Professor Yves Hervouet died on 29 January 1999, aged 77. He was one of the founding fathers of the Junior Sinologues Congress, back in 1948, a friendly group of young European academics in Chinese studies, who resented the conservative atmosphere of the long-established Orientalist Congress, and decided to organize regular scholarly gatherings by their own means at one or another sinological center in Europe and to launch joint projects. Again, in 1974, Professor Hervouet with some colleagues initiated the move for reshaping the then ailing Junior Sinologues Congress into the present day European Association of Chinese Studies, which held its first founding conference in Paris, in 1976. He served as vice-president of the EACS from 1976 to 1982. Professor Hervouet was born on 30 April 1921, in a village of Brittany, from a peasant family of thirteen children. After obtaining a licence in classics in 1943, he studied Chinese at the Ecole des langues orientales in Paris, then went to Peking for further training (1947-1949). He became a scientific member of the École française d'Extrême-Orient, stationed in Hanoi (1950-1954). On his return to Paris, he was the librarian of the Institut des hautes études chinoises at the Sorbonne (1954-1959). In 1959, he was appointed in Bordeaux to the first chair of Chinese studies created in a French provincial university. Ten years later he was called to Paris and helped to the founding of Paris VIII-Vincennes University, where he headed the Chinese Department and served a few years as Vice-President. He ended his career as professor and head of the East Asian Languages and Civilizations Department at Paris VII University (1976-1987). He was also director of the Institut des hautes études chinoises, now attached to the Collège de France, from 1973 to 1986. He created the French Association for Chinese Studies in 1980 and was elected its first chairman. His unrelenting, selfless dedication to many ungratifying administrative tasks in support of academic renovation and quality, as well as for the promotion and efficient organization of Chinese studies, was matched by an exceptionally rigorous and wide-ranging scholarship. Solidly grounded on philology, his work encompassed major contributions to bibliography: the catalogue of the Chinese collections of the Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient (1954), the catalogues of Chinese gazetteers (1957) and periodicals (1958) in European libraries, A Sung Bibliography (1978). He was chief editor of several major collective sinological volumes and contributed to many others. However, classical literature, especially poetry, was his beloved field and secret garden. His thesis, published in 1964, was on the Han poet Sima Xiangru. It was complemented by his translation and critical study of the poet's biography in the Shiji, Le chapitre 112 du Che-ki. Biographie de Sseu-ma Siang-jou (1972). He translated also Pu Songling (1969). His last book was a most talented and delicately refined excursion into the world of Tang poetry, Amour et politique dans la Chine ancienne. Cent poèmes de Li Shangyin (1995). A man of strong personal integrity and straight judgment, even with causticity, Professor Hervouet had also treasures of sensitive generosity. He was a great teacher who inspired both respect and affection to his students and colleagues. Members of the EACS should remember his spirit of devotion and outstanding contribution to European sinology. Those who have known him will surely feel the loss of a trusted friend and share the sorrow of Mrs. Hervouet and her four daughters. Marianne Bastid-Bruguière Source: http://www.soas.ac.uk/eacs/newsl/nl20.htm
Last update: 03 May 2004 (OLR) |
