Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Chinese writers mention India by the name of-
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Concept
Ancient Chinese nomenclature for India evolved based on phonetic transliterations of local terms and religious associations with the 'Holy Land' of Buddhism.Explanation
Chinese writers used the term Yin-tu, derived from the Sanskrit word Sindhu (referring to the Indus River). Other terms used in historical texts include Tianzhu (Heavenly Land) and Shendu (Divine Land), as seen in the works of Sima Qian and Faxian.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: 'Yin-tu' was the phonetic approximation of 'Sindhu' because the Chinese first encountered India via the Indus region.
Logic 2: Distractors like Fo-Kwo-ki (Faxian's book) and Si-Yu-Ki (Xuanzang's book) are titles of travelogues, not the name of the country itself.
Logic 3: Famous chroniclers like Ban Gu and Fan Ye popularized these names in official Chinese dynastic histories.