Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s10.t4.1

v1.c7.s10.t4.1

***Rig Veda*** - Ṛg-veda is the most ancient religious classics in India. It was produced approximately between 1600 BCE and 1000 BCE. It is a poetry anthology dedicated for praising the gods. In ancient Chinese books it was translated as “Samaveda”. There are totally 10 volumes of the anthology, collecting 1,028 hymns. These hymns were also chanted by Brahmin priests for praising God while presiding over ritual ceremonies, and rich in primitive religious atmosphere. Each poem contains several verses, where each verse is a “Rig.” In the anthology, most poems, about 250 poems, were praising the Thunder and Lightning God Indra; the second in quantity was for praising Vulcan Agni, about 200 poems; the third was for the Bacchus Soma, about 120 poems. All the gods have their own roles and responsibilities and were in charge of the triple realm of heaven, air and land separately.