V.P. Vasiliev’s Work in the XII Beijing Mission (1840-1850) in the Manuscripts of the Republic of Tatarstan National Archives
The article deals with the V.P. Vasiliev scientific journey to Peking in the 1840-1850s. Having defended his thesis for a master’s degree at Kazan University, Vasiliev was sent to study the Tibetan language and to purchase educational and scientific literature. The Republic of Tatarstan National Archives keep Vasiliev’s correspondence with the university authorities covering the events of 1840-1844. Additional information can be obtained from the reports on scientific trip and Vasiliev’s nomination to the position of professor of Chinese and Manchu literature. Despite the declared purpose of the trip, the Tibetan department was never established. This did not happen even after the relocation of the eastern branch of Kazan University to Petersburg in 1854. The available manuscript materials make it possible to clarify to a certain extent Vasiliev’s scientific biography in the Peking decade.