Mateo Ricci 2010 Present

8/3/2019 Mateo Ricci 2010 Present

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Jesuit Missionary and Scientist


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Early Christianity in China

Some Mongols practicedNestorian Christianity in7 th c.

Contact between Papacyand China (MongolEmpire) began in 13 th c.1368 Ming Dynasty

overthrew Mongolians16 th c no news aboutChristians in China.


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Jesuit missions to Asia

1541


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F rancis Xavier almost China

1552 , Shangchuan


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Jesuits in Macao

1563


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Jesuits in Macao

Alessandro Valignano S JJesuit missionary whosupervised Portugal-

dominated area in Asia.Wanted Jesuits to begrounded on Chineselanguage and culture.

Asked superiors to sendtalented and learnedJesuits to Macau.


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Two Italian Jesuits

Ruggiere and Ricci

In 1579 the Italian MicheleRuggieri (1543 1607) was

sent to Macau.In 1582 he was joined at histask by another Italian,Matteo Ricci (1552 1610).

Ruggieri to the commonpeople

Ricci to the educated classes

Portuguese-Chinese ManuscriptDictionary


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Jesuit Ruggiere(1543- 1607)

Not just Macao but real ChinaTrips to Canton and Zhaoqing1583 - finally a residence in Zhaoqing! (Guangdong)1584 Ruggiere published a Chinese catechismF irst Christian communities in mainland China.Portuguese-Chinese dictionary

1588 Rome s embassy in ChinaIntellectual work in Salermo Four Books1607 - Death in Salermo


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Mateo Ricci ( 1552 -1610)

Born in Macerata, ItalyWent to Rome in 1568 tostudy law.In 1571 he entered the

Society of Jesus.Studied mathematics and

geography at a Romancollege,Set out for Goa in 1577 and

was ordained there in 1580.In 1582 he was dispatchedto Macao and started tolearn Chinese


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Jesuits inside China

Ricci asked help fromJesuit houses in Europe.Few came and Ricci

trained themJesuits offered scholarlywork in court andscientific assistance

Shaozhou > Nanchang >Nanjing > Beijing


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China


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contributions to Science

Court mathematician and astronomer

Introduced trigonometry, geometry, astronomy

World map, calendars, clocks, sundials

Astronomical Bureau of Peking

Scientific topics such as the astrolabe, sphere,arithmetic, measure and isoperimetrics.

Geographical breadth of ChinaRusso-China border.


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Confucius and Chinese culture

Confucius ( 551 BC to 479 BC )


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Confucius and F ilial Piety

China was a highlycivilized society kepttogether by the

teachings of Confucius.Confucian virtuedefined relationship of parents with offspring.F ilial piety governed theentire social system of China.


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Central to Chinese families is right attitudetowards elders. Thus, explains Chinesepractice of honoring the dead and otherrituals to honor their ancestors.


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Chinese Rites and Catholicism

The real temple of scholars is Confucius!For Catholicism topenetrate China, Jesuitshad to:

- endeared themselvesto the elite

- understand China andConfucianism


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Ricci s real challenge

H ow to convert the elite who were soattached to Confucianism?

Friends of theEmperor

Appointedofficials of thecourt

Christianitywas tolerated Jesuits made

many converts


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Ricci and Inculturation


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` Learned the Chinese language` Profound appreciation for Chinese culture

and moral values`

Mastered Confucian classics Chinese toLatin` Translated Euclid's Elements Latin to

Chinese` Revised Chinese Portuguese dictionary

(pronunciation of Chinese characters inLatin alphabets ).


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Task of Inculturationy Composition in Chinese on such varied topics as

literature, apologetics, and popular catechetics.y China's geography, politics, and culture, its

philosophy and religionsy Promoted European books, paintings and

engravingsy Wrote on Jesuits and their expeditions to China.y

Dressed like a Chinese scholary Lived like a learned Chinese scholar quite

knowledgeable about Confucianism


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` O ther religious orders that is idolatry!` Jesuits argued Chinese Rites are social rather than

religious ceremonies .` Pope Clement XI declared Chinese Rites in conflict

with Church teachings and prohibited these rites tobe practiced by Chinese Catholics .` Emperor Kangxi banned Christian missions in

China!` Pope Pius XII relaxed his predecessors decree .` 1939 - Confucianism a philosophy not a religion!


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Tomb of Mateo Ricci

58 years old, Beijing, June1610

2 miles south of West Gate

of Beijing2 other tombs of JesuitsVerbiest and Adam Schall

Emperor Wanli designatedtombs inside Beijing as arecognition of their greatcontributions to China


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` Rites controversy from hindsight; conflicting views;men as creatures of their contexts and perspectives;revisit the question: what and whose framework we willuse to make judgment on something?

` Inculturation attitude of openness and respect for others beliefs and practice; dialogue; spaciousness


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` J esuit method unbelievable patience in adaptingthemselves to people they were determined to teach ( 12 Jesuits for 400 million Chinese ) (Gilbert H ighet , Art of Teaching , New York ). Adaptation to the end not to themeans .

` Ricci represents newness and a sense of optimismand vision; it is forward looking with much vigor and

hope for what future can give .


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Mateo Ricci 2010 Present