Written by: Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed
Posted on: December 09, 2024 | 
| 中文
The author at Understanding China Conference 2024
It is my pleasure to be addressing this important conference on “Understanding China” that brings together a galaxy of diverse and distinguished participants from all over the world. In this world of turbulence and transformation, understanding China is understanding the world, given the pivotal role that China plays today in globalization, modernization, economic, political and cultural connectivity.
I was personally present in May 2019 in Beijing at a conference on “Dialogue among Civilizations” where President Xi Jinping spoke on how the Chinese Civilisation has benefitted through interaction with the Islamic, Buddhist and Western civilizations. In this context, he even referred to the role of the world-famous traveler from the Muslim world, Ibn Battuta, who visited China in the 14th century along the SilkRoad. I also was fortunate enough to be present virtually in March 2023, when President Xi Jinping announced his historic Global Civilization Initiative, an endeavor to bring harmony, camaraderie and coexistence amongst diverse civilizations.
Ibn Battuta!
Islam’s Great Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) instructed Muslims in the 6thcentury that “Seek knowledge, even if you have to go to China”. China was then an advanced civilization, 1400 years ago, during the Tang Dynasty, which is generally referred to as the ‘Golden Age of China”.
The Silk Road, which is the first example of globalization 2000 years ago, was already connecting cultures, countries and continents. In Pakistan, in a place called Hunza in Northern Pakistan, which is close to the Chinese border, even today visitors can see markings in Mandarin made by Buddhist monks who were visiting that region from China, an expression of connectivity through the Silk Road.
During the 20th century, 90 years ago, the great poet, philosopher who is considered the national poet of Pakistan, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal made a prediction through his verses about the rise of China when he said that “the great Chinese nation is rising from slumber and springs of hope are sprouting from the Himalayas”, and he also referred to the dawn of the Asian century when he said that “See, the Sun Rising from the East”. The city of Kashgar in Xinjiang was also once the hub of connectivity between traders and other visitors connecting the Islamic and the Chinese civilizations. The connection between the two great civilizations begins from the very inception of Islam and this is a bond that has been broadened over the centuries.
Details of Ibn Battuta's travel to Medina.
This historic linkage between the Islamic and Chinese civilizations has been enriched and strengthened by two historic figures, both travelers, one mostly by land and the other by sea, who traversed the Silk Road “travelling in search of knowledge”.
Starting from the Moroccan city of Tangier in North Africa, Ibn Battuta started his epic journey in 1325, which lasted for 29 years covering 40 countries, spanning 4 continents during which he travelled 100000 kilometers and this journey took him to different cities of China.
Eighty years later, the great Chinese Admiral Zheng He, also a Muslim, embarked on his epic 7 voyages starting in 1405, which lasted till his death 28 years later in1433. During these 28 years, he commanded the largest naval flotilla ever assembled upto that time in history, which comprised of 307 ships with 27000 sailors, and they covered 30 countries in that period. It is important to know that during the entire 7 voyages of Admiral Zheng He, there was no weaponry with him, for he was only carrying goods of silk and other merchandise. This shows the peaceful nature of cultural and commercial connectivity that China carried out through the Maritime Silk Road.
The ship used by Admiral Zheng He!
Ibn Battuta has some fascinating stories to tell of his journey to China where he went to Peking, Canton and Hangzhou. Ibn Battuta terms China of the 14th century as a “land of plenty, rich in resources, fruits, cereals, gold and silver”. He is also impressed by the fact that China is the first country to then have a paper currency and he terms China as the ‘safest and best countries for travelers since a man can travel for 9 months alone with great wealth, and have nothing to fear’. Ibn Battuta is also impressed by Chinese skills and artistic excellence as he terms it that China produces ‘the most superb kind of pottery with a mastery of painting and the Chinese are of all peoples, the most skilful in crafts and attained the greatest perfection in them’.
Ibn Battuta also describes the rather robust presence of Muslims living in different parts of China adding that ‘they live in peace, equality and harmony, and they are well regarded and treated with respect and they live comfortably with affluence having access to mosques and freedom of worship’. China even at that time had such close interaction with other cultures and languages that it was a pleasant surprise for Ibn Battuta that when he was a guest of the ruler in China and going on a cruise, he was entertained by singers singing songs in Chinese, Arabic and Persian, including verses that Ibn Battuta was well conversant with, since it was poetry of the great Persian poet Saadi.
Ibn Batuta’s travels!
Since Pakistan is a neighbour of China through the Chinese province of Xinjiang and a close friend as well, the Pakistan-China Institute which is the premier non-governmental organization promoting people-to-people relations and good neighborly ties between Pakistan and China, has launched a popular magazine, with website in English and Chinese, called “Youlin (Good Neighbors)” www.youlinmagazine.com. The Youlin Magazine is an important media bridge of cultural understanding between Pakistan and China, especially in the areas of culture, cuisine, education, movies, music, travel and tourism.
The practice of portraiture in China attracted Ibn Battuta's attention.
The history and heritage of the Silk Road has had a profound impact on bringing people together, especially as Ibn Battuta said: “traveling in search of knowledge” by promoting tolerance, inclusivity and better understanding of cultures and peoples.
This is the need of the hour and the essence of the Global Civilisation initiative, whose roots are in the Silk Road that brought the world closer together and which today is a shining example of Unity in Diversity.
You may also like:
