Bridging two worlds : comparing classical political thought and statecraft in India and China Setting the stage part 1 : overview of the project Daniel A. Bell Setting the stage part 2 : why compare the classical political thought of China and India Amitav Acharya Mining the past to construct the present : some methodological considerations from India Patrick Olivelle Some methodological reflections : in defense of philosophy of culture and thick generalizations Roger T. Ames How do Xunzi and Kautilya ponder interstate politics Yan Xuetong Asokas Dhamma as a project of expansive moral hegemony Rajeev Bhargava A comparative study on the international political thought of Han Feizi and Kautilya Xu Jin The spectre of amoral realism in international relations : a classical Indian overview Deepshikha Shahi The particularity of ancient China as an empire Zhou Fangyin Ideas of empire in ancient India in a comparative frame Upinder Singh The Mahabharata Mencius and the modern world : reflections on Dharmayuddha and Anrsamsya Kanad Sinha Mencius on just war : a comparison with political thought in ancient India Daniel A. Bell Indias diplomacy in absentia : offence defence violence Deep K. Datta Ray From ancient Silk Road to modern Belt and Road Initiative : a signaling approach to trust building across narratives Zhao Yujia Balancing in ancient China Qi Haixia International order in ancient India Manjeet S. Pardesi. A free open access ebook is available upon publication. Learn more at www.luminosoa.org. The rise of China and India could be the most important political development of the twenty first century. What will the foreign policies of China and India look like in the future What should they look like And what can each country learn from the other Bridging Two Worlds gathers a coterie of experts in the field analyzing profound political thinkers from these ancient regions whose theories of interstate relations set the terms for the debates today. This volume is the first work that systematically compares ancient thoughts and theories about international politics between China and India. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the growth of China and India and what it will mean for the rest of the world