Year

1950

Text

Type

Publication

Contributors (1)

Mentioned People (1)

Subjects

Chronology Entries (19)

#	Year	Text	Linked Data
1	1883-1910	Leo Tolstoy general Tolstoy's books about China (Yasnaya Polyana) : Abel-Rémusat, Jean-Pierre. Mélanges asiatiques [ID D1979]. [Auszüge]. Abel-Rémusat, Jean-Pierre. Mélanges posthumes d'histoire orientales [ID D5231]. [Auszüge]. Abel-Rémusat, Jean-Pierre. Mémoire sur la vie et les opinions de Lao-tseu [ID D11899]. Abel-Rémusat, Jean-Pierre. Nouveaux mélanges asiatiques [ID D1984]. [Auszüge]. Balfour, Frederic Henry. Taoist texts : ethical, political, and speculative [ID D5888]. Beal, Samuel. A catena of buddhist scriptures from the Chinese [ID D8375]. Beal, Samuel. The romantic legend os Sâkya Buddha [ID D8366]. Carus, Paul. Lao-tze. Tao-teh-king [ID D5896]. Chalmers, John. The origin of the Chinese [ID D7404]. Chalmers, John. The speculations on metaphysics, polity, and morality, of "the old philosopher", Lau-tsze [ID D4588]. Faber, Ernst. A systematical digest of the doctrines of Confucius, according to the Analects, Great learning, and Doctrine of the mean ; with an introduction on the authorities upon Confucius and Confucianism. (Hong Kong : China Mail Office, 1875). Georgievskij, Sergej Michajlovic. Principy zizny Kitaja [ID D35697]. Gu, Hongming. Et nunc, reges, intelligite! : the moral causes of the Russo-Japanese war. (Shanghai : Shanghai Mercury, 1906). Gu, Hongming. The great learning of higher education. Gu, Hongming. Papers from a viceroy's yamen. A Chinese plea for the cause of good government and true civilization in China. (Shanghai : Shanghai Mercury, 1901). Gu, Hongming. The universal order, or conduct of life [ID D10718]. Harlez, C[harles Joseph] de. Textes taoïstes [ID D5886]. Hearn, Lafcadio. Gleanings in Buddha-fields : studies of hand and soul in the Far East. (Boston : Houghton, Mifflin, 1897). Heysinger, Isaac W. Lao, Tsze. The light of China : the Tao Teh King of Lao Tsze [ID D36183]. Julien, Stanislas. Les Avadânas [ID D5235]. Julien, Stanislas. Lao-tseu. Tao-te-king : le livre de la voie et de la vertu [ID D2060]. Karyagin, K.M. Konfutsi, yevo zhizn I filosofskaya deyatelnost. (S. Peterburg 1897). Konishi, D.P. Konfutsi. (Moscow 1896). Konishi, D.P. Laosi. Tao-teking. (Moscow 1895). Konishi, D.P. Velikaya nauka Konfutsiya. In : Voprosy filosofii I psikhologii (1893). Legge, James. The Chinese classics. Vol. 1 : The life and teachings of Confucius. Vol. 2 : The life and works of Mencius. Vol. 3 : The She king. (1867-1876). [Original = ID D2212]. Liang, Qichao. Likhunchzhan, ili politicheskaya istoriya Kitaya za posledniya. (1905). Meadows, Thomas Taylor. The Chinese and their rebellions, viewed in connection with their national philosophy, ethics, legislation and administration, to which is added an essay on civilisation and its present state in the East and West [ID D4620]. Müller, F. Max. The religions of China [ID D36161]. Müller, F. Max. Sacred books of the East [ID D8367]. Pauthier, G[uillaume] ; Bazin, [Antoine]. Chine moderne, ou Description historique, geographique et littéraire de ce vaste empire, d'après des documents chinois [ID D5286]. Pauthier, Guillaume. Les livres sacrés de l'Orient [ID D2040]. Pauthier, Guillaume. Lao-tseu. Le Tao-te-king, ou, Le livre révéré de la raison suprëme et de la vertu [ID D5892]. Plaenckner, Reinhold von. Lao-tse. Tao-te-king : der Weg zur Tugend [ID D4608]. Rosny, Léon de. Le taoïsme [ID D36182]. Schott, Wilhelm. Khung-Fu-Dsü. Werke des chinsischen Weisen Khung-Fu-Dsü und seiner Schüler [ID D1373]. [Lun yu]. Simon, G. Eugène. La cité chinoise [ID D2437]. Strauss, Victor von. Lao-tse. Tao te king [ID D4587]. Vasil'ev, Vasilii Pavlovic. Religii vostoka : konfucianstvo, buddizm i daosizm [ID D35619]. The world's Chinese students' journal. Shanghai, no 4 (1906). General Derk Bodde : Leo Tolstoy's knowledge and appreciation of Chinese civilization, and specially of Chinese philosophy and religion, was deep and sincere. The interest in China came as a direct result of Tolstoy's religious 'crisis', which, beginning in the second half of the 1870s, caused him to turn away from a fruitful literary career and devote his remaining years to a search for the religious meaning of life and death. This search led him to China and her sages. Tolsty – in addidtion to Christianity itself – at first confined himself to the study of Buddhism and Islam. Only in 1882 did his intellectual horizons expand to include the Far East. What was it that made Tolstoy feel so akin to the Chinese people : In part, it was the warm and repeatedly expressed sympathy which he felt toward all peoples who were victims of Western imperialism. But more specifically it seems to have been the qualities of pacifism, frugality, industriousness, and simplicity of living for which he lauds them, quite justly, in his Chinese wisdom. The fact that China was a great agrarian country, made up in large part of hardworking peasants. The simple and close-to-earth life of these peasants was, in Tolstoy's eyes, far superior to the corruptions, artificialities and class struggles which he saw in the industrialized countries of Western Europe, with their great factories and crowded urban communities. In this agrarian mode of life, he recognized a factor of basic importance which not only linked China with Russia, but also brought these two nations into spiritual kinship with the other great agrarian countries of Asia, especially India. In China itself, Tolstoy found the highest spiritual expression of this 'genuine' way of life in the Confucian writings and the book of Lao Tzu. In Taoism, as in Confucianism, Tolstoy was not satisfied merely to seek for self-perfection on the human plane. He looked further for a clue to that higher spiritual force which he believed with his whole being underlies all human activity and gives it its meaning and justification. In the case of Taoism, he did not need to seek far, for the essence of Lao Tzu's philosophy is that underlying the universe, as we see it, there is an absolute first cause or principle, called the 'Tao' or Way, from which all being is evolved, and to the eternal laws of which man must conform if he is to gain enlightenment and true happiness. Alexander Lukin : For Tolstoy, Achina was an important example of a nonindustrial, nonviolent, nonprogressive and close-to-nature way of life. He had always admired Chinese thought, was involved in several translations of Chinese classics, and even once wanted to study Chinese. Tolstoy especially admired the concept of ‘nonaction’ (wuwei, which he translated as nedelanie) as stated by Laozi, and he used it to attack the European fascination with the advances in science and technology and the intensification of labor. He found ideas in both Laozi and many other Chinese popular sayings that were close to his own ideals : life in manual labor and unity with nature.	Document: Lukin, Alexander. The bear watches the dragon : Russia's perceptions of China and the evolution of Russian-Chinese relations since the eighteenth century. (Armonk, N.Y. : M.E. Sharpe, 2003). S. 32. (LukA1, Publication) Person: Tolstoy, Leo
2	1883	Letters from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov (Nov.) "I have been rereading Lao Tzu and now have begun reading Legge, the volume containing Mo Ti. I should like to write a book about Chinese wisdom, and particularly a discussion about human nature being good, and human nature being evil, and that people must be either egoistic individualists, or must be loving. All this is very interesting and important to me, and I should like to make it accessible to all and to write about it. Please send me, if you do not need them, the remaining books of Legge and Pauthier, provided you have them." [Legge Mencius ; Pauthier Lao Tzu]. "I wrote you about the Chinese, asking you to send me Legge and Pauthier, and wanted to do this work. But now it is clear to me that it should be done by you, and that you will do it easily and beautifully. The work consists of translating Legge's two volumes on Confucius and Mencius, with all his investigations into the lives of these sages and of the philosophers contemporaneous and close to them. (I do not remember about the book of Confucius, but in Mencius there is an account of these philosophers, among them Mo Ti, which is extremely interesting as well as important.) Mencus himself is also exceptionally interesting. If you could manage and introduction for this book (it mus be written as a single book: 'Chinese sages', that would be fine. But if not, then simply a translation of Legge – omitting only some of the overly dogmatic Christian remarks – would be one of the best books for the intellectual 'Posrednik'. Firstly, because for most of the reading public all this is completely new ; secondly, the subjects discussed are the most important ones in the world and are treated with seriousness ; and thirdly, many highly moral ideas are beautifully espressed. So as soon as you tell me that you agree, I shall send you all I have. As for Budha, finish it up. You have made an excellent beginning and should not dig too deeply with the plow. Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien." "I still want to look through the books on Chinese wisdom in order to work out a plan more clearly. As soon as I finish this one of these days, I shall send them to you. A marvelous work."	Person: Chertkov, Vladimir Grigoryevich Person: Tolstoy, Leo
3	1884	Leo Tolstoy read the books by Thomas Taylor Meadows : "I have read Meadows' work on China. He is entirely devoted to the Chinese civilization, like very sensible, sincere man who knows Chinese life. In nothing is the significance of ridicule seen better than in the case of China. When a man is unable to understand a thing, he ridicules it. China, a country of 360 millions of inhabitants, the richest, most ancient, happy, peaceful nation, lives by certain principles. We have ridiculed these principles, and it seems to us that we have settled China."	Person: Tolstoy, Leo
4	1884	Letters from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov (Febr.) "I sit at home with fever and a severe cold in the head, and read Confucius for the second day. It is difficult to realize its extraordinary moral height. One delights in seeing how this teaching at times approaches the height of the Christian teaching." (March) I am very much occupied with Chinese wisdom. I should greatly like to tell you and everybody else of theat moral good which these books have done me." (July) "I am occupied with Chinese religion. I have found much that is good, useful and heartening for myself. I want to share it with oders, God willing." [Betr. Four books von Legge und Lao Tze von Julien]	Person: Chertkov, Vladimir Grigoryevich Person: Tolstoy, Leo
5	1884	Diary of Leo Tolstoy (March) : "Having been translating Lao Tzu. Does not come out as I want." "Remarkable indeed is Confucius' Doctrine of the Mean. In it, as with Lao Tzu, the fulfillment of natural law is what constitutes wisdom, strength and life. And this law fulfills itself silently, its meaning unrevealed. It is the Tao, which unfolds itself evenly, imperceptibly and without trace, and yet has powerful effect. I do not know what will result from my preoccupation with the teaching of Confucius, but it has already brought me much good. Its characteristic is truth, oneness, and not doubleness. He says that Heaven always acts genuinely." "I ascribe my good moral state of mind to the reading of Confucius and Lao Tzu. I must arrange for myself a Cycle of reading' : Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Lao Tzu, Buddha, Pascal, and the Evangelists. This would also be essential for everybody else."	Person: Tolstoy, Leo
6	1887	Letter from Leo Tolstoy to Paul Biryukov "Novosyolov also brought me the book of Simon [La cité chinoise] (in Russian translation) about China. Without fail, get it and read it. The reading simply delighted me, and to you, in particular, it will be very useful and heartening because he describes agriculture in it, as well as the whole life of the Chinese. Here is a book that should and must be rendered for Posrednik."	Person: Birukoff, Paul Person: Tolstoy, Leo
7	1889	Letter from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov (March) "I like very much the saying : 'Dans le doute abstiens toi'. I consider this to be a Christian rule. It is the same as the hightest virtue in Lao Tzu, 'le non-agir'. As I understand this, all our sins come from what we do, that is, from doing for ourselves what we ought not to have done."	Person: Chertkov, Vladimir Grigoryevich Person: Tolstoy, Leo
8	1890	Letter from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov "A very good work awaits someone who knows English and understands the meaning of Christ's teaching. It is this : In the Chinese books in English – I have forgotten the translator – which I had and which you now have, there is Mot Ti's doctrine of love. Do you remember ? In the teachings of Mencius and Confucius (especially Mencius) there is a refutation of this doctrine. Well, then, to translate all this and prepare a book, to show that this doctrine of love – as an extremely utilitarian doctrine – had been presented so long ago among the Chinese, and that it had been very poorly refuted, and that this doctrine – an earthly, utilitarian one, without the idea of a Father, or, most important, of life, i.e., eternal life – had a great influence. This would be excellent."	Person: Chertkov, Vladimir Grigoryevich Person: Tolstoy, Leo
9	1893	Letter from Leo Tolstoy to Nikolai Semyonovich Leskov, requesting the names of St. Petersburg sinologists whom he might apply for authoritative information about Lao Tzu.	Person: Leskov, Nikolai Semyonovich Person: Tolstoy, Leo
10	1893	Correspondence by Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Vasilievich Stasov about Lao Tzu. (Oct.-Nov.) Stasov collected book reviews of several Lao Tzu translations : Julien, Chalmers, Rémusat, Plaenckner, Harlez, Rosny and Balfour. His verdict about Strauss was unfavorable : "The Professor of Chinese in our University, Ivanovski, says that Strauss is a 'third-rate' sinologist and that he cannot be trusted." He recommende Legge's translation of the Tao te ching. Legge, Chalmers and Harlez were sent to Tolstoy.	Person: Stasov, Vladimir Vasilievich Person: Tolstoy, Leo
11	1894	Diary of Leo Tolstoy (Oct.-Nov.) "Reading Chinese classics. Very important." "Feeling fine. Writing nothing, but studying Confucius, and everything's fine. Derive spiritual strength." "Studying Confucius and all the rest is insignificant. Seems good. What is most important is that this teaching, which tells one to be particularly watchful over oneself, when alonge, has a powerful and beneficial effect on me. If only I could keep I in its freshness."	Person: Tolstoy, Leo
12	1895	Leo Tolstoy collaborated with D.P. Konishi.	Person: Konishi, D.P. Person: Tolstoy, Leo
13	1905	[Liang, Qichao]. Likhunchzhan : ili, Politicheskaia istoriia Kitaia za posliedniia. [Transl. by]. A.N. Voznesenskii. (S. Peterburg : V. Berezovskii, 1905). Übersetzung von Liang, Qichao. Li Hongzhang. (1901). 李鸿章 Zhang Qingtong [unknown], while in S. Petersburg, translated the book together with A.N. Voznesenskii. He sent a copy of the translation with a letter to Leo Tolstoy. Letter from Tolstoy to Zhang Qingtong : "For a long time now I have worked fairly intimately with Chinese religion and philosophy, even if, as a European, far from sufficiently thoroughly. Quite aside from Confucius, Mencius, Lao Tzu, and the commentators on them, I have been especially captivated by the teaching of Mo Ti, agains whom Mencius turned himself… May God preserve China from the cours of Japan. The Chinese, like all of us, should develop their spiritual powers and not strive for technological improvements, which only create harm if the sould be turned the wrong way. I am wholly of your opinion that a spiritual bond exists between the two great peoples, Russian and Chinese, and that they should work hand in hand. But this should not be through political ties or any kind of governmental agreemets. Both, and especially their farmers, must work out for themselves a new way of life independently of government. They should not, however, strive for 'freedoms' of all sorts, such as freedom of thought and speech, popular political representation and the like. Rather it should be that true freedom which consists in the possibility of living without any need for government or anything else to decree moral law for them."	Person: Liang, Qichao Person: Tolstoy, Leo
14	1906	Gu Hongming sent to Leo Tolstoy through the intermediary of the Russian Consul-general his two works Papers from a Vieroy's yamen and Et nunc, reges, intelligite ! : the moral causes of the Russo-Japanese war. Tolstoy, Leo. Letter to a Chinese (1906). [Letter to Gu Hongming]. "I have received your books and read them with great interest, especially the Papers from a Vieroy's yamen. The life of the Chinese people has always interested me to the hightest degree, and I have taken pains to become acquainted with the things in Chinese life which were accessible to me, for the most part Chinese religious wisdom : the books of Confucius, Mencius, Lao Tzu, and the commentaries on them. I have also read on Chinese Buddhism, as well as the books of Europeans on China. The Chinese people, who have suffered so much from the immoral, crudely egoistic, and avaricious cruelty of the European peoples, have up to the present replied to all the violence committed against them with a majestic and wise composure, and have preferred patience in the struggle against force. I speak of the Chinese people and not of their government. The successes of some thieves provoke the envy of others, and the seized prey becomes an object of wrangling and thus brings the thieves themselves to ruin. So it is with dogs, and so also it is with people who have lowered themselves to the level of animals. I believe, that a great upheaval in the life of humanity is taking place in our time, and that in this upheaval China, at the head of the peoples of the Orient, must play an important rôle. It seems to me that the rôle of the oriental peoples of China, Persia, Turkey, India, Russia, and perhaps also Japan (if it is not completely entangled in the net of the corruption of European civilization) consists in showing to the world the right way to freedom, for which, as you write in your book, the Chinese language has no other word than 'Tao', a way, that is, an activity, which agrees with the eternal fundamental law of human life. In our time, I believe the turn has now come likewise for orientals in general and Chinese in particular to become aware of the utter harm caused by despotic rule and to seek a means of liberation from it, since under present conditions of life it has become intolerable. I know that it is taught in China that the highest ruler, the Emperor, must be the wisest and most virtuous man, and if he is not, his subjects can and should refuse him allegiance. But I believe that this doctrine represents only an excuse for despotism. The Chinese people cannot know whether their emperor is wise or virtuous. Especially is this true of China because of the peace-loving character of its people and the poor organization of its army, which give Europeans the opportunity to plunder Chinese territory with impunity under the pretext of various clashes and disagreement with the Chinese government. Thus the Chinese people cannot but feel the necessity of changing their relation to the ruling power. And here I can see from your book, as well as other sources of information, that some light-minded people in China, called the reform party, believe that this change should consist of doing just what the European nations have done, that is, of replacing a despotic government by a republican one, and establishing the same kind of army and industry as those of the West. This decision, which seems at first glance the simplest and most natural, is not only light-minded but very stupid, and, from all that I know about China, quite unnatural for the wise Chinese people. As soon as people recognize human power as superior to that of God and of His law (Tao), they then become slaves ; all the more so when that power becomes increasingly comples (as in the case of a constitution which they establish and obey). Freedom can exist only for that people for whom the law of God (Tao) is the only supreme law, to which all other laws are subordinate. If you, by refusing to bey your government, will give no help to the foreign powers in their aggressions agains you, and if you refuse to serve them, whether it be in a private, civil, or military capacita, then there will be none of those disasters from which you now suffer. May the Chinese people but continue to live their peaceful, industrious, agricultural life as they have before, behaving in accordance with the fundamentals of their religions : Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, all three of which basically agree on liberation from all human power (Confucianism), not doing to others what you do not wish to be done to yourself (Taoism), and self-abnegation, humility and love to all people and creatures (Buddhism). Then all those disasters from which they supper will automatically disappear, and no power will be enough to conquer them."	Person: Gu, Hongming Person: Tolstoy, Leo
15	1907	Tolstoy, Leo. Kitaiskaya mudrost : mysli kitaiskikh myslitelei [ID D36257]. [The books of Confucius]. "The Chinese are the oldest people in the world. The Chinese are the most populous people in the world. There are 450 million of them, almost twice as many as Russians, Germans, French, Italians and English put together. The Chinese are the most peaceful people in the world. They seek nothing from others, nor do they wish to engage in war. The Chinese are tillers of the soil. Their ruler himself begins the plowing. And because of that the Chinese are the most peaceful people in the world. "They say: If a man claims that he is skilled in warfare, know that this man is a great criminal. "The Chinese live in their own way, not ours. They know how we live but they do not adopt our way of life, for they consider their life to be better. Neither French, Russian, German, Turk nor any other people in the world can, in eating so little and producing so much, compete in work with the Chinese. There is no single people in the world who can till the soil and gain a livelihood from it as well as do the Chinese-Whereas on one desyatina [2 ¾ English acres] a single Russian or two Germans can support them¬selves, on that same desyatina ten Chinese can do so. "The Chinese have now begun to migrate to America, and the American workers do not know what to do. "The Chinese work cheaper, better and more honestly than do the latter, but they demand less and so have brought down the wages for all work. Some Americans say: We should accept them. Others say: We should expel them. Like it or not, the work will be taken by him who works better. And he who is better is he who does no harm to anyone, takes less for himself, and gives more to others. The Chinese do no harm, fight with no one, and give more and take less. Therefore they are better. And if they are better, we must find out what is their faith. "Here is their faith : They say (this is what their teacher Chu-khi says): All men have originated from the Heavenly Father, and therefore there is not a single man whose heart is not endowed with love, virtue, truth, propriety and wisdom. But although natural goodness exists in all people from birth, only a very few can nurture this goodness and develop it completely. That is why it so happens that not all people know, or can know, the goodness which lies in them, and develop it. Those, however, who have great sensibility, reason and wisdom, can develop in themselves their spiritual goodness, and it is they who differ from the mass of other people. It is to such men that the Heavenly Father gave a decree to be the leaders and teachers of the people. He decreed that from generation to generation they were to rule and teach the people, so that these might all return to their original purity. "In this way Fukhi, Chanpunch, Goanti, Iao and Chun received their superior rank from the Heavenly Father, and in this way their assistants carried out their orders. From this their teachings spread everywhere. "And thus it finally came to be that in the palaces of the rulers, as well as in the smallest hamlets, there was no place where the people did not study. As soon as a boy reached his ninth year—were he the son of an emperor or prince, or of a simple peasant—he entered a primary school where he was taught how to plant, water, cultivate, and keep things tidy. He was taught how to answer politely those who addressed him, how to come forth and greet people, and how to receive guests and see them off. He was taught how to ride horseback, shoot the bow, and how to read, write and count."	Person: Tolstoy, Leo
16	1910	Leo Tolstoy received a copy of The world's Chinese students' journal. In his Diary he commented that this 'interests me very much'. He penciled marginal notes to one of its articles : 'The Civilization of China'. It is reported that he have remarked : "Were I young, I would go to China."	Person: Tolstoy, Leo
17	1910	Laotse [Laozi]. Izrecheniya kitaiskovo mudretsa Laotze [ID D36253]. [On the essence of Laozi's techings]. "The foundation of Lao Tzu's teaching is the same as that of all the great and true religious teachings. It means : Man first of all recognizes himself as a corporeal being, distinct from all others and filled only with egoistic desires. But besides the fact that the individual man considers himself to be a Peter, a John, a Mary or a Catherine, he also recognizes each as an incorporeal spirit which lives in all beings and gives life and growth to all forms of existence. Thus man may exist either as a physical personality, distinct from all others, or as an incorporeal spirit which moves in him and desires the growth of all existing things. Man can live either for his body or for his soul. If he lives for his body, his life is a continual suffering, inasmuch as the body endures pain, becomes ill and dies. But if he lives for his soul, his life is blessed, inasmuch as for the soul there is no suffering, no illness and no death… According to the teaching of Lao Tzu, the only way for man to unite with God is through Tao. Tao is achieved by abstinence from all that is personal and corporeal. The same teaching is to be found in the First Epistle of Saint John, and just as, by the word Tao in Lao Tzu's teaching, is to be understood not only the means of uniting oneself with Heaven, but also Heaven itself, so, according to Saint John, by the word love is to be understood not only love, but also God himself. (God is love.) The essence of both teachings consists in the fact that man can conceive of himself as either separate or indivisible, body or spirit, temporal or eternal, animal or divine. In order to gain consciousness of oneself as spiritual and divine, there is, according to Lao Tzu, only one means, which he defines with the word Tao, a word which also includes in itself the idea of the highest virtue." Derk Bodde : When Tolstoy equates 'Tao' with Heaven, and through his term with God, this in itself could not be objected to, if by 'God' he really meant a naturalistic principle similar to what Lao Tzu and the other Taoists intended when they used the term 'T'ian' or 'Heaven'. When he introduces the love of Saint John into his equation and when he creates a dichotomy between spirit and body and advocates 'abstinence from all that is personal and corporeal', it is obvious that his view of Taoism has been colored by his own Christian spectacles.	Person: Tolstoy, Leo
18	1928-1958	Introduction to Tolstoy, L.N. [Tolstoy, Leo]. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii [ID D36346]. "Tolstoy's interest in Confucius can apparently be explained chiefly by the fact that the teaching of the Chinese philosopher was devoid of all that is vague, transcendental and miraculous. He was not interested in abstract problems or questions of religious metaphysics, but concentrated himself exclusively on the problem of practical morality and the fundamentals of human society. The high humaneness, and the doctrine of self-negation and love for others, which mark the teaching of Confucius, closely approached the ideas on these subjects held by Tolsoy himself." [Lao Tzu. Tao te ching] : "In this book, Tolstoy was especially attracted by the preaching of bodily abstinence and of spiritual self-perfection which should form the basis of human life."	Person: Tolstoy, Leo
19	1946	Guo, Moruo. Sulian ji xing [ID D36307]. [Bericht seiner Reise nach Russland 1945]. Guo Moruo visited Vasnaya Polyana and wrote some words in the visitor's book : "Like a pilgrim, I have come to Yasnaya Polyana to breathe the pure atmosphere left by the great wise man [Leo Tolstoy], and have here come to realize more concretely Tolstoy"s lofty personality. Although his study, bedroom, living room and books of all remain silent, they seem to tell me : 'The Master has just gone out. He is even now walking in the soods'. All is so simple, natural, orderly and impressive. These spacious and pure surroundings are not unworthy to be Tolstoy's cradle, or the cradle of such great productions as War and peace and Anna Karenina. All is preserved naturally. All is preserved for the people. Here in these surroundings it is easier for men to understand the greatness of the vast love of his for the peasants and for all mankind. Unceasingly people come here to visit. If Tolstoy has consciousness, I believe it certainly makes him smile. Those lines of sadness, deeply engraved on his face, have probably already disappeared. From far and near come the scholars, thinkers and creators of all lands. It is not for naught, for it causes them to ponder more deeply : What is the meaning of life ? How can our existence be perfected ? But at the same time I realize more concretely the greatness of Lenin and Stalin, for it is under their leadership that this treasure of mankind has been preserved. All is for the people. They have caused this rich cultural relic to be left as a teaching, not only to their own people, but to all mankind. For these overflowing thoughts of love for fellow countrymen and mankind, I from my heart sincerely express my gratitude." Tolstoy's granddaughter Esenina Tolstaya, then at Yasnaya Polyana, presented Guo Moruo a book in which she wrote : 'On the happy occasion of Mr. Guo Moruo's visit to the home of Tolstoy I send love and respect to the people of China'.	Person: Guo, Moruo Person: Tolstoy, Leo

Sources (10)

#	Year	Bibliographical Data	Type / Abbreviation	Linked Data
1	1884	Tolstoy, Leo. Kitaiskaya mudrost. (1884). [Unifinished fragment]. [Chinese wisdom].	Publication / Tol7
2	1889	Tolstoy, Leo. Kak zhivut kitaitsy. (Moskva : Posrednika, 1889). [How the Chinese live. From G. Eugène Simon].	Publication / Tol5
3	1900	Müller, F. Max. The religions of China. In : Nineteenth century ; vol. 48 (1900). I : Confucianism. II : Taoism. III : Buddhism and christianity.	Publication / MülF1
4	1900	Tolstoy, Leo. Poslaniye k kitaitsam. (1900). [Epistle to the Chinese].	Publication / Tol9
5	1903	Boulanger, Pavel Aleksandrovich. Zhizn' i uchenie Konfutsiia. So stat'eigr. L.N. Tolstogo [Leo Tolstoy]. (Moskva : Posredika, 1903). [2nd ed. 1911]. [The life and teaching of Confucius. With an essay by Leo Tolstoy].	Publication / Tol10	Person: Boulanger, Pavel Aleksandrovich Person: Confucius Person: Tolstoy, Leo
6	1907	Tolstoy, Leo. Pismo k kitaitsu ; Kitaiskaya mudrost : mysli kitaiskikh myslitelei. (Moscrow : Posrednik, 1907). [Letter to a Chinese ; Chinese wisdom : the thougths of Chinese thinkers]. [Enthält] : The books of Confucius, The great learning, Laozi The book of the way and truth].	Publication / Tol8	Person: Confucius Person: Laozi Person: Tolstoy, Leo
7	1910	Laotse [Laozi]. Izrecheniya kitaiskovo mudretsa Laotze. [Selected by] Leo Tolstoy. (Moscow : Posrednik, 1910). [Enthält] : Tolstoy, Leo. O suschnosti ucheniya Laotze. [On the essence of Laozi's techings]. Gorbunov-Posadov, Ivan. O mudretse Laotze. [About the sage Laozi].	Publication / Tol4	Person: Gorbunov-Posadov, Ivan Person: Laozi Person: Tolstoy, Leo
8	1910	Boulanger, Pavel Aleksandrovich. Zamechatelnyie mysliteli vsekh vremyon i nardov : miti, kitaiski filosof : ucheniye o vseobshchei lyubvi. [Ed. by] Leo Tolstoy. (Moscow : Posrednik, 1910) [2nd ed. 1911]. [Remarkable thinkers of all times and peoples : Mo Ti, a Chinese philosopher : the Doctrine of universal love].	Publication / Tol11	Person: Boulanger, Pavel Aleksandrovich Person: Mozi Person: Tolstoy, Leo
9	1911	Tolstoy, Leo. Surratskaya kofeinaya ; Kitaiski mudrets Laotze. Ed. by Paul Birukoff. (Moscow : ID. Sytin Co., 1911). [The Coffee-House of Surat ; The Chinese sage Laozi].	Publication / Tol6	Person: Birukoff, Paul Person: Tolstoy, Leo
10	1913	Konishi, D.P. Lao-si, Tao-te-king : ili pisaniye o nravstvennosti. [Ed. by] Leo Tolstoy ; [with a note by] S.N. Durylin. (Moscow : [s.n.], 1913). [Laozi, Dao de jing : or the Scripture of morality].	Publication / Tol12	Person: Konishi, D.P. Person: Laozi Person: Tolstoy, Leo