«ORIENTAL COLLECTION» is a new magazine published by the Russian State library (the former Lenin State Library of the USSR). In 2001, four issues of 160 pages each have been published. The magazine covers history and culture of the East, studies of Russian orientalists, humanitarian contacts of Russia with Eastern countries. The magazine will make available to the public great book collections of the Russian State Library that contain a lot of rare and unique books, manuscripts, works of art and maps inseparable from the East. Besides, articles on modern spiritual and material life of Oriental nations will be published in the magazine. Addressing the readers of the magazine Dr. Victor Fyodorov, the Director of the Russian State Library, pointed out that the ORIENTAL COLLECTION is addressed to all people «who are interested in the Orient».
Rostislav Rybakov. 21st Century Should Become a Century of the Civilizations’ Dialog.
Professor Rybakov points out that in terms of humanity East and West are not enemies and competitors but they are rather inseparable as two hemispheres of one brain — the Planet Earth’s brain.
Mikhail Bibichkov. Images of Cairo.
Picture story accompanied by poems by Ivan Bunin.
Igor Melanyin. The Turtle.
An essay on turtle as one of the sacral symbols of the East. Turtle is a symbol of the ORIENTAL COLLECTION magazine.
Ludmila Zinchuk. «Asia» Means the «East».
History of Asia representation on geographic maps from ancient times to the early XX century.
Natalya Zhukovskaya. Let Your Felt be Warm!
Professor of ethnology relates the role of felt in the culture of nomadic nations.
Tatyana Nosenko. Three Faces of Jerusalem. This is the first of the three essays on the history of Christian, Judaic and Moslem sacred places in Jerusalem – the sacred city of three religions.
Vladimir Rychagov. Physicians of Belief.
An orientalist’s essay on Philippine healers including personal impressions, conversations and analysis of various publications.
Elena Chekulaeva. The Will of the Mountain Rajahs.
This is the first of the essays on great cultural monuments of the East included in the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage. Its theme is Borobudur.
Vladimir Lebedev. Treasures of the Lion Island.
Popular essay on the author’s trip to Sri Lanka supplemented by the fragment from the book of Russian orientalists who visited the country 100 years ago.
Alexander Doubyanskii. Subbulakshmi: Singing as Devotion to God.
An article on a contemporary Indian singer who takes over ancient traditions of the South Indian musical art.
Igor Melanyin. «Light» — a Gift From Ryuseki Morimoto.
An essay on the Japanese art of calligraphy and a interview with a prominent artist Ruseki Morimoto who visited Moscow in summer 2000.
Mark Ulyanov. World As Viewed by a Chinese Customs Officer of the 13th Century.
An article on geographic, political and economic knowledge in the medieval China. The article precedes translation of a fragment from the Chao Ju-kua’s work «Description of everything alien» which is being published in Russian for the first time.
Nikolai Nikulin. «I, Presbyter Philippe Binh …»
Professor of philology first introduces to Russian readers the notes of the Vietnamese Catholic priest Philippe Binh who in the early 19th century went to Portugal, thus «discovering» Europe.
Anna Nesis. Incomplete Publication by the Shapiro Brothers.
An almost detective story took place in the early XIX century in a small town of Slavuta where beautiful copies of Talmud and other Judaic books had been printed. As a result of false delations and intrigues the print shop was closed, its owners were exiled to Siberia whereas all books in Hebrew fell under censorship of the “official” rabbis.
Yuri Averyanov. «Sun of the Belief» by Jelaleddin Rumi.
As a result of the extended research conducted in Russia and Turkey the author reconstructed the unknown before episodes of the spiritual communication of the prominent medieval poet with the “enigmatic dervish” Schemsi Tabrizi.
Nikita Sokolov. Rene' Guenon. Penetration into the «primary tradition».
The author tries to examine the literary heritage of the famous French thinker Rene' Guenon in an unbiased way.
Rene' Gue'non. The Great Triad.
Russian translation of Chapters IX and X of this work are being published for the first time.
Russian Emigration.
Under this heading the magazine will historify the destinies of Russian citizens who happened to become emigrants after the Revolutionary events and the Civil War of 1918—1922. Many of them made a considerable contribution to the science, economy and culture of Asian countries. A poem by the Russian poet and translator Valery Pereleshin (1913—1992) inaugurates this heading.
Olesya Smolina. Browsing through the pages of the «News of the Oriental Institute».
Bibliography of publications by Russian orientalists in the early 20th century who were subject to repressions in 1930-s.
Svetlana Pukhova. Indian Club. Permanent magnet action.
An interview with the President of the Indian Club which organizes intellectual trips to this country.
Ivan Zakharchenko. A` la Korean.
A com-prehensive essay on Korean cuisine opens a series of articles on dishes and drinks regular in the Orient and exotic for foreigners.
The «Orientnet» heading is not just a kind of guide-book on Internet resources about the Orient but also an opportunity to exchange information. Please mail (email) your wishes, suggestions and comments to the following address: orientnet@rsl.ru