India’s Act East Policy and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Initiative have been the buzzwords of the respective foreign policies for a decade now. Both countries have used them to reinvigorate their relationship with Southeast Asian nations. These programmes have been used to reinvent not only political and economic relations but also cultural relations. Buddhism has become the major bulwark of these cultural diplomatic initiatives, often viewed by international relations enthusiasts through the lens of soft power strategy. However, this article postulates that these practices have historically been explored and executed more effectively than the present channels suggest. What were the ancient linkages between these nations through Buddhism? Are the current leaders better adept at utilising Buddhism as a soft power strategy? Does Buddhism stand as a competitive legacy between India and China? Can India restore its future friendship with Southeast Asia by banking on its glorious past? What role does China want to play in Southeast Asia? Can Southeast Asian nations be viewed as a singular identity? These are the few questions that the article seeks to explore.
Currently, China has built its reputation as a super economy and has been recognised as a nation that boasts power and unity. China has shown a strong economic and political presence on the global stage as a result. The basic pillars of China as a nation lie in its roots of history, literature, art, philosophy and sociocultural practices and ideologies. Among many renowned scholars, one scholar should be deemed aside from the rest of the literary figures in China’s rich history, that is, Su Shi (1037–1101) of the Song Dynasty. Su Shi was a versatile character who was a poet, writer, politician, calligrapher, painter and gastronome. His works not only portrayed the notions of individualistic growth but also resonated with the diverse society and the political resentments of the Song administration that contributed to the formation of the Chinese nation and national identity. This article employs a qualitative thematic textual analysis of 10 selected poems from the English translations of the poems of Su Shi to examine how the poetry and teachings of Su Shi have relevance in the present scenario of Chinese politics, which render the virtues of collective unity, righteous governance and cultural pride. Thus, the findings of the article have implications for studies in the matters of Chinese politics and the nationalisation of China.
