Matteo Ricci's Preaching Tactics And Effects

In the late 16th century and early 17th century many western priests came to China. With them the western culture also came to this long civilized old country. Among them Matteo Ricci was one of the best. He decided a series of preaching tactics according to China's circumstances and made great preaching achievements ,which not only brought many a ChineseChristian but also brought the first real contact between Chinese culture and the western culture. In this sense Ricci's contribution shouldn't be forgottenfor ever.But on the other hand, his preaching tactics also brought many a disadvantageous effects to the development of Christianity in China, to which the scholars haven't pay enough attention. So this thesis makes this its discussion emphasis.Matteo Ricci's preaching tactics mainly included four aspects: confucianizing the priests' life style, confucianizing Christianity, taking advantage of western natural science and technology and disputing Buddhism. The purpose of this thesis is to make an all-round and systematic research into the effects these tactics caused and try to reappear truly the vibration and shock that they brought to the society of that time.From Chapter Two to Chapter Five is the main body of this thesis. It makes a deep research into the effects these preaching tactics caused.Chapter Two discusses the effects of confucianizingthe priests' life style. The thesis thinks this tactic made the priests win the Confucian scholars'friendship and have meeting of minds with them. With their help Matteo Ricci could get the allowance of the emperor staying in China. But on the other hand ,it also made the Confucian scholars more proud of Confucianism and think Confucianism the best learning in universal. Thus the difficult to make Chinese Confucian scholaraccept Christianity grew greater.Chapter Three discusses the effects of confucianizing Christianity .This thesis thinks this tactic brought Christianity an Chinese look and attracted a number of Chinese to be baptized. But these Chinese-Christians were not real Christians. In their hearts Chinese Confucianism was the most important thing. At the same time, this tactic also made a lot of Confucian scholars oppose Matteo Ricci, because he distorted their traditional explanation of Confucianism And this tactic also was attacked by many other priests inside Christian church , because they thought Chinese "Heaven" in Confucianism was not "God" in Christianity ,while MatteoRicci thought them the same. At last this argument brought about the Chinese Rites Controversy and led to Emperor Kangxi's forbidding Christianity in China.Chapter Four discusses the effects of taking advantage of western science and technology .This thesis thinks this tactic made Chinese emperors and officials feel their need of the advanced western natural science and allow the priests staying ii China .The purpose of this tactic was to spread Christianity in China, but at last history proved that Christianity in China was forbidden by Emperor Kangxi and on the contrary the means - western science and technology was left inChinese culture. Matteo Ricci was afraid not to expect this end.Chapter Five discusses the effects of disputing Buddhism The thesis thinks this tactic got some support from the Confucian scholars who were against the Buddhism ,but on the other hand more Confucian scholars thought Christianity and Buddhism were just the same and they refused to believe Christianity either.Speaking briefly thse effects comprised two sides: the advantageous one that was beneficial to the development of Christianity n China and the disadvantageous one that was unfavorable to the development of Christianity in China.This thesis analyzes them and comes to some relative conclusions in the Conclusion Part at last.Wish this thesis bring some useful experiences to today's Chinesewestern culture exchanges.