On May 29, 2009, Alexander Mikhailovich Reshetov, a scientist of great scientific talent, a versatile talent, a very bright, multi - faceted personality with a wide scientific range and a powerful temperament, died.

A graduate of the Department of History of the Far East Countries of the Eastern Faculty of Leningrad State University, he became a prominent specialist in the history and ethnography of China. After graduating from the University, in 1956 he entered the postgraduate program of the Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences (now the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. Peter the Great of the Russian Academy of Sciences), A.M. Reshetov went to China for an internship and for four years improved his knowledge of the Chinese spoken language, studied the ancient culture and folk life of the country in all its ethnic diversity, closely followed the state of Chinese society (at that time the cultural revolution was beginning), got acquainted with Chinese ethnographic science and Its prominent representatives include Lin Yaohua, Chen Yongli, Su Keqing, Yu Daoquan, and others. From 1960 to the end of his life, A. M. Reshetov worked at the Institute of Ethnography, having gone from junior to leading researcher, he became a well - known scientist-the author of more than 500 scientific papers. In 1967, A. M. Reshetov defended his PhD thesis on " Buoys. Historical and ethnographic essay".

As an ethnographer and Sinologist, A. M. Reshetov embodied the enduring traditions of Russian ethnography. He was an image of a true ethnographer, meeting the requirements of the classics of Russian ethnography for a researcher. His excellent command of the Chinese language contributed to his development as a Sinologist. In the works of Alexander Mikhailovich, the problems of ethnography, ethnic history, and social organization of the predominantly small peoples of China are closely related to the problems of philology and historical development. As a result of this comprehensive approach, the works of A. M. Reshetov were equally interesting for specialists in various fields of science-both historians and philologists-

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This was confirmed by his speeches at numerous conferences and responses in the press.

Reshetov's research field was rapidly expanding. His research interests included ethnographic studies of other countries of the Far East and Southeast Asia. In many of his works, the subjects and problems considered on the basis of Chinese material echo similar ethnographic subjects of neighboring countries or those influenced by Chinese culture - Mongolia, Tibet, and Southeast Asia.

A. M. Reshetov participated in the writing of books published in the 1960s. The Institute of Ethnography of the volumes "Peoples of East Asia" and "Peoples of Southeast Asia", was a member of the author's collective of many Russian encyclopedias: the Soviet Historical Encyclopedia, BSE, BDE, the New Russian Encyclopedia, historical and ethnographic reference books "Peoples of the World", "Peoples and Religions of the World", etc.

A. M. Reshetov was a member of the editorial board of the journal "Ethnographic Review", "Collection of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography", editor of many collective works and monographs devoted to the problems of paleoethnography, traditional culture, social organization, ethnic history, ethnic processes in the countries of foreign Asia. He was the organizer and director of the annual conference, called the "Kuehner Readings" in honor of N. V. Kuehner, whose research was enthusiastically engaged throughout his scientific life.

For many years, Alexander Mikhailovich was head of the Department of East and South-East Asia, Scientific Secretary of the Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and enthusiastically served as scientific secretary of the Dissertation Council.

Already at an early stage of his scientific development, A. M. Reshetov felt a taste for theoretical problems of ethnography, which naturally aroused interest in its history. The scientist's attention was primarily drawn to the history of Russian ethnography. The result of his intensive work and literally selfless work in this field was the publication of hundreds of articles about scientists who made a huge contribution to Russian ethnography. Many of these scientists (who found themselves in exile for other reasons) were forgotten or erased from the memory of subsequent generations. A.M. Reshetov not only restored the names and scientific achievements of many representatives of the Russian school of ethnography and Oriental studies, but also filled in numerous blank spots in the history of science. His tireless work with sources in various archives, meticulous study of documents and cases of innocently convicted scientists helped restore historical justice and highlight the true role of Orientalists and ethnographers in the formation and development of Russian and, in some cases, world science. He was the founder and driving force of a new direction and a special branch of historiography, called "repressed ethnography".

A. M. Reshetov was the best, if not the only, expert on the history of Russian ethnography in general and the creative biographies of its representatives. He was constantly asked for bibliographic references from all over Russia, near and far abroad. His works were also deservedly appreciated by foreign ethnographers. Invited to participate in the monumental dictionary "International Dictionary of Anthropologists" (Gen. ed. Ch. Winter. N.Y.-L., 1991. 823 p.), A.M. Reshetov introduced many names of Russian scientists to world ethnography.

In his activity, a stormy scientific and social temperament, a special talent for research, was clearly manifested. Before him, there were no specialists of such scale and such high flight in this field of knowledge, and they are unlikely to appear in the foreseeable future. He conceived the idea of publishing the Biobibliographical Dictionary of Anthropologists and Ethnographers of the XX century and devoted the last years of his life to working on it (unfortunately, this work remained in manuscript).

Wherever this person was-at a scientific meeting, conference, or in the field in the most remote places-he always became the center of attraction. His powerful intellectual and emotional influence and irresistible charm affected everyone from pundits to ordinary villagers.

Two years ago, the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography published the collection "Problems of General and Regional Ethnography" dedicated to the 75th anniversary of A. M. Reshetov, which brought together ethnographers, orientalists, historians, philologists from Moscow and St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Khabarovsk, and Central Asia, who felt deep respect for the hero's personality and gratitude for his invaluable contribution. contribution to Russian science.

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In addition to his erudition, intelligence, and humor, Alexander Mikhailovich admired his special taste for life in many of its manifestations, his ability to enjoy the beautiful and see it in seemingly ordinary things. It is impossible not to say what a huge place in his life was occupied by the art of ballet. It was love, a passion that, along with science, went through his entire life. Ballet dancers and art critics came to the civil memorial service to say goodbye to A.M. Reshetov, who spoke about him as a fine connoisseur of this art form. As for the history of ballet, here his knowledge surpassed that of some professional critics.

A. M. Reshetov took the passing of his colleagues very hard and always responded with heartfelt obituaries, least of all resembling formal articles in this genre. He considered himself obliged to pay the last debt to his colleagues and leave the memory of his predecessors to subsequent generations, evaluate the role of a particular scientist in science, and capture their personality traits. This was absolutely necessary for the preservation and further development of scientific traditions, so that " the connection of times would not break up."

The scientific heritage of A. M. Reshetov, consisting of works on the ethnography of China, the countries of the Far East and Southeast Asia, as well as creative portraits of many scientists, already during the lifetime of their creator took a worthy place in the history of Oriental studies and ethnography, to which he devoted a lot of effort and energy and wrote many bright pages. His works are in constant scientific circulation, confirming the well - known truth that the life of a real scientist is in his works.

This is what he was and will always remain in our memory.

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