Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales EHESS

Vera Dorofeeva-Lichtmann

Chargée de recherche, CNRS

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Research interests

  • Conceptions of terrestrial space in the emerging Chinese Empire (the late Warring States period through the Han dynasty, 4th century BC – 2nd century AD) – their nature, structure and functions, descriptive and graphic forms of spatial representation.

  • The impact of early spatial concepts on Chinese maps, in particular, cartography of the Song dynasty (960-1279) related to classical texts. Revisions of spatial concepts, beginning from cartography of the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368).

Types of conceptions of terrestrial space

  • The imperial conception of “terrestrial organisation” (di li): an administrative division of the empire established by the emperor and symbolising cosmic order (treatises on “terrestrial organisation” in dynastic histories).

  • A spiritual landscape: a landscape structured according to a spatial distribution of divine powers (the “Itineraries of Mountains and Seas” - Shan hai jing, compiled ca. 1st BC).

Forms of their representation

  • Early Chinese texts shaped as cardinally-oriented schemes: textual cosmograms combining a description of space and its graphic representation.

  • Maps derived from early Chinese texts (extant maps dating from the 12th AD onwards): ancient conceptions of space revisited and revised.  Historical maps and surviving contemporary maps of the Chinese empire in Song (960-1279 AD) and later cartography. Traces of Chinese cartographical images in Western maps of East Asia.

Thème de recherche

  • Conceptions de l’espace terrestre dans l’Empire Chinois émergeant (la période des Royaumes Combattants et la dynastie des Han ; 4e siècle avant J.C. – 2e siècle après J.C.) : leurs nature, structure et fonctions, formes descriptives et graphiques de représentation.

  • L’impact des concepts spatiaux anciens sur la cartographie chinoise, en particulier, les cartes de la dynastie des Song (960-1279) reliées aux textes classiques. Révisions des concepts spatiaux, à partir de la cartographie des dynasties des Yuan (1271-1368) et des Ming (1368-1644).

Types des conceptions de l’espace terrestre

  • La conception impériale de l’« organisation terrestre » (di li) : la division administrative de l’empire établie par l’empereur et symbolisant l’ordre cosmique (traités sur l’« organisation terrestre » dans les histoires dynastiques).

  • Un paysage spirituel : un paysage structuré selon la distribution spatiale des pouvoirs divins (les « Itinéraires des Montagnes et des Mers », compilé env. 1er siècle avant J.C.).

Formes de leurs représentation

  • Corpus des textes chinois anciens structurés selon des modèles spatiaux : cosmogrammes textuels qui combinent une description de l’espace et sa représentation graphique.

  • Cartes dérivées à partir des textes chinois anciens (les cartes existant à partir du 12e siècle) : les anciennes conceptions de l’espace revisitées et révisées. Les cartes historiques et les cartes de l’empire Chinois contemporaines, dans la cartographie sous les Song (960-1279) et postérieures. Les traces des images cartographiques chinoises dans les cartes occidentales de l’Asie Orientale.

Publications

Articles in Collective Studies/Articles dans des recueils collectifs

  • “Mapping a ‘Spiritual’ Landscape: Representing Terrestrial Space in the Shan hai jing.” In: Political Frontiers, Ethnic Boundaries, and Human Geographies in Chinese History, eds. Nicola di Cosmo and Don Wyatt. London – New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003, pp. 35-79.

  • “Text as a Device for Mapping a Sacred Space: A Case of the Wu zang shan jing (“Five Treasuries: The Itineraries of Mountains”).” In: Creating and Representing Sacred Spaces, eds. Michael Dickhardt and Vera Dorofeeva-Lichtmann (Göttinger Beiträge zur Asienforschung 2-3 [2003, special double issue]), pp. 147-210.

  • “Spatial Composition of Ancient Chinese Texts.” In: History of Science, History of Text, ed. Karine Chemla. (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol. 238). Dordrecht: Springer, 2005, pp. 3-47. (revised n. 5 of Journal Articles /Articles dans des revues) http://www.springer.com/new+%26+forthcoming+titles+%28default%29/book/978-1-4020-2320-0

  • “Mapless Mapping: Did the Maps of the Shan hai jing Ever Exist?” In: Graphics and Text in the Production of Technical Knowledge in China: The Warp and the Weft, eds. Francesca Bray, Vera Dorofeeva-Lichtmann and Georges Métailié, Leiden -Boston: Brill, 2007, pp. 217-294. http://ebooks.brillonline.nl/book?id=nij9789004160637_nij9789004160637_i-772

  • “Ritual Practices for Constructing Terrestrial Space (Warring States-Early Han).” In: HdO Early Chinese Religion. Part One : Shang through Han (1250 BC – 220 AD), eds. John Lagerwey and Marc Kalinowski. Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2009, pp. 595-644. http://ebooks.brillonline.nl/search_results?query=Early+Chinese+Religion%2C+Part+One

Journal Articles/Articles dans des revues

[in Chinese]

  • “‘Shan hai jing’ de diyu xingzhi guannian 《山海經》的地域形制觀念(Conception of terrestrial organization in the “Classic of Mountains and Seas”)”. 曆史地理Lishi dili (Historical geography) 17 (2001), pp. 434-44 (translation of n° 2 above).

Encyclopaedia entries/Articles dans des encyclopédies

  • “I testi geografici ufficiali dalla dinastia Han alla dinastia Tang.” In: Enciclopedia Italiana, Storia della Scienza, ed. Sandro Petruccioli, vol. II, “La scienza in Cina”, eds. Karine Chemla, Francesca Bray, Fu Daiwie, Huang Yi-Long and Georges Métailié. Rome: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 2001, pp. 190-197.

  • “Il Classico dei monti e dei mari (Shanhai jing) e la concezione dell’‘organizzazione terrestre’.” In: Enciclopedia Italiana, Storia della Scienza, ed. Sandro Petruccioli, vol. II, “La scienza in Cina”, eds. Chemla, Karine, Francesca Bray, Fu Daiwie, Huang Yi-Long and Georges Métailié. Rome: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 2001, pp. 197-198.

Conference proceedings/Actes des colloques

  • “Conceptual Foundations of Terrestrial Description in the Shan hai jing.” In: Traditions of East Asian Science and Beyond: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on the History of Science in East Asia, Kyoto, 2-7 August, 1993, Kyoto: Kansai University Press, 1995, pp. 419-23.

  • “Topographical Accuracy or Conceptual Organization of Space? (Some remarks on the system of locations found in the Shan hai jing).” In: Current Perspectives in the History of Science in East Asia, eds. Kim Yung-Sik and Francesca Bray. Seoul: Seoul National University Press, 1999, pp. 165-179.

  • “Why ‘The Classic of Mountains and Seas’ (the Shan hai jing) Contains Topographically Inaccurate Data.” In: Science and Technology in East Asia.  The Legacy of Joseph Needham. (Proceedings of the XXth International Congress of History of Science (Liege, 20-26 July 1997), vol. IX). ), eds. Alain Arrault and Catherine Jami. Turnhout: Brepols, 2001, pp. 111-124.

  • “Geographical Treatises in Chinese Dynastic Histories: ‘No Man’s Land’ Between Sinology and History of Science.” Panel S 34 Typological Parallels in Pre-Modern Geographical Knowledge: Non-Geographical Geographies. In: Science and Cultural Diversity, Proceedings of the XXIst International Congress of History of Science (Mexico City, 8-14.07.2001), ed. Juan José Saldaña. CD-ROM, Sociedad Mexicana de Historia de la Ciencia y de la Tecnología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, 2005, pp. 2262-2276.

  • “Introduction” (with Natalia Lozovsky), Panel S 34 Typological Parallels in Pre-Modern Geographical Knowledge: Non-Geographical Geographies. In: Science and Cultural Diversity, Proceedings of the XXIst International Congress of History of Science (Mexico City, 8-14.07.2001), ed. Juan José Saldaña. CD-ROM, Sociedad Mexicana de Historia de la Ciencia y de la Tecnología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, 2005, pp. 2259-2261.

  • “Comparative Analysis of Early Accounts of the ‘Nine Provinces’ (Jiu zhou).” In: Studies on Ancient Chinese Scientific and Technical Texts. Proceedings of the 3rd ISACBRST (The 3rd International Symposium on Ancient Chinese Books and Records of Science and Technology, Tübingen, 31.03-04.04.2003), eds. Gao Xuan, Hans-Ulrich Vogel and Christine Moll-Murata. Zhengzhou: Daxiang chubanshe, 2006, pp. 1-23.

  • “Kunlun Mountains and the Quest for the Yellow River Source: A Case of the Eternal Return (From Descriptions in Early Chinese Texts through Depictions in East Asian Maps to Western Cartography).” In: Collection of Papers presented at the International Conference Visual Representations in Pre-Modern and Non-Western Science and Technology / 前現代與非西方科學技術之視覺表現, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, December 12-13, 2009, 19 pages.

  • “Representations of the “Western Region” through the history of Chinese cartography.” In: Collection of Papers presented at the International Conference Source Materials in History of Science and Technology and Their Interpretation: Problems and Approaches, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, December 3, 2010, 12 pages.

Edited Collections of Papers/Edition de recueils d’articles

  • Modèles et structures des textes Chinois Anciens: les formalistes soviétiques en sinologie, co-edited with Karine Chemla et Alexeï Volkov (Extrême-Orient Extrême-Occident 13 [1991]).

  • Creating and Representing Sacred Spaces, co-edited with Michael Dickhardt (Göttinger Beiträge zur Asienforschung 2-3 [2003, special double issue]).

  • Graphics and Text in the Production of Technical Knowledge in China: The Warp and the Weft, co-edited with Francesca Bray and Georges Métailié (Leiden: Brill, 2007).

Publications in Russian/Publications en russe

  • “Nadpisi na ‘Kamennykh barabanakh’ kak proizvedenie drevnekitayskoy poesii” (‘Inscriptions on the Stone Drums’ (Shi gu wen) as a creation of Chinese poetry (with translation of the inscriptions)). In: XV SSC* (1984), vol.1: 104-18 (extracts from the M.A. Thesis).

  • “Funktsiya drevnekitayskikh tekstov, postroiennykh na desyatiritchnykh strukturakh” (Function of the ancient Chinese texts composed according to 10-unit structures). In: XVI SSC* (1985), vol.1, pp. 155-66 (reduced version); Dalny Vostok i Tsentralnaya Aziya (Far East and Central Asia). Moscow: Nauka: 1985, pp. 13-38 (complete version).

  • “13-richnye struktury kak plan (tu)” (13-unit structures as a plan (tu)). In: XVII SSC* (1986), vol.1, pp. 72-81.

  • “Parallelizm struktury i soderzhaniya ‘Kanona Stikhov’ (Shi tszina)” (Parralelism between structure and content of the “Canon of Poems” (Shi jing)). Kolichestvennye metody v izuchenii istorii stran Vostoka  (Quantitative methods in studies of the history of oriental countries). Moscou: Nauka, 1986, pp. 18-46.

  • “Prostranstvennye tekstologicheskie struktury ‘Kanona gor i morei’ (Shan hai tszina) i ‘Kanona Stikhov’ (Shi tszina)” (Spatial textual structures of the ‘Canon of Mountains and Seas’ (Shan hai jing) and the ‘Canon of Poems’ (Shi jing)). In: XVIII SSC* (1987), vol.1, pp. 48-58.

  • Prostranstvennye modeli shantsev i chzhoustsev” (Spatial models of the Shang and the Zhou). In: XIX SSC* (1988), vol:1,  pp. 60-7.

  • “Transformatsiya chzhouskoy i shanskoy prostranstvennykh modeley v ‘Gimnakh Lu’ (Transformation of the spatial models of the Shang and the Zhou in ‘The Hymnes of Lu’). XX SSC* (1989), vol.1: 151-55.

  • “Shi tszin (‘Kanon Stikhov’) kak istochnik dlya rekonstruktszii prostranstvennykh predstavleny v Drevnem Kitae.” (Shi jing  (‘The Canon of Poems’) as a source for the reconstruction of the spatial notions in Ancient China). Résumé of the Candidate of Historical Sciences Dissertation (equivalent of the Ph.D.). Moscow: Institute of Asian and African Countries, Moscow State University, 1992, 28 p.

  • (Part of the dissertation is published in the Extrême-Orient Extrême Occident 13 (1991), see above, n° 1 of the articles in Western languages).

  • “Regulirovanie vodnykh putei Velikim Yuem v manuskripte Rong cheng shi” (Regulation of waterways by the Great Yu in the Rong cheng shi Manuscript). Istoriya Kitaya. Materialy nauchnoy konferentsii ISAA pri MGU, 4 maya 2004 g. (History of China. Proceedings of the Sinological Conference at the Institute of Asian and African Countries, Moscow State University, 04.05.2004), Moscow State University, 2005, pp. 97-106.

  • “Istoriya prostranstvennykh predstavleny i kartografii v stranakh Vostochnoi Azii (Kitay, Yaponiya)” (History of Spatial Conceptions and Cartography in East Asia (China, Japan))(with Ekaterina Simonove-Gudzenko) [Program of Seminar for Master Students, Institute of Asian and African Countries]. Moscow: Moscow State University Publishers, 2008 (40 pages).

*SSC – Naoutchnaia konferentsiia “Obshchestvo i gosudarstvo v Kitae”. Tesisy dokladov (Scientific Conference “Society and State in China”. Abstracts of Papers. Moscow: Nauka).

Participation in the Editorial Committees/Participation à des comités éditoriaux

  • Member of the Editorial Committee of the “Géographies et culture” journal (2000-2008). / Membre du comité éditorial de la revue « Geographies et culture » (2000-2008)

Interventions de vulgarisation de la recherche

  • 23 janvier 2013, « Mondes chinois, arabes et européens : la circulation des savoirs géographiques », Planète Terre, Radio France, avec Jean-Yves Sarazin (BNF). Écouter l’émission




Dernière mise à jour : 23 mai 2013

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