The life and works of academician Vasiliy Pavlovich Vasilyev: reflections on the occasion of his 200th jubilee

The author of the article is a celebrated Russian scholar in Oriental studies, Professor and Chair of Mongolian and Tibetan Studies, established almost two hundred years ago whose graduate was Academician Vasiliy. P. Vasilyev. Vasilyev was one of the founders of Oriental Studies in Russia. After having obtained a Master of Arts degree (MA) in Mongolian Philology in 1840 he spent ten years in China preparing to qualify for a Professor at the Chair of Tibetan Studies which was due to open at the University of Kazan. Instead, upon his return, he was appointed Professor and Chair of Chinese and Manchu Studies. At first glance Vasilyev’s career was exceptionally successful: with his unique knowledge of the Orient universally recognized, he was the Dean of the Oriental Department of St. Petersburg University for many years and was also elected a member of the Academy of Sciences. However, the bulk of his works, especially dealing with Buddhism and Tibetan Studies, remain unpublished. This study is an analysis of Vasilyev’s role in promoting Oriental studies in Russia based on his publications and collections of books in Asian languages. It also includes a review of current and past evaluations of his work published in both in Russia and abroad. The author puts forward his consideration regarding the future use of Vasilyev’s archival materials and his collections of Oriental manuscripts.