Matthias Hermanns
Encyclopedia
P. Matthias Hermanns was a missionary of the SVD
and a German Tibetologist..
(Societas Verbi Divini or SVD), a German-Dutch Catholic congregation which managed to send some 90 missionaries into the Gansu
, Qinghai
and Xinjiang
provinces of north-west China between 1922 and 1953, where they established some thirty missions. Together with Dominik Schröder
and Johan Frick, he was one of the SVD missionaries who took a lively interest in ethnology, an activity which was supported by the congregation..
The principal area of his research was the Kokonor area of the Amdo
(as Tibetans call it) region, the present-day Chinese province of Qinghai
, and in particular the nomadic herders. Part of his work involved supplying them with medical care. This subsidiary role gave him an excellent opportunity to study both the social position of Tibetan women and acquaint himself with the intimate side of their lives.
Towards the end of the 1930s, around the time the future 14th Dalai Lama
was found, Hermanns had the opportunity to meet him, still a child, since he knew the family well. According to Hermanns, the child did not know Tibetan at that time. On being asked his name, he replied in a Chinese dialect
that he was called « Chi », the local Chinese name of the village of Taktser
).
and their dialects, religion, culture and nomadic way of life. He also published on the Indo-Tibetan populations of the Himalayas.
He also authored a German translation of the Epic of King Gesar, based on manuscripts collected from the Amdo region.
Divine Word Missionaries
The Society of the Divine Word , popularly called the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a missionary religious congregation in the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church. As of 2006 it consisted of 6,102 members composed...
and a German Tibetologist..
Biography
Father Matthias Hermanns was a member of the Society of the Divine WordDivine Word Missionaries
The Society of the Divine Word , popularly called the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a missionary religious congregation in the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church. As of 2006 it consisted of 6,102 members composed...
(Societas Verbi Divini or SVD), a German-Dutch Catholic congregation which managed to send some 90 missionaries into the Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
and Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
provinces of north-west China between 1922 and 1953, where they established some thirty missions. Together with Dominik Schröder
Dominik Schröder
Dominik Schröder was an Ethnologist and Mongolist. He was born in Eiweiler, in the Nohfelden municipality of the Saarland. He worked as a missionary in China from 1938 to 1949...
and Johan Frick, he was one of the SVD missionaries who took a lively interest in ethnology, an activity which was supported by the congregation..
The principal area of his research was the Kokonor area of the Amdo
Amdo
Amdo is one of the three traditional regions of Tibet, the other two being Ü-Tsang and Kham; it is also the birth place of the 14th Dalai Lama. Amdo encompasses a large area from the Machu River to the Drichu river . While culturally and ethnically a Tibetan area, Amdo has been administered by a...
(as Tibetans call it) region, the present-day Chinese province of Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
, and in particular the nomadic herders. Part of his work involved supplying them with medical care. This subsidiary role gave him an excellent opportunity to study both the social position of Tibetan women and acquaint himself with the intimate side of their lives.
Towards the end of the 1930s, around the time the future 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years...
was found, Hermanns had the opportunity to meet him, still a child, since he knew the family well. According to Hermanns, the child did not know Tibetan at that time. On being asked his name, he replied in a Chinese dialect
Xining
Xining is the capital of Qinghai province, People's Republic of China, and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. It has 2,208,708 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,198,304 live in the built up area made of 4 urban districts.-History:...
that he was called « Chi », the local Chinese name of the village of Taktser
Taktser
Taktser or Tengster is a village in the Western Chinese province of Qinghai .Taktser was originally an area of pasture land for the larger village of Balangtsa, about two hours walk away in the valley. Cattle were brought to feed on the fertile grazing lands in summer, which caused them to give...
).
Works
In a research career that extended over four decades, Hermanns published over twenty books and articles, mainly on the pastoral peoples of the AmdoAmdo
Amdo is one of the three traditional regions of Tibet, the other two being Ü-Tsang and Kham; it is also the birth place of the 14th Dalai Lama. Amdo encompasses a large area from the Machu River to the Drichu river . While culturally and ethnically a Tibetan area, Amdo has been administered by a...
and their dialects, religion, culture and nomadic way of life. He also published on the Indo-Tibetan populations of the Himalayas.
He also authored a German translation of the Epic of King Gesar, based on manuscripts collected from the Amdo region.