Matteo Ricci dressed in traditional Chinese robes. Sourced from Wikipedia.
A man of deep intellect.
The Italian-born Jesuit priest, Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), entered China in 1583 with the goal of converting the Chinese to the Roman Catholic faith. Ricci, a man of deep intellect, had sound training in science and incredible ability in languages, translating scientific books, for example, Euclid, into Chinese.
Ricci and Father Ruggieri decorated the wall of their mission in Shiuhing with a western world map. When the governor of the province became aware of it he ordered Ricci to translate the map into Chinese. Neither this first map nor a second, even larger one made in 1584, have survived.
Ricci was allowed to enter Peking in 1601, the first Jesuit to do so. His travels offered Europeans their earliest commentary on the interior of China. Together with a Spanish Jesuit, Diego de Pantoja, Ricci brought clocks and oil paintings as gifts for the emperor. Curious Chinese visitors came to their mission to discuss astronomy and mathematics, and to view maps. Ricci and Pantoja grew long beards and dressed in Chinese style as doctors. The success of the Jesuit mission seemed very possible. It rested on the acceptance of the faith by the Chinese Emperor.
It was in Peking, in 1602, that Ricci and Wentao created their stunning map of the world. This map is the first known Chinese map to show the entire world, with the Americas. Its fascination is in both its physical production and its intellectual content. The map will provide researchers with endless opportunities for study. It provides an opportunity to see an extraordinary meeting of East and West.
Matteo Ricci is still honored in China and in the rest of the world. This special map is one record of his journey to China and his wonderful experiences there, which ended with his death 1610.