2025-05-23
Seminar by French Historian Dr. Xavier Hallez
On May 22nd, 2025, Dr. Xavier Hallez, a French historian, held a seminar entitled "The Scientific Research of Paul Pelliot in Central Asia: A Unique Encounter between a Frenchman and a Kyrgyz. Alai. 1906." Dr. Hallez specializes in studying political and social changes in Central Asia and is the editor of "A Unique Encounter between a Frenchman and a Kyrgyz. Alai. 1906", a book published in Kyrgyz and Russian in 2024, which includes travel notes by the renowned orientalist Paul Pelliot preserved at the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts in Paris. The book describes a meeting that took place over a century ago between Paul Pelliot and Asanbek, son of Kurmanjan Datka.
Paul Pelliot led a French scientific expedition that traveled through Central Asia from 1906 to 1908. During this journey, members of the expedition visited the Alai region and met Kurmanjan Datka, her children, and other locals. At the seminar, Dr. Xavier Hallez gave a detailed account of their journey through Kyrgyzstan and the places they stayed. The children of Kurmanjan Datka assisted the expedition in various ways. He also shared historical photographs of the daily life and culture of the Kyrgyz people in the Alai region.The seminar ended with a question-and-answer session.
