Society of Jesus in China
The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuit order, was one of the chief arms of the Catholic Counter-Reformation in Europe, and one of the earliest and most prominent groups of Christian missionaries to be active in China. Individuals such as Matteo Ricci (at Court in Beijing 1582-1610) and Giuseppe Castiglione (at Court in Beijing 1715-1766) were granted prominent positions in the Ming and Qing Courts respectively, and played significant roles in introducing European science, technology, art, and architecture to China.
Jesuits active in China
- Matteo Ricci (1582-1610)
- Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1619-1666)
- Giuseppe Castiglione (1715-1766)
References
- Albert M. Craig, The Heritage of Chinese Civilization, Third Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 117-118.