1. Research Background

This section introduces the historical context of official Chinese language education in Russia, beginning from the era of Peter the Great, through the development of Saint Petersburg University and the Oriental Institute, to the contributions of Pyotr Schmidt in Chinese language teaching and research. Schmidt's Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese served as the primary textbook at the Oriental Institute, exerting significant influence on the training of Chinese language professionals. The book includes a linguistic introduction to Chinese learning and texts, critiques the perspectives of European Chinese grammar researchers, and presents Schmidt's own views on Chinese. In 1915, Schmidt revised the book. Academic evaluations highlight its integration of Chinese learning theory and practice, contributing to the establishment of the practical school of Russian Sinology. Schmidt thus ranks among the world's most renowned Sinologists. This paper will focus on the practical features of Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese, analyzing their manifestations, origins, and impact.

2. Manifestations of Practical Features in Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese

This section explores the practical features of Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese, analyzing them from three aspects: compilation philosophy, corpus selection, and country-specific targeting. Schmidt emphasized the practicality of the textbook in its compilation philosophy. A comparison of the 1902 and 1915 editions reveals updates and optimizations in content, with greater attention to pronunciation issues (tones, rhymes, and initials), the historical evolution of Chinese, and comparisons with other Oriental languages to meet students' needs in learning a second Oriental language. The target audience was clearly defined: first-year learners at Far Eastern University, for whom the textbook provided a self-study grammar guide, along with specific learning methods outlined in the preface. In corpus selection, Schmidt prioritized practical value, explicitly defining the target language as "Beijing colloquial speech" and updating the corpus with contemporary language materials for examples. The examples were chosen for their practicality and relevance, covering themes such as family, society, commerce, and officialdom, aligning with the Oriental Institute's educational mission. In explaining grammar rules, Schmidt distilled them from real-language contexts, making them highly practical for teaching. Finally, from the perspective of country-specific targeting, Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese was tailored for students at the Oriental Institute, addressing the practical needs of beginners by using simple sentences for texts and exercises, with particular emphasis on teaching challenges for Russian students, such as tones and stress. The textbook's compilation and teaching methods remain valuable to this day.

3. Origins of the Practical Features in Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese

The practical features of Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese stem from both external and personal factors. External factors are closely tied to the traditions of Russian Sinology and Chinese language teaching. Russian Sinology has a unique geographical and political context, emphasizing practicality and prioritizing the study of Chinese, Manchu, and Mongolian languages, as well as the translation of Chinese cultural classics. Schmidt inherited this tradition, mastering multiple languages and emphasizing translation and political motivations in his teaching and research. The Russian tradition of Chinese language teaching profoundly influenced Schmidt, who received professional Chinese training at Saint Petersburg University. His textbook's structure and teaching practices were shaped by the work of earlier scholars. On a personal level, Schmidt possessed solid linguistic expertise, extensively collected language materials, published related works, and maintained a cross-linguistic research perspective. He drew inspiration from the German scholar Arendt's textbooks and teaching methods, emphasizing practicality and descriptive grammar rules. Due to its practicality and scientific rigor, Schmidt's textbook became a classic at the Oriental Institute for many years. However, in the context of the dominant theoretical school in Russian Sinology at the time, his views and textbook did not gain widespread acceptance.

4. Schmidt and the Influence of Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese on Chinese Language Teaching in Latvia

Schmidt's Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese had a profound impact on Chinese language teaching in Latvia, reflected in textbook compilation, teaching traditions, and academic research directions. Schmidt emphasized tailoring textbooks to specific teaching audiences, opposing the dichotomy between practice and theory and advocating their integration. This philosophy influenced the compilation of Chinese textbooks in Latvia, such as Bogve's Introduction to Classical Chinese and Modern Chinese Course. Schmidt's teaching model—combining instruction by local Chinese teachers and native-speaking Chinese teachers, emphasizing extracurricular language interaction, and organizing summer camp exchanges—was carried forward in Latvia's Chinese language teaching. The University of Latvia's Chinese program emphasizes collaboration between local and native-speaking teachers and encourages students to study in China. Schmidt's focus on current Chinese affairs and historical-cultural developments influenced later scholars. After Schmidt's 1936 translation of the first Chinese literary work, Chinese Fairy Tales, more young Sinologists translated Chinese texts into Latvian, deepening the Latvian public's understanding of Chinese culture and providing research ideas for undergraduate and graduate theses in the University of Latvia's Chinese program.

5. Conclusion

Attempt at a Grammar of Mandarin Chinese is a practical Chinese textbook compiled by Schmidt for Russians. After referencing Bichurin's grammatical system, Schmidt chose a completely new approach, making it more practical, targeted, hands-on, and colloquial. The textbook used Russian letters for phonetic notation and employed translation exercises and grammatical structure comparisons to aid student comprehension. Schmidt's practical grammar system is a highlight of the textbook, marking progress in Russian Chinese grammar research and teaching and making significant contributions to training translators. Schmidt's ability to accurately grasp practical features was linked to his educational background and academic interests. His scholarly achievements and perspectives deserve in-depth study and discussion by later generations to ensure fair evaluation.