As India celebrates the centenary of Rabindranath Tagore’s landmark visit to China, scholars said they consider the April 1924 trip of the renowned Indian poet, writer, philosopher and Nobel laureate as a pivotal event that laid the foundation for people-to-people bonds and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

The visit served as a bridge, fostering understanding and mutual respect between India and China and it still acts as a spark for cultural interactions between the two great civilizations, scholars said.

A two-day international conference beginning from April 1 was held at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, in India's eastern state of West Bengal to mark the completion of 100 years of Tagore’s visit to China.

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The conference, titled “Marking the End of the Centenary Celebration of Rabindranath Tagore’s Visit to China” was organized jointly by the Chinese Consulate General in Kolkata — West Bengal’s capital city — and Visva-Bharati University.

The university, which houses India's oldest and premier Chinese studies center, was founded by Tagore in the 1920s.

Nearly 15 Chinese scholars from several Chinese universities — including Wuhan University, Fudan University, Shenzhen University, Jiangxi Normal University, Anqing Normal University and Huaqiao University — and more than 25 noted Indian scholars from various premier Indian universities took part in the conference, which also commemorated the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations, delegates at the conference called for more intercultural communication and understanding in order to build connections that transcend national boundaries.

Tagore’s legacy continues to thrive today, and participants said they are deeply inspired by it. The conference provided a great opportunity to Indian and Chinese scholars to share views and promote further cultural exchanges between the two countries.

“Tagore’s visit marked a milestone in modern India-China civilizational dialogue. Tagore reignited mutual cultural resonance. His ideas bridged intellectuals seeking cultural confidence in both nations, laying a foundation for people-to-people bonds,” said Zhang Fan, a postdoctoral fellow from Fudan University, Shanghai.

“Amid current challenges, Tagore’s legacy reminds us (that) transcending differences and fostering cooperation through civilizational wisdom is key to Asia’s rejuvenation,” Zhang said after taking part in the conference.

In April 1924, at the invitation of the Chinese Cultural and Literary Society, Tagore embarked on his first trip to China. He visited Tsinghua university, Southeast University and many other Chinese universities, attended welcome meetings, delivered valuable speeches, talked about philosophy and life, and inspired young people to pass on the millennium old history of cultural exchanges between India and China.

During his trip, Tagore had extensive contacts with Chinese political, educational and literary circles.

In 1928, Tan Yunshan, a Chinese scholar and member of the Xinmin Society, came to India at the invitation of Tagore to help in the establishment of Cheena-Bhavana, or the Department of Chinese Language and Culture, at Visva-Bharati University.

Following the establishment of that institute and also the China-India Society, cultural and educational exchanges between China and India was consolidated and developed.

At the April 1-2 conference at Cheena Bhavana, scholars discussed Tagore’s friendships with Chinese scholars Tan Yun Shan; Bing Xin, one of the major writers of modern China; and Xu Zhimo, a Chinese poet who acted as a guide and interpreter during Tagore’s stay in China.

Scholars also highlighted many important correspondences between Tagore and eminent Chinese painter Xu Beihong who later visited India in 1939 following an invitation from Tagore and stayed for over a year.

According to Wan Jia, a postdoctoral fellow from Wuhan University, Tagore’s visit ushered in a deep historical and cultural exchanges and connection between the two countries. It created a great opportunity for Chinese scholars to resume interaction and people-to-people exchanges.

“We should spread Tagore’s legacy to strengthen India-China cultural links. The people of India and China should come closer,” said Jia, who delivered a lecture on historical collaboration between India and China.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of the centenary celebration at Visva-Bharati University, Xu Wei, the Chinese Consul-General in Kolkata, said the visit of the Chinese scholars and artists will open a new chapter in people-to-people exchanges and further promote in-depth cultural, academic exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

The diplomat added that strong cultural ties between the two countries would help preserve and promote Tagore’s legacy for future generations.

“The two-day discussion not only highlighted Tagore’s landmark journey to China but also reflected on the 75 years of India-China bilateral relations and their role in advancing global peace and stability,” said Avijit Banerjee, head of the Department of Chinese Language and Culture, Visva-Bharati University.

The conference will have a long-lasting impact as April 1 marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Indian diplomatic relations, the professor said.

Subhojot Garai, a final year student of Chinese studies and literature at Visva- Bharati University, said that before attending the conference he was not aware that Tagore’s literary works have immense popularity and profound impact among the new generations of Chinese scholars, professors, writers and students, and that Tagore continues to inspire them.

As part of the cultural exchange, renowned Beijing-based classical dancers Jin Shanshan and Jessica Wu gave a performance of India’s Bharatanatyam dance, accompanied by other Chinese classical dancers and Visva-Bharati students, who presented Tagore’s songs through dance.

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Human values, civilizational values and cultural connections are now seen by the Chinese as valuable assets of mankind. In China, the relevance of Tagore's philosophy is now better understood, appreciated and accepted, said Sreemati Chakrabarti, chairperson of the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi.

“Cultural interconnections… (are) the best form of people-to-people relations. Through Tagore, India and China can reach out to each other and uphold the principles of humanism where narrow nationalism has no role,” Professor Chakrabarti emphasized at the conference.

According to other Indian and Chinese scholars who took part in the conference, cultural events, academic exchanges and collaborative literary projects influenced by Tagore's legacy can provide avenues for more interaction between the two countries.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.