A Chinese-English-Russian Question

[Michael Denner]

Dear Daniel,
The answer to this, and any other question having to do with Tolstoy's extensive knowledge of and fascination with Chinese philosophy, can be found in Tolstoy and China, by Derk and Galina Bodde. Bodde was one fo the preeminent sinologists of last century, and this book, which has largely overlooked in Slavic studies, is, for me at least, one of the best examples of comparative and intellectual studies written. (His wife, a Russian, worked with him extensively on the book.) 
 
Since he completed it while the PSS was still being published, there are some few oversights, but generally speaking, it's the final word. Much better and more reliable than the spotty Russian annotations in the PSS and later Soviet work on the issue.
 
Best,
mad
 
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Dr. Michael A. Denner
Editor, Tolstoy Studies Journal
Director, University Honors Program

Contact Information:
Russian Studies Program
Stetson University
Campus Box 8361
DeLand, FL 32720-3756
386.822.7381 (department)
386.822.7265 (direct line)
386.822.7380 (fax)
http://www.stetson.edu/~mdenner

________________________________

From: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list on behalf of Daniel Rancour-Laferriere
Sent: Sat 1/14/2006 4:12 PM
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: [SEELANGS] A Chinese-English-Russian Question



14 January 2006

Dear Colleagues,
The aging Tolstoy repeatedly praises the writings of a Chinese
philosopher he refers to as "Mi-ti" (??-??).  I find no such figure in
the standard English references on "Eastern" thought.  On the other
hand, there is the important thinker Mo Ti (Mo-tzu), opponent of
Confucius and advocate of all-embracing love and avoidance of warfare. 
Could this be the same person?  Are there Chinese speakers out there who
could clarify how the name should be represented with English letters? 
The index to the Makovitskii memoir says the philosopher in question is
"Mo-di" (??-??, ??-???), but gives different dates than the English
references.

Thank you,

Daniel Rancour-Laferriere

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