Matteo Ricci
- Born:
- October 6, 1552, Macerata, Papal States (present-day Italy)
- Died:
- May 11, 1610, Beijing, Ming Dynasty (present-day China)
- Nationality:
- Italian
- Profession(s):
- Jesuit Missionary, Priest, Scholar, Cartographer, Translator, Mathematician
Early Life and Education
- Entered the Society of Jesus in Rome in 1571.
- Studied classical languages, philosophy, and mathematics at the Roman College.
- Ordained as a priest in 1580.
Career and Major Achievements
- Sent to Portuguese India in 1578, then to Macau in 1582.
- Pioneered the Jesuit China missions, adopting Chinese customs and language.
- Established a Christian presence in China and promoted cultural exchange between East and West.
- Gained access to the Ming court in Beijing, becoming a respected scholar.
- Mapped the world from a Chinese perspective, creating the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu (Complete Map of All Kingdoms of the World).
- Collaborated with Chinese scholars to translate Western scientific and religious texts into Chinese and vice versa.
Notable Works
- Kunyu Wanguo Quantu (Complete Map of All Kingdoms of the World): A world map that significantly influenced Chinese knowledge of geography.
- De Christiana Expeditione apud Sinas Suscepta ab Societate Jesu (China in the Sixteenth Century: The Journals of Matthew Ricci): A detailed account of his experiences in China, edited and completed by Nicolas Trigault.
- Translations of religious and scientific texts into Chinese, including Euclid's Elements.
Legacy and Impact
Matteo Ricci's legacy is one of intercultural understanding and the introduction of Western science and mathematics to China. His adoption of Chinese customs and his intellectual contributions earned him respect and opened doors for future Jesuit missions. This 'fr matteo ricci biography' shows him as a pivotal figure in the history of East-West relations.