Historical relationship and impression between China and India (pre colonialism)

[Huaren]

While it is obvious that modern day relationship between China and India got messed up along the way, often I see it as natural results of collision of strategic and geopolitical interests between our two nations. (and no less thanks to the parting gifts of colonialism) China was fortunate to find a close (or the closest) ally in Pakistan also thanks to the conflicts with india, ever since the days sino soviet spilt, Pakistan was the only friend in the region China could count on. At the same time this also means that China will be at odds with India, even if we are able to resolve the ongoing disputes, unless we want to risk our seasoned friendship with Pakistan. In this context I wish for one day that our dispute will be resolved peacefully, and at the same time for Pakistan and India to find trust in each other, In such time of competition with the established deleloped western powers, China and Pakistan could accomplish so much with india as common friend.

Todays when I am seeing something bad happening in indian society (like rape, crime and extreme poverty caused by outdated tradition), I tend to make some sarcastic jokes just like many chinese would, but afterward I would get bad feeling, disappointment and even sadness. I see India as one of few remaining major ancient civilizations who still hasnt lost its identity and cultural roots completely, same as China. In fact India is probably even older and richer in culture than China. Our two nations are so much different and yet we have experienced the same fate at the end of pre modern age, in that case China was fortunate to be less fragmented at the begin and to be the last station of colonialism, which saved China from being fully colonized. Nevertheless I am very interested in india, its rich history, culture and the progress in making.

Divided by natural obstacles China and India had little political relationship until the new age, but I want to learn more about historical relationship between chinese and indians, especially the impressions of eachother in the "good old days", trying to find common ground and understanding in our rich history for possible future partnership. There are many classical religious legends and tales in which India was described as a heavenly place with indians being the blessed people, many in connection with Buddismus. For example in the more commonly known classical stories like journey to the west, India was the place to find spiritual enlightment. The more precise findings are probably in the tales of foreign traders who have visited china along the silk road during the millennium, and most of all in the writings of chinese traders and great person like admiral ZhengHe. it is stated that Zhenghe loved India so much to even call it his second home, during his whole life with all the voyages he never said similiar thing about anywhere else, and his view was confirmed by the tales of many chinese traders who have visited India before and after him. One of the main task of admiral Zheng was to impress foreign people with the richness and might of China, but in the case of India, he was the one to be impressed. One could only imagine what a maverlous place India was, and those chinese were most fascinated by the indian people, peaceful, well mannered, rich and most of all civilized, it was stated that they have never seen such great civilization ouside China. Considering the arrogance of chinese during the whole pre modern age when our ancestors would see anybody outside China as nothing more than Barbarians, it could even be described as shocking to see them admit the greatness and beauty of India, and those people were the most traveled among our people, they had their footprints from Japan to Arabia (Admiral Zheng went even as far as to Africa),

I would be grateful if somebody are willing to add more opinion and knowledge about this topic. Thanks in advance.