The Chinas or Ciñas are a people mentionned in ancient Indian sources at the beginning of our era, such as the Manu Smriti, the Mahabharata as well as in the Puranic literature. They are believed to have been the Chinese.

In the epic of the Mahabharata, the Cinas 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 the Kiratas, and the Cinas. Also in the Bhismaparvan, the army of Bhagadatta is said to consist of the Kirtas and the "yellow-colored" Cinas.

Bhishamaparva of Mahabharata also lists the Cinas with the Mlechha tribes of the north like the Yavanas, Kambojas, Kuntalas, Hunas, Parasikas, Darunas, Ramanas, Dasamalikas (MBH 6/9/65-66). These verses date to fifth century AD when the

Shantiparvan of Mahabharata groups the Cinas with the barbarous tribes of the Uttarapatha viz the Yavanas, Kiratas, Gandharas, Shabras, Barbaras, Shakas, Tusharas, Kanakas, Pahlavas, Andhras, Madrakas, Ramathas, and the Kambojas nad states them as living the lives of Dasyus. These verses of epic further expect these tribes to perform certain duties which are different from those performed by the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras (MBH 12/65/13-15).

Vanaparvan of the Mahabharata states that the territory of the Cinas can be reached by a land-route across the country of the Kiratas in the mountain regions of the north.

Kiskindhakanda of Valmiki Ramayana makes reference to Cinas as well as Parama-Cinas and associates them with the trans-Himalayan tribes of the Daradas, Kambojas, the Yavanas, the Sakas, the Kiratas, the Bahlikas, the Rishikas, and the Tañkanas of the Uttarapatha. (The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume 4, Kiskindhakanda, p 151, Rosalind Lefeber).

The epic literature asserts

In the Kalika Purana, the Cinas are again grouped with the Kambojas, Shakas, Khasas and the Barabaras etc and are said to have sided with Buddhist king Kali in the war against Vedic king Kalika (Kalika Purana 20/40).

Bhuvanakosha section of numerous Puranas locates the Cinas along with the Tusharas, Pahlavas, Kambojas, and Barbaras in the Udichya or northern division of ancient India.

ete desha Udichya.stu

Kambojashchaiva Dardashchaiva Barbarashcha Angaukikah || 47 ||

Chinashchaiva Tusharashcha Pahlavadhayata narah || 48 ||

— (Brahama Purana 27.44-53)

According to Vayu Purana and the Matsya Purana, the Cinas and several other tribes would be annihilated by king Pramiti at the end of Kali age ( Vayu I, 58.78-83; Matsya 114.51.58).

The Cinas also find reference in the Buddhist play, Mudrarakshasa, where they are listed with the other contemprary tribes like the Shakas, Yavanas, Kiratas, Cambojas, Bhalikas, Parasikas, Khasas, Gandharas, Kalutas etc.

And the Sanmoha Tantra speaks of the Tantric culture of the foreign countries like the Bahlika (Bactria), Kirata, Bhota (Tibet), Cina, Maha-Cina, Parasika, Airaka, Kamboja, Huna, Yavana, Gandhara and Nepala .

Around 200 CE, the Manu Smriti describes the downfall of the Chinas, as well as many foreign groups in India:

"43. But in consequence of the omission of the sacred rites, and of their not consulting Brahmanas, the following tribes of Kshatriyas have gradually sunk in this world to the condition of Shudras;

44. (Viz.) the Paundrakas, the Chodas, the Dravidas, the Kambojas, the Yavanas, the Shakas, the Paradas, the Pahlavas, the Chinas, the Kiratas, the Daradas and the Khashas." (Manusmritti, X.43-44)