R. Stein

Isabelle Pignon

Rolf Stein has died at the age of 88 years (October 9, 1999). It was one of the most eminent specialists of Chinese religions and Tibet. He also devoted himself to the study of Buddhism tanlrique Sino-Japanese and Zen. The analysis of ancient Chinese sources enabled him to write a review of Lyn-Yi (PB sinological studies center in Beijing, II, Beijing, 1947) supplementing the story - silacunaire - of Campa.
In this regard, Paul Demieville-wrote in 1951 in the journal T'oung Pao
"... It is above all his method he often succeeds in bringing the exegesis of documents already known ... A. Stein takes on the lookout for items and folk legends that lurk historical texts. His remarks on the cosmological implications of the names I-nan [south of the sun] and Pi-ching [contigùej shadow (the gnomon) - the latter gave the northernmost prefecture of the commander of the I-nan, because at certain days of the year, the noon shadow blends with the gnomon - play a key role in its localization Chu-su, and thus all sites of the I-nan. corroborated by other arguments linguistic, ethnographic and topographic especially, this location is convincing ... "

The latest research of the great Orientalist were devoted to the religions of the Far East (Tibetica antiqua, EFEO, 1983-1992).

Letter from Sasha 6. December 1999, p. 16.