Shaping the Stein collection’s Dunhuang corpus (2): the items from Cave 17’s ‘miscellaneous’ bundles

In a previous blog post , we looked at the instrumental role played by Wang Yuanlu during the selection of the items from the Cave 17. Wang, who directly chose from the small repository what to hand over to Stein for inspection, was very keen to divert his attention from the so-called ‘regular’ bundles, which were composed for the most part of Buddhist sutras in Chinese and Tibetan. During their first ever transaction, which took place between 21 May and 6 June 1907, Wang Yuanlu therefore began by handing over the ‘miscellaneous’ bundles, which he seemed to hold in low estimation. To Stein’s delight, these contained mixed and diverse materials, such as manuscripts in non-Chinese languages, illustrated scrolls, paintings, drawings, ex-votos, textiles, etc. Stein picked out any of the items that jumped at him as being particularly interesting and made sure to put them aside for ‘further examination’, the phrase that he used to refer to their removal in his transaction with Wang. This

Partners' Meeting in Dunhuang

At the IDP partners' meeting, generously hosted by the Dunhuang Academy from 11–13 October 2011, representatives from IDP Centres around the world met to discuss IDP's future direction. Presentations and lively discussion took place over the two days of the meeting and continued during the visits to local sites.

A full report will be given in the next issue of IDP News.

Pictured front row (left to right):

  • Yoshihiro Okada, Director of the Digital Archives Research Centre, Ryukoku University
  • Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst, Director of the Turfan Research Group, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science and Humanities
  • Li Xiao, Director, Turfan Museum/Academy
  • Susan Whitfield, Director, IDP UK, The British Library
  • Wang Xudong, Executive Vice-Director, Dunhuang Academy
  • Lin Shitian, Researcher, National Library of China
  • Nathalie Monnet, Curator of Chinese Collections, Bibliothèque nationale de France
  • Khasim Anwar, Vice-Director, Xinjiang Institute of Archaeology
  • Yong-chul Choe, Director, Research Institute of Korean Studies

Back row (left to right):

  • Sheng Yanhai, Head of IDP, Dunhuang Academy
  • Lou Jie, Director, Exhibition Centre, Dunhuang Academy
  • Liang Xushu, IDP Imaging Assistant, Dunhuang Academy
  • Liu Zhijia, Research Assistant, Turfan Academy
  • Shouji Sakamoto, Researcher, Ryukoku University/British Library
  • Yoon-hee Hong, Research Professor, Research Institute of Korean Studies
  • Chunhee Wu, Researcher, Research Institute of Korean Studies
  • Ma De, Director, Document Research Institute, Dunhuang Academy
  • Barbara Meisterernst, Researcher, Humboldt-University
  • Agnieszka Helman-Wazny, Paper scientist, Hamburg University
  • Alastair Morrison, International Manager, IDP UK, The British Library
  • Birgit Schlyter, Director, South and Central Asian Studies, Stockholm University
  • Ann Olsen, Photograph Archivist, Ethnography Museum, Stockholm
  • Vic Swift, International and Technical Manager, IDP UK, The British Library
  • Yang Xiuqing, Secretary General, Researcher, China Dunhuang Cave Preservation Research Foundation, Dunhuang Academy
  • Luo Huaqing, Vice-Director, Dunhuang Academy
  • Zhang Yuanlin, Director, Information and Resources Centre, Dunhuang Academy
  • Liu Gang, Vice-Director, Digital Centre, Dunhuang Academy
  • Taeshik Shim, Senior Research Fellow, Manager, Office of International Affairs, Research Institute of Korean Studies
  • Liu Bo, Researcher/ Head of IDP Beijing, National Library of China

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