Adventure in China

Swami Vivekananda had traveled extensively during his illustrious life. In his short life span of 40 years he had visited many countries, China being one. When he boarded The Peninsular and started his journey towards Chicago it docked in Hong Kong for three days in June 1893. He took advantage of this time to travel 80 miles up the Pearl River to Canton. He remarked ‘I see before me the body of an elephant. There is a foal within. But it is a lion-cub that comes out of it. It will grow in future, and China shall become great and powerful.’ His words have become reality today.

He said Hong Kong was the real face of China. He saw that the boats along the shore were permanent establishments for many families which were mostly managed by women of the household.  He was impressed by the hard working Chinese women. He noted that rich women in China would tie their feet and hobble not walk. Meanwhile, women from backward sections of the society would tie their kid to their backs and skilfully row the boat and jump from one boat to another with extreme agility.

Swami Vivekananda felt “The Chinese child is quite a philosopher and calmly goes to work at an age when your Indian boy can hardly crawl on all fours. He has learnt the philosophy of necessity too well. Their extreme poverty is one of the causes why the Chinese and the Indians have remained in a state of mummified civilization. To an ordinary Hindu or Chinese, everyday necessity is too hideous to allow him to think of anything else.”

While in China, Swamiji’s earnest desire was to see a Chinese monastery. The monasteries then were forbidden to foreigners. However Swamiji insisted on visiting one. The interpreter accompanying Swamiji saw few monks approaching them armed with club in their hands. Others alongside Swamiji started fleeing. Even the interpreter took to his feet, but just in time said “He is an Indian Yogi”. The words worked magic. The monks from the monastery stood in deep reverence. It was evident that they knew what an Indian monk was. They asked Swamiji for ‘amulets to ward off evil spirits and unholy influences’. Swamiji did not believe in charms. He took out a piece of paper and wrote “Om” in Sanskrit. The monks were humbled. They touched the piece of paper to their forehead.

In gratitude they showed him the monastery. In it he saw many manuscripts written in Sanskrit and in old Bengali characters also .Here he saw images of Buddha’s followers that resembled the Bengali Indian. Close ties existed in past between Bengal and China It was obvious that Indian thought had influenced Chinese civilization to a large extent. We have proofs of Indian scholars going to China and teaching them many difficult subjects. For this they themselves also had to learn Chinese. Today however the situation is different.

Swami Vivekananda wanted Indian youth to visit China every year. For him, China and Japan could provide some practical demonstration to the sinking Indian race of what striving for collective betterment can yield. These were after all Asian civilizations, not in favour of European materialism, with some regard for spiritual culture, yet not given to superstitions, and at the same time, extremely hard-working and even meticulous, promptly devoted to action.

He remarked: “Come, see these people…Come, be men! Come out of your narrow holes and have a look abroad. See how nations are on the march! Do you love man? Do you love your country? Then come, let us struggle for higher and better things…India wants the sacrifice of at least a thousand of her young men—men, mind, and not brutes.”