Matteo Ricci

Lore & Background

Ricci was born on 6 October 1552 in Macerata, part of the Papal States. He studied law at Rome for two years and entered the Society of Jesus in April 1571 at the Roman College, where he studied mathematics, cosmology, and astronomy under Christopher Clavius. In 1577 he applied for a missionary expedition to the Far East, sailing from Lisbon in March 1578 and arriving in Goa the following September. He remained there until Lent 1582, when he was summoned to Macau, arriving in early August. In 1583, Ricci and Michele Ruggieri settled in Zhaoqing at the invitation of governor Wang Pan. There, in 1584, Ricci composed the first European-style world map in Chinese, called "Da Ying Quan Tu" (no prints survive). He stayed in Zhaoqing until 1589, when he was expelled by a new viceroy. He then relocated to Shaoguan, and later reached Nanjing and Nanchang in 1595. In August 1597, Alessandro Valignano appointed him Major Superior of the mission in China. He first reached Beijing on 7 September 1598 but could not reach the Imperial Palace due to a Chinese intervention against the Japanese invasion of Korea; he left after two months. In 1601, Ricci was invited to become an adviser to the imperial court of the Wanli Emperor, the first Westerner invited into the Forbidden City, though he never met the reclusive emperor. He established the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing, the oldest Catholic church in the city. Ricci emphasized parallels between Catholicism and Confucianism but opposed Buddhism. He converted several prominent Chinese officials, including agronomist Xu Guangqi. He worked with Chinese elites to translate Euclid's Elements into Chinese and the Confucian classics into Latin for the first time. He was also the first European to learn about the Kaifeng Jews, contacted by a member of that community in 1605. Ricci died on 11 May 1610 in Beijing, aged 57. The Wanli Emperor granted a burial plot in Beijing, now part of the Zhalan Cemetery.

Reader's Guide

Matteo Ricci's significance lies in his role as a cultural and scientific intermediary between Ming China and Europe. By mastering Chinese language and classical script, and by adopting Confucian scholarly dress, he gained access to the imperial court and elite circles. His world maps, especially the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu of 1602 (of which six recopied, rice-paper versions survive), introduced European cartographic knowledge to China. His translations of Euclid's Elements and Confucian classics facilitated intellectual exchange. Ricci's method of aligning Catholicism with Confucian concepts, while opposing Buddhism, shaped the Jesuit approach to Chinese missions. His recognition as a Venerable in 2022 underscores his lasting religious legacy. However, the source also notes that Ricci owned African slaves and acted as a slave catcher for the Portuguese, condemned widespread prostitution in Beijing, and called the Chinese "barbarians" in letters. These complexities highlight the tensions in his mission. His work with the Kaifeng Jews and his establishment of a Catholic church in Beijing further mark his enduring impact on cross-cultural history.

Did You Know?

• Ricci composed the first European-style world map in Chinese in 1584, called 'Da Ying Quan Tu', though no prints of it survive.
• Ricci and Michele Ruggieri compiled a Portuguese-Chinese dictionary, the first in any European language, which was rediscovered in 1934 and published in 2001.
• Ricci was the first European to learn about the Kaifeng Jews, contacted by a member of that community in 1605.
• Ricci never met the Wanli Emperor, despite being invited into the Forbidden City and granted patronage.
• Ricci owned African slaves and acted as a slave catcher for the Portuguese, according to his own letters.