Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s2.t20.40

v2.c10.s2.t20.40

Unlike many of his times, Tagore had a foresight that was rooted as much in pragmatic consideration as in moral conviction. His desire and decision to set up a school of Chinese language, culture and India-China culture study became a landmark event in the modern history of India-China relations. At his behest, Tan Yun-shan travelled to India in 1928 to join Visva-Bharati as a Professor of Sino-Indian Studies, and was entrusted with the task of building Cheena-Bhavana as the first learning and research centre of Chinese language, literature and culture, as first modern-day symbol of India-China cultural interface. Under the unending encouragement of Tagore and untiring efforts of Tan Yun-shan, Cheena-Bhavana became a seat of learning and embodiment of enduring India-China cultural ties. Tagore observed in his address in the inauguration of Cheena-Bhavana: “This is, indeed, a great day for me, a day long looked for, when I should be able to redeem, on behalf of our people, an ancient pledge implicit in our past, the pledge to maintain the intercourse of culture and friendship between our people and the people of China”¹ Xu Dishan - the Chinese writer, Xu Beihong - the famous artist and others were been invited many times to deliver lectures at the Cheena-Bhavana. It was a lively unprecedented atmosphere there. Along with them Tagore had fostered the Indo-Chinese friendship.