The Crescent Moon Society of the intellectuals of the Chinese capital organised a ceremony on the occasion at a cinema hall of the Beijing National University, where Tagore was given a pair of seals and a piece of stone, the latter containing three characters in Chinese wherein the name Chu Chen-Tan was written. It means "Thundering dawn of India."

In his youth, Tagore was much agitated reading an article by the German padre Dr. Theodor Chriestlieb, titled The Anglo-British Opium Trade. Based on the facts and details of the article, Tagore wrote a critique in the Bengali magazine Bharati (of Jaistha 1288 BS) captioned "Chiney Moroner Babashaya" (the death trade in China), where he commented: "A whole nation was given poison for the greed of money. None had ever heard of such thuggee before.

China tearfully said: "I shall not take opium." The English trader retorted: "How that can be?" China's hands were tied and opium was shelled into her mouth with a cannon. Then he asked for the bill: "Pay for the opium." Its long since the English have been running this trade in China."

Fifty years later, Tagore wrote in Kalantar in its Shravan 1340 BS issue: "Outside of Europe ... the European civilisation is not for enlightenment, but for putting on fire. Following this came the day when cannon shells and opium were fired at the very heart of China. None had seen such apocalypse ever in history."

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the Boer War raged on in South Africa, and the European imperialists were united in their attack on China. An aggrieved Tagore wrote in the Ashar 1308 BS issue of Bangadarshan in an article named "Samajbhed" (social discrimination): "Last January Doctor Dilan wrote an article under the title Tiger China and Lamb Europe in Contemporary Review. There is detailed mention in the article about the unspeakable atrocities perpetrated by the Europeans against the Chinese people. Even the names of Genghis Khan and Tamer Lane bow down in front of the barbarity of civilised Europe."

In the Ashar 1309 BS issue of Bangadarshan, Tagore wrote a lengthy review of "Letter of John Chinaman," a book by Launce Dickinson, and published under the pseudonym John Chinaman, which was sent to him by Jagadish Chandra Bose from Britain.

Tagore wrote: "Vast China has not been tamed by the rule of weapons; her discipline comes from the rule of ethics. If that ethos is struck, China would taste death pangs."

Tagore spent two days at Dickinson's Cambridge home in 1912 as his guest. In his article "Englander bhabuksmaj" (Intellectuals of England), he wrote about Dickinson: "He is the writer of Letter of John Chinaman. When the book was published, it injected a massive dose of oriental chauvinism in our midst ... At that time I had written a long essay on the book and read it in a conference. I knew then that the writer must be a Chinese. Now after seeing him I am sure he is not a Chinese; but since he is an intellectual, he belongs to all countries of the world."

It appeared at the start of Tagore's visit to China in 1924 that a renewal of the historical relationship between the two countries, which had started with Buddhism's first incursion into China, was going to take place. According to Chinese tradition, Emperor Asoka (266-232 BC) had sent ten preachers to China.

But the Chinese emperor, known for his role in building the Great Wall, ordered that they be killed. Thirty-seven Buddhist preachers from India undertook this perilous mission to China between 67 and 789 AD. The last of the expeditions took place in 1036, prior to the raising of the Mongol curtain.

When he was in Hong Kong, Tagore was invited to visit Canton by Sun Yat-Sen,

Kuomintang leader of the 1911 revolution. Sun wrote to him: "I find in you not only a writer who has enriched India's literature, but also an extraordinary activist in those areas of endeavour wherein the future welfare and spiritual emancipation of mankind lies."

Tagore could have accepted the invitation and his meeting with Sun Yat-Sen would have created a powerful impact. After his lectures in Shanghai and Hangchow, Tagore met the provincial governor and warlord commander of the locality, General Chi. He begged the general to stop fighting for the sake of Asia and humanity.

A civil administrator, who was also a scholar in Buddhism, said: "We were waiting for seven centuries for a message from India. Now here you are. It's a great anniversary, Dr. Tagore." He, however, alerted the poet that the young generation of China might not understand him fully.

Tagore read out his speech calmly. Tour-companion Elmhirst thought it was the best of Tagore's speeches he had ever heard. The speech, delivered in English, was possibly heard and understood by barely a hundred people.

The most remarkable episode of Tagore's China visit was his meeting with former emperor Pu-i. The meeting was initiated by Sir Reginald Johnston, an admirer of Tagore and the emperor's English teacher.

Tagore was the first foreigner to have this honour. The poet and his party reached their destination, passing courtyard after courtyard of the Forbidden City, through the Shen Wu-men (Gate of Divine Military Genius).

On the way, officials were changed, because none had the right to meet the emperor directly. Tagore and his two female companions were carried on a sedan chair to where the emperor was waiting with his two wives.

Elmshirst presented the emperor with a set of Tagore's works in English, while the poet gave the queen's conch-shell bangles, which were considered to be symbols of opulence. Tagore talked about renewing friendship between China and India. About his young Chinese interpreter Miss Lin, who was fluttering like a bird all through, the poet dedicated a couplet that later found a place in his collection "Lekhan" (vol XIV of Collected works.

The blue of the sky fell in love with the green of the earth,The breeze between them sighs " Alas!"

The poet was very pleased when the Young Men's Buddhist Association invited him to the Temple of the Origin of the Law, calling him "the great Buddhist poet."

But once he started speaking, he met with stiff opposition. On the occasion of his second lecture, a leaflet was floated around. The hosts hesitated to translate it for him. He sought the help of his Japanese acquaintances for the translation, and once he understood its gist, he was really hurt. In it, the poet had been attacked with these comments:

• Much of our sufferings are due to the ancient oriental civilisation: its gender- disparity, emperor-worship, oppression of the people, feudalism, apartheid and a blind addiction to formalities have done a lot of damage. We cannot but oppose Dr. Tagore for his approval of these unnecessary and inert characteristics of our civilisation.
• When we come face to face with modern civilisation, we are put to shame. We need to develop our age-old mode of agriculture, hand-driven industry, inept transportation and water vessels, low quality printing, and lack of roads and public health. We oppose Dr. Tagore because we want to enjoy the fruits of modern civilisation.
• The so-called spiritual civilisation of the east is nothing but civil war, unscrupulously self-seeking forcible occupation, pretense, hypocrisy, poisonous regality, sort of a devious respect for parents, and despicable caging of women's feet. All these are harming us, and we cannot but oppose them.
• The Chinese are now indifferent to foreign aggression, and to oppression of homegrown war-lordism. They are faced with danger to their security and lives. Dr. Tagore wants to replace nationalism and politics with compassion of the spirit. These are not for us, but for the idle who find refuge and aesthetic pleasure therein. We cannot but oppose Dr. Tagore, who supports all the things that erode and diminish our nation's life.
• Dr. Tagore lends hearty support to Tung Shan Spiritual Society, a hated and poisonous organisation that reconciles Taoism and Buddhism. Dr. Tagore speaks of "Heavenly Kingdom," "Almighty God" and "Soul." If these cannot eradicate our adversity what benefit is there to man in reforming the world? We oppose Dr. Tagore, who wants to limit expansion of self-determination and the struggle of the oppressed classes and nations.

By the way, Tagorer's meeting Pu'i in the Forbidden City, acceptance of the invitation of the pro-Confucius governor of Shansi, staying at luxurious hotels, attending various programs at foreign clubs, intimacy with English-speaking and Chinese Christians -- all these led them to brand Tagore as an agent of imperialism and a fossil of ancient India.

Cruel words were hurled at him for his collection of poems "Gitanjali." U Chi-Hu asked: "What type of Thakur (idol) is this who writes so well in the language of his enemies for only a prize donated by a rich man of Scandinavia." The new generation of China did not like Tagore's evasion of the political leader Sun Yat-Sen and poet Lu Sun.

In his book of essays "Sahityer Pathey" (path to literature), Tagore heaped passionate praise on the Chinese poets. About Li-Po he wrote: "Li-Po wrote more than a thousand years ago. He was modern and had the eye to see this universe with simplicity."

In his letter to Amiya Chakravarty on February 21, 1938, Tagore wrote: "The ease with which one notices the daily trotting of man on the road of human life in Chinese poetry can hardly be seen elsewhere. When the mirror of the mind has been distorted due to a huge disturbance, it can only give a skewed reflection of the world -- I do not get a simple picture of eternal man there, everything is mixed with sarcasm; maybe it gives a timely historical taste, but it does not belong to all times. You can doubt whether there is anything belonging to all times. I think the essence which man has over long time collected with eagerness from the worldly life and has wanted to give it a form of permanence can be termed complete and perfect ... The Chinese poetry I was mentioning may be down-to-earth, but not insignificant. Its authenticity has found expression in austere simplicity." (Chithipatra 11, page 211-213).

In 1921-22 Silva Levi started teaching of the Chinese Language and Buddhism at Shantiniketan. Madam Hardun of Canton donated a huge quantity of Chinese books to Shantiniketan for Vishwa Bharati. Tan Yan-Shan studied the English language and Indian religions in 1928.

Professor Tan Yun-Shan and other Chinese intellectuals came forward with monetary help to establish the Chinabhaban (China House) at Shantiniketan. Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru could not come to the opening ceremony of the China House, but they welcomed the endeavour.

The poet quoted a part of his speeches given in China to say: "One of its aims is that India will greet at heart the rest of the world. Come, let us join together ... despite our differences. For differences can never be erased; and life would become poorer without them. Let the whole of mankind retain its individuality and then unite, in a dedication that is not dead but in a harmony that is lively and vigorous." In 1957, China's prime minister was honoured with a degree by the Indian prime minister and Chancellor of the Vishwa Bharati at this very Shantiniketan.

In 1938, Tagore sent a letter to Chiang Kai-Shek through the hand of Tan Yun-Shan. He wrote therein: "Your neighbour Japan is indebted to your cultural heritage. For its own ultimate good, it should naturally maintain good neighbourliness with you, but the sudden import of western imperialistic malevolence and greed has infected it so much so that a wonderful chance to raise an edifice of great destiny has been thrown into sad disaster."

In 1940, Chiang Kai-Shek sent greetings on the occasion of the poet's birth anniversary in the first month of the Bengali New Year.

(Translated from Bengali by AkhtarHusain Khan, a former secretary to the government.)

Muhammad Habibur Rahman is former Chief Justice, Bangladesh Supreme Court and former Chief Adviser, Caretaker Government.