EARLY CONTACTS OF SOUTH INDIA AND CHINA: AN EXPLORATION OF THE PHENOMENON OF HINDU DIASPORA
Dr. Raju Poundurai Department of Architecture, Tamil University, Thanjavur 613 005, India Tel: 091-04362-35967, Fax: 091-04362-34459, E- mail:geminisoft@vsnl.com
Abstract : The diaspora of the Hindu religion, first in the Southeast Asian region and then to South and Southeast China and Korea has a long history. Quanzhou, Xiawei, Donghai, Chidian and Citong, in China and Shilla, Paekche, Kaya, Himhae, etc. in South Korea were influenced by the Hindu culture and the principles of Hindu architectural treatises like Vastusastra. Chinaâs trade and religious missions with South India and Sri Lanka reached their high peak during the 11th and 12th centuries. The Shilla, Paekche, Kaya Kingdomâs of South Korea were also carriers of South Indian religion and art and architectural treatises. The influence of Vastusastra, a South Indian Hindu architectural text, could be seen in Feng Shui of China and Pung Shu of Korea. Hence, the present paper attempts to trace the early contacts of South India and China: An Exploration of the Phenomenon of Hindu Diaspora. The sources of oriental principles that have been adopted in the traditional architecture of China and the antiquity of trade and cultural connections between South India and China. The changes and reciprocal influence on different socio-cultural units within a social system and traditional notions of Hindu traditional architectural science among the people of China have also been studied.