A Chinese-English-Russian Question

[Daniel Rancour-Laferriere]

15 Jan 06

Dear Michael,
Thanks, that is a good suggestion, but I do not recall the Boddes 
dealing with what Tolstoy called "Mi-ti" when I read that book (but I 
could be wrong).  I the meantime, I have received several messages on 
this subject and I am pretty well convinced that the correct answer is:

> Mo Di (no hyphen please!) (468-376 BC). It would be quite logical for 
> Tolstoy to be interested in his ideas, which included "non-aggression" 
> and "universal brotherly love".


I understand that "Mo-tzu" and "Mo Ti" have also been utilized to render 
this name in English.  Apparently "Mo Di" is the now proper rendition, 
just as Taoism is now Daoism.  I do wish I knew more about Chinese. 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to answering my question!

Daniel RL




Michael Denner wrote:

>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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