Laying the Basis of Far Eastern Studies.
Japanese and Chinese Book Donations
to the University of Louvain
in the Wake of the First World War

= Paper =

by Willy F. VANDE WALLE, in Luc COURTOIS (ed.), Les études orientales à l’Université de Louvain depuis 1834 (Histoire, 12), Brussels, 2021.

In contrast to the study of the Ancient Near East and the Christian Orient, the study of the Far East was a relative newcomer at the University of Louvain. In spite of his pioneering research in Chinese and Manchu studies, De Harlez (1832-1899) could not give these disciplines a firm institutional foundation. It took until the 1920’s before the basis for Far Eastern Studies was laid thanks to a Japanese and a Chinese donation, and the endowment of the Satsuma Chair. In this contribution we zoom in on the profile of these donations, their international context and the wider political motives behind them, as well as their academic and antiquarian value. Especially the Japanese donation was arguably the largest such donation to an overseas library before the Second World War.

Keywords: Japan, book donation, China, Adachi Mineichirô, Lu Zhengxiang, library, Etienne Lamotte, Wada Mankichi, de Bassompierre

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