Russian freemasons of the 18th century as conductors of Chinese philosophical thought

This paper is dedicated to the analysis of the influence of Chinese philosophy on Russian culture in the 18th century, and the role of freemasonry in this process. Today freemasonry influence on Russian culture is studied well enough, but there is no special research about its role in the process of the popularization of Chinese philosophy in Russia. Russian masons popularized Chinese philosophy and political thought by the translation and publication of Chinese philosophical texts. Most of these texts were indirect translations or retellings of Chinese classics, based on European translations. Mainly, these texts were full or partial translations of Confucian classics. These translations had educational and didactical function. It was discovered that these texts were supposed to be education handbooks of noble young people and members of educated segments of Russian population. Moreover, these translations were used as instructions for members of ruling circles in Russia of that period. This practice was inspired by the image, then popular, of China as an ideal epitome of the French Enlightenment ideas.