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Abstract
One of the most important classical books of Chinese antiquity, Records of the Grand Historian (史記 Shiji) was transmitted into Russia in the eighteenth century; in the nineteenth century, the Russian Orthodox Mission in Beijing brought back a large collection of Chinese books, diversifying the Russian collection of Records of the Grand Historian; and in the twentieth century, during both the Russian and Soviet eras, books were purchased from China on a large scale, further enriching the Russian collection of Records of the Grand Historian. Beginning in the nineteenth century, Russian Sinologists produced abridged translations of Records of the Grand Historian, and in the twentieth century, a grand project for a complete annotated translation of Records of the Grand Historian into Russian was launched starting in 1972, with the world’s only complete annotated translation of Records of the Grand Historian in a European language being released in 2010. The process of the collection and translation of Records of the Grand Historian in Russia is a reflection of the historical process whereby Chinese culture was disseminated in Russia.
Acknowledgments
This article is a partial result of the subproject “The Study of Chinese History in Russia” (中國史學在俄羅斯 Zhongguo shixue zai Eluosi) of the major base project “Sino-Foreign Historiographical Exchanges Since the Early Modern Era” (近代以來的中外史學交流 Jindai yilai de Zhongwai shixue jiaoliu) (Project No.: 07JJD770119) of the Ministry of Education, and also received funding from the Information Centre for Worldwide Asia Research at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 See Chu Hai–Hsing, “‘Shiji’ zai Hanguo de liuchuan ji yingxiang—yi fanyi jieshao yu yanjiu xianzhuang wei zhongxin” (The transmission and influence of Records of the Grand Historian in South Korea—centered on the current state of translations, introductions and research,” Taipei, Hanxue yanjiu tongxun (Newsletter for research in Chinese studies), 2004, no. 4.
2 See Tan Qixun, “Lun ‘Shiji’ dongjian fusang de shixue yingxiang” (On the influence of the eastward transmission of Records of the Grand Historian to Japan on historiography), Wuhan, Hubei shehui kexue (Hubei social sciences), 1988, no. 11.
3 Wu Yuanyuan, “Lüeshu ‘Shiji’ zai Meiguo de liang ci yijie ji yingxiang” (A brief description of two translations and introductions to Records of the Grand Historian in the United States and their influence), Lanzhou, Lanzhou xuekan (Lanzhou academic journal), 2011, no. 1.
4 Li Xiuying, “‘Shiji’ zai Xifang: yijie yu yanjiu” (Records of the Grand Historian in the West: translations, introductions and research), Beijing, Waiyu jiaoxue yu yanjiu (Foreign language teaching and research), 2006, no. 4.
5 Ibid.
6 In 1703, Tsar Peter I of Russia moved the Russian capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg, and several rare items in his personal collection were simultaneously transported to St. Petersburg, and temporarily stored in the Summer Palace. Russia’s first museum, the Kunstkamera, was established in 1714, and its pieces included books in various languages. As the rare items were increasingly enriched, the books also grew ever more diverse. The Kunstkamera Library was specially established in 1718 and opened to the public. After Peter I died in 1725, his library and the Kunstkamera Library were both transferred to the just–established library of the Academy of Sciences, becoming the initial collection at the Academy of Sciences.
7 In 1727 (fifth year of the Yongzheng Reign), China and Russia signed the Treaty of Kyakhta, Article IV of which stipulated that international trade between the two nations would be permitted, and that the number of people in Russian trade caravans to China could not exceed two hundred, proceeding to the capital once every three years. After the treaty was signed, Russia sent its first through sixth trade caravans in 1728, 1732, 1736, 1745 and 1753.
8 Liu Ruomei et al., Goutong Zhong E wenhua de qiaoliang—Eluosi Hanxue shi shang de yuanshi Hanxue jia (Bridges for communication between the Chinese and Russian cultures—academicians and Sinologists in the history of Russian Sinology), Beijing: Waiyu jiaoxue yu yanjiu chuban she, 2010, 17.
9 Konstantin Andreyanovich Skachkov, Eluosi Hanxue shi (History of Russian Sinology), translated by Liu Ruomei, Beijing: Shehui kexue wenxian chuban she, 2011, 181.
10 Китайская библиотека и ученые труды членов императорской российской духовной и дипломатической. миссии в г. Пекине…, Спб., 1889. Стр. 8. See also Skachkov, Eluosi Hanxue shi, 11.
11 Skachkov, Eluosi Hanxue shi, 130.
12 Ibid., 185.
13 Skachkov’s History of Russian Sinology states that, “While in Beijing, Vasilyev began acquainting himself with the Chinese classics, and during that time, he completed the task of collecting books assigned to him by Kazan University. He was quite devoted to this task, carefully studying each book that he purchased, and he ultimately brought back 849 works in Chinese, Manchu, Tibetan and Mongolian, in a total of 2737 books.” See Skachkov, Eluosi Hanxue shi, 320.
14 Материалы Истории Китайской литературы. Лекции, читанныя заслуженнымъ профессоромъ С.–Петербурскаго Императорскаго Университета. В. П. Васильевымъ. Лит. Иконникова, П. Рыбацк. ул. Д. № 8. Съ разрешением проф. Васильева скрепилъ В. Ловяшинъ. This book is a lithographic edition.
15 Ibid., 24.
16 Confucius Institute at St. Petersburg State University, Ekaterina Zavidovskaya, Dmitriy Ivanovich Mayatskiy, Sheng bide bao daxue dongfang xi tushuguan shoucang Wangxili yuanshi Zhongguo shuji mulu (Catalog of Chinese books in the collection of Academician Vasilyev at the Library of the Department of Oriental Studies at Saint Petersburg State University)/Институт Конфуция в Санкт–Петербургском государственном университете,
Завидовская Е. А., Маяцкий Д. И., Описание собрания китайских книг академика В. П. Васильева в фондах Восточного отдела научной библиотеки Санкт–Петербургского государственного университета. Санкт–Петербург, 2012.
17 Ibid., 402, ВУ 264, Shiji jinghua lu (Quintessential Record of Records of the Grand Historian), Call No. ВУ 264, title on front cover and margins of type area: Quintessential Record of Records of the Grand Historian. Year of publication unknown. Shanghai Commercial Press. Lithographic edition. One case (plus eight duplicate copies), three books, six volumes. 46 + 42 + 48 pages. Book size: 202 × 132 cm. Page border: 158 × 118 cm. Seven lines per half page, eight characters per line. Two–line annotations. Single black fishtail [Translator’s note: A symbol (< >) marking locations for bookbinding], thread binding. The books are well–preserved, and have been restored, and European–style covers have been added to each case. Content: Book 1: Epigraph, xinchou year of the Kangxi Reign (1721); “Table of Contents” (目錄 Mulu), vols. 1–2; Book 2: Vols. 3–4; Book 3: Vols. 5–6.
18 In 1855, Imperial Russia gathered the contemporary forces at schools related to Russian and Oriental studies in the Department of Oriental Studies at Saint Petersburg University. All professors and instructors, some university students, as well as a portion of the books and the Ancient Currency Research Office in the Department of Oriental Languages at Kazan University were relocated. Saint Petersburg University thenceforth became the base for training talented individuals in Russian and Oriental studies, developing nearly all the talented people needed by the China Office of Imperial Russia in the space of over half a century. See Skachkov, Eluosi Hanxue shi, 291–348.
19 Ekaterina Zavidovskaya, Dmitriy Ivanovich Mayatskiy, Sheng bide bao daxue dongfang xi tushuguan shoucang Wangxili yuanshi Zhongguo shuji mulu, St. Petersburg, 2012. P. 410, ВУ 268, Records of the Grand Historian, Call No. ВУ 268. Title on title page and outer margins of type area: Records of the Grand Historian. Date of publication unknown. Lithographically printed by Leaf Sweeping Mountain Studio of Shanghai. Lithographic edition, 6 cases, 22 books, 130 volumes. Approximately 120 pages per book. Number of copies: Case 1 contains 8 copies; Case 2 contains 9 copies; Case 4 contains 8 copies; Case 5 contains 4 copies. Book size: 259 × 187 cm. Page border: 188 × 13 cm. 11 lines per half page, 22 characters per line. Two–line annotations. Single trunk, double black fishtail, thread binding. The books are very well–preserved, and have been restored, and European–style covers have been added to each case. Content. Case 1: Sima Zhen, “Preface” (序 Xu), Expounding Upon Obscurities in Records of the Grand Historian; Sima Zhen, “Afterword” (後序 Houxu), Expounding Upon Obscurities in Records of the Grand Historian; Pei Yin, “Preface” (序 Xu), Collected Commentaries on Records of the Grand Historian; Zhang Shoujie, “Preface” (序 Xu), Orthodox Interpretation of Records of the Grand Historian, twenty–fourth year of the Kaiyuan Reign (736); Zhang Shoujie, Orthodox Interpretation of Records of the Grand Historian; “Table of Contents” (目錄 Mulu) of Records of the Grand Historian; Records of the Grand Historian, 1–12. Case 6: Records of the Grand Historian, 106–130.
20 This edition is characterized by not being centered on a single edition, but rather selecting from the best editions. With respect to the source text for Records of the Grand Historian, Volume 130 of Collected Commentaries on Records of the Grand Historian by Jigu Pavilion of the Mao Clan of the late Ming Dynasty was used as the source, and collated against the incomplete text proofread by Qian Taigu 錢泰古, Wang Yuansun 汪遠孫 and Wu Chunzhao 吳春照 and published during the Song Dynasty, with reference additionally to the Wang Yanji 王延吉 edition, You Ming 游明 edition, Ke Weixiong 柯維熊 edition and collected commentaries edition by Ling Zhilong 凌稚隆 of the Ming Dynasty as well as the Hall of Martial Valor edition of the Qing Dynasty, et cetera; the similarities and differences between the various editions were examined, and the best were selected. Three Annotations of Records of the Grand Historian similarly is not centered on a single edition. The edition by Jigu Pavilion of the Mao Clan was used for Collected Commentaries on Records of the Grand Historian, while the separate volume of Expounding Upon Obscurities in Records of the Grand Historian in the large–character edition covering the Northern Song Dynasty by Jigu Pavilion of the Mao Clan was used for Expounding Upon Obscurities; and reference was made to the Ke edition and Ling edition of the Ming Dynasty (prior to the Ming block–printed edition) as well as the Qing imperial edition for Orthodox Interpretation of Records of the Grand Historian. See Dong Yan, “Qingdai ‘Shiji’ de yanjiu chengjiu” (Research findings on Records of the Grand Historian during the Qing Dynasty), Shijiazhuang, Shehui kexue luntan (Tribune of social sciences), 2007, no. 4.
21 With regard to Leaf Sweeping Mountain Studio, see Ma Xueqiang, “Jiangnan Xi jia yu Saoye shanfang” (The Xi family of Jiangnan and Leaf Sweeping Mountain Studio), Shanghai, Shilin (Historical review), 2009, no. 6.
22 Азиатский музей—Ленинградское отделение института востоковедения АН СССР. Издательство. Наука. Главная редакция восточной литературы. М., 1972. Стр. 86.
23 А. И. Мелналкснис, Описание китайских рукописных книг и карт из собрания К. А. Скачкова. Главная редакция восточной литературы. М., 1974. The Chinese translation of this book is: [Russia] A. I. Melnalksnis, Kang An Sikaqikefu suocang Hanji xieben he ditu tilu (Description of handwritten Chinese books and maps in the collection of K. A. Skachkov), translated by Zhang Fang, annotated by Wang Han, revised by Li Fuqing, Beijing: Guojia tushu guan chuban she, 2010.
24 Ibid., 9.
25 No. 206 (667), “Pinglin hui xingchen zhuan” (Collected commentaries on the constellations), (Пин линь хуй син чэнь чжуань) Описание небесных тел с комментариями. Раздел, Tianguan shu (Astronomy), Тянь Гуань шу из, Shiji (Records of the grand historian), Ши цзи со сводными комментариями. А. И. Мелналкснис, Описание китайских рукописных книг и карт из собрания К. А. Скачкова. М., 1974. cтр. 142. For a Chinese translation, see A. I. Melnalksnis, Kang An Sikaqikefu suocang Hanji xieben he ditu tilu, No. 206 (667), 134, “Pinglin hui xingchen zhuan,” Tianguan shu, Shiji, with collected commentaries.
26 Skachkov, Eluosi Hanxue shi, 220.
27 “Yu zhong bu tong de Eluosi Hanxue yanjiu yu shoucangjia Sikaqikefu” (Skachkov, a Russian Sinological researcher and collector who stood out from the crowd), preface to the Chinese translation, Kang An Sikaqikefu suocang Hanji xieben he ditu tilu, 3.
28 Судьба астрономии Китая. – Журнал Министерства народного просвещения, 1874, 5, c. 1–31.
29 Российская Национальная Библиотека, Китайские рукописи и ксилографы Публичной библиотеки. Систематический каталог. Санкт – Петербург, 1993.
30 Shiji, Записки историка. Ксил. Неполный экз. В наличии 1 тао, 8б., содержащие 1–17 цз. (из 130–ти). 15, 5 × 24, 5; 14, 5 × 19, 6. Авт. Сыма Цянь Sima Qian/145–85 до н. э., коммент. Пэй Инь Pei Yin (династия Сун), Сыма Чжэнь Sima Zhen, Чжан Шоуцзу Zhang Shoujie (династия Тан). Издатели Чэнь Цылун Chen Zilong. 2–е имя Воцзы Wozi, Сюй Фуюань Xu Fuyuan, 2–е имя Аньгун Angong. Выгравировано в издательстве Сувэй–тан Suwei Hall. Предисл. обоих издателей. Первое предисл. датировано годом Чун–чжэнь гэн–чэнь (1640). На тао и обл. Б. 1 нумерующий штамп Yuan первый (из первых) и штам 2,2 × 2,2 с текстом: In the collection of Wenjin Hall Книга хранящаяся в издательстве Вэньцзинь–тан. – Российская Национальная Библиотека, Китайские рукописи и ксилографы Публичной библиотеки. Систематический каталог. Санкт–Петербург, 1993. Стр. 46.
31 Marie–Félicité Brosset was an academician of French descent at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and a scholar of Oriental studies (researching Georgia and Armenia).
32 Российская Национальная Библиотека, Китайские рукописи и ксилографы Публичной библиотеки. Систематический каталог. Санкт–Петербург, 1993. Стр. 46.
33 Б. Б. Вахтин, И. С. Гуревич, Ю. Л. Кроль, Э. С. Стулова, А. А. Торопов. Каталог фонда китайских ксилографов института востоковедения АН СССР, Т. 1. М.: Главная редакция восточной литературы. 1973. стр. 177.
34 Ibid., 177–178. Shiji (block–printed by Tongren Hall, newly published in 1806). Sima Qian, author. Pei Yin, Jijie (Collected commentaries). Sima Zhen, Suoyin (Expounding upon obscurities). Zhang Shoujie, Zhengyi (Orthodox interpretation). Xu Fuyuan and Chen Zilong, Ceyi (Observations and discussions). ШИ ЦЗИ. Сыма Цян. Пэй Инь, Сыма Чжэн, Чжан Шоуцзе. Камм. Сюй Фу-юань, Сэнь Цзы- лун—комм. 3 т., 24 б., 113 цз. Деф.: некомпл. (нет цз. 1–17). 24.2 × 15.8, 19.9 × 13.6, 9 и 18/20. (The content of the Russian text here is: Sima Qian, author; annotations by Pei Yin, Sima Zhen and Zhang Shoujie; annotations by Xu Fuyuan and Chen Zilong. Three cases, twenty–four books, one hundred thirteen volumes. Defects: Incomplete, missing volumes 1 to 17. Book size is 24.2 × 15.8, 19.9 × 13.6, 9 and 18/20.).
35 Zhongguo guji shanben shumu · Shibu · Shang (Catalog of Ancient and Rare Chinese Books · Histories · I), Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1998, 18.
36 Weng Lianxi, ed., Zhongguo guji shanben zongmu (Comprehensive catalog of ancient and rare Chinese books), thread–bound catalog, 2005, 211.
37 Каталог фонда китайских ксилографов института востоковедения АН СССР, Т. 1. Стр. 179. Shiji zhiyi (A record of doubts on Records of the Grand Historian) [б. м.], Guangya shuju (Guangya Publishing House), block–printed (edition from Shixue congshu [History series]), 1887. Written by Liang Yusheng. ШИ ЦЗИ ЧЖИ И. Лян Юй–шэн. 24 б., 36 цз. 29,4 × 17,7; 21,3 × 14,5; 11/23.
38 Каталог фонда китайских ксилографов института востоковедения АН СССР, Т. 1. Стр. 178. Shiji tanyuan (Investigation of the origins of Records of the Grand Historian), Beijing daxue chuban bu, 1924. Cui Shi, author. ШИ ЦЗИ ТАНЬ ЮАНЬ. Цуй Ци. 2 б., 8цз. 22,5 × 13,7; 16,5 × 10,5; 13/33.
39 Mikhail Ivanovich Veryovkin (М. И. Веревкин, 1732–1795) was an important figure in eighteenth–century Russian intellectual circles, a translator and a writer. Having previously served as a leading figure at Moscow University, Kazan Secondary School and other educational institutions, beginning in 1763, he was commissioned by the Tsarina to devote himself to the translation of Western European books.
40 М. Веревкин (пер.). Записки, надлежащие до истории, наук, художеств, нравов, обчаев и проч. китайцев, сочиненные проповедниками веры христианской в Пекине. Изданы в Париже с воли и одобрения короля в 1776 г., на российский же язык переложены в 1785 г., губернии Московской, Клинской округи, в сельце Михалеве. Т. 1–6. М., униве. Тип. У Н. Новикова, 1786–1788. Т. 1, 1786, 5 + 364 с. (История). Т. 2, 1786, 267 + 10 с. Прил. + (1) с. (Буквы китайцев: “Та–гио, Тшон–уoнг,” т. е. “Дасюэ и Чжунъюн) Т. 3, 1786, 318 с. (Древности китайцев, доказанные памятниками. Объяснение рисунков и таблиц) Т. 4, 1787, 345 с. (Розыски об египтянах и китайцах, шелковичные черви, хлопочатобмажные растения) Т. 5, 1788, 3 + 272 с. (Великие мужи народа Китайского) Т. 6, 1788, 252 с., 1 портр. (“Великие мужи, растения и кусты.”).
41 Among the book translations during the rule of Catherine II, a number of European books on China were published: For instance, Jean-Baptiste Du Halde’s A Geographical, Historical, Chronological, Political, and Physical Description of the Empire of China and of Chinese Tartary (Description géographique, historique, chronologique, politique, et physique de l’Empire de la Chine et de la Tartarie chinoise) was published between 1774 and 1777 (Географическое, историческое, хронологическое, политическое и физическое описание. Китайской империи и Татарии китайския, снабженное разными чертежами и разными фигурами, сочинненное Ж. Б. Дюгальдом, а с французского перевденное Игнатьев де Теильсом. СПб. ч. 1, 1774; ч. 2, 1777); in 1780, an extract translation of Philippe Couplet’s Confucius, Philosopher of the Chinese (Confucius Sinarum philosophus) was published (Описание жизни Конфуция, китайских философов начальника. Пер. с лат. М.); in 1788, the five-volume work A New Tartar-Chinese History (Historia Tartaro-Sinica nova) by the Belgian Jesuit François de Rougemont was translated into Russian from the Latin source text (История о завоевании Китая маньчжурскими татарами, состоящая в 5 книгах, сочиненная г. Воже де Брюном B. et P. D. M., перевел с французского А. Р.), and so on. For details, see О. Л. Фишман, Китай в Европе: миф и реальность. М., стр. 390–391.
42 Л. И. Думан, О труде Н. Я. Бичурина Собрание сведений о народах,обитавших в средней Азии в древние времена, – И. Я. Бичурни и его вклад в русское востоковедение. М., 1977. Ч. 2, стр. 21.
43 Н. Я. Бичурин, Собрание сведений о народах, обитавших в Средней Азии в древние времена. В трёх частях, с кортой на трёх больших листах. СПб., тип. Военно-учеб. Завед., 1851. A contemporary Russian Sinologist wrote a new preface for the book and added annotations, and a three-volume edition was republished in Moscow and Leningrad between 1950 and 1953: Собрание сведений о народах, обитавших в Средней Азии в. древние времена. Ред. текста, вступ. статьи, комментар. А. Н. Бернштама и Н. В. Кюнера,т. I–III. –М. –Л., изд. АН СССР, 1950–1953. (Институт этнографии им. Н. Н. Миклухо – Маклая).
44 Сыма Цянь о Чэнь Шэне, – Советское китаеведение, 1958, No. 4, с. 192–205.
45 Сыма Цянь. Избранное. Пер. с кит. М., Гослитиздат. 359 с.
46 В. Н. Никифоров, Заметки о конференции молодых китаеведов. – Советское китаеведение, 1958, No. 1, с. 231.
47 Шедевры китайской классической прозы в переводах академика В. М. Алексеева: в 2 кн. М., 2006. Стр. 152.
48 Basile Alexéiev La Littérature Chinoise: Six conférences au Collège de France et au Musée Guimet (Novembre 1926) (Chinese literature: Six conferences at the Collège de France and the Guimet Museum [November 1926]), Annales du Musée Guimet: Bibliothèque de Vulgarisation (Annals of the Guimet Museum: The library of popularisation), 1937, vol. 52.
49 Н. И. Конрад. Неопубликованные работы, письма. М., 1996, с. 5.
50 Шедевры китайской классической прозы в переводах академика В. М. Алексеева. М., 2006. Т. I,.
стр. 131.
51 Сыма Цянь Ши цзи (Исторические записки). Избранное. Т. II. М., 2006. Стр. 186.
52 “Back translation refers to the process of retranslating text that has been translated into another language back to the source language, and may also refer to the process of relocalization of the culture of the source language that has been expressed using another language.” See Yang Qingbo and Yang Yinling, “Zhuanyou mingci de Hanyi yu yizhe de suyang” (The Chinese translation of proper nouns and translators’ accomplishments), Shanghai, Shanghai fanyi (Shanghai journal of translators), 2012, no. 4.