Pelliot, Paul

Pelliot, Paul 

Born May 28, 1878, in Paris; died there Oct. 26, 1945. French Orientalist. Member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres (1921).

From 1906 to 1908, Pelliot headed a French research expedition to Central Asia, where he collected many epigraphic samples in Tunhuang. From 1911 he was a professor at the Collège de France. He became editor in chief of the journal T’oung pao in 1920 and was president of the Asiatic Society from 1935.

Pelliot studied Chinese history and Chinese literary works from various periods. He researched many problems in the language and culture of the Mongols; the history of Taoism, Buddhism, and foreign religions in China; and the history and culture of other peoples of Central Asia. During the occupation of France by fascist German troops (1940–44), Pelliot was active in the Resistance. He was a foreign corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1922).

WORKS

“Les Systèmes d’écriture en usage chez les anciens Mongols.” Asia Major, 1925, vol. 2, fasc. 2.
Oeuvres posthumes, vols. 1–6. Paris, 1949–60.
Notes on Marco Polo, vols. 1–2. Paris, 1959–63.

REFERENCE

Duyvendak, J. J. L. “Paul Pelliot.” T’oung pao. 1948, vol. 38.