Letters | How China and India shaped global civilisation, well before the West arrived

Talk of a nascent Asian civilisation ignores the fact that China and India continue to deeply shape modern civilisation as the birthplaces of Buddhism, yoga, paper and tea

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India’s ancient practices of yoga and meditation are an integral part of the modern concepts of wellness and mindfulness. Photo: The Dawn

Published: 6:00pm, 29 May 2019Updated: 6:00pm, 29 May 2019

I write in reference to “The leaders and followers” (May 26), on how Asia has never had an equivalent of the Western civilisation in terms of global influence. Billy Huang highlights the successes of Singapore and Hong Kong, and tries to credit Confucianism as the main cause; but then, why is China at No 86 when Hong Kong and Singapore are among the top 10 in the United Nations Human Development rankings?

Some may argue that Singapore and Hong Kong, unlike China, were part of the British Empire and their western institutions formed the framework of their progress. Yet others may say that the large Christian populations in these two former colonies had a key role in their progress.

This is what happens when one presents a simplistic argument and then tries to connect imaginary dots. That is what Mr Huang has done when it comes to both Indian and Chinese historical achievements.

In the case of India, a medieval custom (sati) common in upper-caste families in some parts of the north – and in the case of China, the practice of foot-binding for women – is considered the sole representation of women’s rights in the country.

Huang forgets that, in ancient India, women were as educated as men, they were scholars and philosophers, there are references to their being adept at riding horses and taking part in battle. Compared to women at the time in other parts of the ancient world, women in India were advanced.

Besides that, Buddhism, the dominant religion in east Asia, was born in India, as was the Sanskrit language which has inspired so many languages and scripts of east Asia, and the Ramayana, which has had a deep impact on all of southeast Asia. Through yoga and meditation, karma and reincarnation, and vegetarianism, India continues to have a profound influence all over the world.