EACS NEWSLETTER 27
EACS NEWSLETTER
No. 27, December 2001
Some thoughts in the wake of ICAS 2
The CCK Centre at Charles University in Prague
Chinese language holdings of St. Petersburg branch of Oriental Studies, RAS
Russian-Chinese historical relations
Announcing women and gender network
International quality network
Conference and workshop announcements
Conference reports
Grants
New appointments
Faculty positions
Obituary
New publications
SOME THOUGHTS IN THE WAKE OF ICAS 2
The Free University campus in south-west Berlin was an attractive summer setting for this event. As usual on such occasions we met old friends and made new. There was a good enough attendance from both sides of the Atlantic to make for a bonding experience. Although the promised Korean musician failed to appear at the opening ceremony we could still enjoy an elegant and wide-ranging keynote address from Professor Wang Gungwu. Even at this short time-range, however, history has already been unkind to him. His speech structured Asian studies in the modern world into three great periods – an Orientalist phase, a Cold War phase characterized by a struggle of ideologies, and the subsequent phase in which we find ourselves now – an era of pluralism and complexity. Do not be afraid of relativism, he urged us. But alas, within weeks of hearing those words we see a world once again aligning itself into a struggle of dualistic values, with Asia at the heart of the drama. Will relativism guide us through this storm? The outcome remains uncertain.
The business of the conference raised questions which will stay with us for some time. There were 600 paid registrations, plus late arrivals, who this time included scholars from Asia. What was first conceived as a project to draw Asianists in Europe together with their counterparts in North America has now expanded to include Asia itself. ICAS 3 will take place in Singapore (on 13 August 2003), and organizers of that future event were already there with us in Berlin. What lessons have been learned this summer which can usefully shape preparations for next time?
There were two opposing views on the four-hour session structure within which papers were presented. For some it was cause for rejoicing that speakers could elaborate their topics without constraint of time: please keep this, they said. For others the length of sessions created a formlessness which made it difficult to plan their movements as individuals throughout the day.
More fundamental than this were questions of co-ordination which arose at all levels. Whose task was it to co-ordinate single papers into ad hoc panels, and how should that be done? What precisely was the task of the Programme Committee? It emerged that this body had no common guidelines to work by, and the regional sub-groups within it had each adopted their own style of quality control. The China members (two from Europe, two from USA) seem to have exercised greater rigour than the others: we jointly graded all submissions from A to D and rejected those below a certain level. By performing this busy but quite interesting task your EACS representatives were able to give some meaning and value to the Association’s sponsorship of the Congress. Should our procedure be standardized in ICAS 3? Unfortunately there is still much uncertainty on matters of sponsorship and quality control. The AAS officers asked what equivalent associations in Asia would join in the role of AAS itself and the various European associations in shaping the academic business of the next congress. The Singapore organizers, it seems, have not yet formulated a policy on the matter of academic co-ordination and quality control.
The fate of the European Science Foundation’s Asia Committee was due to be announced at the plenary session of ICAS 2. But the news was not known and no announcement was made. We have learned since then that the Asia Committee will be discontinued, which clearly means that its function as a prime mover of the ICAS gatherings will also cease. IIAS will continue to provide a secretariat for the ICAS movement. These developments will surely, like the move to Singapore and the expansion of Asian participation, lead to a refocusing of the whole enterprise. EACS members will certainly follow the story with interest.
Glen Dudbridge
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THE CHIANG CHING-KUO FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL SINOLOGICAL CENTRE AT CHARLES UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE
The Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation International Sinological Centre (CCK – ISC) at Charles University already has a history of four years. It was established in October 1997 and officially started its operation in 1998. Prof. Oldrich Kr¨¢l from the Institute of East Asian Studies at Charles University was appointed as its first director. During the first four years of its operation, besides administering the CCK Foundation European Fellowship Programmes, it supported several international conferences held in Prague, as well as other scholarly activities. At the end of the first stage of the Centre activities, the CCK Foundation in Taipei evaluated its operation and agreed to continue supporting the Prague Centre for the next three years. As its new director the Foundation appointed Olga Lomova, current director of IEAS at Charles University.
The Prague Centre will perform several tasks. First, it will continue to administer the CCK Foundation doctoral and post-doctoral grant applications. Second, it will provide systematic support for the development of Czech Sinology, including research grants for Czech Sinologists, library acquisitions and publication subsidies. Third, it will support activities aimed at regional co-operation in the field of Sinology. In this respect, close co-operation with EACS is most desirable. For more details see the appended Main Guidelines of the Centre and brief description of the programmes designed for international participants. All European Sinologists are encouraged to contact the Centre, participate in its activities and also suggest further improvements in its work, including suggesting particular topics for seminars and conferences to be held in the future. Currently the concrete programme for the next year is being finalized, and this will be available on our website by the end of November.
Olga Lomov?
For further information please contact Ms. Stana Vomackova.
E-mail: Stana.Vomackova@ff.cuni.cz
Tel.: +4202 24491510; Fax: +4202 24491510 or +4202 24491423.
Address: Chiang Ching-Kuo International Sinological Center at Charles University in Prague
Celetn? 20
116 42 Praha 1
Czech Republic.
Homepage: http://udv239-3.ruk.cuni.cz/
Application forms will be available from November 1st at the Prague CCK Centre or on our web page.
I. Main Guidelines of the Prague CCK-ISC Centre
The Centre will serve as a bridge between the past tradition of
Czech Sinology and its future development, creating a stimulating environment for both teachers and students in Prague, and bringing together all Czech Sinological institutions, including the Academy of Sciences and Palack? University in Olomouc.
The Centre will also serve as a bridge between Sinology and other fields of research at Charles University, encouraging inter-disciplinary projects in which Sinology will play an important role.
The Centre will serve as a bridge between Sinology and a wider Czech audience, popularising the results of research. In this way the Centre will contribute to a better understanding of Taiwan and China and arouse the interest of future generations of students and researchers.
The Centre will serve as a bridge between Sinology departments in Central and Eastern Europe, supporting regional academic exchanges, including collaborative research.
The Centre will serve as a bridge between Czech and European Sinology in general, enriching the Sinology programme in Prague and at the same time providing an arena for pan-European activities as well. Close co-operation with EACS is most desirable.
The Centre will serve as a bridge between European and American Sinology, closely co-operating with the American CCK Centre at Columbia University.
The Centre will serve as a bridge between Czech Sinology and Taiwanese scholarly institutions, as well as scholarly institutions in Mainland China. It is hoped that the Centre will strengthen academic exchanges between Chinese and European scholars, thus helping to overcome the still-existing barriers between scholarly research in the West and in the East.
All these aspects of the proposed activities are equally important, mutually interrelated and will be organised in a balanced way. Existing co-operative agreements with National Taiwan University, with Peking University and Peoples University in Mainland China, and with several European universities, as well as projects already organised by EACS, will also be exploited for the projects sponsored by the Centre.
II. Fields of interest
The main fields of scholarly interest are defined on the basis of already existing teaching and research programmes. At the same time the Centre will attempt to bridge serious gaps in Prague Sinology – primarily the absence of studies on Taiwan, as well as cultural studies related to China in general, including studies of Chinese religion and philosophy.
Existing teaching and research programmes: Chinese language and linguistics (both modern and classical), Classical Chinese literature, including traditional theatre and performing arts, Modern Chinese literature, Chinese art and archaeology, Non-Han nationalities of China, their languages, history and culture and their relations with the Han Chinese. Programmes which we would like to establish in the very near future with partial support from the Centre are: literature and society in Taiwan, religion and philosophy.
The Centre may organise small-scale international seminars and conferences. Preference will go to projects with well-defined topics, interdisciplinary projects, projects on little studied though important topics, and projects focusing on new approaches. The size of each conference should not exceed 20 participants, so that there will be enough space for detailed discussion and exchange of views. The main aim of the conferences will be to bring together scholars from the East (Taiwan and China) and the West (Europe and U.S.A.), and the best, already well-established specialists with young promising scholars. The Centre will help to publish the proceedings in co-operation with Charles University Press.
Small-scale student and teacher workshops will be organised as a part of ongoing research programmes. Preference will be given to workshops aimed at systematising current knowledge in certain fields of Sinology, and preparation of teaching and research materials.
Postdoctoral fellowships to do research in the Lu Xun Library in Prague: The Centre will closely co-operate with the Oriental Institute, providing resources to enable young scholars not resident in Prague to undertake research in the Lu Xun library, known mainly for its excellent collections of early modern Chinese literature, as well as other valuable resources. The fellowship would cover the cost of accommodation and provide a small stipend for living expenses. Scholars benefiting from this support will be asked to give a talk at Charles University. It is desirable that in the future this programme will be included in the Library Travel Grants Programme supported directly by CCK and administered by EACS.
International students’ mobility support: This is a special programme designed for students from Europe wishing to participate in seminars and special courses organised in Prague. It is intended to cover accommodation costs in Charles University student dormitories and, in special cases, travel expenses. Preference will be given to students from Eastern Europe with minimal financial resources.
Teachers’ regional mobility: This programme will provide resources for teachers in the region to give courses in other than their home universities or to participate in conferences.
Special small-scale cultural events, such as art exhibitions, small-scale film festivals, music and theatre performances, each accompanied by lectures and seminars. The aim of this programme is to raise awareness of Taiwanese and Chinese culture, as well as presenting the results of on-going research. It should be undertaken in close co-operation with other scholarly and cultural institutions in the Czech Republic, and substantial financial resources will also be sought for this purpose from other sources.
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CHINESE LANGUAGE HOLDINGS OF ST. PETERSBURG BRANCH, INSTITUTE OF ORIENTAL STUDIES, RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies in the Russian Academy of Sciences is one of the most prominent libraries for Eastern Studies outside of Asia. The history of the Institute and its collection can be traced back to 1818, when the Asian Museum of the Imperial Academy of Sciences was founded in St. Petersburg. The Museum held Eastern antiquities and books from the famous collection of Russian Tsar Peter the Great. The collection was enhanced during the XIX century through voluntary donations of the personal libraries and archives of envoys, travellers, statesmen, merchants and scholars. In 1930, the Institute of Oriental Studies was established on the basis of the Museum. By now the collection includes manuscripts and early printed books (numbering 100.000 items in 63 living and dead languages). Here one can find almost all known oriental scripts and a varied range of media, including stone, metal, wood, leather, papyrus, parchment, birch bark, palm leaf and different types of paper.
A famous manuscript holding in St. Petersburg is the Dunhuang collection acquired by S. F. Oldenburg (1863-1934) during his expedition in 1914-15. It contains in total more than 18.000 items.
The Institute of Oriental Studies also holds the biggest collection of Chinese rubbings in Russia. The collection of approximately 1.000 rubbings is rather diverse in content. Most rubbings were collected by the well-known Sinologist V. M. Alekseev (1881-1951), who was one of the founders of the modern Russian school of Chinese studies. In 1907-1909, 1912 and 1926 he visited China and collected about 500 rubbings. Later more rubbings were added to this collection, such as those of metal vessels from the collection of Archeological Department of Peking University in the 1930s.
The big Central Asian manuscript collection, form
ed mainly at the beginning of the 20th century, represents unique texts from Central Asia in Sanskrit, Saka, Tokharian and Tibetan; Hsi-hsia and Chinese texts from Khara-Khoto, etc. Chinese holdings include the Dunhuang collection, the Chinese rubbings collection, the Chinese woodblock printed books collection; the "New" Chinese collection; the Map collection and the Port-Arthur archive collection; Khara-Khoto fund. All these are systematized and catalogued. First steps have been taken towards establishing a large-scale database, which in future will offer full access to the collections.
The collection of archival documents comprises materials on a vast number of subjects. It includes notes by Russian orientalists on the history, literature, geography and folklore of peoples of the East, documents on their scholarly and social activities, their letters, photographs, plans etc.
The archives preserve reports of various research institutions, congresses and conferences, the Russian Palestine Society, the Russian ecclesiastical mission in Beijing, drafts of particular works, diaries, descriptions and reports of expeditions. Among personal archives are materials of such famous Russian scholars as N. Ya. Bichurin, V. A. Zhukovsky, O. M. Kovalevsky, I. P. Minaev, N. A. Nevsky, A. Ye. Snesarev and others.
The main scholarly activity in the St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies is fundamental research on ancient and medieval Asia, its history, philology, religion, philosophy, law, and the multi-facted study of ancient manuscripts and rare books in Asian languages. Scholars have drawn heavily in their research on primary sources included in these collections. Since the first days of the history of the Asian Museum the cataloguing of the collection, the publication, translation and investigation of the concrete manuscripts and sources are of the primary importance for Eastern studies and Sinology in St. Petersburg.
There are nine departments in our Institute, three of which emphasis Chinese studies: the Department of the Far East, the Department of Chinese and Central Asian Historiography, and the Far Eastern textual criticism group. The Institute maintains permanent cooperation with scientific institutions all over the world, and has an active exchange of microfilms with centres of Asian studies and libraries.
Irina Popova
Institute of Oriental Studies
St. Petersburg Branch
Russian Academy of Sciences
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THE INITIAL STAGE IN RUSSIAN-CHINESE RELATIONS
Russian Sinology has a very long history of about 300 years and is one of the most productive realms of Asian Studies. Early research work, which received an impetus from the set up of Russian Orthodox Mission in China in 1727, was based on a vast body of descriptive information gleaned before. From very early times Russia’s scientific knowledge grew with the desire for greater knowledge of peoples with whom she came more closely and frequently in contact. The actual history of Russia-China relations can be traced to the Yuan dynasty. In the conquest of continental Asia by Mongols many captives were brought to China, which at that time was part of the vast Mongolian Empire. The young and strong men were enlisted into the ruler’s guard, which included Kypchak, Alanian and Russian regiments. How many of the Russian soldiers were in service with Yuan emperors is unknown, but the Yuan shi mentions the enlistment of 2700 Russian guards in 1332 and the appointment of general Boyan as a commander of the Russian regiment in 1334. Supposedly Russians moved west with the Mongols after the breakdown of the Yuan dynasty. There is no evidence of Russian presence at the Chinese court later on.
China (Kitay) is first mentioned in Russian sources of the XIV century as a state conquered by Mongols. In 1469-1472 the Russian merchant Afanasiy Nikitin visited India and compiled his account "Journey over Three Seas", which is one of the most significant sources for understanding the traditions and institutional life of medieval India. China was referred to in this book as "Khatay", and it was noted that the way from India to China took six months overland and four by sea. The sea journey to China from Europe at that time was very dangerous and took nearly two years.
Among the central features of Russian history in the XVI century was the extensive exploration of the vast territories of Siberia and the growth of trade with Asia. New political and geographical knowledge of China came to Russia, and in 1608 Tsar Vasiliy Shuysky gave orders to send a diplomatic mission to China. Because of the clashes between the western Mongols and Kalmyk tribes the mission headed by Vasiliy Tyumenets left only in 1616. He reached the Mongolian steppes, visited Altyn-khan, but did not continue into the territory of China and returned to Moscow.
In 1618 in Tobolsk a new mission headed by the Siberian Cossack Ivan Petlin was formed. The envoys went through Mongolia. Two lamas accompanied them on the way from the Golden Tsar’s camp at Ubsa-Nor to Beijing. The lamas had visited China before, and their guidance made the journey faster. Petlin only stayed four days in the Chinese capital. He was not allowed to attend an audience at court, because the envoys did not bring tribute for the emperor. The journey back was very hard and long, and it was the spring of 1619 when the travellers reached the territory of Russia. In September 1619, Petlin presented to the Tsar a detailed record of his journey, an essentially veracious "Map of the Chinese State" and a letter from the Ming Emperor Shen zong (1573-1620). These valuable documents provided much primary information on various aspects of Chinese life. The Chinese emperor’s letter was translated into Russian only in 1675, because of lack of skilled interpreters before. In these documents Shen zong encouraged Russian rulers to set up tributary relations.
A first embassy with rich gifts for the Chinese emperor was sent in 1654. The head of the mission Fedor Baykov (1612-1663) received instructions from the Tsar to set up friendly relations and establish overland trade with China. In Beijing, Baykov refused to kowtow at the Temple gates and after six months he was dismissed without audience. In spite of the diplomatic failure of the mission, its scientific contribution cannot be overestimated. "Baykov’s Roll" described the routes used by Central-Asian merchants, who for a long time were mediators in trade with China. The Roll became well known in Europe, was published by French geographer M. Thevenot, and then translated into Latin, German, English, Dutch and French.
The missions headed by Seitkul Ablin (1654, 1658, 1668) and Ivan Perfilyev (1658) gave limited new economic and ethnological information, but witnessed growth of political activity in the Russian and Qing empires in continental Asia.
The need to set up stable diplomatic and functional trade relations became urgent, and in 1657 a thoroughly organized embassy headed by Nikolay Milesky-Spathary (1636-1708) set out. Spathary was a man of vast knowledge and great merits. He was renowned for his learning as "vir polyglottus" and a specialist in Church history. Without kowtowing he was summoned to the Qing emperor’s audience and stood on his dignity. That mission had no political effect, but on his return Spathary handed a full account of his journey and residence in Beijing, a map of China and remarkable and accurate descriptions of China with an outline of new trade routes.
The first Russian missions, mentioned above, established the first basis for diplomatic principles in Russia-China relations and made original and valuable contributions to descriptive sinology.
Vladimir S.Myasnikov
Institute of Far East Studies
Russian Academy of Sciences
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ANNOUNCING THE WOMEN AND GENDER IN CHINESE STUDIES NETWORK
The Women and Gender in Chinese Studies Network held its inaugural meeting at the International Convention of Asia Scholars in Berlin, August 2001.
Our concern is to link up European scholarship in Chinese women’s or gender studies, in all its linguistic diversity. While a main aim is to bring together European scholars, so that we know who is working where, in which disciplines and on which issues, the Network is open to our colleagues in Asia and other parts of the world. We will also be integrating this Network, as quickly as possible, into the global network of China-related women and gender studies for wider access and communication.
The aim of the Network is to function as a DATA AND RESOURCE BASE that will
- provide a site for members’ profiles and project details
- ring news of workshops, of conferences and of any event of relevance to the Network
- give publicity to new publications within women’s/gender studies in China particularly to those in a language other than English – primarily but not exclusively European
- facilitate communication, exchange of ideas and of information
The Network will also FACILITATE SPECIFIC PROJECTS – the first such project is to bring together Network members at the forthcoming European Association of Chinese Studies (EACS) conference in Moscow next year.
EACS section – Women and Gender Studies
The section Women and Gender Studies will be held at the coming European Association of Chinese Studies conference in order to provide scholars working in Chinese women and gender studies in Europe with an opportunity to present their work. A separate forum will allow for a comprehensive and coherent overview of current issues, themes and projects, which mark new dynamic developments in this field.
We were motivated into action by the relative invisibility of women’s and gender studies scholarship at the EACS conference in Torino in September 2000, where only a minority of European scholars and students in the field were present. We feel that a direct invitation to our colleagues to participate in panels that express women or gender-related issues would best redress the problem.
Given this background, we want the section to be as inclusive and wide-ranging as possible: we expect scholarship to be cross-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary; classical, medieval, or modern; theoretical and/or empirical and ethnographic. This approach is designed both to incorporate as many diverse projects as is feasible, but also to reflect the versatile and fluid nature of women and gender studies.
The aims of convening a cross- and multi-disciplinary section on Women and Gender Studies in China are as follows:
- To promote intellectual cross-fertilisation among scholars and students of China-related women and gender studies.
- To establish the EACS as a permanent site of contact and co-operation for such scholars and students.
- To raise the profile of women and gender studies, both in relation to teaching and to research, in Chinese Studies in Europe.
We welcome suggestions for panels and individual papers.
It has been suggested that a Round Table could be organized by the Network around a theme of topical and common interest. We would appreciate any input on the nature of such a Round Table discussion!
Please send proposals to section conveners Maria Jaschok (maria.jaschok@qeh.ox.ac.uk) and Cecilia Milwertz (milwertz@nias.ku.dk).
Postal addresses:
Maria Jaschok
CCCRW
Queen Elizabeth House
21 St Giles
Oxford OX1 3LA, UK
Cecilia Milwertz
NIAS
Leifsgade 33
DK-2300 Copenhagen S
Denmark.
Join the Network
All of the above will depend on members’ readiness to participate in this new Network venture. The Network will be what members make of it.
The Network is open to scholars and students in all disciplines – anthropology, sociology, history, literature, economics and many others, and to those with a practical interest in aspects of China-related women and gender studies.
To join the Network send an email to maria.jaschok@qeh.ox.ac.uk
Website: www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/cccrw/wagcn/
E-mail list
An e-mail list has been set up for quick communication among Network members.
Comments and suggestions
We are eager to receive responses to the setting up of the Network and to receive ideas for Network activities – so please send us your comments and suggestions.
Dr Maria Jaschok, Oxford University
Dr Cecilia Milwertz, the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies
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INTERNATIONAL QUALITY NETWORK (IQN): Exchange of Knowledge Between China and the West
The IQN-Project Exchanges of Knowledge Between China and the West is designed to explore the historical and philosophical foundations of knowledge exchanges between China and the Occident from around 1600 to the present. The project is directed and organized by the Department of Middle Eastern and Far Eastern Languages and Cultures at the Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nuremberg in cooperation with the Institute of Philosophy of the Technical University Berlin and partner institutions in Europe (Oslo, Paris, Rome), China (Beijing, Shanghai), Hong Kong and Japan (Osaka).
The project is a continuation of the research project "Wissenschafts-sprache Chinesisch" which was initiated at the University of Göttingen and the TU Berlin about four years ago and is now also based in Erlangen (www.wsc.uni-erlangen.de).
The project, which will formally begin in October 2001, is intended to establish an international and interdisciplinary infrastructure aimed at strengthening and extending existing contacts and networks of individuals and institutions working in relevant fields. It endeavours to promote cooperation, in research and teaching, between historians, historians of science, philosophers, political scientists, linguists, Japanologists and Sinologists in order to foster new insights into the manifold layers of the exchange, translation and transfer of knowledge between China and the West and generate new or refined methodological approaches.
During the academic years 2001-02 and 2002-03, research and teaching to be conducted within the framework of the project will focus on four subject areas:
- Exchanges of knowledge and the formation of academic disciplines
- Structures of transcultural scientific interaction
- The formation and evolution of terminologies
- Everyday technologies in comparative perspective
The project aims at a close integration of teaching and research. Students are expected to take a full part in research activities and present their findings in seminars at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg and TU Berlin. Individual research results will be incorporated into joint publications.
The project offers scholarships for advanced students (post B.A.) for a duration of one semester, scholarships for graduate students (doctoral candidates and post
-docs) for one year and post-doc positions for one year.
For further information and details of application procedures please refer to the project website at: www.lssin.uni-erlangen.de/iqncall.htm or contact:
Prof. Dr. Michael Lackner
Dept. of Middle Eastern and Far Eastern Languages and Cultures
Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
Bismarckstr. 1
91054 Erlangen, Germany
Tel.: +49 9131 85 22448
Fax: +49 9131 85 26374
E-mail: mllackne@phil.uni-erlangen.de
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CONFERENCE and WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENTS
"PERCEPTIONS OF GENTILITY IN CHINESE LITERATURE AND HISTORY," UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM, DURHAM, ENGLAND, MARCH 21-23, 2002
This conference aims to bring together specialists in Chinese literature and history working on aspects of gentility in pre-modern and twentieth-century China, and will result in the publication of a volume of edited papers. All participants are expected to contribute to the discussions.
Professor Ellen Widmer (Wesleyan University, USA) will be giving the keynote speech, Professor Glen Dudbridge (University of Oxford, England) and Professor Harriet Zurndorfer (University of Leiden, The Netherlands) will be discussants. International speakers include Professor Luo Suwen (Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences), Professor Hsiung Ping-chen (Academia Sinica, Taiwan) and Professor Oki Yasushi (Tokyo University, Japan).
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"RUSSIA AND CHINA ON THE FAR EASTERN BOUNDARIES," AMUR STATE UNIVERSITY AND FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES OF ST. PETERSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY, "OPEN SOCIETY" INSTITUTE, MAY 16-19, 2002
Amur State University is planning to organize a number of conferences devoted to different aspects of Far Eastern historical study. We have the pleasure to invite you to participate in "Russia and China on the Far Eastern boundaries – 2002."
Conference themes include:
- Ancient and medieval cultures of the Far East.
- History of exploration, settling and development of the Far East by Russians.
- Constants of Chinese civilization: ethnic, geopolitical and religious universals of national consciousness of the Chinese.
- Ethnic and religious communities of East Asia.
- Problems of Chinese linguistics: typology of linguistic patterns and language universals.
- Russian culture and immigration in China.
- Culture and religion of small ethnic groups in the Far East.
- Far East: theoretical and practical landmarks of the political and legal environment.
- Economic aspects of co-operation between China and Russia.
For further information, please contact
Vice-president Andrey Zabijako
Ignatievskoye Shosse 21
Amur State University
Blagoveshchensk
Russia 675027
Tel: +7 (4162) 350553
Fax: 7 (4162) 350377
E-mail: sciencia@amursu.ru
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DISCOURSES ON POLITICAL REFORM AND DEMOCRATIZATION IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA IN THE LIGHT OF NEW PROCESSES OF REGIONAL COMMUNITY-BUILDING, DUISBURG, GERMANY, MAY 22-24, 2002
Beyond the purely economic dimension of the financial and economic crisis in Asia there is also a political dimension which has generated a discourse on the political reasons for the crisis and thus the future of political structures and political systems. Even though the discussion may take different turns in each of the countries involved, emerging transnational processes and discussion contexts can still be discerned.
This conference intends to:
- trace and analyse conceptions of the political future since the mid-nineties at three levels: 1) the political elite; 2) the intellectual elite; 3) NGOs;
- look at the influence exerted on the political reform process by political discourse;
- discern whether a second debate on "Asian values" is emerging or has emerged on the basis of democratic values;
- analyse whether the conceptions formed by political discourse tend to be "Asian", "Western" or syncretic;
- provide an exhaustive answer to the question whether political discourse is contributing to a debate reaching beyond the earlier one on "Asian values", and whether a common identity oriented towards democratic elements is formed.
This will be analysed in the case of two authoritarian states (China, Vietnam), a multi-ethnic, formally democratic state with strong authoritarian features (Malaysia), and a democratic state with significant parochial structures and patterns of behaviour (Japan).
Registration and further information: please contact Falko Lendzian. E-mail: Duisburg.Conference@uni-duisburg.de
VIII INTERNATIONAL CHIME CONFERENCE: "SEX, LOVE, AND ROMANCE: REFLECTIONS ON THE PASSIONS IN EAST ASIAN MUSIC," SHEFFIELD, JULY 26-29, 2002
East Asian musics are sometimes assumed by the unfamiliar to be dry, intellectual, calculated and formal. The 8th International Conference of CHIME, the European Foundation for Chinese Music, puts the spotlight on the earthy, the passionate, and the impulsive. How is music the food of love in China and her neighbours, and how have the passions inspired the musical urge? These and related questions will be addressed in a conference headed "Sex, Love, and Romance: Reflections on the Passions in East Asian Music".
Abstracts of around 300 words are now invited for twenty-minute presentations. Proposers may also submit panel sessions of a maximum of 120 minutes (including discussion) – in this case, an abstract of around 300 words should detail the theme and interest of the panel as a whole, with abstracts of 100-200 words for each contribution. A small number of papers will also be accepted under the open theme of ‘New Research’. Poster presentations may also be offered.
Send abstracts, bookings and enquiries to: Dr Jonathan Stock, Department of Music, University of Sheffield, 38 Taptonville Road, Sheffield S10 5BR, ENGLAND UK. Tel. +44-114 222 0483. Fax +44-114 266 8053. E-mail: j.p.j.stock@sheffield.ac.uk.
Conference website: www.shef.ac.uk/uni/academic/I-M/mus/staff/js/chime.html
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CONTRASTIVE AND TRANSLATION STUDIES BETWEEN CHINESE AND ENGLISH, EAST CHINA NORMAL UNIVERSITY, SHANGHAI, AUGUST 7-11, 2002
For further information, please contact Pan Wenguo, Professor in Chinese and English Founding Head, Department of International Chinese Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China 200062. E-mail: wgpan@yahoo.com
www.ecnu.edu.cn/yantaohui.htm
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CONFERENCE and WORKSHOP REPORTS
7TH ANNUAL NATIONAL ACADEMIC CONFERENCE: "PHILOSOPHY OF THE EAST ASIAN REGION AND MODERN CIVILIZATION," MOSCOW, MAY 28-29, 2001
This conference was organized by the Centre for Studying East Asian Spiritual Civilizations, IFES, Russian Academy of Sciences. More than thirty Sinologists en
gaged in philosophical and cultural research coming from academic research centres and universities of Russia, Ukraine and Poland took part in the conference.
The conference was opened by the welcome address and keynote paper "Globalization: the problems of construction of global civilization and interrelations between Western and Eastern civilizations" contributed by Mikhail Titarenko, Director of IFES, RAS. It was stressed in the paper that globalisation is not equivalent in meaning to Westernisation. A new world order can be established on the basis of mutual understanding and co-operation and strict respect of national cultural identities.
A large number of papers were devoted to the topics of traditional Chinese philosophy and culture. Anatoly Lukjanov, Director of the Centre for Eastern Asian spiritual civilizations’ studies, presented the paper "Philosophical views of Li Bai", which gives a new key to understanding the philosophical ideas presented by Li Bai in his poetry.
Vitaliy Feoktistov (IFES, RAS) in his paper put the question: "Do we need any new translations of ‘Lun Yu’?" He advised every author of a new translation to make clear the differences between a new translation and the translations already existing. Innovative ideas were presented by Piotr Gibas (Warsaw University) in his paper "Ritual meaning of ‘time’ in the ‘Chun-Qiu’ annals." Prof. Perelomov (IFES, RAS) presented the paper "Interpretation of dao in the works of Chen Lifu." Lidia Golovacheva (Institute for Oriental Studies, Ukraine) and Zinaida Lapina (IAAS, Moscow State University) devoted their papers to the problem of interpretation of "Lun Yu". Several papers were devoted to history of philosophy, numerology, history of Russian Sinology.
The conference was remarkable for the variety of topics discussed and the high academic level of papers presented. The abstracts of papers will be published after the conference.
EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR CHINESE LINGUISTICS (EACL), UNIVERSITY OF ROME "LA SAPIENZA," SEP. 6-8, 2001
The second meeting of EACL was organized by Professor Federico Masini and his colleagues at the University of Rome "La Sapienza". It was a very stimulating and well-organized meeting, which brought together some sixty participants from a good dozen European countries. The papers presented covered an impressively wide range of subjects, historical periods, and theoretical frameworks. EACS members interested in the abstracts of these papers can refer to the website: digilander.iol.it/chinesedep/eventi.html.
During the business meeting of the Rome conference, four members of the outgoing board were replaced, so that it now consists of Viviane Alleton (EHESS, Paris), Wolfgang Behr (Ruhr-Universität, Bochum), Wynn Chao (SOAS, London), Bart Dessein (Universiteit Gent), Christoph Harbsmeier (Universitetet i Oslo), Federico Masini (Universit? di Roma "La Sapienza"), Marie-Claude Paris (Universit? de Paris VII), Alain Peyraube (CNRS, EHESS, Paris), and Florentina Visan (Universitatea din Bucureti).
The next meeting of the EACL is planned to be held at Gent University, on September 6-10, 2003. Additional information on the association, its members, projects, and goals will shortly be available at the following website: www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/eacl/index.html
Wolfgang Behr
EACL Secretary
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GRANTS
CHIANG CHING-KUO FOUNDATION LIBRARY TRAVEL GRANTS
(Information about these grants is available elsewhere on this website. Click here to go there.)
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NEW APPOINTMENTS
Raoul David Findeisen is appointed Professor of Chinese Language and Literature, Faculty of East Asian Studies, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany.
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FACULTY POSITIONS
DEPARTMENT OF ASIAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN
Associate Professor in Chinese History (401-221-503/01-4291), to be filled by August 1, 2002.
Requirements: Documented original research on post-doctoral level in one or several subjects related to the history of China and Chinese cultures. The successful candidate must document superior qualifications in Modern Chinese language as a foreign language. Qualifications in teaching Classical Chinese would be an advantage.
Duties: The lektor must be committed to the development of Chinese studies in the department and will be given general administrative duties pertaining to the Chinese section and the institute in general. The lektor will be expected to teach courses in Chinese history, Modern and Classical Chinese language, supervise students at all levels and will be responsible for the organisation and examination of the taught courses.
The Department of Asian Studies covers Asia from the Indian Subcontinent to Japan. A variety of academic disciplines are pursued in the study of Asian civilisations with language as an essential and integral part in both the undergraduate and the postgraduate education. Further inquiries may be directed to the head of the department, Yoichi Nagashima, tel. (0045) 353 28824, fax 353 28835, E-mail: yoichi@hum.ku.dk
Guidelines for the assessment of the material submitted and a description of the required information and material to be forwarded together with the application must be obtained from the Office of the Faculty of Humanities, E-mail: hum-fak@fak.hum.ku.dk. or fax 45 35 32 80 52. The information is also available at www.hum.ku.dk/personale/guidelines-app.html
Applications are invited from qualified candidates regardless of age, sex, race, religion or ethnic origin.
Closing date for application: 14 January, 2002, 12 noon.
Applications should be addressed to the Rector of the University of Copenhagen with reference to the above mentioned J.nr. and sent to The Faculty of Humanities, Njalsgade 80, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark.
DÉPARTEMENT DE LITTÉRATURE COMPARÉE, L’UNIVERSIT? DE MONTRÉAL
Le département de littérature comparée de la Facult? des arts et des sciences recherche un(e) professeur(e) adjoint(e) ou agrég?(e) en littérature comparée avec une spécialisation en littérature, langue et culture chinoises modernes.
Fonctions
Enseignement aux trois cycles, partag? ? parts égales entre le Centre d’études de l’Asie de l’est et le Département de littérature comparée; recherche et direction d’étudiants aux cycles supérieurs, participation au fonctionnement de l’Universit?.
Exigences
Être titulaire d’un doctorat en littérature comparée avec une spécialisation en littérature et culture chinoises, ou d’un doctorat en littérature et culture chinoise avec des connaissances étendues d’autres littératures ainsi que de théories littéraires et culturelles contemporaines. Avoir un dossier de publications et une expérience de recherche pertinente dans le domaine. Une connaissance en cinéma et médias chinois serait un atout. Pos
séder une excellente connaissance de la langue française ainsi que du chinois; faire preuve de dynamisme et de créativit? en recherche et en pédagogie.
Traitement
L’Universit? de Montréal offre un salaire concurrentiel jumel? ? une gamme complète d’avantages sociaux.
Date d’entrée en fonction : 1er juin 2002.
Les personnes intéressées doivent faire parvenir leur curriculum vitae, accompagn? de trois lettres de recommandation, de copies de leurs publications récentes et d’une description de leurs champs d’intérêt en recherche (deux ou trois pages maximum) au plus tard le 1er février 2002.
Mme Amaryll Chanady, Département de littérature comparée Facult? des arts et des sciences C.P. 6128 Succursale Centre-ville Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada.
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OBITUARY
Jürgen Domes (1932-2001)
It is hard to commemorate Jürgen Domes’ brilliant but somewhat bumpy carrier and rich though sometimes underestimated contribution to Chinese studies without mentioning his warm but strong and principled personality.
Jürgen Domes was born in Lübeck, Germany in 1932. He received his PhD (Dr. Phil.) in political science, modern history and theology at the prestigious University of Heidelberg in 1960. After graduation, he spent some time in the United States where he developed an in-depth knowledge of Republican China, the KMT archives and Taiwan. In 1964, he was appointed associate professor of political science at the famous Free University of Berlin where he became full professor in 1969. He then published Vertagte Revolution. Die Politik der Kuomintang in China, 1923-1937 (Berlin, 1969).
Professor Domes’ intellectual independence, aloof from the Zeitgeist of the early 1970s, put him under strong, and perhaps unbearable pressure. In 1975, he decided to leave the Free University and move to Saarbrücken (Saarland), where until 1997 (when he retired) he both taught and developed a dynamic Research Unit on Chinese and East Asian Politics. Relegated outside of the main university centres of Germany and ostracised by Bonn’s political establishment for his critical view of the federal government’s pro-Peking policy, Domes was nevertheless not isolated. On the contrary, as a visiting professor at George Washington University and the University of South Carolina in the late 1970s, he became well known both in North America and in Europe in particular after he published his most read "classic", China after the Cultural Revolution (Berkeley, University of California Press, 1977).
Domes published profusely in the 1970s and the 1980s. His books quickly became required reading among most Western students of China. He also actively collaborated to the Franco-German China handbooks project, with La Chine au XXème siècle in collaboration with Marie-Claire Bergère and Lucien Bianco (2 volumes, Paris, Fayard, 1989 & 1990). However, personally, I think that one of his most representative and insightful research works was his short monograph on Peng Dehuai: Peng Te-huai: the man and the image (Stanford, Calif., Stanford University Press, 1985).
Domes played a key role in the development of European studies of China. After he retired in 1996, he continued to work at promoting European research on China. More importantly maybe Jürgen Domes was a gentle man whose personal qualities were, for every young student who had a chance to meet him, of priceless value.
Jean-Pierre Cabestan
Director, French Centre for Research on Contemporary China
Director, China Perspectives
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NEW PUBLICATIONS
Bosworth, Edmund C., ed., A Century of British Orientalists 1902-2001. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. 264 pp. ISBN 0-19-726243-0.
D’Arelli, Francesco, ed., Matteo Ricci, Lettere (Introduction by Filippo Mignini, commentary by Marina Battaglini, Piero Corradini, Francesco D’Arelli, Gaetano Ricciardolo under the supervision of Piero Corradini, glossary and list of Chinese characters). Macerata: Quodlibet, 2001. LV-617 pp. ISBN 88-86570-65-i. ?46, orders: www.quodlibet.it
Del Gatto, Maddalena, ed., Matteo Ricci, Della Entrata della Compagnia di Gies? e Christianit? nella Cina (Introduction by Piero Corradini, commentary by Maddalena DelGatto, under the supervision of Piero Corradini, glossary and list of Chinese characters). Macerata: Quodlibet, 2000. LXII-775 pp. ISBN 88-86570-66-x. ?51, orders: www.quodlibet.it
Dolezelova-Velingerova, Milena and Oldrich Kral, eds., The Appropriation of Cultural Capital: China’s May Fourth Project. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Asia Center, 2001. 348 pp. ISBN 0-674-00786-7. US$ 45.
Findeisen, Raoul D., Lu Xun. Chronik, Texte, Bilder, Dokumente. Frankfurt a. M.: Strömfeld, 2001 (Nexus; 19). 820 pp. ISBN 3-86109-119-4. ?50, orders: info@stroemfeld.de
Findeisen, Raoul D.; Fröhlich, Thomas; Gassmann, Robert H., eds., Chinesische Reisen in der Schweiz. Aus dem "Garten Europas". Zürich: NZZ Verlag, 2000. 182 pp. ISBN 3-85823-851-1. ?24, orders: buch.verlag@nzz.ch
§¤§Ñ§Ý§Ö§ß§à§Ó§Ú§é, §À. §®. (J. Galenovich), §²§à§ã§ã§Ú§ñ §Ú §¬§Ú§ä§Ñ§Û §Ó §·§· §Ó.: §Ô§â§Ñ§ß§Ú§è§Ñ [Russia and China in the XX Century: the Border]. Moscow, Izograph, 2001. 336 pp. ISBN: 5-87113-109-X; 5-87113-109-3.
Harrison, Henrietta, China: Inventing the Nation. London: Arnold, 2001. 290 pp. ISBN 0 340 74133 3 (HB); 0 340 74134 1 (PB). ?45 (HB), ?17 (PB).
Jami, Catherine; Peter Engelfriet, Gregory Blue, eds., Statecraft and Intellectual Renewal in Late Ming China: The Cross-cultural Synthesis of Xu Guangqi (1562-1633) (Sinica Leidensica L). Leiden: Brill, 2001. x + 466 pp. ISBN 90-04-12058-0. ?85.
Ledderose, Lothar, Ten Thousand Things: Module and Mass Production in Chinese Art. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000. 265 pp. ISBN 0-691-00669-5 (HB); 0-691-00957-0 PB).
Schottenhammer, Angela, ed., The Emporium of the World. Maritime Quanzhou, 1000-1400. Sinica Leidensia 49 (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 2001). ISBN 90-04-11773-3; ISSN 0169-9563. ?80.