Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c11.17

c11.17

Still more open to serious objection is the attempt of Wales to trace the differences in the art of the Indian colonies to specific elements in their pre-historic culture. Nothing but very strong and positive evidence would incline us to accept the view that a particular trait in neolithic culture remains latent during more than a thousand years of Hindu influence, and then suddenly asserts itself in such a manner as to transform the whole conception of art evolved in a steady process during many centuries. There is no doubt that there came a period in most of the colonies when Indian culture became a spent force and indigenous ideas asserted themselves more and more, bringing about fundamental changes in course of time, which some may regard as degradation and others may consider as birth of a true national culture. But these indigenous ideas are themselves the products of long contact with Indian culture, and should properly be regarded as the result of a fusion of the two. In any case the new growth is too complex in character to be easily analysed into simple constituent factors. It is difficult therefore, to agree with Mr. Wales when he says that the extreme accentuation of the angles of the upper storeys of temples may probably be ascribed to the Han element in the genius of the neolithic people of Champā or that the modification of wagon roof into a saddle roof with projecting ridge was undoubtedly determined by the Dongsonian type of roof depicted on early bronze age drums. As the latter element was fairly well-known in India, and the former is a very simple modification of Indian prototype, it is hardly necessary to ascribe their origin to the very doubtful influence of the Chinese or the prehistoric Dongsonian culture of which no clear trace is avaiable in any sphere in South-east Asia during thousand years or more of Hindu influence. Thus the attempt of Mr. Wales to explain the evolution of Indo-Javanese, Cham, and Khmer arts on the basis of Megalithic and Dongsonian cultural elements does not carry the least conviction. But he seems to have exceeded all reasonable bounds when he observes that "the peculiar refinement and delicacy of Barabuḍur reliefs reflect the ability that the Javanese had acquired when their Megalithic forebears were learning to express themselves naturalistically under Han influence." Such a view can only be the result of an obsession of mind which is impervious to obvious facts and a rational interpretation of them.