Imagining India in Modern China: Literary Decolonization and the Imperial Unconscious, 1895–1962, based on primary and secondary sources, is a thought-provoking, meticulously researched, and serious academic work that delves into an extremely complex relationship between China and India during a crucial period in their respective histories. Author Gal Gvili explores the literary and cultural representations of India in Chinese cultural artifacts from the late nineteenth century to the early 1960s, shedding light on the dynamics of decolonization and the lingering imperial consciousness in Chinese literary and cultural discourse. He also highlights how literature played a vital role in facilitating cross-cultural understanding and influencing perceptions of the other country.
The book begins by setting the historical context, emphasizing the impact of colonialism and imperialism on both China and India, which became instrumental in forging solidarity among the Indian and Chinese intellectuals and nationalists in Japan. It then moves through the...
