Henri Cordier (8 August 184916 March 1925) was a French
linguist
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
,
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...
,
ethnographer
Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...
,
author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
,
editor and
Orientalist. He was President of the
Société de Géographie
The Société de Géographie (; ), is the world's oldest geographical society. It was founded in 1821 as the first Geographic Society. Since 1878, its headquarters have been at 184 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris. The entrance is marked by two gig ...
(
French, "Geographical Society") in Paris.
[ La Société de Géographie](_blank)
Cordier was a prominent figure in the development of East Asian and Central Asian scholarship in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th century. Though he had little actual knowledge of the Chinese language, Cordier had a particularly strong impact on the development of Chinese scholarship, and was a mentor of the noted French sinologist
Édouard Chavannes
Émmanuel-Édouard Chavannes (5 October 1865 – 29 January 1918) was a French sinologist and expert on Chinese history and religion, and is best known for his translations of major segments of Sima Qian's ''Records of the Grand Historian'' ...
.
Early life
Cordier was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States. He arrived in France in 1852; and his family moved to Paris in 1855. He was educated at the
Collège Chaptal
In France, secondary education is in two stages:
* ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15.
* ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...
and in England.
[Aurousseau, L. (1925)]
''Nécrologie'', Henri Cordier,"
''Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient,'' Vol. 25, Issue 25, pp. 279-286.
In 1869 at age 20, he sailed for Shanghai, where he worked at an English bank. During the next two years, he published several articles in local newspapers. In 1872, he was made librarian of the North China branch of the
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, commonly known as the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS), was established, according to its royal charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the en ...
. In this period, about twenty articles were published in ''Shanghai Evening Courier'', ''
North China Daily News'', and ''Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.''
Career
In 1876, he was named secretary of a Chinese government program for Chinese students studying in Europe.
In Paris, Cordier was a professor at ''l'École spéciale des Langues orientales'', which is known today as the Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (''L’
Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales
Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales ( en, National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations), abbreviated as INALCO, is a French university specializing in the teaching of languages and cultures from the world. ...
'', INALCO).
He joined the faculty in 1881; and he was a professor from 1881 to 1925.
He contributed a number of articles to the ''Catholic Encyclopedia''.
Cordier was also a professeur at l'
École Libre des Sciences Politiques
, motto_lang = fr
, mottoeng = Roots of the Future
, type = Public research university''Grande école''
, established =
, founder = Émile Boutmy
, accreditation ...
, which is today known as the National Foundation of Political Studies (''
'') and the Paris Institute of Political Studies (''
Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris
, motto_lang = fr
, mottoeng = Roots of the Future
, type = Public research university''Grande école''
, established =
, founder = Émile Boutmy
, accreditation ...
'').
Contributions to Sinology
Although he had only a slight knowledge of the language, Cordier made major contributions to
Sinology
Sinology, or Chinese studies, is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of China primarily through Chinese philosophy, language, literature, culture and history and often refers to Western scholarship. Its origin "may be traced to th ...
.
"Cordier," as the
Bibliotheca Sinica' "is sometimes affectionately referred to," is "the standard enumerative bibliography" of 70,000 works on China up to 1921. Even though the author did not know Chinese, he was thorough and highly familiar with European publications.
Endymion Wilkinson
Endymion Porter Wilkinson (born 15 May 1941) is an English diplomat and scholar who served as the European Union Ambassador to China and Mongolia from 1994 to 2001. He is particularly noted for '' Chinese History: A New Manual'', the first ver ...
also praises Cordier for including the full titles, often the tables of contents, and reviews of most books.
Cordier was a founding editor of ''
T'oung Pao
''T’oung Pao'' (; ), founded in 1890, is a Dutch journal and the oldest international journal of sinology. It is published by the publisher E. J. Brill.
''T'oung Paos original full title was ''T’oung Pao ou Archives pour servir à l’étud ...
'', which was the first international journal of
Chinese Studies
Sinology, or Chinese studies, is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of China primarily through Chinese philosophy, language, literature, culture and history and often refers to Western scholarship. Its origin "may be traced to the ...
. Along with
Gustaaf Schlegel
Gustaaf Schlegel (30 September 184015 October 1903) was a Dutch sinologist and field naturalist. E. Bruce Brooks (9 June 2004)Gustaaf Schlegel, Sinology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, retrieved 17 September 2011
Life and career
Gustaaf S ...
, he helped to establish the prominent sinological journal ''
T'oung Pao
''T’oung Pao'' (; ), founded in 1890, is a Dutch journal and the oldest international journal of sinology. It is published by the publisher E. J. Brill.
''T'oung Paos original full title was ''T’oung Pao ou Archives pour servir à l’étud ...
'' in 1890.
['' T'oung Pao'', Vol. I](_blank)
first issue cover page, 1890.
Honors
*
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, commonly known as the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS), was established, according to its royal charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the en ...
, honorary member, 1893.
*
Royal Geographical Society, corresponding member, 1908.
*
Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres
The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres () is a French learned society devoted to history, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the Institut de France. The academy's scope was the study of ancient inscriptions (epigr ...
, member, 1908.
*
Société Asiatique
The Société Asiatique (Asiatic Society) is a French learned society dedicated to the study of Asia. It was founded in 1822 with the mission of developing and diffusing knowledge of Asia. Its boundaries of geographic interest are broad, ranging ...
, vice-president, 1918–1925.
*
Société de Géographie
The Société de Géographie (; ), is the world's oldest geographical society. It was founded in 1821 as the first Geographic Society. Since 1878, its headquarters have been at 184 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris. The entrance is marked by two gig ...
, President, 1924–1925.
Selected works
Cordier's published writings encompass 1,033 works in 1,810 publications in 13 languages and 7,984 library holdings.
WorldCat Identities
Cordier, Henri 1849-1925
/ref>
''Bibliotheca sinica. Dictionnaire bibliographique des ouvrages relatifs à l'Empire chinois,'' Vol. 1
Vol. 2.
(1878-1895)
* ''Bibliographie des œuvres de Beaumarchais'' (1883)
''La France en Chine au XVIIIe siècle: documents inédits/publiés sur les manuscrits conservés au dépôt des affaires étrangères, avec une introduction et des notes''
(1883)
''Mémoire sur la Chine adressé à Napoléon Ier: mélanges, '' Vol. 1
Vol. 2
by F. Renouard de Ste-Croix, edited by Henri Cordier. (1895-1905)
''Les Origines de deux établissements français dans l'Extrême-Orient: Chang-Haï, Ning-Po, documents inédits, publiés, avec une introduction et des notes''
(1896)
''La Révolution en Chine: les origines''
(1900)
''Conférence sur les relations de la Chine avec l'Europe.''
(1901)
''L'Imprimerie sino-européenne en Chine: bibliographie des ouvrages publiés en Chine par les Européens au XVIIe et au XVIIIe siècle.''
(1901)
''Dictionnaire bibliographique des ouvrages relatifs à l'Empire chinois: bibliotheca sinica,'' Vol. 1
Vol. 2
Vol. 3
Vol. 4
(1904-1907)
The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2
with Henry Yule
Sir Henry Yule (1 May 1820 – 30 December 1889) was a Scottish Orientalist and geographer. He published many travel books, including translations of the work of Marco Polo and ''Mirabilia'' by the 14th-century Dominican Friar Jordanus. ...
(1903)
Ser Marco Polo : vol.1
(1910)
de Chine de 1860, histoire diplomatique, notes et documents''
(1906)
* ''Bibliotheca Indosinica. Dictionnaire bibliographique des ouvrages relatifs à la péninsule indochinoise'' (1912)
''Bibliotheca Japonica. Dictionnaire bibliographique des ouvrages relatifs à l'empire Japonais rangés par ordre chronologique jusqu'à 1870''
(1912)
Mémoires Concernant l'Asie Orientale : vol.1Mémoires Concernant l'Asie Orientale : vol.2Mémoires Concernant l'Asie Orientale : vol.3
(1913)
''Le Voyage à la Chine au XVIIIe siècle. Extrait du journal de M. Bouvet, commandant le vaisseau de la Compagnie des Indes le Villevault (1765-1766)''
(1913)
* ''Cathay and the Way Thither: being a Collection of Medieval Notices of China'' (1913)
* ''Bibliographie stendhalienne'' (1914)
''La Suppression de la compagnie de Jésus et la mission de Péking''
(1918)
* ''The travels of Marco Polo'' (1920), with Henry Yule
Sir Henry Yule (1 May 1820 – 30 December 1889) was a Scottish Orientalist and geographer. He published many travel books, including translations of the work of Marco Polo and ''Mirabilia'' by the 14th-century Dominican Friar Jordanus. ...
''Histoire générale de la Chine et de ses relations avec les pays étrangers: depuis les temps les plus anciens jusqu'à la chute de la dynastie Mandchoue,'' Vol. I, ''Depuis les temps les plus anciens jusqu'à la chute de la dynastie T'ang (907)''
Vol. 2, ''Depuis les cinq dynasties (907) jusqu'à la chute des Mongols (1368)''
Vol. 3, ''Depuis l'avènement des Mings (1368) jusqu'à la mort de Kia K'ing (1820)''
Vol. 4, ''Depuis l'avènement de Tao Kouang (1821) jusqu'à l'époque actuelle.''
(1920-1921)
''La Chine.''
(1921)
* La Chine en France au XVIIIe siècle (Paris, 1910)
Chine : vol.1
Notes
References
* Cordier, Henri. (1892). ''Half a Decade of Chinese studies (1886-1891).'' Leyden: E.J. Brill
OCLC 2174926
*
*
*
* Ting Chang, “Crowdsourcing avant la lettre: Henri Cordier and French Sinology, ca. 1875–1925”, ''L'Esprit créateur'', Volume 56, Number 3, Fall 2016, Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 47–60.
External links
*
*
*
Downloadable issues of ''T'oung pao''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cordier, Henri
1849 births
1925 deaths
French scholars
French sinologists
Members of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
Contributors to the Catholic Encyclopedia
Corresponding Fellows of the British Academy