Association of Asia Scholars (AAS), and Taiwan National University (TNU), conducted their first mid-term review full-day workshop for their Oral History Project on "China Studies in India", at Rudraksha Hall of the India Habitat Center on 27th, September 2008.

The participants in the Workshop included Prof Shih Chih-yu (Department of Political Science, Taiwan National University, Taipei,) Taiwan, Dr Swaran Singh, Dr Reena Marwah, Dr Sharad Soni (from the AAS) and Dr B R Deepak, Dr Ritu Agarwal, Dr Varaprasad Sekhar (from JNU). Prof Lokesh Chandra delivered a lecture on "State of China Studies in India" a part of activities during the forenoon followed by another after-lunch talk by Prof V.P. Dutt on the same subject. Workshop was concluded following a session on discussion about the future plans of action.

Dr Reena Marwah opened the Workshop with her brief welcome remarks. Then Dr Swaran Singh, after briefing the purpose of the day briefly highlighted the experience of interviews so far. Then he handed over the floor to Prof Lokesh Chandra. Prof Lokesh Chandra dwelt on Chinese studies in India and India-China relations. He elucidated a picture on how Chinese pilgrims during ancient times and people like Prof Max Muller in modern times had recorded Indian experiences. He also explained how many expressions in China, including the name China had moved, during ancient times, from India to China thought the reverse was not as much fashionable.

Prof Lokesh Chandra said China had imbibed and has continued with the Confucian characteristics and that much of the contemporary Chinese behavior is mere reflection of that. China considers their citizens in terms of their characters. Human for them, he says, is a mere two leg creature (referring to character 'ren' in Chinese). Action and perfection is important for China without which, he says, they could not have achieved what they did today. Prof Lokesh Chandra said to understand contemporary China it is imperative to understand Confucianism. He said that the need to understand China as it is rapidly evolving is to go back to understand their culture particularly Confucianism and Buddhism.

Prof Lokesh Chandra said Indian and China both shared a rich past. He reminded that India taught China the astronomy and the sugar technology (that Chinese recorded as honey stones). In return India got the art of Pottery, which was confined to very few places. China is the only continued Nation State in the world and has the 500 years of cultural history which is still alive contrary to India says Prof. Chandra. They still think in local language and deal largely with the same language which is not the case in India he added.

On the question as to why Buddhism could not become a State religion in India despite being originated here, Prof Chandra said in China it was associated with the State and internalized where as in India is was not the case. He concluded by further emphasizing that to understand contempapry it is necessary to study the cultural base of china. Behind every Chinese action lies the Confucian conception, he added.

Prof V.P. Dutt interacted with the participants in the afternoon. He talked about the future and how the Chinese studies should be organized in India. He outlined two important ingredients for the Chinese studies in India. First, he emphasized how China has to be studied deeply and some what humbly. Prof Dutt stated that the study of ancient Chinese civilization, history, and the culture will help us understand contemporary china and their concept of harmony. Second important ingredient that he talked about was the necessity of the combination of the expertise on Chinese language and China studies. He says India has people who know Chinese language but doesn't know Chinese studies well and those who knew both Chinese studies and Chinese language are very few. Choosing Chinese language at the young age, he feels, will give one an advantage over others to know more on China.

Staying in China for few years, he says, will help to know language and Chinese society. Prof Dutt reminded that India doesn't have too many experts on China, especially on Chinese economy. He expressed discontent that Indians are seeing China in the western prism as westerns are well versed in both Chinese language and study. Answering questions after the lecture, Prof Dutt said liking of China in India goes back to eminent and intellectual scholars like Ravindranath Tagore and Jawaharlal Nehru who had a soft corner for China. On the dislikes he says it is purely political and flows out of the border conflict.

Then the project team had a brief session discussing the future plans about conducing further interviews and some responsibilities were assigned mutually. It was also highlighted that the team would like to conduct a conference for all the team members at end of this project to bring out a volume on China Studies in India. Prof Shih suggested that may be this could also involve experts from Singapore or Hong Kong and that this could be expanded. This suggestion was welcomed and more thought will be given to it in coming meetings.

Workshop concluded with Dr Swaran Singh thanking all the participants and thanking Prof Shih for his joining this mid-term review workshop in New Delhi.