China had 200 million people at the end of the 16th century.
It was the dream of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, to convert these 200 million heathens to Christianity, thus saving their souls from eternal damnation.
The policy used was cultural accommodation, to train Western missionaries to adapt to the local culture and become “Chinese in China.”
The Jesuit’s Eastern chief, Alessandro Valignano, devised this strategy. The missionaries must learn Chinese, adapt to Chinese customs, and respect local traditions unless repugnant to Christian morality. (P 27 Matteo Ricci: A Jesuit in the Ming Court by Michela Fontana).
Matteo Ricci was chosen to spearhead this conversion project. He achieved considerable success as an advisor in the Imperial court.
Yet he failed to convert neither the emperor nor the literati, nor the hoi polloi.
Why did he fail?
LWH, 5 Nov 2025, 10.30 p.m.