The Vissière Collection and its Historical Value: the old Chinese books stored in the National Museum of Asian Arts Guimet Library

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  • ギメ美術館図書館所蔵の漢籍資料について : ヴィシエール・コレクションとその史料的価値
  • ギメ　ビジュツカン　トショカン　ショゾウ　ノ　カンセキ　シリョウ　ニ　ツイテ　ヴィシエール　コレクション　ト　ソノ　シリョウテキ　カチ

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I studied Chinese materials in the National Museum of Asian Arts Guimet Library in Paris. The collection is based on what Émile Guimet himself collected during his study tour to Japan, China and India in 1876-77. Some of them are publications from Japan and Vietnam. In addition, various materials donated by French diplomats and Sinologist are stored there. Many materials relating to religions and folk religions can be seen because Guimet originally conceived of a religious museum. The materials collected by Sinologist Arnold Vissière have a high historical value. Vissière worked as an interpreter and diplomat at the end of the 19th century, and after his return to Paris became a professor of Chinese at École spéciale des langues orientales. Most of them are Chinese books and maps, inscriptions, and they total over 600 items. After Vissière returned to Paris, he also belonged to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an interpreter clerk, so there are some materials collected during that period. It is a very interesting set of documents showing how well informed the French people of the time were concerning the Chinese society in the late Qing and early Republic periods. By looking at it we can think again about the meaning of dialogue between different civilizations.

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