TheChinas (SanskritचीनःCīna) are a people mentioned in the Indianreligious texts, such as theMahabharata,Manusmriti, and thePuran.
The origin of the Sanskrit nameCīna is commonly believed to have been theQin (Tsin orChin in older transliterations) dynasty which ruled in China from 221 BC, or the preceding state ofQin 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 ofJing (荆) as the likely origin of the name, while other theories suggest it is derived fromZina, theendonym of the inhabitants ofYelang.[3]
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The Sanskritepic workMahabharata contains certain references to China, referring to its people as theChina tribe.[4][5][6]
In theMahabharata, the Chinas appear together with theKiratas among the armies of KingBhagadatta 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 themlechhatribes of the north like theYavanas,Kambojas,Kuntalas,Hunas,Parasikas, Darunas, Ramanas, Dasamalikas.[7] Shantiparvan of Mahabharata groups the Chinas with the tribes of theUttarapatha, viz. the Yavanas,Kiratas,Gandharas, Shabras,Barbaras,Shakas,Tusharas, Kanakas,Pahlavas,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 theBrahmanas,Kshatriyas,Vaishyas, andShudras.[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 theMlecchas, and the Kruras, theYavanas, the Chinas, theKambojas, the Darunas, and many Mleccha tribes; the Sukritvahas, the Kulatthas, theHunas, the Parasikas, the Ramanas, and the Dasamalikas.
Chinas were mentioned along with Chivukas andPulindas andKhasas, Hunas,Pahlavas,Sakas, Yanavas,Savaras,Paundras, Kiratas,Kanchis,Dravidas,Sinhalas and Keralas. Here they were described as the protectors of sageVasistha and his cow against the attack of kingViswamitra. (1,177)
Pahlavas and theDaradas, the various tribes of the Kiratas, Yanavas, Sakas,Harahunas, Chinas,Tusharas,Sindhavas, Jagudas, Ramathas and the Mundas, as well as the inhabitants of the kingdom of women, Tanganas,Kekayas,Malavas and the inhabitants ofKasmira were mentioned at (3,51) as bringing tribute to thePandava kingYudhishthira.
The Yanavas, theKiratas, theGandharvas, the Chinas, the Savaras, the Barbaras, the Sakas, the Tusharas, the Kankas, the Pathavas, theAndhras, theMadrakas, the Paundras, the Pulindas, the Ramathas, the Kambojas were mentioned together as tribes beyond the kingdoms ofAryavarta. 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 highHimalayas: Mahabharata book 3, chapter 176 (MBh 3.176): "Leaving the place called Badari (Badrinath inUttarakhand) 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 thelast Xia emperor Jie (1728–1675 BC).
"Deer skins from China" are mentioned at (5,86). KingDhritarashtra wanted to give a thousand deer-skins from China as a present toVasudeva Krishna:I will give him a thousand deer-skins brought from China and other things of the kind that may be worthy of his praise.[10] During theHan dynasty (between the 2nd century BC and 2nd century AD),deer skins were used to make token money notes representing 400,000 coins.
Kiskindhakanda ofValmiki'sRamayana makes reference to Cinas as well asParama-Cinas and associates them with the trans-Himalayan tribes of the Daradas, Kambojas, theYavanas, theSakas, the Kiratas, the Bahlikas, theRishikas, 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.
Theepic literature asserts that the Cinas,Khasas, Hunas,Shakas, Kambojas,Yavanas, Pahlavas, Kiratas, Sinhalas, Mlechchas etc. were created bysage Vashistha through the divine powers of cow Sabala or Nandini (Kamdhenu).[12]
In theKalika Purana, the Cinas are again grouped with the Kambojas,Shakas,Khasas and theBarabaras etc. and are said to have sided withBuddhist king Kali in the war againstVedic king Kalika.[13]
Bhuvanakosha section of numerousPuranas locates the Cinas along with the Tusharas, Pahlavas, Kambojas, and Barbaras in theUdichya or northern division of ancient India.[14]There is yet another reference to China asCina-maru as referred to in theVayu Purana andBrahmanda Purana. However, at the same place,Matsya Purana mentionsVira-maru. China-maru or Vira-maru has been identified with the lands ofTurkestan situated aboveAnd-khui in the north ofAfghanistan (Dr K. P. Jayswal, Dr M. R. Singh).
The Cinas also find reference in theBuddhist[according to whom?] play,Mudrarakshasa, where they are listed with other contemporary tribes, such as theShakas, Yavanas, Kiratas,Cambojas,Bhalikas,Parasikas, Khasas, Gandharas, Kalutas, etc.
Buddhist textMilindapanho (see:Sacred Books of the East, xxxvi, 204), associates the Chinas with the Sakas,Yavanas, Kambojas and Vilatas(?) etc., and locates them in and beyond the westernTibet/Ladakh, according to DrMichael Witzel.[15]
TheArthashastra, 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]
TheSanmoha Tantra speaks of theTantric culture of the foreign countries like the Bahlika (Bactria),Kirata, Bhota (Tibet), Cina, Maha-Cina,Parasika, Airaka, Kambojas, Huna, Yavana, Gandhara andNepala.
TheLaws 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:
BesidesChina andParama-China, there is also a reference toMahachina in theManasollasa which text mentions the fabrics from Mahachina.[2] It is thus possible thatChina probably referred to westernTibet orLadakh,Mahachina to Tibet proper, andParama-China tomainland China.
This word wastranscribed into various forms including{支那 (Zhīnà),芝那 (Zhīnà),脂那 (Zhīnà) and至那 (Zhìnà).
