S. M. Shirokogoroff
Encyclopedia
Sergei Mikhailovich Shirokogoroff (1887-1939) was a Russia
n anthropologist
. A White émigré
, he lived in China from 1922 until his death.
. He went to France
in 1906 to study at the University of Paris
(Sorbonne
) and then the École d'anthropologie. He returned to Russia in 1910 to enter the Natural Sciences Department of the Saint Petersburg University
, but pursued other interests including archaeology and then anthropology. Under the direction of Vasily Radlov
he began studying the ethnography of the Tungusic peoples
, participating in expeditions in northeast China
and eastern Siberia
.
at the Far Eastern University
. In 1922 he went to Shanghai on a busienss trip to get some of his works printed, but due to the fall of Vladivostok to the communists in 1922, remained in Shanghai as part of the city's Russian community
.
Shirokogoroff joined the Academia Sinica
's Ethnology section in 1928 under Cai Yuanpei
, and along with his wife and Yang Qingkun did fieldwork among the Yi people
of Yunnan
. He also taught at Fu Jen Catholic University
(which later moved to Taipei
). Afterwards, he was the first (and for quite some time, only) anthropology professor at Tsinghua University
. Administratively, the status of anthropology was in flux for the first few years; the department began as "Sociology and Anthropology", then changed to "Sociology"; however, it was an "integral part of the department". He was the master's thesis advisor for Fei Xiaotong
, who arrived at the university in 1933. Fei is best known for his association with Bronisław Malinowski, but Fei himself says that Shirokogoroff was more influential in his academic development. Another student of Shirokogoroff's at Tsinghua was Francis Hsu
, who had a less favourable view of him, complaining years later of his "authoritarian" and "intimidating" personal style. Shirokogoroff also had rather poor relations with fellow expatriates Wilhelm Schmidt and Alfred Radcliffe-Brown
.
) in 1943. However this and other papers of Shirokogoroff's were lost during the Occupation of Japan when the United States Army, Japan
took over the building of the Minzoku Kenkyūsho.
Later writers described Shirokogoroff as one of the greatest scholars of Tungusic studies. In 1991, Koichi Inoue discovered an unprinted manuscript of his about the Evenki language among the papers of Władysław Kotwicz (Inoue had been looking for information from Bronisław Piłsudski
); it harshly derided the Soviet-developed literary language
for Evenki, and Inoue speculated that the paper, intended for publication by the Polish Oriental Society
, had been rejected due to political fears of the Soviet reaction.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n anthropologist
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
. A White émigré
White Emigre
A white émigré was a Russian who emigrated from Russia in the wake of the Russian Revolution and Russian Civil War, and who was in opposition to the contemporary Russian political climate....
, he lived in China from 1922 until his death.
Early life and education
Shirokogoroff was born in SuzdalSuzdal
Suzdal is a town in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, situated northeast of Moscow, from the city of Vladimir, on the Kamenka River. Population: -History:...
. He went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1906 to study at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
(Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
) and then the École d'anthropologie. He returned to Russia in 1910 to enter the Natural Sciences Department of the Saint Petersburg University
Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
, but pursued other interests including archaeology and then anthropology. Under the direction of Vasily Radlov
Vasily Radlov
Vasily Vasilievich Radlov or Friedrich Wilhelm Radloff was a German-born Russian founder of Turkology, a scientific study of Turkic peoples....
he began studying the ethnography of the Tungusic peoples
Tungusic peoples
Tungusic peoples are the peoples who speak Tungusic languages. The word originated in Tunguska, an ill-defined region of Siberia.-Peoples:Tungusic peoples are:*Evenks*Evens*Jurchens *Manchu*Negidals...
, participating in expeditions in northeast China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
and eastern Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
Career
With the outbreak of the Russian Revolution, Shirokogoroff first stayed in VladivostokVladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
at the Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of...
. In 1922 he went to Shanghai on a busienss trip to get some of his works printed, but due to the fall of Vladivostok to the communists in 1922, remained in Shanghai as part of the city's Russian community
Shanghai Russians
The Shanghai Russians were a sizable Russian diaspora that flourished in Shanghai, China between the World Wars. By 1937 it is estimated that there were as many as 25,000 anti-Bolshevik Russians living in the city, the largest European group by far...
.
Shirokogoroff joined the Academia Sinica
Academia Sinica
The Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
's Ethnology section in 1928 under Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei was a Chinese educator and the president of Peking University. He was known for his critical evaluation of the Chinese culture that led to the influential May Fourth Movement...
, and along with his wife and Yang Qingkun did fieldwork among the Yi people
Yi people
The Yi or Lolo people are an ethnic group in China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Numbering 8 million, they are the seventh largest of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China...
of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
. He also taught at Fu Jen Catholic University
Fu Jen Catholic University
Fu Jen Catholic University is a co-educational Catholic university located in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, Republic of China...
(which later moved to Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
). Afterwards, he was the first (and for quite some time, only) anthropology professor at Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
. Administratively, the status of anthropology was in flux for the first few years; the department began as "Sociology and Anthropology", then changed to "Sociology"; however, it was an "integral part of the department". He was the master's thesis advisor for Fei Xiaotong
Fei Xiaotong
Fei Xiaotong, or Fei Hsiao-Tung was a pioneering Chinese researcher and professor of sociology and anthropology; he was also noted for his studies in the study of China's ethnic groups as well as a social activist...
, who arrived at the university in 1933. Fei is best known for his association with Bronisław Malinowski, but Fei himself says that Shirokogoroff was more influential in his academic development. Another student of Shirokogoroff's at Tsinghua was Francis Hsu
Francis Hsu
Francis Hsu Chen-Ping ; , was a Chinese clergyman. He was the third bishop, , of the Hong Kong Catholic diocese....
, who had a less favourable view of him, complaining years later of his "authoritarian" and "intimidating" personal style. Shirokogoroff also had rather poor relations with fellow expatriates Wilhelm Schmidt and Alfred Radcliffe-Brown
Alfred Radcliffe-Brown
Alfred Reginald Radcliffe-Brown was an English social anthropologist who developed the theory of Structural Functionalism.- Biography :...
.
Works and legacy
Major works of Shirokogoroff's include «Опыт исследования основ шаманства у тунгусов», "Social organisation of the Manchu" («Социальная организация маньчжур»), and «Этнос. Исследование основных принципов изменения этнических и этнографических явлений». He left behind a manuscript of an Evenki dictionary, which his wife conveyed to Yasumoto Tokunaga (later of Kansai Gaidai UniversityKansai Gaidai University
, almost always abbreviated Kansai Gaidai , is located in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan. It is a private university focusing on foreign language studies. Kansai is the proper name of the large region where it is located, which includes the cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. Gaidai is a contraction of...
) in 1943. However this and other papers of Shirokogoroff's were lost during the Occupation of Japan when the United States Army, Japan
United States Army, Japan
United States Army, Japan consists of about 2,000 soldiers and is charged, during peacetime, with operating port facilities and a series of logistics installations throughout Honshū and Okinawa. USARJ participates actively with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in bilateral training exercises...
took over the building of the Minzoku Kenkyūsho.
Later writers described Shirokogoroff as one of the greatest scholars of Tungusic studies. In 1991, Koichi Inoue discovered an unprinted manuscript of his about the Evenki language among the papers of Władysław Kotwicz (Inoue had been looking for information from Bronisław Piłsudski
Bronisław Piłsudski
Bronisław Piotr Piłsudski , brother of Józef Piłsudski, was a Polish cultural anthropologist who conducted outstanding research on the Ainu ethnic group, which then inhabited Sakhalin Island, but now live mostly on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, with only a small minority left on...
); it harshly derided the Soviet-developed literary language
Literary language
A literary language is a register of a language that is used in literary writing. This may also include liturgical writing. The difference between literary and non-literary forms is more marked in some languages than in others...
for Evenki, and Inoue speculated that the paper, intended for publication by the Polish Oriental Society
Polish Oriental Society
Polish Oriental Society a society of Polish orientalists. Founded in 1922. Currently 131 members. Its statutory aims are: to contribute to the development of oriental studies in Poland through research and support of research on peoples of Asia and Africa. President: Marek Mejor.Address: 00-927...
, had been rejected due to political fears of the Soviet reaction.