Role of the Russian Spiritual Mission in China in Training of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Officials

Activity of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Beijing helped to strengthen the relationships between Russia and China. The history of the Russian spiritual mission in Beijing is represented by a wide range of publications of Soviet and church researchers. At the same time, the civil service of the mission students was out of the scope of the study. The purpose of this work is to conduct a comprehensive study of the organizational and legal basis of the institute of apprenticeship of the Russian spiritual mission in Beijing, to determine the role of the Russian spiritual mission in the training of officials of the Board, later the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The right to send the mission to Beijing regularly was agreed with both Russia and China in Khakhta Treaty in 1727. In addition, the treaty stipulated the sending of four students to Beijing. The students studied the Chinese and the Manchu languages. Students had to be engaged in scientific activities. Legal status of the students of the Mission was defined by regulations on civil servants. Production to higher ranks for special merits was carried out by the Mission Council with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A student returning from Beijing was determined to a further place of state civil service as it was decided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a whole, apprenticeship as a part of the Russian spiritual mission became a factor of successful career growth and a certain social lift for many students of the mission. The author concludes that the institute created under the spiritual mission was an effective mechanism for training highly qualified specialists for diplomatic activities.