Iran and China

The relation between Iran and China goes back to ancient periods of their history. Among numerous facts that prove their age-long relationship, one also notices quite a few similarities between the Iranian legends (as told by Firdowsi in Shahnameh) and the Chinese legends. According to the studies made by Sir J.C. Coyaji in his scholarly book "Cults and Legends of Ancient Iran and China" there are many resemblances between religious legends of Iran and China.

In Shahnameh we have the tragic episode of Rustam, the great warrior, fighting and unknowingly slaying his own son, Sohrab. In Chinese legend we find Liching unknowingly fighting with his son Nosha, but in the Chinese legend the father manages to escape from his son with great difficulty.

According to Shahnameh, Rustam in his old age, fights the invincible Prince Esfandyar and is badly wounded in the combat but with the help of  Simurgh he finally overcomes Esfandyar’s power and kills him. In Chinese legend also Liching manages to escape from his warlike son Nosha only by the help of the bird Rukh.

In Shahnameh we read that Zal, the father of Rustam, being born with white hair, so annoyed his father Sam that he abandoned the child on a mountain, where he was brought up by the bird Simurgh. Exactly the same story is related of Hauki in Chinese legend.

The Iranian hero Garshasp, like the Chinese archer Yi, slays a huge bird and a great dragon.

According to Shahnameh, Sudabeh, the wicked wife of King Kay-ka’us, falls in love with her step-son, the saintly Siyavush. When her advances are repulsed, she falsely accuses Siyavush of daring to outrage her honor. Siyavush proves his innocence by undergoing an ordeal and passing through a raging fire unscathed.

Even then as the suspicions of his father and the accusations of his step-mother continue to harass him, he exiles himself and finally is killed by the order of Afrasiyab under very tragic circumstances. The same legend with all the details attached to it, can be found in the Chinese legend about King Chauwang, his queen Sutaki, and his son Yin Kiyao.

Rustam slews Sudabeh after he hears of the untimely death of Siyavush. In Chinese legend also the victorious Chinese commander-in-chief Tzeya slews Sutaki. As Siyavush passes through the fire to prove his innocence, so too did the Chinese Prince Yin Kiyao pass through a furnace to prove his innocence. The resemblance between these Iranian and Chinese episodes are incredibly striking.

Again in Shahnameh we read that Afrasiyab, king of Turan, himself a wicked king, had a wise and virtuous minister (Piran-viseh) who dedicated his life in serving his master. In Chinese legends we come across a tyrannical king Chauwang who had a devoted minister called Taishi.

When the war between Iran and Turan seemed to be endless, according to Firdowsi a duel was arranged between eleven champions on either side with the intention of preventing the indiscriminate slaughter. They decided that the outcome of the fight between these eleven warriors on each side should decide the outcome of the war.

In Chinese legend there is also mention of a combat between the same number of warriors. The Iranians and Chinese heroes both are posted on the opposite hills from which they must descend and attack their foe. According to both legends, the righteous party wins in the end. According to Shahnameh, Afrasiyab, after this defeat fled and concealed himself in the Chaichast lake, we hear also in Chinese epic "Fengshen yenyi" that when Shen-kung pao’s intrigues failed, he concealed himself in a lake.

We have many similarities in the religious legends of the two countries. One cannot help but ponder as to which party took these legends from the other. Sir J. Coyaji holds that the main center of these legends was the province of Seistan, renowned as the land of the hero Rustam and his ancestors.

There being a mixed population of various races in Central Asia, there was a possibility that such legends could have been exchanged in these regions and Iranian and Chinese minstrels must have played a prominent part in the development and diffusion of these legends. Sir J. Coyaji believes that as yet we have no sufficient reasons to claim that Iran was usually the giver and China only the borrower. (Dr. F. Davar, Iran and its culture, p. 223)

However, Mr. S.J. Bulsara holds that China must have largely borrowed these legends from Iran. (ibid.)