27th Liberation Book List | India 5000 Years: The "Ultimate Background" History of Indian Social Phenomena | India | Society

To understand a country and society, one must understand its history. 5000 Years of India is a fascinating historical work that can help readers gain a deeper understanding of India's history in the shortest possible time. This book only has 180000 words, but it is easy to understand and has both breadth and depth. Zubultsky is passionate about India and has a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of Indian society and culture. He said in his gratitude that he has always been fascinated by India. He was invited to write this book, hoping that it could introduce the "ultimate background" behind all social phenomena in India.

This book adopts a reverse chronological approach when writing certain content. For example, the introduction starts with Nehru's discovery of what India is, describing how India evolved to this point and why India is so diverse. The author will also trace history from the perspective of academic research achievements, such as interpreting the Harappan civilization through the latest archaeological data; Elaborate on the history of ancient Aryans through William Jones' research on linguistics in the late 18th century; When it comes to the history of Buddhism in India, we first start with the experience of Abe Descartes, the first Minister of Justice of India after independence, leading hundreds of thousands of Dalits to convert to Buddhism in 1956, and so on.

Comparative method is also one of the main writing methods adopted by the author. For example, in the preface, he compares the history of China and India, pointing out that China's history can be clearly divided into dynasties such as the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, while India's history is different as it has multiple competing power centers. In addition to comparing the history of China and India, the author also compares Indian castes with Western surnames, making it easier for readers to understand India's caste system.

From the perspective of writing content, novelty and academic relevance are the prominent features of this book. The so-called "new" mainly manifests in three aspects: first, the publication date is new, and the English version of this book will be published in 2022. Second, the content of this book is very new, and it also focuses on important events in recent years, such as India's 2019 election and the COVID-19. The third is to absorb the latest research results, and the viewpoints in the book are basically supported by the latest research results. For example, the author points out that Lord Allan Barre, the Governor General of the British East India Company, took the opportunity to portray the British as correctors of the historical harm caused by Muslims to India. Hindu nationalists used this seemingly plausible perspective to criticize the Muslim regime in Indian history. And the latest research shows that the door of the Castel of Ghaznavid did not come from the Somnat temple in the Gujarat region, nor was it made of sandalwood, but cedar, made by local craftsmen. The author uses this research conclusion to correct historical views on the Muslim regime in India. There are many examples of this in the book.

This book provides both an explanation of history and a reflection on reality, as well as an outlook for the future. This book extensively discusses Hindu nationalism and expresses deep concern about the development of Hindu nationalism. The book points out that the current political landscape in India is firmly dominated by the People's Party of India, and administrative positions are being appointed by the government in institutions such as universities, scientific and cultural institutions that once maintained political neutrality. History and school curriculum are being rewritten. Even the sports industry cannot escape this spreading xenophobic mentality. He pointed out that Hindu nationalists deliberately forged seals with the image of horses to demonstrate their own beliefs, with the aim of tracing the origin of Hindu countries back to the earliest Harappan civilization. The author laments the decline and corruption of the Indian Congress Party: at the beginning of independence, the Indian Congress Party was a defender and protector of secularism under the leadership of Nehru. However, after the 1980s and 1990s, in order to win over voters, it openly supported the construction of the Rama Temple and other undertakings in Ayutthaya. The author regretfully believes that in recent decades, the concept of India as a historical entity, a nation, and a civilization has become highly politicized.

Another example that reflects the practical concern of this book is the author's reference to Sunir Kirnani's viewpoint, comparing the Southern Indian Emperor of the Jura dynasty, Rajarata, with the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalita. The author points out that the latter successfully established a generous and generous image, distributing gifts to her followers, such as televisions, motorcycles, and tuition fees for girls. This approach is no different from Rajarata's practice of winning people's hearts through giving favors in the 10th and 11th centuries. In Chapter 10, "New India," the author provides an outlook on India's future, stating that "by the early 1930s, India is also expected to surpass Japan to become the world's third-largest economy.".

This book also focuses on the introduction and analysis of cultural exchange. For example, the book cites the research findings of Indian scholar Sheldon Pollock to analyze the influence of Indian culture in Southeast Asia: "In the 7th century, a Chinese traveler learning Sanskrit grammar was discovered on the island of Sumatra; in the 10th century, an intellectual from Sri Lanka was discovered in the northern Deccan Plateau who was writing Sanskrit literary theories." The book cites Vincent Smith's viewpoint to analyze the intersection of Christian and Buddhist cultures in the Middle East: "New Christianity and mature Buddhism met in colleges and cities in Asia and Egypt, and both religions were influenced by various heretics around them, as well as countless polytheistic art works." There are astonishing similarities between the stories in the scriptures and Christian fables and miracles.

"5000 Years of India" by John Zubltsky in Australia, translated by Ma Bailiang, published by CITIC Publishing Group