Zhong Wen: Fortunately, Guangdong did not bring only misfortune. After arriving in Shaozhou, Ricci befriended Qu Taisu, the second son of the Minister of Rites Qu Jingchun. This friendship greatly aided his missionary work. Ricci led Qu Taisu into the Christian faith, while Qu taught Ricci Chinese scholarship and knowledge, helping him adapt to life in China and allowing him to integrate Christian doctrine into Chinese classical writings in a more natural way.

Before long, Ricci decided to leave the coastal regions and penetrate deep into the Chinese interior. Through persistence and effort, he eventually gained the opportunity to be granted an audience with the Wanli Emperor. But viewed as a whole, Ricci’s missionary work in Guangdong was the critical foundation for the spread of Catholicism in China.

Bo Ya: However, just like today, Ming China was also a “rule-by-men” society. So in the summer of the 17th year of Wanli (1589), when a new governor of Guangdong took office, his first bold actions included seizing for himself the Western-style building where Ricci resided, and driving all the missionaries out of Zhaoqing. Ricci had no choice but to move to Shaozhou. While in Shaozhou, Ricci’s group was first attacked by bandits; then two of his assistants died one after another. In the 25th year of Wanli, Father Antonio Almeida also passed away. Two years later, Ricci was the only one of his group still alive.

Zhong Wen: Fortunately, Ricci had met Qu Taisu in Zhaoqing. Qu was at once Ricci’s close friend and his teacher. He not only helped Ricci translate the first volume of Euclid’s Elements, but also promoted Ricci’s self-made astronomical instruments, such as armillary spheres, globes, and sundials, to high-ranking officials. As a result, local dignitaries gradually became familiar with Ricci and began inviting him as a guest. Through these contacts with the Ming elite, Ricci discovered that the Chinese of that time tended to look down on Buddhist monks. Thus, with Valignano’s permission, Ricci grew a beard and adopted the dress of a Confucian scholar in order to interact more effectively with Chinese officials. Through these efforts, Ricci established his second mission station in Shaozhou.

During his time in Shaozhou, Ricci also studied the Four Books and translated them into Latin—this was the first Latin translation of the Four Books in world history.

In the 22nd year of Wanli (1594), Ricci attempted to follow the official Shi Xing, who was heading to Beijing for military matters related to the war against Japan. But upon reaching Nanjing, circumstances changed, and Ricci ended up in Nanchang, where he obtained permission to reside. While in Nanchang, Ricci befriended the provincial governor Lu Wangai, showing him prisms, clocks, and Western mnemonic techniques, and introducing various Western books. Ricci lectured local scholars on mathematics and timekeeping with sundials, and even successfully predicted a solar eclipse. As a result, he quickly became well known, making friends among the literati and aristocracy, and was even invited by the famous scholar Zhang Huang to lecture at the White Deer Grotto Academy. The globe, glassware, and Western-style bound books Ricci brought fascinated members of the royal clan and officials at all levels. Thus, Ricci held “popular science exhibitions” in his residence, and demonstrated his remarkable memory techniques.

Bo Ya: After twelve years in China, Ricci understood that books carried far more weight in China than spoken words. Therefore, in Nanchang, he established a new mission station and published his first Chinese work, the Essay on Friendship. The book compiled sayings on friendship by Aristotle, Plutarch, Cicero, and other Western philosophers. Ricci modified the material to suit Chinese tastes, wrote a preface, published it, and presented it as a gift to members of the royal family, arousing great interest. Confucius regarded friendship as one of the five cardinal human relationships, and by choosing friendship as his theme, Ricci precisely targeted the tastes of Chinese literati. Ricci understood that Christianity had to demonstrate compatibility with China’s social order in order to be accepted. His efforts paid off—the Essay on Friendship won high praise from the scholar-official class.

Besides the Essay on Friendship, Ricci also selected Western sayings that suited Chinese ethics and published them. He abandoned the strategy of building churches and preaching openly, replaced the word “Shangdi” (Supreme Deity) with “Tianzhu” (Lord of Heaven), and gradually developed and implemented a new missionary strategy. In Nanchang he established his third mission station.

Zhong Wen: In the 25th year of Wanli (1597), Ricci was appointed head of the China mission, and began planning to enter Beijing. The next year he traveled with the Minister of Rites Wang Zhongming to Beijing, but had to leave again due to military turmoil. In the 27th year of Wanli, Ricci settled in Nanjing and founded his fourth mission station. During his time in Nanjing, he befriended Li Zhi, Xu Guangqi, and other famous scholars through Qu Taisu, and even debated with a Buddhist monk—and won. He made Nanjing one of the major centers in the history of Catholicism in China.

After staying in Nanjing for a year, Ricci set out again for Beijing with gifts prepared for the emperor. In the 29th year of Wanli (1601), Ricci arrived in Beijing and presented to Emperor Wanli a chiming clock, a Bible, the Complete Map of the Myriad Countries, a Western clavichord, and other Western items.

Bo Ya: During his time in Beijing, Ricci used his vast knowledge of Chinese and Western learning to befriend many scholar-officials. He often discussed the soul, heaven, and hell with guests, and wrote new works in Chinese such as Twenty-Five Sayings and The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven, which earned him great respect. By the 33rd year of Wanli, there were already two hundred Chinese Christians in Beijing, including high officials such as the jinshi-degree holder Xu Guangqi. Yet if one examines their beliefs more closely, it seems they seldom spoke of the salvation of Jesus Christ.

While conducting missionary activities, Ricci also made great contributions to Sino-Western cultural exchange. In the 35th year of Wanli (1607), Ricci cooperated with Xu Guangqi to translate and publish the first six volumes of Euclid’s Elements. This translation was the first introduction of Euclidean geometry—with its rigorous logical system and methods of deduction—into China, and it established many mathematical terms still used today, such as point, straight line, and parallel. In May of the 38th year of Wanli (1610), Ricci died in Beijing. He was the first foreigner granted imperial permission to be buried in China—thus fulfilling his wish to end his life in the land he had devoted himself to.