History of Cultural Exchanges
印度和中國並非普通的社會，兩國均擁有古老的文明。雖然我們並不清楚印中兩大文明開始交流文化要素的時間和方法，但我們確實知道，兩國文明自人類歷史起源以來一直齊頭並進，並不斷相互分享其文化特質，這一分享的傳統自上古以來一以貫之。
Both India and China, are not mere societies; they are civilizations. We do not know exactly when and how they started exchanging their cultural elements, but what we do know is that they grew in parallel and shared their cultural traits since the beginning of human history and this tradition of sharing has been continuing ever since.
在佛教文化交流前，商周文明和西元前1500-1000年左右的古代吠陀文明已經表現出了一定的概念和語言交流的證據。例如，漢語中的“無名指”在梵文和巴厘文中被稱為“Anamika”（無名的），一些古代印度文獻中提到了指代中國人的“chinas”。西元前五世紀的摩訶婆羅多中提到了中國。孔雀王朝（西元前350-283年）宰相闍那迦在其著作《政事論》中提到了中國絲綢，將其稱為“chinamsuka”（中國絲質禮服）和“chinapatta”（中國絲綢束）。與此同時，中國偉大的歷史學家張騫和司馬遷在其史書中提到了“身毒”，這可能指的是梵文中的“Sindhu”。
Even before the transmission of Buddhism, the Shang-Zhou civilization and the ancient Vedic civilization in 1500-1000 B.C. showed some evidence of conceptual and linguistic exchanges. For instance,”wumingzhi” (nameless finger) in Chinese is called “anamika” (nameless) in Sanskrit and in Pali. Similarly, some ancient Indian literature mentions “chinas” referring to the Chinese people. The Mahabharata of the fifth century B.C. contains reference to China. Chanakya of the Maurya dynasty (350-283 B.C.) refers to Chinese silk as “chinamsuka” (Chinese silk dress) and “chinapatta” (Chinese silk bundle) in his Arthashastra. Likewise, the Record of the Grand Historian of Zhang Qian and Sima Qian has references to “Shendu”, may be referring to “Sindhu” in Sanskrit.
在西元前六世紀，孔子和釋迦牟尼的誕生揭開了兩大文明交流新階段的序幕。阿育王在西元前256年皈依佛教後對佛教的傳播使得兩個文明愈加接近。阿育王的雙語（佉盧文和希臘文）法令要求在中國和中亞方向傳播佛教。這一趨勢在公園一世紀迦膩色迦王治下繼續發展，迦膩色迦王朝首都位於布路沙布邏城(今巴基斯坦白沙瓦地區)，使得佛教朝聖者和學者可安全的沿古老的“絲綢之路”。迦什摩騰和竺法蘭正是沿著絲綢之路到達中國並在洛陽建立了白馬寺。在絲綢之路沿線的和田、吐魯番和庫車也成為著名的佛教和印-中交流中心。偉大的佛教學者鳩摩羅什在長安（今西安）的一處佛教叢林中開始了收集和翻譯重要佛教文獻的重任，並在西元413年去世前翻譯出了98部主要佛教經典，他被廣泛認為是將大乘佛教和中觀學說引入中國哲學的人。在西元五世紀初，印度佛教學者曇無讖將《大般涅盤經》帶到中國，並在西元415年左右將其翻譯為漢語。與此同時，中國高僧法顯沿絲綢之路前往印度取經，並在西元405年到達印度。跋陀（西元464-495年）和達摩到訪中國，玄奘（西元604年）和義淨曾在著名的那爛陀寺學習。一直以來，絲綢之路在促進印度與中國的文化、商業和科技交流中起到了重要的作用。同時它也將兩國人民與古代波斯和地中海地區的人們聯繫到了一起。
In sixth century B.C., the birth of Confucius and Sakyamuni opened a new period of exchanges between the two civilizations. Emperor Ashoka’s propagation of Buddhism after his conversion in 256 B.C. brought both civilizations even closer. Ashoka’s bilingual (Kharoshti and Greek) edict points at extension of Buddhism in the direction of China and Central Asia. The trend continued in first century A.D. during emperor Kanishka’s period. His empire, with its capital at Purushpura (now Peshawar inPakistan), enabled Buddhist pilgrims and scholars to travel on the historic “silk route”. Kashyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna made the White Horse monastery at Luoyang their abode. Along the silk route, Khotan Turpan and Kucha became prominent centers of Buddhism and India-China exchanges. The great scholar Kumarajiva initiated efforts to collect and translate important Buddhist texts at a great Buddhist conclave in Chang’an (present Xi’an) where he stayed until his death in 413 A.D. and managed to have 98 major Buddhist canonical works translated into Chinese. He is widely believed to be responsible for bringing in Mahayana Buddhism and Madhyamika doctrine into Chinese philosophy. In the beginning of the fifth century A.D., Dharmakshema, an Indian Buddhist scholar came to China bringing with him the “Mahaparinirvana Sutra” which was translated into Chinese about the year 415 A.D. Meanwhile, the Chinese Pilgrim Fa Hein had left for India along the Silk Route and arrived there in 405 A.D. Batuo (464-495 A.D.) and Bodhidharma visited China; Xuan Zhang (604A.D.) and I Ching were students at the prestigious Nalanda University. All along, the Silk Road played a significant role in facilitating India-China cultural, commercial and technological exchanges. It also connected both of us with the people of ancient Persia and the Mediterranean.
兩國文明同時還分享了他們的科學知識。在八世紀，印度天文學家阿耶波多的天文徵兆被長安的印度裔天文學家瞿曇悉達翻譯為漢語，並列入其著作《開元占經》之中。同時，學界認為瞿曇悉達還將九曜曆翻譯為了漢語。在明朝，航海家鄭和在15世紀初到達了卡利卡特，這一事件證明了中國和印度在古代的海上交流。
Both civilizations also shared scientific knowledge. In eighth century, Indian astronomer Aryabhata’s astronomical signs were translated into Chinese in the book “Kaiyuan Zhanjing” compiled by Gautama Siddha, an astronomer in Chang’an of Indian descent. It is also believed that he translated the Nabagraha calendar into Chinese. During the Ming Dynasty, navigator General Zheng. His arrival at Calicut in early 15th century is also a testimony of China’s ancient maritime linkage with India.
現代文化交流
Modern Phase of Cultural Exchanges
在兩國人民為自主權利而鬥爭時，兩國間的文化交流也未曾中斷。在20世紀初，諾貝爾文學獎得主泰戈爾曾在1924年和1929年兩度訪問中國。自1911年起，中國學者和知識份子曾反復審視研究泰戈爾的生活、作品和哲學。
Our exchanges continued during the days of our struggle for self-governance. In early 20th century, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore visited China twice, in 1924 and in 1929. Since 1911, Chinese scholars and intellectuals have been visiting and revisiting Tagore’s life, works and philosophy.
柯棣華大夫在抗戰期間為服務中國人民而犧牲了自己的生命，其遺體仍保留在河北省的晉察冀烈士陵園之內。作為1938年由五名印度醫生組成的醫療隊成員之一，柯棣華大夫在中國以流動診所的形式救治了眾多傷患。他最終被任命為由八路軍創建的白求恩國際和平醫院主任。在今年6月，印度人民的老朋友，柯棣華大夫之妻郭慶蘭女士以96歲高齡在大連去世。
Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis, whose mortal remains rest in the North China Martyrs’ Memorial Cemetery in Hebei Province, sacrificed his life in the service of the Chinese people during the Sino-Japanese war. A part of the 1938 medical team of five Indian doctors, he stayed on in China working in mobile clinics to treat wounded soldiers. He was eventually appointed as Director of the Dr. Bethune International Peace Hospital built by the Eighth Route Army.
印度與中國幾乎在同時走上了獨立治理之路，印度於1947年開始，而中華人民共和國則於1949年開始。1955年，由外交部副部長A·K·錢德先生率領的第一批印度文化代表團訪問中國，受到了中國領導人和廣大人民的熱烈歡迎。1960年代和1970年代，寶萊塢電影如《兩畝地》、《流浪者》、拉吉·卡普爾的《騙子先生》和《奴裡》在中國人民的心中和思想中激起了情感共鳴。即使在今天，人們走在街上也會哼唱這些電影歌曲的曲調。電影《三傻大鬧寶萊塢》和《少年派的奇幻漂流》最近也頗受好評。自1988年以來，兩國通過有組織的文化交流專案將兩國人民連接在一起。2013年10月，在印度總理曼莫漢·辛格訪華期間，兩國續簽了《文化交流項目諒解備忘錄》。
Both India and China began their journey of independent governance almost at the same time, India in 1947 and the People’s Republic of China in 1949. In 1955, the first Indian cultural delegation headed by then Deputy Minister of External Affairs Mr. A. K. Chanda visited China which was warmly received by the Chinese leaders and people during their tour. In the 1960s and 1970s Bollywood movies such as Do Bigha Zameen, Awara and Sree 420 of Raj Kapoor and Noorie struck an emotional chord in the hearts and minds of the Chinese people. Even today, people on the street hum the tunes of the songs of these films. Movies like 3 Idiots and The Life of Pi have been well received in recent times.
1988年5月簽署的《文化合作協定》中制定了中印文化合作的整體框架，提供了可執行的文化交流計畫。2013年10月，印度總理曼莫漢·辛格訪華期間，簽署了最新的文化交流計畫，規劃了所有文化領域的合作，包括表演藝術家、官員、作家、檔案學家和考古學家的互訪，舉辦文化節、電影節，以及開展大眾媒體、青年活動和體育領域的交流。
Since 1988 both countries are bringing their people together through structured Cultural Exchange Programmes. The latest CEP signed in October 2013 during the visit of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s to China, provides for cooperation in a gamut of cultural fields including exchanges of visits of performing artists, officials, writers, archivists and archaeologists, organizing cultural festivals, film festivals and exchanges in the field of mass media, youth affairs and sports.
2012年3月，在中國國家主席胡錦濤訪問印度參加“金磚四國”峰會期間，雙方領導人決定將2012年定為兩國“友誼合作年”，兩國決定進一步加強兩國人民之間的文化交流，尤其鼓勵青年之間的交流。
In March 2012, during President Hu Jintao’s visit to India for the BRICS Summit, leaders of both sides decided to celebrate 2012 as the “The Year of Friendship and Co-operation” and both countries resolved to further strengthen cultural exchanges between our peoples.
中國和印度的文化和人民都充滿了活力。佛教、玄奘、泰戈爾、柯棣華大夫、那爛陀、瑜伽和電影只是我們長期交流傳統的象徵。它們是我們共同遺產的見證。兩國關係方向已定，21世紀必將風頭愈健。
Both India and China have vibrant cultures and vibrant people. Buddhism, Xuan Zhang, Tagore, Dr. Kotnis, Nalanda, Yoga and Cinema are only symbols of our long tradition of exchanges. They are testimonies of our shared heritage. The momentum has been set and the pace can only increase in the 21st century.