Matteo Ricci: The Journey Of The Jesuit Priest

The Journey of the Jesuit Priest The Italian Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci, who was the bridge between Chinese and Western culture, said he was “enormously impressed by China’s advanced culture and scientific accomplishments.” (“Matteo Ricci: diary”). With his desires to go east, in 1577 Matteo Ricci requested a mission to the farthest Asia, then on August 7, 1582, Father Matteo Ricci arrived in Macau (Zalonski). As a priest he decided to spread Catholicism. Despite the struggle to spread Western Culture throughout China, in the end Matteo Ricci immersed himself into Chinese culture allowing him to teach Christianity, Math and Science.

Matteo Ricci understood and appreciated the Chinese and even thought it was more advanced than Europe, his rapid

When Ricci was invited to the Forbidden City, in 1601, he became the court mathematician and astronomer (“Matteo Ricci”). As the court mathematician he introduced a lot of his teacher, Christopher Clavius’ work, such as “Geometrica Practica and Trigonometrica” (“Matteo Ricci, S.J.: Contributions”). But the more important book was his translation of Euclid’s “Elements of Geometry” into Chinese (“Prayer”). Ricci mastered mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, geography, and cartography from the teachings of the Jesuit tradition (“Matteo Ricci: Missionary-Scholar”). On the journey to China Ricci brought with him western clocks, musical instruments, mathematical and astronomical instruments, and cosmological, geographical, and architectural works with maps and diagrams (“Prayer”). While Ricci sent gifts to the Forbidden City to the Emperor Wan Li, he sent in the beautiful western clock. On 1601, Emperor Wan Li summoned Ricci to inquire about the western clock. The clock Ricci sent broke and the Chinese scientists were trying to figure out how to fix it but could not. Hence forth, Matteo Ricci drew a diagram of the interior design of the clock (“Matteo Ricci, S.J: Contributions”). The teaching to the Emperor is significant because on the process of teaching the Emperor he taught the whole country of China. Emperor who holds the

It helped my essay because I could reference how Matteo Ricci thought and what Matteo Ricci thought about China’s government and it showed his feelings.

Matteo Ricci: Diary Entry on the Art of Chinese Printing." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.

This primary source was from ABC-CLIO and was another journal entry of Matteo Ricci. This source was useful because it showed Matteo Ricci’s respect and feelings towards China’s printing skills and how he thought China was quite advanced.

XVI, Benedict. "Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI On The Occasion Of The Fourth Centenary Of The Death of Fr Matteo Ricci." Message to Bishop Claudio Giuliodori on the Occasion of the Fourth Centenary of the Death of Fr Matteo Ricci. Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 6 May 2009. Web. 24 Oct. 2014.

This primary source was a letter from Pope Benedict XVI and was proved reliable because it was on the official Vatican site. This helped with my essay because it showed how the Catholics thought of Matteo Ricci’s decisions in China and how people respected him. It helped greatly with my ending

Zalonski, Paul A. "Tag Archives: Matteo Ricci." Communio. N.p., 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Oct.