The literary giants of the late Ming Dynasty began by copying books

"I think the biggest problem in Macau today is that many people are somehow able to preach in China..."

Matteo Ricci was sitting at his desk, skillfully writing pinyin characters with a brush. He was writing a letter to Fan Li'an, the leader of the General Office of the Jesuits in Macau, reporting on his experience in missionary work in the Ming Dynasty.

Matteo Ricci was very confident in the experience he had accumulated in his missionary work in China. In the ninth year of Wanli, Matteo Ricci first arrived in Macau on the recommendation of Luo Mingjian. When he was preparing to enter China to preach, he could not imagine the difficulties he would face.

Matteo Ricci initially analyzed the process of missionaries from Macau to the Ming Dynasty and found that many missionaries could not speak Chinese and could not communicate with the officials and people of the Ming Dynasty. So he spent a year learning Cantonese and Nanjing Mandarin, thinking that This will lead to a successful mission.

However, after entering the Ming Dynasty, Matteo Ricci and other talents discovered that the religious market in the Ming Dynasty was very large. Apart from the European scientific books and maps they brought to attract the interest of the Ming Dynasty scholars, they had no other advantages.

After wasting a year in Zhaoqing, Matteo Ricci found a second way to preach. They put on the clothes of Buddhist monks, brought the statue of the Virgin and the Child, and built a "Xianhua Temple" in Zhaoqing.

This style made many people in the Ming Dynasty think that they were a sect of Buddhism, and worshiped the Virgin Mary and the Child as Guanyin, giving birth to children. Talents such as Matteo Ricci finally had the opportunity to settle in Guangdong.

Five years later, Matteo Ricci's Western-style temple was spotted by the Governor of Guangdong, Liu Jiwen, who occupied it and expelled Matteo Ricci.

Matteo Ricci could only move to Shaoguan. By then Luo Mingjian had returned to Europe, and the other two European missionaries who had entered Zhaoqing to preach had also died. Matteo Ricci could only fight alone. It was in Shaoguan that Matteo Ricci discovered that the status of Buddhist monks in the Ming Dynasty was not high. If he wanted to establish a noble image, he had to become a scholar, so Matteo Ricci began his second transformation alone. He began to study the "Four Books", grew his hair, and changed into the clothes of a Confucian scholar.

As a result, Matteo Ricci got to know more scholars and began to learn how to interact with scholars of the Ming Dynasty. He found that in order to successfully preach, he had to become a famous figure, so he began to spread a large number of European technologies and ideas that were in line with the values ​​​​of the scholars of the Ming Dynasty. Matteo Ricci began his third transformation. This time he became a famous scholar and traveled among dignitaries. He successfully lectured at Bailudong Academy and visited the prince's palace in Jiangxi.

After traveling among dignitaries and opening his eyes, Matteo Ricci discovered that he had to be favored by big figures in the Ming Dynasty to truly gain a foothold, and the biggest figure in the Ming Dynasty was naturally Emperor Wanli.

So Matteo Ricci began to make various efforts to go to Beijing to meet the Holy Spirit. Finally, he created a false identity as the "Atlantic Envoy" and successfully brought Western items such as chime bells and Atlantic harps to the capital to pay tribute.

Now Matteo Ricci has gained the trust of Emperor Wanli. Wanli issued an edict allowing Matteo Ricci and others to live in the capital permanently. There is no doubt that Ricci has become the most successful missionary to China.

And Matteo Ricci also figured out how to deal with people in the Ming Dynasty. For example, many courtiers thought that Matteo Ricci was really an ordinary envoy. The reason why he asked to stay in the capital was because he admired the prosperity of the capital, and did not notice Matteo Ricci at all. The purpose of living in the capital is to spread Catholicism.

Matteo Ricci is indeed very experienced in preaching in China, but the problem is that the experience he has accumulated over the past twenty years is often regarded as a coincidence to those high-minded missionaries in Macau, especially those who have just returned from Europe. The arriving Jesuits often showed disapproval of Matthew's experience and preferred to mess around with their own imaginations.

"The Ming Dynasty is a special place. To preach here, you need to understand the situation here, abide by the rules here, and say what kind of words to what kind of people. This is something you need to pay special attention to..."

Matteo Ricci translated this sentence into Italian, but after thinking about it, he felt that writing it like this would make the Jesuits in Macau dissatisfied, so he deleted it again.

Half a day later, Matteo Ricci took the altered letter and sighed, "Hey, how could they believe it even if it was written? People in Macau always blame the Chinese for being arrogant, but they don't know that they themselves are inferior to The Chinese are more arrogant..."

Still dissatisfied that the text could not be changed, Matteo Ricci simply put the pen aside and stopped writing. Instead, he took the volume of "The Case of Judge Di" from the desk and continued reading.

Although Matteo Ricci can read classical Chinese, it is still very difficult for him to read the Four Books, Five Classics and the articles of various scholars. Vernacular novels seem to him much easier.

A few months ago, because Emperor Wanli admired Wang Wenlong's works, Wang Wenlong's works became popular in the capital. In order to have a common language with the literati and officials in the capital, Matteo Ricci also went to read Wang Wenlong's literary works, and then he fell in love with it immediately. He wrote "Liancheng Jue" and "The Case of Di Gong".

Among them, "The Case of Dickong" is more in line with Matteo Ricci's appetite.

The reason is also simple. The original author of this book, Gaulopet, was originally from the Netherlands. Although a lot of changes were made by Wang Wenlong's translation, the underlying logic of the book still made Matteo Ricci feel very familiar.

Moreover, such entertainment novels are much more advanced than the novels written by Europeans at this time. In front of Matteo Ricci, it is indeed an excellent entertainment literature. Making a cup of tea and serving a plate of Suzhou dim sum, Ricci read the novel leisurely.

Matteo Ricci was only in his twenties when he first entered Zhaoqing Mansion, but now he is almost fifty years old. He has stayed in the Ming Dynasty longer than in his hometown in Italy, and he also specializes in studying the scholar-officials of the Ming Dynasty. Their style and enjoyment habits have long been very similar to those of the Ming Dynasty people.

At this time, a local believer knocked on his door. Matteo Ricci put down his book and got up to open the door. He saw Tu Long, a famous scholar he was familiar with, and a young scholar standing outside the door.

Matteo Ricci smiled and saluted: "Why is Tu Changqing here today? Who is this gentleman?"

Tu Long also saluted and said with a smile: "This is the Wang Jianyang Xijiang often said he wanted to see."

Well, Matteo Ricci was named Xijiang and Taixi.

Wang Wenlong looked at him and saw that Ricci had a long beard and was dressed as a Confucian scholar. His Confucian etiquette was very standard. His Nanjing Mandarin was more standard than many people in the Ming Dynasty. If you didn't look at his face, you wouldn't have realized that he was a foreigner. people.

Matteo Ricci's eyes lit up when he heard Wang Wenlong's name, and he said enthusiastically: "It turns out to be Duke Jianyang, please come in quickly, please come in quickly."

Shen Taihong invited Wang Wenlong to see Matteo Ricci, but he had something to do and could not accompany him, so today Shen Taihong's friend Tu Long accompanied Wang Wenlong.

Matteo Ricci led the two of them into the room, smiled at Wang Wenlong and said, "I was reading Mr.'s text, but I didn't expect that in the blink of an eye, Mr. Ricci was in front of me. It was like I was in a dream."

Wang Wenlong entered the room and asked with a smile: "Mr. Xijiang, have you eaten?"

"Uh..." Matteo Ricci was also stunned for a moment, then he realized and said quickly: "I'll ask someone to cook."

Wang Wenlong smiled and said: "It's okay if you don't have to eat. Let's sit down and eat some together."

Tu Long smiled and entered the room. Only then did Ricci notice that the servant behind them was holding two large food boxes.

The Catholic Church in Suzhou is just a temporary small temple located in Tongguanfang. It was built in the busy city of Suzhou when Matteo Ricci entered Suzhou in the 27th year of Wanli Period.

Today, Wang Wenlong and Tu Long came from Huqiu Mountain to the downtown area of ​​Suzhou City early in the morning. They walked in a hurry and hadn't eaten yet.

Wang Wenlong explained: "This place is lively and there are many restaurants around. We have asked the servants to buy some wine and rice on the way. Wouldn't it be fun for everyone to eat and chat?"

Matteo Ricci quickly asked someone to come in and clear the table, put the dishes and chopsticks on the table, sat down in the master's seat, nodded to the two of them and said: "Changqing is a man of literary talent, and Jianyang is also a famous person. Today, you are going to be greatly entertained at the dinner table." Taught.”

Wang Wenlong lifted his robe, sat down, and said with a smile: "I have also heard the story of Changqing's poems and essays carelessly, waving a few pieces of paper, and solving problems with people, each writing a hundred rhymes. Today I am about to see Changqing's compositions. Woolen cloth."

"Don't make fun of me," Tu Long shook his head and said, "With a generous family like Jianyang here today, how can I do whatever I want to do?"

(End of this chapter)