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The Chinas (Sanskrit चीनः ) are a people mentioned in the Indian religious texts, such as the Mahabharata, Manusmriti, and the Purana.
There are a number of other suggestions for the origin of the word. Some Chinese and Indian scholars argued for the state of Jing (荆) as the likely origin of the name, while other theories suggest it is derived from Zina, the endonym of the inhabitants of Yelang.Wade, Geoff, " The Polity of Yelang and the Origin of the Name 'China'", Sino-Platonic Papers, No. 188, May 2009.
In the Mahabharata, the Chinas appear together with the Kiratas among the armies of King Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisa (Assam). In the Sabhaparvan, the same king is said to be surrounded by the Kiratas, and the Cinas. Also in the Bhismaparvan, the army of Bhagadatta is said to consist of the Kirtas and the "yellow-coloured" Cinas. Bhishamaparva of Mahabharata also lists the Chinas with the mlechha of the north like the , Kambojas, Kuntala country, Huna people, Parasika kingdom, Darunas, Ramanas, Dasamalikas.MBH 6/9/65-66 Shantiparvan of Mahabharata groups the Chinas with the tribes of the Uttarapatha, viz. the Yavanas, , , Shabras, Barbaric, Saka, Tushara kingdom, Kanakas, , , , Ramathas, and the Kambojas and states them to be living the lives of Dasyus. These verses of the epic expect these tribes to perform certain duties which are different from those performed by the , , , and .MBH 12/65/13-15 Vanaparvan of the Mahabharata states that the territory of the Chinas can be reached by a land-route across the country of the Kiratas in the mountain regions of the north.
China is mentioned as one among the northern kingdoms in Mahabharata, Book 6, chapter 9: –Among the tribes of the north are the , and the Kruras, the Yavana kingdom, the Chinas, the Kamboja kingdom, the Darunas, and many Mleccha tribes; the Sukritvahas, the Kulatthas, the Huna kingdom, the Parasikas, the Ramanas, and the Dasamalikas.
Chinas were mentioned along with Chivukas and Himalaya kingdom and Khasas, Hunas, Pahlava kingdom, Saka kingdom, Yanavas, Sora people, Pundra kingdom, Kiratas, Kanchi kingdom, Dravida kingdom, Sinhala kingdom and Keralas. Here they were described as the protectors of sage Vasistha and his cow against the attack of king Viswamitra. (1,177)
Pahlavas and the Darada kingdom, the various tribes of the Kiratas, Yanavas, Sakas, Harahunas, Chinas, Tushara kingdom, Sindhu kingdom, Jagudas, Ramathas and the Mundas, as well as the inhabitants of the kingdom of women, Tanganas, Kekeya kingdom, Malava kingdom and the inhabitants of Kasmira kingdom were mentioned at (3,51) as bringing tribute to the Pandava king Yudhishthira.
The Yanavas, the Kirata kingdom, the Gandharvas, the Chinas, the Savaras, the Barbaras, the Sakas, the Tusharas, the Kankas, the Pathavas, the Andhra kingdom, the Madra kingdom, the Paundras, the Pulindas, the Ramathas, the Kambojas were mentioned together as tribes beyond the kingdoms of Aryavarta. The Aryavarta kings had doubts about dealing with them. (12,64)
China is mentioned in the travel-descriptions of the Pandavas. The passage below, describes these Chinas, to be located somewhere in the high Himalayas: Mahabharata book 3, chapter 176 (MBh 3.176): "Leaving the place called Badari (Badrinath in Uttarakhand) and crossing the difficult Himalayan regions, and leaving behind them, the countries of China, Tukhara, Darada and all the climes of Kulinda, rich in heaps of jewels, those warlike men, viz. the Pandavas, reached the capital of Suvahu, the king of Pulindas (Kiratas)."
Bhima mentions a "China king" Dhautamulaka, who caused the destruction of his own race (5,74). The name "Dhautamulaka" translates to "clean root", and might be a reference to the last Xia emperor Jie (1728–1675 BC).
"Deer skins from China" are mentioned at (5,86). King Dhritarashtra wanted to give a thousand deer-skins from China as a present to Vasudeva Krishna: I will give him a thousand deer-skins brought from China and other things of the kind that may be worthy of his praise. During the Han dynasty (between the 2nd century BC and 2nd century AD), deer skins were used to make token money notes representing 400,000 coins.
The Epic poetry literature asserts that the Cinas, Khasas, Hunas, Shakas, Kambojas, Yavanas, Pahlavas, Kiratas, Sinhalas, Mlechchas etc. were created by sage Vashistha through the divine powers of cow Sabala or Nandini (Kamdhenu).Ramayana (1.52-55) & Mahabharata (1.174.6-48)
Bhuvanakosha section of numerous locates the Cinas along with the Tusharas, Pahlavas, Kambojas, and Barbaras in the Udichya or northern division of ancient India.":ete desha Udichyastu
There is yet another reference to China as Cina-maru as referred to in the Vayu Purana and Brahmanda Purana. However, at the same place, Matsya Purana mentions Vira-maru. China-maru or Vira-maru has been identified with the lands of Turkestan situated above And-khui in the north of Afghanistan (Dr K. P. Jayswal, Dr M. R. Singh).
Buddhist text Milindapanho (see: Sacred Books of the East, xxxvi, 204), associates the Chinas with the Sakas, Yavanas, Kambojas and Vilatas(?) etc., and locates them in and beyond the western Tibet/Ladakh, according to Dr Michael Witzel.Early East Iran, And The Atharvaveda, 1980, (Persica-9), p 106, Dr Michael Witzel.
The Sanmoha Tantra speaks of the Tantra culture of the foreign countries like the Bahlika (Bactria), Kiratas, Bhota (Tibet), Cina, Maha-Cina, Pahlava, Airaka, Kambojas, Huna, Yavana, Gandhara and .
The Manu Smriti, dated between 200 BC and 300 AD,Patrick Olivelle (2005), Manu's Code of Law, Oxford University Press, , pages 24–25 Glimpses of Indian Culture, Dinkar Joshi, p.51 describes the downfall of the Chinas, as well as many foreign groups in India:
Besides China and Parama-China, there is also a reference to Mahachina in the Manasollasa which text mentions the fabrics from Mahachina. It is thus possible that China probably referred to western Tibet or Ladakh, Mahachina to Tibet proper, and Parama-China to mainland China.
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