Russian orientalism : Asia in the Russian mind from Peter the Great to the emigration

"The West has been accused of seeing the East in a hostile and deprecatory light, as the legacy of nineteenth-century European imperialism. In this highly original and controversial book, David Schimmelpenninck van der Oye examines Russian thinking about the Orient before the Revolution of 1917. Exploring the writings, poetry, and art of representative individuals including Catherine the Great, Alexander Pushkin, Alexander Borodin, and leading orientologists, Schimmelpenninck argues that the Russian Empire's bi-continental geography, its ambivalent relationship with the rest of Europe, and the complicated nature of its encounter with Asia have all resulted in a variegated and often surprisingly sympathetic understanding of the East among its people."--BOOK JACKET Here, The Author Examines Russian Thinking About The Orient Before The Revolution Of 1917. He Argues That The Russian Empire's Bi-continental Geography And The Complicated Nature Of Its Encounter With Asia Have All Resulted In A Variegated Understanding Of The East Among Its People. Introduction: What Is Russian Orientalism? -- The Forest And The Steppe -- The Petrine Dawn -- Catherinian Chinoiserie -- The Oriental Muse -- The Kazan School -- Missionary Orientology -- The Rise Of The St. Petersburg School -- The Oriental Faculty -- The Exotic Self -- Conclusion: Asia In The Russian Mind. David Schimmelpenninck Van Der Oye. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents 7 Preface 9 Note On Dates And Transliterations 12 Introduction: What Is Russian Orientalism? 13 1. The Forest And The Steppe 24 2. The Petrine Dawn 43 3. Catherinian Chinoiserie 56 4. The Oriental Muse 72 5. The Kazan School 105 6. Missionary Orientology 134 7. The Rise Of The St. Petersburg School 165 8. The Oriental Faculty 183 9. The Exotic Self 211 Conclusion: Asia In The Russian Mind 236 Notes 253 Index 305