K Natwar Singh: A march into China's past

Who was Sun Yat-sen? Few people in India know about his life and deeds. Born in November 1866, Dr Sun is considered the founder of modern China.

He established the first Republican government in China in 1911, after the overthrow of the Ching dynasty, and was elected president of the Republic in 1912. Dr Sun was the founder of the Kuomintang (National People’s Party), which ruled – or mis-ruled – China till 1949, when it was overthrown by Mao Tse-tung. The long-serving head of the Kuomintang, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, was forced to leave China. He is remembered as the man who lost China to the communists. He became Dr Sun’s brother-in-law after marrying one of the Soong sisters, May-ling, the younger sister of Soong Ching-ling. In 1949, she became the Vice Chair of the People’s Republic of China. I was the liaison officer attached to Ching-ling when she visited India in December 1955.

Now a word about Chiang’s visit to India in 1942. He was accompanied by his stunningly beautiful wife, May-ling. Jawaharlal Nehru visited China in 1939 and got to know them well, while in India Chiang met Gandhiji, who was not impressed. A courageous act of the Chinese leader was to speak up for India’s independence, much to the undisguised chagrin of the then Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow, and Winston Churchill.

This is of significance as China observes the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Dr Sun’s Republic in 1911. This “observance” is subtlety organised, acknowledging Dr Sun’s pioneering role without deifying him. For the present government, 1949 is the all-important date, not 1911.

Dr Sun’s Three Principles of the People were nationalism, democracy and people’s livelihood. It is is worthwhile to remember 1911 and Dr Sun’s efforts to put an end to Chinese feudalism, traditionalism and sow the Republican seed.

 

In a book I read recently, India figures prominently. Lost History: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers and Artists, by Michael Hamilton Morgan, was published by National Geographic.

It says: “Lofty prestige, a happy horoscope, an awakened fortune, complete auspiciousness of a daily increasing dominion, mounting victoriousness, pleasant friendship, a love of pleasantry, friend-cherishing, foe-destroying, a kingdom bestowing liberality, a might that overthrew enemies, a world embracing majesty, a world-conquering resolution, a firmness and gravity together with the working of conspicuous miracles, lofty converse, an illuminated mind, a God-given understanding, an enlightened soul, a taste for knowledge, an expounder of mysteries, and an opener of mysteries, conquest over difficulties ... all these were gathered in that sublime personality and created astonishment among the lords of insight.

The scrutineers who counted all the perfection gave him the title of the Imam of the Age. He is the spiritual and temporal lord, the unique Akbar Shah, who made the poor lords of fortune.

That elementary mould has gone, from whose spirit the pure-hearted gathered eternal truths.”

Abul Fazl Allami was one of the navratnas of Akbar’s court. He was uncritical but never dull. Loyalty is a virtue I admire. Here you have it in plenty. However, I have not had the patience or the literary stamina to read every bit of the 1,222-page book. Jawaharlal Nehru did. Though he admired Akbar, he was not blind to his faults. He devoted nearly nine pages to Akbar in his monumental book, Glimpses of World History.

 

Earlier in the week I was in Dubai for a brief visit. I was unprepared for what I saw. The El Dorado part did not attract me; what did were the breathtaking architecture, prose and fantasy combined to bestow a special distinction on the buildings. No doubt Dubai is the fullest expression of man’s creative genius. Dubai was an insignificant desert town four decades ago. The visionary who transformed it, the late Emir Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, was a big-hearted, generous and wise ruler. His son, the present ruler, has followed in his father’s footsteps and made Dubai a model city state, in some ways reminding one of Singapore and Hong Kong.

What really surprised me was perhaps the largest book shop in the world. Dubai is not drawing up the timetable for mankind; it is drawing up the timetable for the United Arab Emirates.

TAILPIECE
The Indian political scene resembles the theatre of the absurd. The dramatis personae could not be more impressive or more ridiculous. A period of silence on the part of several Cabinet ministers, leaders of all hues, members of the Planning Commission would be most welcome.