China’s civilisational journey is a tale of unimaginable accomplishments and extraordinary national ambitions. The Indian monk Vajrabodhi, who travelled to the Tang ruler’s court in 720 AD, where he taught Buddhism and received the title Guoshi (Teacher of the Realm), mentioned China’s ambition to send merchants, missionaries and students westward to conquer new territory. John A. Hobson, the English economist and critic, in 1902 opined that with its enormous territory, diverse cl