T'OUNG PAOi. IlouARCHIVESCONCERNANT L'HISTOIRE, LES LANGUES,LA GÉOGRAPHIE ET L'ETHNOGRAPHIEDEL'ASIE ORIENTALERevue dirigée parHenri CORDIERMembre de l'InstitutProfesseur à l'Ecole spéciale des Langues orientales vivantesETEdouard CHAVANNESMembre de l'Institut, Professeur au Collège de France.VOL. XV.LIBRAIRIE ET IMPRIMERIECI-DEVANTE. J.BRILLI —EIDE 1014.bs;947(1IMPRIMERIE CI-DEVANT E. J. BRïLL LEIDE.,SOMMAIRE.Fonds.Art ici os
T'OUNG PAO
i. Il
ou
ARCHIVES
CONCERNANT L'HISTOIRE, LES LANGUES,
LA GÉOGRAPHIE ET L'ETHNOGRAPHIE
DE
L'ASIE ORIENTALE
Revue dirigée par
Henri CORDIER
Membre de l'Institut
Professeur à l'Ecole spéciale des Langues orientales vivantes
ET
Edouard CHAVANNES
Membre de l'Institut, Professeur au Collège de France.
VOL. XV.
LIBRAIRIE ET IMPRIMERIE
CI-DEVANT
E. J.BRILL
I —EIDE 1014.bs
;
947(1
IMPRIMERIE CI-DEVANT E. J. BRïLL LEIDE.
,SOMMAIRE.
Fonds.Art ici os ) L'écriture curtive tibétaine {ibid , Janvier-Février, 1912, pp.
twotibétain (Chalon-sor-Saâiie, and of inter-also the author of a pamphlet L'ari 1911),
and I ibr.t révolubooks le» marches tibétaines (Paris, 1909) Lerating of travel Datu
(Paris, l'J12).
1- i:B i; T HOL I» I. A r F E R.
initiative attaekcourage and bo original problems. It is likewise
matter of congratulation to us that the wonderful discoveries of
M. Pelliot will considerably cnrich Tibetan research and reanimate
with new life tins wofully neglected science. The volumes of the
aucient Kaujur édition discovered by him in the Cave of the Thou-
c
sand Buddhas (Ts ien tung) of Kan-su andfu dating at the latest
froui the tenth, and more probably even from the ninth century,
together with mauy Tibetan book-rolls from the same place, ') are
materials bound to signal a new departure in the study of Tibetan
philology, hitherto depending exclusively on the récent prints of the
last centuries. We therefore feel justified in looking forward with
great expectations to the élaboration of thèse important sources.
The text published by M. isBacot the first Tibetan document
of the Mission Pelliot ruade accessible to science, and there is every
reason to be grateful for tins early publication and the pioneer
work conscientiously performed by M. Bacot. It is a document of
great interest, both from a philological and a religious point of view.
The merit of M. Bacot in the editiug and rendering of this text
is considérable. First of ail, he has honorably accomplished the
difficult task of transcribing the cursive form of the original into
the standard character (dbu-can), and, as far as can be judged by
one who has not had the opportunity of viewing the original,
generally in a convincing manner; he has recognized also some of
the archaic forms of spelling, and correctly identified them with
their modem équivalents; and above ail, aside from ruiner détails,
he has made a correct translation theof divination table proper.
There are, however, two points of prime importance ou which
my opinion differs from the one expressed by M. Bacot. Thèse
points are the interprétation of the meaning of the Table, and the
Compare1) P. Pelliot, La mission Pelliot en Asie centrale, 2f>25, (Annales depp.
la société île géographie commerciale, Fasn. 4, Hanoi, 1909) and B. E F. E. (),, Vol. VIII,
1908, p. 507.