Indian Literature Abroad (In China) II
Summary
Prabhāt Kumar Mukherji continues his survey of how Indian literature was received in China. Focusing on translations of Buddhist and secular texts during the Tang and Song dynasties, the article lists works known to have been rendered into Chinese and names eminent translators. It discusses how Sanskrit texts were transmitted via Central Asian monks and how Chinese scholars adapted Indian philosophical terms. The essay highlights the influence of Indian narrative literature on Chinese fiction and drama and notes the role of Buddhist logic and epistemology in shaping Chinese philosophical discourse. Mukherji also comments on the Chinese catalogues that preserve titles of lost Indian works and stresses the importance of further research into Sino‑Indian literary exchanges.
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Conclusion
Mukherji demonstrates that Chinese translations of Indian texts were numerous and influential. By identifying translators and tracing the movement of manuscripts, he shows that intellectual exchange between India and China was multidirectional. Further archival work in Chinese libraries could reveal additional evidence of India’s literary impact.