Why do we need to understand our neighbor? 

China is no doubt a superpower and it is very important for India to very much aware of the neighbor. Here is a first article of two part series where I look into three different people from Chinese history and it is inspired by BBC’s Program called “Chinese Characters“. Chinese civilization is almost as old as our civilization and our histories are connected in more ways than we can imagine. The Silk Route trade, impact of Buddhism, Chinese travelers into India, trading relations and so much more.

Today China manufactures everything for the world including us. It may be easy to say that we won’t buy Chinese imports or not allow dumping of Chinese goods but the way they have developed their manufacturing sector and connected their cities to sea routes and created a competitive edge that it will take lot of effort and pain. Another issue with China is the language barrier and learning Mandarin Chinese is not easy. The country has been able to keep themselves self reliant and they are not dependent on the solution of large technology companies that amost the rule the world.

Lets looks at first three people from the Chinese Civilization

Wu Zetian 

The empress of the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD) which is known as one of the most cosmopolitan era in China history. She is very famous in China but not known to the outside people. There is 74 episode Soap Opera that was made on her life as it really interesting and she is the only woman in Chinese History who became the Empress of China. She started off as concubine of an emperor and after his death became the empress consort by marrying his son who became the emperor. The story is full of deceit, murder and killing of opponents to gain power and hence was probably a TV soap opera material.

In 690 she made herself the empress after the death of his husband and ruling though his sons. She is mostly portrayed as a murderous megalomaniac probably because she was a woman as it was very common to have bloodshed across to world in those times when there were change in the rulers. But her rule made China prosperous and Wu Zetian did pretty well. She was also fascinated with Buddhism and it thrived under her rule as it gave more space to women that traditional Chinese religions. She died in 705 and not a word written on her shrine due to Confucius patriarchy which did not give such powers to women.    

Kumarajiva

China has about 250 million Buddhist population (largest Buddhist population in world) who chant the Chinese translation of the original Sanskrit verses that were translated by a Buddhist Monk called Kumarajiva. He was born in Kucha which is an Oasis town in 344 CE, out in the border of Taklamakan Desert which mean “once you get in, you’ll never get out”. Kucha was center of Buddhism in China and probably his father was from India and mother a royal blood of Kucha.

His Kuchan Princess mother soon set him on the path of Buddhism as she started the life of Nun taking seven year old Kumarajiva. Then once he was old enough, his mother left for India leaving him behind to figure out things for himself and they would never meet again. When he was 40, the Kuchan kingdom attacked by Lü Guang and he was imprisoned for 17 years and they tried to break his vows by forcing him to drink wine or locked him in with pretty girls. He picked up one skill in the captivity and learnt Chinese and with that he changed religious culture of China forever.

Lü Guang kingdom was attacked and 401 CE and Kumarajiva was again kidnapped and moved to current city of Xi’an (Chang’an). one of the greatest city of China. The Emperor understood his expertise and asked him to continue translation and his book called Diamond Sutra came out. This sutra will be found all over China in due course of time. 

The reception of Buddhist religion in China is because of the Kumarajiva’s translation. This will eventually lead to rediscovery of Buddhism in India where it was lost for hundreds of years and it was rediscovered by the writing of Chinese travelers. 

Chiang Kai-Shek

Chiang Kai-Shek was born in 1887 and he is one of the important politicians in the Chinese history. This picture of him with FDR and Churchill during the Cairo Conference in 1943 and signifies the importance of China as equal partner. Chiang was the leader of Kuomintang and later joined the Sun Yat-sen Chinese Revolutionary Party to unite China and free it from the rival warlords. Unfortunately Sun Yat-sen died in 1925 due to Cancer and Chiang fought his way up in the party.

They succeeded partially by defeating the warlords and controlling the city of Shanghai but all this took lot of bloodshed. Eventually he grew suspicious of his Communist allies and realized that their masters may be in Moscow. He strikes first and manages to gain control of the government. Meanwhile Chiang Kai-shek married a woman called Soong Meiling who was from a elite family and educated in the west with flawless English which was a contrast from his rural Chinese background. They were called Asian Power Couple and she was his window for the world. 

With Japan’s imperialism interest gaining attention in the Chinese mainland and a war ensued. And Chiang fought the Japanese almost alone until the Pearl Harbor attack after which China became a natural ally, enemy’s enemy is your friend and after Japan’s defeat Chiang was called to the Cairo conference. China had gained a equal partner status and Madame Chiang Kai-shek addressed both houses of Congress in Washington DC. This was the time when US has only one Congresswoman and Britain had none.

By 1945 Chiang’s government was on the verge of collapse and this finally culminated with the ending of truce with communists and a civil war started in 1946. Mao Zedong, the communist leader was able to defeat Chiang’s party and they were exiled to the island of Taiwan and People’s republic of China was established. Chiang died in 1975 and Madame held longer and died in New York in 2003, though his legacy still continues in the mainland China. Chinese permanent seat in the security council of UN that was awarded in 1946 was direct result of China being war time ally under him.  

If you would like to know about more such personalities please listen to the Podcast Chinese Characters from BBC whose link is already provided. I can also write another part of few more people in the next article.