敦煌学术史的珍贵史料——读孙儒先生口述《菩提树下》

Precious Historical Materials in Dunhuang Studies——Reading Notes on Under the Bodhi Tree by Sun Ruxian

孙儒先生的口述史《菩提树下》,既是70年来孙先生敦煌石窟保护和研究工作的真实记录,又从一个侧面展现了敦煌研究院70年学术发展的丰富内容。如1950年敦煌艺术研究所更名为敦煌文物研究所、1958年由国家文物局管理变更为甘肃省管理、60年代初常书鸿任兰州艺术学院院长兼敦煌文物研究所所长等,都是敦煌研究院院史的珍贵史料。50年代初炳灵寺石窟的考察、60年代前期莫高窟的加固工程、敦煌文物研究所的学术活动和敦煌壁画颜料问题的探索、80年代初中央经费的下拨等,孙先生都是亲身经历者或者就是当事人。他的口述提供了许多敦煌研究院院史和当代中国敦煌学学术史的重要信息,值得重视。

Under the Bodhi Tree by Mr.Sun Rujian not only provides an authentic record of the author’s research and conservation of Dunhuang caves, it also contains a rich history of the academic development of the Dunhuang Academy over the past70 years. The academy was originally known as the Dunhuang Art Institute, but was renamed Dunhuang Cultural Relics Research Institute in 1950. Administrative authority of the institution later changed hands from the State Administration of Cultural Relics to the government of Gansu Province in 1958, following which Mr.Chang Shuhong was appointed president of the Lanzhou Institute of Arts and director of the Dunhuang Cultural Relics Research Institute. All of these are extremely important events in the history of the Dunhuang Academy. As for events of archaeological significance, Mr.Sun experienced firsthand the investigation of the Binglingsi Grottoes in the early 1950 s, the reinforcement of the Mogao Grottoes in the early 1960 s, the exploration of paint pigments in the murals of Dunhuang, and the allocation of funds from the central government in the early 1980 s.His colloquially narrated account provides a wealth of valuable information about the history of the Dunhuang Academy and the academic history of Dunhuang Studies.