Introduction
Mateo Ricci is regarded as one of the most famous Jesuit missionaries, as evidenced by his works’ impact on China. Being a great scholar, he was able to influence many people, was very intelligent, and had a humble personality. The impacts of Ricci, majorly in China and a little in Europe, can be classified into scientific and philosophical achievements. Ricci’s philosophical achievements include introducing Catholicism in China, and his scientific achievements include drawing the map of the world and China, which provided valuable insights into both Europe and China.
Philosophical Impacts
It is generally agreed that Matteo Ricci was the historical individual who had the most significant impact in bringing Catholicism to China. He was the first Jesuit missionary to spread the Roman Catholic religion across China (Day 96). He established the chronological boundaries of global history by spreading the Christian religion in Beijing, China, and simultaneously instructing Chinese youngsters in the Christian faith. The children there learned a whole new approach to life, which caused a shift in how they saw things.
Ricci maintained that Christianity and Confucianism, one of the oldest religious systems practiced in China, are not incompatible with one another and may coexist. This viewpoint was held by China’s prime minister, who later converted to Christianity. The two men collaborated to translate into Chinese works originally written in Europe on subjects like mathematics, astronomy, and geography. After Ricci passed away, the emperor of China allotted a burial spot for him in the vicinity of Beijing.
Ricci made a significant contribution to the study of religion by establishing, among other things, that Confucianism was not a religion but rather more akin to an academy that functioned for the benefit of society. Interpretations of Confucianism by Li, which Ricci seemingly utilized, was that friendship was the foundation of the five cardinal interhuman relationships in Confucianism (Lo 239). However, Ricci did not shy away from contesting the consensus held by the majority of people in Chinese society, particularly among the literati to whom he was attempting to convert.
Another philosophical achievement of Ricci’s that influenced China and Europe was that he learned to speak Chinese, profoundly respected the culture, and connected it to European culture. As a result, he became the bridge that connected China to Europe in the late Renaissance, and one of his many connections was with Governor Lu’s family, with whom he was educated in mnemonic skills and with whom he had a strong relationship (Spence 4). In addition, Ricci’s letters and memoirs in Latin concerning his impressions of China and his experiences of the country gave Europeans a basic knowledge of Chinese culture. Similarly, by translating The Four Books of Chinese Philosophy into Latin, Ricci was the one who first brought the culture of China to the Western world.
In addition, he devised a method for writing Chinese names and words using the letters of the European alphabet. He introduced Western concepts into Chinese culture through this discovery by publishing Chinese literature based on ancient sources. Consequently, Research by western scholars majorly relied on Ricci’s diaries and letters in Latin. Even though communication was still lacking at the time, this led to a rich cultural interchange between the two different worldview systems (Standaert 371). Many European authors found inspiration in some intellectual works that originated in China.
Ricci was triumphant in a struggle that has raged across space and time for millennia, notably challenging the blending of Eastern and Western thought. The Jesuits took their Christian mission to China and successfully converted many Chinese people. Their most significant achievement in this endeavor was the successful incorporation of Chinese ideals into the Christian system (Weststeijn 5).
However, the Ming did not like having outsiders in their territory. Matteo Ricci successfully corrected their misunderstanding and won their approval despite this obstacle. Matteo Ricci was aware that the Chinese would oppose Western foreign knowledge and prepared himself accordingly. To better explain Western natural philosophy, scientific principles, and religious beliefs to the Chinese in a way that they could more readily accept, he utilized the methods of Chinese philosophy, such as investigating things and coming to an understanding of principles that already existed in Chinese philosophy. Consequently, he successfully converted a number of important Chinese literati by using this strategy.
Scientific Impacts
Mateo Ricci’s most notable scientific impact was his completion of the map of the great world. Zhaoqing, a city north of Macau, is where he and his companion Ruggieri made this accomplishment after being welcomed by the locals (Lo 222). Matteo Ricci gave the Chinese Governor his mathematical and cartographic expertise, producing a map in Classical Chinese characters (Che’n and Ricci, 325). The chart showed the vastness of the globe to the comparatively isolated Chinese people, with its five continents and numerous distinct civilizations (Che’n and Ricci, 328).
In his subsequent letters to friends in Rome, Ricci repeatedly dwelt upon the map as the key subject, informing them that the copy made by Li had been reprinted at least ten times and that it had been well accepted by the Chinese (Che’n and Ricci, 345). According to him, the map greatly enhanced the Jesuits’ reputation. Ricci’s contribution to Europe’s progress in cartography was not incidental (Che’n and Ricci, 346). This remarkable achievement demonstrated a realistic assessment of China’s global status. Before this, Europeans had a distorted idea of the extent of the nation. Thus, Ricci’s maps of China were hailed as more precise than those available in Europe.
Trigonometry was first introduced to China by Matteo Ricci and others who followed in his footsteps. After that, he used the principles of geometry and trigonometry to bring about a revolution in the field of astronomy, as well as the building of astronomical equipment, the creation of maps, and the complex art of constructing accurate calendars (Che’n and Ricci, 328). Even though the circumstances for travel were quite rudimentary, the Jesuits were tireless cartographers who regularly traveled across the empire. Therefore, Ricci imparted Christian doctrine and the scientific principles he had learned.
Eventually, Matteo’s influence extended across China, and everyone started eating and dressing like him. Furthermore, by depicting maps that showed geographical linkages to the rest of the globe, he aided the Chinese in their understanding of the West. In addition, Ricci’s daring missionary invasions bolstered the usage of Chinese rituals.
Matteo Ricci started his career as a servant at the imperial Chinese court, advising government officials on various aspects of science while attempting to convert them to Christianity. Ricci used his knowledge of astronomy and mathematics to predict when the next solar eclipse would occur while he was in Beijing (Che’n and Ricci, 338). Ricci was a member of the first group of Jesuit missionaries, who, due to their dexterity and intelligence, earned the adoration and esteem of the Chinese people (Che’n and Ricci, 325).
The game-changing map he drew up for the Chinese offered them their first glance at how the rest of the globe appeared (Che’n and Ricci, 326). During the same period, this map impacted the cosmological and geographical ideas that were prominent in China. Matteo Ricci was extraordinary in terms of his intellectual genius and capacity to win over the Chinese. Ricci accomplished something that seemed almost impossible to many people in the West: he earned the respect of Asians more than any other man living at that time.
Conclusion
Despite the challenges that Ricci faced in his mission in China, he was successful in a significant way and was able to adapt to Chinese culture. He became fluent in the language, which included learning how to write. Because written information was the only kind that had any weight at the time, he finished writing Chinese books on various subjects, including those about religion, morality, and science.
The Chinese eagerly sought the knowledge that Ricci had to provide on mathematics and technology. He introduced them to new scientific knowledge, especially trigonometry and geometry. This new information sparked a revolution in the scientific field of astronomy. He demonstrated to them how astronomical equipment was constructed and how to more precisely comprehend the heavens’ movements. He was an expert cartographer and mastered the complex technique of producing accurate calendars. Ricci demonstrated a high level of expertise throughout various subject areas, which made the Chinese very interested in his thoughts.
Works Cited
Ch’en, Kenneth, and Matteo, Ricci. “Matteo Ricci’s contribution to, and influence on, geographical knowledge in China.” Journal of the American Oriental Society, 1939, pp. 325-359.
Day, John D. “The search for the origins of the Chinese manuscript of Matteo Ricci’s maps.” Imago Mundi 47.1, 1995, pp. 94-117.
Lo, Yuet Keung. “My Second Self: Matteo Ricci’s Friendship in China.” Monumenta serica 54.1, 2006, pp. 221-241.
Spence, Jonathan. The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci. Penguin Books, (1985).
Standaert, Nicolas. “The Transmission of Renaissance Culture in Seventeenth-Century China.” Renaissance Studies, vol. 17, no. 3, 2003, pp. 367–91.
Weststeijn, Thijs. “The Chinese impact: summary: Images and ideas of China in the Dutch golden age.” Academia. Edu, n.d.