ability of his officials through an examination, which continued till 1911," he added, suggesting much of imperial China incorporated his philosophy.
Ashoka has been very important in the Sanskritic worldview. "We have legends in Thailand, Myanmar and parts of southeast Asia to show that Ashoka sent the first missionaries. He sent his son and daughter to Sri lanka for the propagation of Buddhism. The other emissaries went up to Africa, Macedonia and five western states. Rock edict 13 has names of these five states. Somebody should work on the global vision and mission of Ashoka to resurrect a lot of goodwill," urged Prof Chandra.
Culture, he believes, "doesn't move without virtue and power… When Buddhism went to China, the Chinese emperor sent a mission to get Buddhist teachers, who came on horses. The first monastery was called the White Horse monastery. Horses were sold in the monasteries, so these were not just about religion, they were also about power. The Chinese did not merely translate but transcreated the Indic inspiration because things had to merge with their own perception. They had to be relevant to their people, their governance, their philosophical systems. Anything we borrow has to be transcreated. The Chinese are clear that culture is power. Honouring the Ashokan Buddhist legacy has helped it expand its appeal in Central Asia."
The first Gupta emperor, Sri Gupta, is the founder of the dynasty in inscriptions. He made a Cheen Vihara, monastery for Chinese monks, and donated 24 big villages for its maintenance. Why did he do itIJ "He had trade relations with China via the southern and southeast Asian coast, beginning from Kanchipuram, to Sri lanka and from there going upwards. The sea-faring route extended to Burma, Cambodia, Champa (Vietnam coastline) and Canton. Most of the translators went up to Canton and must've carried images to influence the local grammar of art," said Prof Chandra.
For a dialogue to start, Prof Chandra recommends that Chinese studies here should also include India's cultural interaction with our big neighbour. "A Chinese professor once told me that Indians had borrowed sugar from us because the word is cheeni. I told him the history of the Tang dynasty documents how emperors sent successive missions to Magadha to learn sugar technology in the 8th century."
It's not just Buddhism but Hinduism itself which has had a far-reaching contribution to eclectic societies in southeast Asia. Prof Chandra talks about a temple to the monkey god in Beijing where modern women still go to pray for sons. "Asking for a son from a monkey is an old tradition in China, may be 600 odd years. A Chinese scholar, Prof Ji Xianlin, has proven that it is Hanuman from the Ramayana. The cultural relationship is that integral. Similarly, the only chariot with lord Krishna and Arjuna is in Jakarta, about 40 feet-long. We should have a function in Indonesia and go there every year to pay homage. In the same way, we should participate in the lighting of a 100,000 lamps in Thailand coinciding with our Magha puja rituals. We should celebrate them in the participatory spirit of a shared heritage. We should do what we've done before," suggests the ICCR president.
The ICCR is planning a conference on Buddhist philosophy in relativistic mathematics and quantum physics. About six Western physicists and mathematicians will be coming to discuss quantum physics theories in the light of the Rig Veda's observations on being and non-being, existent and non-existent. "Zeroism doesn't exist in Western thinking but only in India," said Prof Chandra.