Subdepartment of Oriental Culture

The main task of the section of Oriental Philosophy and Cultural Studies is to conduct research and to offer educational programmes in the field of Oriental Studies, such as histories of Eastern philosophies and religions, Eastern cultures and their theoretical interpretation, hermeneutic problems of Eastern philosophical texts, political studies, etc. One of the main tasks of the Department is to deal with “Westernism” and Eurocentrism in philosophical education.

The idea of the foundation of the Department belongs to Professor Torchinov, who decided to leave the Faculty of Oriental Studies in order to establish a new branch of research that would be dedicated to philosophy, religion and culture of the Orient. As a result, in November 1998 the Department of Oriental Philosophy and Cultural Studies was established at the Faculty of Philosophy. In 1999 the first students entered the new department (36 prospective students applied for the six available places at the time).

Undergraduates are offered such specializations as Culture of India, Tibet, China, Sumerian, Hebrew or Arabic Studies. They also have the opportunity to study an oriental language of their specialization - Arabic, Sanskrit, Chinese or Hebrew.

The teaching staff includes

- Professor Torchinov, whose works are dedicated to history and philosophy of Buddhism and Taoism in China are widely known and appreciated by many outstanding thinkers all over the world. Many of his books have been published in Russia and abroad.

- Professor Tantlevskiy, the founder and the Chairman of the Hebrew Centre, who is involved in Biblical and Qumran studies. He also studies the culture of ancient Palestine.

- Associate Professor K. Y. Solonin: Chinese and Buddhist Studies, History of Buddhism in Tangut State of Xixia. He is frequently invited to different symposia and conferences in various universities in Germany, Taiwan and other countries as a scholar and sometimes as a guest lecturer.

- Associate Professor Tumanian: History of Islam, Contemporary Political Situation in the Middle East, and Culture of the Middle East.

- Assistant Professor Yemelyanov: Ancient East and Sumerian Studies, Culture of the Ancient East (Mesopotamia, Egypt), Philosophy and Theology of Islam.

- Assistant Professor Paribok: philosophical teachings and religious beliefs of India, Buddhist Studies (Mahayana Buddhism and Pali Buddhism).

- Junior Assistant Professor Pakhomov: Hindu Studies, Hindu Tantric Philosophy.

- Professor Kravtsova: Peoples of China, their traditions, rituals, and art.

The Department of Oriental Philosophy and Cultural Studies has close connections and cooperate actively with the Russian Academy of Sciences. Nowadays M. Kravtsova and A. Paribok, both professors from the St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies of RAS, deliver lectures to the students.

Both professors and graduates regularly participate in the research seminar: ‘East: Philosophy, Religion and Culture’. They have also published a number of monographs concerning different problems of the history of philosophical trends and religions of the East.

Exercises:

I. Comprehension Questions.

1. When were the Subdepartments founded?

2. Name some courses offered at the Subdepartment of Western Culture.

3. Speak on the scientific activity of the Subdepartment of Russian culture.

4. What specializations does the Subdepartment of Oriental Culture offer?

II. Word Study.

1. Translate into Russian.

branch	curriculum
determination	marginal
optional courses	oriental
post-graduate	proof
rituals	symposia
theatrical performance	to be affiliated with
to be devoted to	to deal with
to strengthen	volume
within the limits	work-shop

2. Translate into English.

будущие студенты

источниковедение

методическое пособие

национальное сознание

общественно-политическое движение

под научным руководством

под эгидой

поддерживать международные связи

проводить исследование

проводить семинар

религиозные верования

совместными усилиями

3. Learn the pronunciation and remember the following words.

almanac /ȍùlm«ÇnQk/, n	analysis /«ÈnQl«sIs/, n
consciousness /ÈknS«sn«s/, n	europeanization /jU«r«ÇpI«naIÈzeISn/, n
Hebrew /Èhùbruù/, a	heritage /ÈherItIdZ/, n
Islam /ÈIzlAùm/, n	junior /ÈdZuùni«/, a
Mahayana /Çm«h«ÈjÃn«/, n	modernism /Èmd«ÇnIz(«)m/, n
morale /m«ÈrAùl/, n	presidium /prIÈsIdi«m/, n
Qumran /ÈkUmr«n/, n or a	Sanskrit /ÈsQnskrIt/, a
Sumerian /suÈmI(«)rI«n/, a	Tangut /tQnÈgUt/, a

III. Questions for Discussion:

1. Do you agree with the division of the Department in the three Subdepartments as the most conventional?

2. Do you think the cultures of other regions should be also studied at the Department? If so, which cultures?

3. Can you explain the difference between Cultural Studies and Anthropology?