Paul Pelliot (1878-1945) was a French explorer, scholar, and archaeologist who made significant contributions to the study of Central Asian and Chinese history. He is best known for his discovery of the Dunhuang manuscripts, a collection of ancient Chinese documents that shed light on the history of Buddhism in China.
Pelliot was born in Paris in 1878. He was educated at the École Nationale des Langues Orientales Vivantes, where he studied Chinese, Tibetan, and Sanskrit. After graduating in 1901, he joined the French School of the Far East, where he worked as a researcher and translator. In 1906, he was sent to China to conduct research on the history of the Silk Road. During his travels, he visited the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, where he discovered a large collection of ancient manuscripts.
The manuscripts, which were written in Chinese, Tibetan, and Sanskrit, contained a wealth of information about the history of Buddhism in China. Pelliot was able to decipher the texts and translate them into French. His translations revealed a great deal about the history of Buddhism in China, including the development of the Mahayana and Theravada schools of Buddhism.
Pelliot's discoveries were published in a series of books, including Les Grottes de Touen-houang (1908), Les Manuscrits Chinois de Touen-houang (1909), and Les Manuscrits Chinois de Touen-houang (1910). These works were highly influential in the field of Chinese studies and helped to shape the modern understanding of Chinese history.
In addition to his work on the Dunhuang manuscripts, Pelliot also conducted research on the history of Central Asia. He traveled extensively throughout the region, visiting places such as Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang. He wrote several books on the history of Central Asia, including Les Mongols et leur Empire (1912) and Les Turcs et leur Empire (1913).
Pelliot's work was highly influential in the field of Central Asian studies. He was the first scholar to systematically study the region and his work helped to shape the modern understanding of Central Asian history.
Pelliot died in 1945, but his legacy lives on. His discoveries at Dunhuang and his research on Central Asia have had a lasting impact on the field of Chinese and Central Asian studies. His work has helped to shed light on the history of Buddhism in China and the history of Central Asia. He is remembered as one of the most important figures in the field of Chinese and Central Asian studies.