Ming Dynasty and Cultural Encounter

Religion

Jesuits in China

       Jesuits first visited Ming china as a scientist and astronomical teachers who

 shared and spread their knowledge to the Chinese population. 

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
          Famous Jesuit Priests
            St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)
  
  
          St. Francis Xavier, also called as the sainted Apostle of the Indies, dedicated his life in spreading Christianity in Asia. He was one of the members who found the Society of Jesus took care of Portuguese visitor in Ming China
                                                     St Francis Xavier 
  
  
  
  
  
  .       Matteo Ricci (1552-1610)
           
         Matteo Ricci encountered the Chinese during the China Mission in 1583. He was a Jesuit priest who not only had religious influence but also social and academic.
        Matteo Ricci was a mathematician and a scientist. His books Geometrica Practica and Trignometrica were translated to Chinese and published the first maps of China. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ·         Moreover, the first six books of Euclid’s Elements were translated to Chinese.

  ·         Idea of trigonometry brought revolutionary innovation in Chinese field of sciences of astronomy, map making, calculation of time and date.

  ·         Matteo fully understood and appreciated Chinese culture and today he is known as a mediator between Chinese and European cultural encounter.

  ·         Until today Matteo Ricci work in the study of mathematics, literature, and apologetics is recognized and respected by the Chinese government.  
  
  
  
  
  
                                        Story of Matteo Ricci 
  
  
  ·         Chinese response to Christianity

  ·         Chinese respond to the Jusuit differed between the literati and the common people. 

  
  
          Who are Literati?

  
  

        Literati were most respected class in Ming Chinese society. Literati studied classic Confucisionism and prepared for official examination

  
  

  
  
                                                   Literati 
  
  
  
  
  
  Literati’s Responds
         The Jesuits converted three influential scholars (Literati), Xu Guangqi, LI Zhizao, and Yang Tingyun. These three scholars later became the Three Pillars of the early Christian church in Ming China.
  ·          
          Xu Guangqi : First Chinese literati to be baptized. (1611): After Xu failed his official examination in 1597, he encounter Matteo Ricci and dream about the Trinity. Later deeply inspired by the painting of Madonna and the child, he was baptized. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
         Li Zhizao: He was very closed to Matteo Ricci but refused to be converted until he experienced a serious illness that almost killed him.

        : He was converted and baptized after he met Father Cattaneo and Trigualt. 

  • 
    

  . 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
           Science and Ming Dynasty

  ·         Clock: Emperor of Ming Dynasty was astonished by the design and function of clock brought by the Europeans.

  
  

          Ricci “The clock was always kept before him (emperor) because he likes to look at it and to listen to it ringing the time.          The Jesuit and other scientist from Europe also calculated the forecast and time and duration of a solar eclipse in 1629.

  
  

  ·       Telescope: When Confucian scholars saw the telescope, they were astonished by how this tool can be used in battle to see its enemy from distance, where they are, how many horsed or cannon they have.