Academic Without Borders -the "thief" who built a bridge between China and France
Paul Pelliot
"Concerning to the French Dunhuang studies, one person can never be neglected,— that is Paul Pelliot.Without him, without French and Chinese Dunhuang studies". Zheng Binglin, the dean of School of History and Culture, has been studying Dunhuang studies for more than 30 years. Mr. Zheng spoke highly of the French Dunhuang studies, "the French Dunhuang studies has always been taking the lead in the Europe and produced many admiring research results".
From 1906 to 1908, Paul Pelliotbrought many valuable manuscripts from Dunhuang and the western regions to France, which lay a good foundation for France to study the Silk Road."I think Paul Pelliot had a universal perspective and Chinese scholars Luo Zhenyu and Cao Yuanzhong started their Dunhuang studies from there." Zheng Binglin said that French researchers on Dunhuang studies had been sharing related materials with Chinese researchers and supported Chinese Dunhuang studies.
"Essence of French Dunhuang Studies" edited by Zheng Binglin was published in 2011. He said that this book mainly took the advantage of Mr. Gengsheng’s translation and introduced many accomplishments made by French Dunhuang Studies.
It was necessary to rigorously explore French Dunhuang Studies, because the Chinese studies in France had reached a high level, and if the Chinese scholars did not know what the French scholars have proceeded in the related field, the Chinese scholars could not improve themselves quickly and also could not reach an international level. What the French scholars have researched on Dunhuang Studies benefits the Chinese scholars.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China in 1964, especially after China's reforming and opening-up, many essays and studies on the history of China’s western region had been published. After 1978, the relationship between the two countries on Dunhuang studies has been increasingly close. France began to hold "Dunhuang Grottoes Art Festival" and other activities. French scholars actively participated in the international symposium on Dunhuang studies held in China.
China and France have always been hand in hand on the Dunhuang studies, which tells the world a truth "academic Without Borders".
French scholars Jean-Pierre Drège and Marcelle Lalou have published many valuable books on Dunhuang studies, which, to some extent, contributed to the global culture.
"Chinese muralin Gobi desert and the silk road in the botanical garden" was held in botanical garden in Paris by Dunhuang research academy in 1983. Sindbad's east sailing tour exhibition was held in China Maritime Museum in 1994. The exhibition of ‘western region to the Buddha’ were jointly held by the Guimet Museum, louvre academy and Dunhuang research team in Oct.10, 1995.
In 2004, China and France held the Cultural Festival to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations. Symposium on "Sogdians in China" was held in Beijing. The world's renowned researchers on Dunhuang studies gathered in this conference, Chinese and French Cultural exchanges have entered a new phase during this period.
The dilemma of no successors has concerned most of the French sinologists who grew into their twilight years.
Since ancient times, Silk Road played a significant role in the cultural exchanges between China and the western counties. Dunhuang studies have already become international ‘eminent studies’. By international cooperation, the scholars all around the world frequently entered into the gobi desert and have made new achievements in the related research.
As some French scholars grew into their twilight years, Dunhuang studies were facing a new crisis-that was the lack of successors in the future development of Dunhuang studies.
Zheng Binglin said that it was depressing and worrying that no successors could take the place of the researcher’s work in the future.
If anyone could not shoulder it, the development of the whole academic field would be seriously affected.
As an expert on Dunhuang studies for more than 30 years, Zheng Binglin devoted himself to the development of Dunhuang studies, he said,’ I went to Dunhuang at least fifty times.’Especially after the founding of People's Republic of China, the Chinese Dunhuang Studies have already entered into another new period and the Chinese should consider Dunhuangand Dunhuang Studies in a wholly new perspective.
Brief introduction to Zheng Binglin
Zheng Binglin, born in 1956, director of the Institute for Dunhuang studies, the dean of School of History and Culture at LZU, professor, supervisor for doctoral candidates, ‘the research of French sinology’ was edited by him.
