Chinas

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The Chinas, Cīna, or Chīnaḥ (

first millennium AD, such as the Mahabharata, Manusmriti, and the Puranic
literature.

Etymology

The origin of the

Qin (Tsin or Chin in older transliterations) dynasty which ruled in China from 221 BC, or the preceding state of Qin which is traditionally dated to the 9th century BC.[1][2]

There are a number of other suggestions for the origin of the word. Some Chinese and Indian scholars argued for the state of

endonym of the inhabitants of Yelang.[3]

Hindu literature

Mahabharata

The Sanskrit epic work Mahabharata contains certain references to China, referring to its people as the China tribe.[4][5][6]

In the Mahabharata, the Chinas appear together with the

Kiratas among the armies of King Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisa (Assam). In the Sabhaparvan, the same king is said to be surrounded by the Kiratas, and the Cinas. Also in the Bhismaparvan, the army of Bhagadatta is said to consist of the Kirtas and the "yellow-coloured" Cinas.[citation needed
]

Bhishamaparva of Mahabharata also lists the Chinas with the

Yavanas, Kambojas, Kuntalas, Hunas, Parasikas, Darunas, Ramanas, Dasamalikas.[7]

Shantiparvan of Mahabharata groups the Chinas with the tribes of the

Sindhus, Madrakas, Ramathas, and the Kambojas and states them to be living the lives of Dasyus. These verses of the epic expect these tribes to perform certain duties which are different from those performed by the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.[8]

Vanaparvan of the Mahabharata states that the territory of the Chinas can be reached by a land-route across the country of the Kiratas in the mountain regions of the north.

China is mentioned as one among the northern kingdoms in Mahabharata, Book 6, chapter 9: –Among the tribes of the north are the

Kambojas, the Darunas, and many Mleccha tribes; the Sukritvahas, the Kulatthas, the Hunas
, the Parasikas, the Ramanas, and the Dasamalikas.

Chinas were mentioned along with Chivukas and

Viswamitra
. (1,177)

Pahlavas and the

Malavas and the inhabitants of Kasmira were mentioned at (3,51) as bringing tribute to the Pandava king Yudhishthira
.

The Yanavas, the

Aryavarta
. The Aryavarta kings had doubts about dealing with them. (12,64)

China is mentioned in the travel-descriptions of the Pandavas. The passage below, describes these Chinas, to be located somewhere in the high Himalayas: Mahabharata book 3, chapter 176 (MBh 3.176): "Leaving the place called Badari (Badrinath in Uttarakhand) and crossing the difficult Himalayan regions, and leaving behind them, the countries of China, Tukhara, Darada and all the climes of Kulinda, rich in heaps of jewels, those warlike men, viz. the Pandavas, reached the capital of Suvahu, the king of Pulindas (Kiratas)."

Bhima mentions a "China king" Dhautamulaka, who caused the destruction of his own race [9](5,74). The name "Dhautamulaka" translates to "clean root", and might be a reference to the last Xia emperor Jie (1728–1675 BC).

"Deer skins from China" are mentioned at (5,86). King

deer skins
were used to make token money notes representing 400,000 coins.

Ramayana

Kiskindhakanda of

Sakas, the Kiratas, the Bahlikas, the Rishikas, and the Tañkanas of the Uttarapatha.[11]
They sent tributaries to Ayodhya and were protector of Dharma in northern Asia from Siberia to modern China.

The

sage Vashistha through the divine powers of cow Sabala or Nandini (Kamdhenu).[12]

Puranas

In the

Vedic king Kalika.[13]

Bhuvanakosha section of numerous

Puranas locates the Cinas along with the Tusharas, Pahlavas, Kambojas, and Barbaras in the Udichya or northern division of ancient India.[14]
There is yet another reference to China as Cina-maru as referred to in the Vayu Purana and Brahmanda Purana. However, at the same place, Matsya Purana mentions Vira-maru. China-maru or Vira-maru has been identified with the lands of Turkestan situated above And-khui in the north of Afghanistan (Dr K. P. Jayswal, Dr M. R. Singh).

Buddhist literature

The Cinas also find reference in the

Parasikas
, Khasas, Gandharas, Kalutas, etc.

Yavanas, Kambojas and Vilatas(?) etc., and locates them in and beyond the western Tibet/Ladakh, according to Dr Michael Witzel.[15]

Other literature

The Arthashastra, believed to date between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE,[16] refers to Chinese silk as "cinamsuka" (Chinese silk dress) and "cinapatta" (Chinese silk bundle).[17]

The Sanmoha Tantra speaks of the

Parasika, Airaka, Kambojas, Huna, Yavana, Gandhara and Nepala
.

The

Laws of Manu, dated between 200 BC and 300 AD,[18][19]
describes the downfall of the Chinas, as well as many foreign groups in India:

"43. But in consequence of the omission of the sacred rites, and of their not consulting Brahmanas, the following tribes of Kshatriyas have gradually sunk in this world to the condition of Shudras;
44. (Viz.) the Paundrakas, the Chodas, the

Besides China and Parama-China, there is also a reference to Mahachina in the Manasollasa which text mentions the fabrics from Mahachina.[2] It is thus possible that China probably referred to western Tibet or Ladakh, Mahachina to Tibet proper, and Parama-China to Mainland China.

China

This word was transcribed into various forms including 支那 (Zhīnà), (Zhīnà), (Zhīnà) and (Zhìnà).

See also

References

  1. .
  2. ^ a b Geographical Data in Early Puranas, 1972, p172, Dr M. R. Singh
  3. ^ Wade, Geoff, "The Polity of Yelang and the Origin of the Name 'China'", Sino-Platonic Papers, No. 188, May 2009.
  4. ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose, 1883-1896.
  5. .
  6. ^ Brockington (1998, p. 26)
  7. ^ MBH 6/9/65-66
  8. ^ MBH 12/65/13-15
  9. ^ "Mahabharata Udyoga Parva Chapter 74". en.krishnakosh.org. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  10. ^ "Mahabharata Udyoga Parva Chapter 86". en.krishnakosh.org. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  11. ^ The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume 4, Kiskindhakanda, p 151, Rosalind Lefeber
  12. ^ Ramayana (1.52-55) & Mahabharata (1.174.6-48)
  13. ^ Kalika Purana 20/40
  14. ^ ":ete desha Udichyastu
    Kambojashchaiva Dardashchaiva Barbarashcha Angaukikah || 47 ||
    Chinashchaiva Tusharashcha Pahlavadhayata narah || 48 ||
    (Brahma Purana 27.44-53)"
  15. ^ Early East Iran, And The Atharvaveda, 1980, (Persica-9), p 106, Dr Michael Witzel.
  16. . Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  17. ^ Tan Chung (1998). A Sino-Indian Perspective for India-China Understanding. Archived 2007-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
  18. , pages 24-25
  19. ^ Manusmritti (Laws of Manu), X.43-44


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