Changes

The Jesuits managed to maintain a privileged position at Court through the violent dynastic change of [[1644]], in which the [[Manchus]] took Beijing and established the Qing Dynasty. They continued to import clavichords, harpsichords, telescopes, clocks, and a variety of other devices which were initially quite prized by the Imperial Court; when British ambassador [[George Lord Macartney]] met with the [[Qianlong Emperor]] in [[1793]], he was dismayed to find the emperor utterly unimpressed with the clocks and astronomical devices he had brought to present as gifts.

The Jesuits managed to maintain a privileged position at Court through the violent dynastic change of [[1644]], in which the [[Manchus]] took Beijing and established the Qing Dynasty. They continued to import clavichords, harpsichords, telescopes, clocks, and a variety of other devices which were initially quite prized by the Imperial Court; when British ambassador [[George Lord Macartney]] met with the [[Qianlong Emperor]] in [[1793]], he was dismayed to find the emperor utterly unimpressed with the clocks and astronomical devices he had brought to present as gifts.

Though the Jesuits condemned [[Buddhism]] and [[Daoism]] in their efforts to propagate Christianity, they were accepting of [[Confucianism]], which they saw as safely complementing Christian attitudes in much the same way that the writings of Aristotle and the like could be accepted in the West. Initially, they similarly tolerated Chinese ancestor worship as non-threatening to Christianity, and allowed it to be practiced by converts without condemning it as a pagan practice. This was reported to Rome, however, by members of the Franciscan and Dominican orders, and papal bulls issued in [[1715]] and [[1742]] condemned ancestor worship and forbade Chinese converts to Christianity from engaging in such practices. As a result, the fortune of the Jesuits in China declined dramatically. A few Jesuits remained in service to the Court, but Christianity was banned, churches were seized by the Court, and many missionaries fled China.

Though the Jesuits condemned [[Buddhism]] and [[Daoism]] in their efforts to propagate Christianity, they were accepting of [[Confucianism]], which they saw as safely complementing Christian attitudes in much the same way that the writings of Aristotle and the like could be accepted in the West. Initially, they similarly tolerated Chinese ancestor worship as non-threatening to Christianity, and allowed it to be practiced by converts without condemning it as a pagan practice. The [[Kangxi Emperor]], declaring an expansion of official tolerance of Christianity in the 1690s, stipulated that point specifically - that as certain rites of ancestor worship and homage to [[Confucius]] were civil Chinese cultural rites and not religious ones, Chinese converts should be permitted to continue such practices. While most Jesuits in China saw little difficulty with this, it having been the standard since the time of Matteo Ricci, many others saw it as the emperor claiming religious authority over Christian matters. Pope Clement XI dispatched an emissary, [[Maillard de Tournon]], who met with the emperor in [[1705]]-[[1706]]. Following these meetings, de Tournon declared that anyone who agreed with Kangxi's stipulations would be excommunicated, while the emperor ordered that anyone who did not, would be expelled from the country. Most of the Jesuits in China signed certificates certifying their agreement to the Imperial stipulations; more than a dozen Franciscans, Dominicans, and other missionaries refused to do so and were expelled from China.<ref>Jonathan Spence, ''The Search for Modern China'', Second Edition, W.W. Norton & Co. (1999), 71.</ref>

 

This was reported to Rome, however, by members of the Franciscan and Dominican orders, and papal bulls issued in [[1715]] and [[1742]] condemned ancestor worship and forbade Chinese converts to Christianity from engaging in such practices. As a result, the fortune of the Jesuits in China declined dramatically. A few Jesuits remained in service to the Court, but Christianity was banned, churches were seized by the Court, and many missionaries fled China.

===Jesuits active in China===

===Jesuits active in China===

==References==

==References==

*[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Chinese Civilization'', Third Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 117-118.  

*[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Chinese Civilization'', Third Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 117-118.

[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]