Research on the Spanish Franciscan Mission in China during the Ming-Qing Transition (1579-1732)

Author: Cui Weixiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: In the field of research on the history of Catholicism spreading to China, especially on the activities of Catholicism in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the research direction of Chinese historians and scholars has mostly focused on the Jesuits who came to China. In 1552, the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier arrived at Shangchuan Island in the Guangdong sea area, marking the beginning of Catholicism's mission in China. In the study of the history of Catholicism spreading to China, the research has basically concentrated on the missionary activities of Jesuits in China and their exchanges in various fields such as Chinese and Western culture, science, technology, and others. Meanwhile, the study of mendicant orders like the Franciscans and Dominicans who came to China at the same time has been neglected. This book analyzes and discusses the missionary activities of the Franciscans in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties from 1579 to 1732, a period of over 150 years. Additionally, this book will examine the stance and actions of Spanish Franciscan missionaries during the "Chinese Rites Controversy" and study the Franciscans from the perspective of the overall spread of Catholicism in China. Therefore, it can be said that this book has made unique contributions in filling the gaps in this research field.