Zhong Wen: The report “Personally Experiencing the Steadfast Wisdom and Unyielding Evangelizing Zeal of Father Matteo Ricci” recounts that on May 11, 2023, there was a most unusual pilgrimage—unlike the many superficial, “dragonfly-skimming-the-water” Ricci pilgrimages of the past. As the initiator of the “Retracing Ricci’s Journey to Beijing” project, Father Zhao Jianmin, Auxiliary Bishop of the Beijing Diocese, exclaimed upon returning, “We retraced the entire missionary route of the venerable Father Matteo Ricci across the land of China, from Zhaoqing all the way to Beijing. After completing this full pilgrimage, I feel ever more deeply Ricci’s steadfast wisdom, and his unyielding zeal and fire for evangelization. The Chinese Church, just as Jesus said in His parable: ‘It is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of heaven nested in its branches’ (Lk 13:19).”

To celebrate Pope Francis’s declaration of the great Jesuit and China missionary, Father Matteo Ricci, as Venerable; and to commemorate the 413th anniversary of his passing on May 11 at the Immaculate Conception Church in Beijing—the church he himself founded—Father Zhao led the faithful, from April 28 to May 6, on a nine-day journey retracing Ricci’s arduous missionary route from Zhaoqing to Beijing.

They passed through Yingde, Shaoguan (Shaozhou), Nanxiong, crossed the ancient Meiling Pass, navigated the eighteen dangerous rapids of the Gan River, arrived in Wan’an County, Ji’an City, Nanchang, Jiujiang, then Nanjing, Danyang, the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal at Xijindu, Guazhou ferry, Yangzhou, Suqian, Xuzhou, Jining, Linqing—finally setting foot on the path toward Beijing. As the pilgrim Teresa Yang Xiaode said, “At each stop, Father Zhao recounted Ricci’s deeds in that place, and led us up the Chongxi Pagoda he once climbed, walked the ancient Meiling Pass he once crossed, stood by the Gan River where he nearly drowned at the Eighteen Rapids; and we prayed in the Zhan Garden where he once discussed philosophy with Ming officials and scholar-officials. At ancient docks, we even dipped our hands into the river to feel the waters he once sailed. Following in Ricci’s footsteps, we felt his perseverance and were awakened to profound reverence and gratitude.”

The pilgrimage group paused and prayed at the ruins of Ricci’s Lotus Temple; they personally visited the perilous Eighteen Rapids of the Gan River, where Ricci’s boat capsized—he narrowly escaped drowning, while one of his companions did not survive. That night, he lodged in Wan’an County. The group prayed there with the local community, reflecting on Ricci’s hardships and his unwavering missionary heart. On January 24, 1601, Ricci finally reached Beijing and began preaching the Gospel there.

Several participants of this “Retracing Ricci’s Journey to Beijing” expressed what could only be described as shock—or even awe. Joseph Yu remarked, “Walking Ricci’s route has completely changed the flat, academic impression I had gleaned from history books or woodblock prints. As someone interested in cultural history, I used to focus only on his scientific and cultural contributions and casually label him a pioneer of Sino-Western cultural exchange. But once I set foot on his path, as a Christian, a three-dimensional image of him finally emerged. We came to understand his missionary heart, his clear sense of mission, and the fundamental achievement of planting the seed of the Church in China and preserving its roots.”

Maria Gao emphasized, “Carrying deep admiration for Father Ricci, we physically experienced the hardships and unyielding perseverance of his journey. Celebrating Mass and praying in the local churches, listening to Father Zhao explain what Ricci endured at each place—this immersive experience was extraordinary! The local priests and faithful were deeply encouraged as well, expressing their desire to pray for Father Ricci and rekindle the fire of evangelization, passing on the faith he brought.”
She added, “We are grateful for Father Zhao’s wholehearted guidance, which made this journey both enriching and complete.”

Bo Ya: It is astonishing that the object of their “pilgrimage” is Matteo Ricci! It almost resembles some form of polytheism. In my view, Ricci’s method worked for early-stage evangelization, but as exchanges deepened, collision became inevitable—because he concealed the mystery of the Cross. Although this delayed the crisis, it left the problem to his successors.

Zhong Wen: Not only Catholics on the mainland commemorate Ricci and other foreign missionaries—the faithful in Taiwan do as well.

In 2010, the 400th anniversary of Ricci’s death, universities in the Republic of China cooperated with the Vatican to publish the Matteo Ricci Memorial Anthology, a collection of precious historical materials, including two manuscript letters written by Ricci and preserved by the Jesuit Order—published for the first time.

The book launch was held on October 29 at the Vatican Radio headquarters.

This anthology differs from the various popular Ricci biographies because it was jointly produced—uniquely—by the Jesuit Order, Vatican Radio, the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the National Central Library of the Republic of China, and the Embassy of the Republic of China to the Holy See. It took a full year to gather materials from many sources, and the editors expressed deep gratitude for the cooperation.

Among the most valuable items are historical documents from the Ming and Qing collections of the National Palace Museum—especially Ricci’s Kunyu Wanguo Quantu (Complete Map of the Myriad Countries of the World), drawn in 1602, as well as portraits of the Wanli Emperor and imperial edicts. The anthology also includes the two manuscript letters Ricci wrote to his Order in Rome—published here for the first time.

The book also comes with a CD: a Mandarin radio drama about Ricci’s mission, produced by Vatican Radio in 1996. With authorization, the Taiwanese embassy digitized it and included it to share with a wider audience.

Bo Ya: This commemoration is different from the faithful’s nostalgic veneration; rather, it is a kind of “mutual encouragement between clergy and laity.” In the end, they have at least gained the “recognition of non-believers”—which, in its own way, is also a form of evangelization.