Matteo Ricci was not American, but like American Puritans who went to the East to spread the Gospel, he became a bridge for cultural exchange between East and West—preceding all American missionaries—and is a historical milestone.

Since the 16th century, Western learning had begun to enter China, with missionaries as pioneers. The most famous among them was the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci (1552–1610), who can be considered the first modern figure in Sino-Western cultural exchange. He was the first Westerner to translate Confucius’ Analects into Latin, which was published in Paris in 1687, 77 years after his death.

Ricci demonstrated extraordinary dedication, pioneering spirit, and perseverance. At age 29 (1581), he arrived in Macau and devoted himself to learning Chinese. Two years later, he went to Zhaoqing in Guangdong to preach for six years, then to Shaozhou for another six years. In Shaozhou, two fellow priests died, and one returned to Europe, leaving Ricci alone to continue his mission.

He then preached in Nanchang for three years and in Nanjing for two years.

In 1600, at age 48, he had the opportunity to meet the Ming emperor in Beijing—the first missionary in Chinese history to receive an audience with the emperor. From then on, he was allowed to reside in Beijing until his death at age 58. He remained unmarried, had no children, and spent 29 years in China without ever returning to Italy. He was the first foreigner granted burial in Beijing. During the Cultural Revolution, his tomb was destroyed, but in 1980, Deng Xiaoping ordered it rebuilt.

His Chinese name was Li Madou (利玛窦), his courtesy name was “Taixi” (泰西), and he was known as the “Taixi Confucian.” He wore Confucian scholar attire and used the concepts and language of the Four Books and Five Classics to explain Christian doctrine, making it accessible and understandable. He successfully converted 200 people.

Ricci’s greater contribution was introducing Western scientific knowledge, including astronomy and mathematics. He adapted to Chinese customs, permitting Christians to participate in ancestral rites, Confucian ceremonies, and rituals honoring heaven, arguing that these were acts of remembrance and had no conflict with faith. This open-minded approach, known as the “Ricci Rule,” was later recognized by the Vatican.

During the Kangxi era, the Pope revised Ricci’s rule, and restrictions on Chinese Christians performing ancestral and Confucian rites were not lifted until 1939.