LET THERE BE LIGHT: Prisms of India-China Cultural Relations

Ms. Asma Masood

India and China have a shared history of over two thousand years. Culture always has a broader aspect: connecting people to people and establishing intellectual relations based on knowledge and wisdom between the world’s two great ancient civilisations, India and China. As a think tank since its inception in 2008, the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) has recognised the significance of strengthening India-China people-to-people relations. From 2017-2019, C3S and partner think tanks organised annual International Cultural Conferences where experts shared historical lessons, contemporary insights, and indispensable foresight towards developing a structure leading to greater understanding and enhancement of inter-cultural links between India and China. C3S interviews were also conducted on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the founding of People’s Republic of China in 2019. In this book the editor shares outlook on India-China relations in through cultural prism including its potential in post-covid times.

Ms. Asma Masood is a Corporate Risk Intelligence Analyst as part of Predictive Risk Intelligence. Her role spanned threat analysis of geopolitical issues in the Asia Pacific region. She is an associate member of the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S).

Contents

Foreword
Editor’s Note

2017

• Concept Note
• 2017 Conference Bio7
• Inaugural Address
• Keynote Address
• ‘Chinese Dream’ and ‘One Belt One Road’ Middle Kingdom Revivalism or a New Vision of Global Leadership?
• China’s Cultural Impact via Maritime Global Expeditions: Then & Now
• Buddhism & Confucianism: Ideology & International Influence
• Communism in China: A Journey in Transition
• Taoism: A Base of China’s Foreign Policy
• Sino-US Sociocultural Relations: A Sphere of Cooperation and Contradiction
• China-Japan Relations: Beyond Politics
• The Impact of China’s One-Child Policy on the Gender Imbalance
• The Idea of Identity in China
• The Limits of Chinese Diaspora as a Channel of Culture
• Chinese Perceptions of India, Media Management and Role of Think Tanks
• China’s Literature: The Power of Words

2018

• Concept Note
• 2018 Conference Bios
• Keynote Address
• Role of Confucius Institutes and Impact of Chinese Language in India
• The Indian Chinese Community: A Rich Past, an Uncertain Present, and the Importance of Building Bridges with this Indian Community
• Templates for India-China People-to-People Relations and Pondicherry-China Relations as a Case Study
• The Life and Legacy of Xu Fancheng—A Spiritual Bridge between India and China
• Where Do the Solutions Lie for Enhancing Movement of People across India and China?
• Thinking Out of the Box: Role of Think Tanks in Synergizing Citizens of India and China

2019

• 2019 Conference Event Report
• Concept Note
• Bios of Speakers
• 2019 Interviews

2020

• India-China Cultural Relations: “Covidiplomacy” and Beyond