2024.2

In the 1950s the Soviet Union was gradually establishing relations with many Asian and African countries, including India. A significant event in the life of the Soviet citizens was the VI World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow. In 1957 the “Iron Curtain” was lifted for tens of thousands of foreign visitors in the hope of attracting young people from the other countries. The VI World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow helped to create a positive image not only for the guests from the Western and highly developed countries, but for the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement. The festival was supposed to demonstrate the accomplishments of the Soviet Union in the field of science, culture and economy. The Moscow festival received the large delegation from India and showed the foreign guests, including students, the Soviet way of life. This festival not only had a propaganda effect, but also allowed to strengthen and expand links with many countries, including India. From the 1950s scientific, cultural and economic relations with India begin to improve. The festival allowed a large number of people to discover the socialist country. The article considers in detail the archival documents, that have not previously been used to examine the participation of the Indian delegation in the festival.

On modern Indian meeting websites (for example, MatrimonialsIndia. com ) the user page, in addition to other information, contains an indication of who created the profile. Among these persons, in addition to the user himself (or herself) and their close relatives (parents, brothers, sisters), some «friends» are mentioned. Not only in the early periods of history, but also in modern India, the institution of marriage remains extremely conservative. This circumstance raises the question: why do people who are not relatives of the potential bride and groom take part in creating a family? The analysis of sources from different eras shows us that contexts of this kind have been encountered before. So, for example, in the notes of Lutheran missionaries who worked in Southern India at the very beginning of the XVIII century, there are indications of the participation of some «friends» in the planning of marriage unions. There are also references to certain «friends» as the participants in the search for a bride for a young man in the monuments of ancient Indian didactic literature (Kāmasūtra). The analysis of texts and cases of the use of the term «friends» both in ancient Indian texts and in later sources shows that, most likely, it is not just about friendly ties. «Friends» most likely refer to members of the same caste group to which the potential bride and groom belong.

The Emergency declaration was a major landmark of the 1970s in India. The task of the regime introduced in 1975 by the Indian National Congress under the leadership of Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) was to save democracy from anti-Indian elements and to pave the way for further structural changes and reforms. But on the contrary, it resulted in the total dissatisfaction with the extraconstitutional restrains and, as a result, sowed the seeds of disdain and distrust among the population of India. As images of a bright future started to fade away, the INC saw a significant decline which eventually resulted in the party’s defeat at the 1977 general elections and the transfer of power to the Janata Party. The article examines the Emergency (1975–1977) in the current political rhetoric of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India. In BJP’s view, the emergency declaration and the formation of the first non-Congress government was the victory of democratic values over the “dictatorship” of Indira Gandhi, or the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The regime, which gained notoriety among the people of India due to the unpopular socio-political course and unbalanced economic regulations of the government, did not only become a symbol of restriction and deprivation: it also made the people question the very essence of India’s democracy and the legacy of its “Founding Fathers” among whom was Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964), the first prime minister of India. Although almost five decades have passed since the infamous 1975, the ghost of the Emergency still haunts the contemporary Indian society and dominates BJP’s political rhetoric.

The article examines the features of the religious and intellectual activities of a group of reform-minded Muslim scholars (ulama) led by Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi (1866–1914) in Ottoman Syria at the end of the 19th century, as well as the reaction to their activities by conservative supporters of Islamic traditionalism (taqlid) and the Ottoman authorities. The key historical event in the focus of the study is the so-called The “Mujtahids Incident” of 1896, when al-Qasimi and a number of his supporters were summoned to a judicial instance in Damascus for a public trial of their religious views and academic studies, where they were forced to respond to accusations, made against them by the Hanafi Mufti, of disloyalty to the authorities and independent arbitrary interpretations of the Koran and Sunnah. The study and discussion of sacred texts in the circle of Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi became an occasion for attacks from conservative-minded ulama, who were afraid of competition from Islamic intellectuals who did not consider themselves obliged to unconditionally accept all the conclusions of one or another of the four madhhabs (religious and legal schools). And although the participants in the “Mujtahids Incident” managed to justify themselves to the authorities in 1896, in the future until the Young Turk revolution of 1908–1909 they could not openly declare that they were practicing ijtihad, i.e. independent formulation and clarification of Islamic religious and legal conclusions based on direct reference to the Koran and the Sunnah. Both the formal and informal influence of conservative ulama in Ottoman Syria during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II (1876–1909) remained virtually undeniable.

Using etymological methods, the present study has identified six Sinitic and Slavic shared (Sino-Germanic) etymologies (etyma):【旦, 嬾, 板, 塼, 媛 and 軸】. These six etyma form a rhyme correspondence. This regular sound change validates the etymological connection in question. The etymon of день (den’) ‘day’ has been identified in Sinitic, Slavic, Baltic, Albanian and Sanskrit. The etymon of лень (len’) ‘laziness’ has been identified in Sinitic, Slavic, Baltic, Romance and Italic. The etymon of день (pen’) ‘stump’ has been identified in Sinitic, Slavic and Hellenic. The etymon of стена (stena) ‘wall’ has been identified in Sinitic, Slavic, Germanic and Hellenic. The etymon of жена (žena) ‘wife’ has been identified in Sinitic, Slavic, Baltic, Germanic, Celtic, Albanian, Hellenic, Anatolian, Armenian, Indo-Iranian and Tocharian. The etymon of один (odin) ‘one’ has been identified in Sinitic, Slavic, Baltic, Germanic, Celtic, Italic, Albanian, Hellenic.

The study is devoted to the category of counting words (words-classifiers) in modern Chinese. A counting word is a word that indicates the discreteness of the object (object or action) it introduces. Counting words in Chinese are divided into two classes: classifiers for nouns (名量词 míng liàng cí) and multiplicity indicators for verbs (动量词 dòng liàng cí). The study deals specifically with classifiers for nouns. With regard to classifier words in Mandarin, many works have been written, where counter words are organized into different groups. These groups often differ in volume and in features that are inherent in each individual counting word. Some authors believe that the counting word is a function word that is not used as a separate category, some refer classifier words to nouns. In our study, we will adhere to the second point of view. It should also be noted that in different periods of history and in different dialects (topolects), different counter words were used to classify words according to a certain species-forming feature. We base our research on classifier words found in northern dialects that form the basis of Mandarin.

The suggested article deals with the problems of symbolism of the special instruments (sacrificial spoons) and of the corresponding substances (melted butter or fat) in them. Two types of rituals, namely, the ‘great’ one (‘śrauta’) and the ‘home’ one (‘gRhya-‘), are briefly characterized in the paper; in both of them the personified fire or God of Fire (Agni-) was always acting as the main subject and — simultaneously — as one of the objects of the ritual. It is demonstrated in the paper that the names for sacred instruments — namely, ‘srúc-’ (masc.) “scoop” and sruvá- (fem.) “ladle”- are originally the verbal nouns generated from verbal root sru- “to stream down” and “to destroy” — and an attempt is made to explain why this split in semantics of the root is not a casual one. It is also shown in the paper that ancient Indo-Aryans believed in a kind of the so called “sexual union” (mithuná) between the sacrificial spoons and melted butter (ā́ jya-) or fat (ghRtá-) as well as in the new mithuná of the substances accumulated in spoons with Agni of the altar. The detailed descriptions of the parameters of sacrificial spoons, of the types of materials used for their manufacture, of the varieties of their usage, etc. are supplied in the paper; the special function of the scoop (srúc-), as manifested in funeral rituals, is also explained. The reasons and circumstances causing the existence of the feature of “superpurity” in sacrificial spoons and in fatty substances inside them are listed in the paper; it is also marked there that it was absolutely impossible to use the spoons in question in any everyday necessities of life.

This paper studies the cycle of works by one of the outstanding Chinese writers of the “root-seeking” literary movement- Ah Cheng. The research includes his works “The King of Chess”, “The King of Children” and “The King of the Tree”, where the main theme is the comparison of the past and the new world order. The main purpose of this work was to study the axiological conceptosphere of these works, namely, to identify the features of depicting the values of Taoist philosophy as a classical ideology and the Chinese cultural revolution as a new ideology. As a result of the study, it was found that in the works of Ah Cheng, these ideologies coexist both in society as a whole and in each individual person. Among the main values of Taoism, the author highlights the following: life in harmony with nature, the representation of the world as a single whole (organism), the principle of non-action and the cult of honor of ancestors, authorities. Also, among the new values of the cultural revolution, such as the practical use of natural resources, the perception of man as the crown of creation, the idea of human independence, independence from external forces, and the denial of previous stereotypes were identified. It was revealed that these values are mainly revealed through the dialogues of the characters, as well as their internal monologues, which often include rhetorical questions addressed to the character and to the reader. In addition, metaphors and implicitness play an important role in the depiction of values, which is especially characteristic of Taoist philosophy as an eastern tradition, where the main ideas are conveyed allegorically, with hidden meanings. In addition, it was found that the values of Taoism are also realized in the description of landscapes, since one of the foundations of Taoism is the connection of man with nature.

In European literature, the genre of the spy novel appeared at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in Chinese it happened a little later — around the 1930s. By the 1940s, the genre was flourishing. Since 1937, during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the confrontation between the Kuomintang and the Communists, espionage activities have acquired a special, topical significance, which could not but be reflected in literature. The next peak of interest in the genre came at the time of the formation of New China, Soviet translated novels became a source of inspiration for the authors. During the years of the Cultural Revolution, literary activity froze, but individual elements of the spy novel can be found even in “model operas”. In the 1970s and 1980s a new rise in translated literature began, as a result of which China became acquainted with the classics of European and American spy literature, in addition, Soviet spy novels of the 1950s and Chinese novels of the same period were reprinted. Another peak of interest in spy literature arose at the beginning of the 21st century; it is associated with the popularity of the works of the contemporary writer Mai Jia. With the spread of the Internet, a large number of authors of online literature who write in this genre have appeared. Each of these stages had its own distinctive features, for example, differences in the images of the antagonists. Plots related to spies and espionage/intelligence activities are consistently popular among readers. The 21st century, together with Western translated literature, epoch-making events, and a change in systems and paradigms, has brought new themes and sources for plots to literature in general and to the genre of the spy novel in particular.

The article is devoted to the theory, policy and practice of PRC’s science diplomacy in the modern era. Having studied scientific works of scientists from different countries, official documents of the Chinese government and media reports, the author reveals the definition of the concept, achievements and inadequacies of contemporary science diplomacy of PRC.

This article examines the foreign trade of Kazakhstan during three decades of its independent development. A special attention is paid to the analysis of structural characteristics of exports and imports. Changes in trade volumes with main partners as well as the number of commodity names in trade are of particular interest. Based on foreign trade indicators, it can be concluded that in the early 2020s, similar to the 2000s and 2010s, Kazakhstan’s exports were dominated by hydrocarbons, with metals, minerals, chemicals and crops still accounting for a significant share of export trade. Imports were dominated by manufactures, particularly electrical machinery and equipment, as well as transportation. During the 2000s and 2010s, the main consumers of Kazakhstan’s exports often included China, Italy, France, Russia and the Netherlands. During the same period, the main importers were Republic of Korea, Germany, Russia, Italy, USA and Ukraine. The results of the paper may be useful for the planning of public policies and for the long-term development strategies of commercial enterprises; the results can also be used to prepare educational programmes on Central Asian economies.

In 2024, we celebrated the 220th anniversary of the birth of the prominent scholar G.S. Sablukov (1804–1880), who occupied a special place in the history of the Qur’anic studies in Russia. His main academic achievement — the first published translation of the Qur’an from the Arabic into Russian (1877) — became an important step in the development of Russian Oriental science. The article investigates the stages of formation of G.S. Sablukov as an expert on Islamic issues, contains an overview of his works dedicated to the Qur’an and analyzes the assessments of his translation of the Holy Muslim Book, which have changed over time. However, there is no doubt that with his translation of the Qur’an, G.S. Sablukov made a significant contribution to Russian Islamic studies by strengthening its scholarly foundations.