The Russian Translation Of Tibetan Historical Records Tibetology,

By way of collating and analyzing materials in Russian, English, Chinese and Tibetan languages, the author tries to look into the origin of Tibetan studies in Russia and the methods of collecting Tibetan manuscripts, exemplifying some typical results of scientific researches and representative figures at different stages of the emergence of Tibetology in Russia, its formation, development, rise, decline and rejuvenation. In addition, the author intends to elaborate the translation work and the studies conducted by Russian Tibetologists on Tibetan books and records, including The Mirror of the Royal Genealogies, The History of Buddhism in India, The History of Buddhism by Bu-ston, The History of Politics and Religions in A-mdo, King of Gesar, etc. In the end, the author makes a summary of their basic characteristics.Tibetan studies in Russia are an important and unique component of the international Tibetan studies. Due to the earlier emergence, longtime development, a large amount of manuscripts, plenty of results of scientific researches and a wide range of research fields, Tibetan studies in Russia play an irreplaceable role in promoting the development of Tibetology. In the period of300years, world-renowned Russian Tibetologists emerged in large numbers, for example, Schmidt I. J., Bichurin N. J., Vasiliev V.P., Kafarof P. E., Obermiller E.E., Roerich G. N., Kuznetsov B.E. and others. Their achievements in translation and researches on Tibetan history, geography, religions, cultures, medicine and language have greatly extended and enriched world-wide research fields and contents of Tibetan studies.Tibetan studies in Russia are similar to those in Europe and America, but they are of their own characteristics, which are prominently reflected on the manuscripts collection and the translation work.Russia attached great importance to the collection of Tibetan manuscripts after the Era of Peter I., and a great amount of Tibetan manuscripts were collected in different ways, for example, sending Russian Orthodox Missions to collect manuscripts directly in Beijing, exchanging books, visiting Buryat and Kalmykia Tibetan Buddhist believers within the territory of Russia, even organizing scientific and geological expeditions to Tibet to seize Tibetan manuscripts, etc. Taking the Institute of Oriental Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences as an example, copied texts in it (registered during the period from1973to1975) reach to20,500pieces in total. What's more, the manuscripts, unearthed in Heishui City of China and preserved at the Saint-Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies, are abundant in volume, content, quantity and type. Therefore, no other manuscripts kept in other places can bear comparison. Many outstanding Russian Tibetologists made full use of their rich Tibetan manuscripts in their excellent translation and thorough studies of Tibetan historical records, which are still advocated and admired by numerous domestic and foreign scholars.However, for reasons, domestic and foreign Tibetologists usually focus their attention on Tibetan studies in Europe, the United States and Japan, rather than Tibetan studies in Russia, not alone the papers and monographs written by Russian Tibetololgists. The studies on the translated Tibetan copies are enough to make Russian Tibetologists themselves proud, but they are seldom mentioned. What's more, most of Tibetologists are concerned about the history of the invasion of Russia into Tibet and the history of the Sino-Russia relations. A few works on the Tibetan studies in Russia are presented in the form of lists or brief descriptions, and no systematic arrangement and integration are given to them. Moreover, scholars often pay more attention to the period before the disintegration of the Soviet Union. As a result, the situation about the Tibetan studies in Russia after1991still remains unnoticed.At present, along with the revival of the economic strength in Russia, the Tibetological circles in Western countries, Japan and Taiwan area have come to realize the necessity to strengthen the cooperation with the Russian Tibetological circle. As two adjacent nations, China and Russia should promote further academic cooperation and exchanges. Therefore, Tibetan studies in Russia should receive particular attention. We are sure that the academic achievements on Tibetan studies in Russia will provide a useful academic reference for the Tibetan studies in China.As we know, there are three Buddhist Republics (the Republic of Kalmykia, the Republic of Buryatia and the Republic of Tuva) and about1.15million Buddhists in Russia. And Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva people in Russia are Mongolian's descendants, and a number of excellent Tibetologists of Buryatia and Kalmykia origins have made a great contribution to the development of Tibetan studies in Russia. We should arrange and analyze the history and current situation of Tibetan studies in Russia so as to have a deeper understanding of Russian religions and cultures, which will be beneficial to us to make a study of the history of Mongolian-Tibetan relations as well as the history of Tibetan culture exchanges.