A Study Of Li Zubai And Tianxue Chuangai

Yang Guangxian,a well-known anti-catholic,once again appealed to the Qing imperial court against Johann Adam Schall von Bell and others for spreading a Catholic "cult" and compiling new books in 1664.This appeal was different from many appeals in the last years of Shunzhi emperor.With the death of Shunzhi emperor,in the early years of Kangxi,the political tendency of the four assistant ministers and their advisors became more conservative,which led to the outbreak of the largest Catholic case “Kangxi Calendar Case” in the early Qing dynasty.One of the reasons for Yang’s appeal was a book called Tianxue Chuangai by li zubai.Li zubai,a famous Catholic in the late Ming dynasty and early Qing dynasty,was the student of Johann Adam Schall von Bell and worked for the Bureau of Astronomy.Tianxue Chuangai was a missionary book that he wrote in 1663 in order to introduce Catholicism,it contained several controversial views comparing the Chinese classics with Catholicism.These views were generally consistent with the views of missionaries and catholics in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties,but Li Zubai’s expression in the book was more straightforward and clearer than that of his predecessors.After the outbreak of the " Kangxi Calendar Case ",the Ministry of Personnel,the Ministry of Rites,the Ministry of Justice and others interrogated this case,the focus of the interrogation from the dissemination of cults and compilation of new books of Johann Adam Schall von Bell gradually expanded to the astronomical calendar and the burial period selection of prince Rong.The sentencing proposals given by the parties also changed several times with the focus of the interrogation changed.Li zubai was involved in the " Kangxi Calendar Case " because of his book Tianxue Chuangai.Li Zubai was further involved in the question of burial period of prince Rong because of his work in the Bureau of Astronomy and the special relationship with Johann Adam Schall von Bell of course.The suggestion of Li’s punishment bythe Ministry of Justice also experienced the change from exile to lingchi and then to execution.Finally,Li Zubai died in the " Kangxi Calendar Case ".Li zubai not only died in the " Kangxi Calendar Case ",but also in the conflict and collision between the culture of Chinese and western.But at its most basic,Li Zubai died from the lack of rationality and depth to Chinese and western ideology and culture.His work Tianxue Chuangai furtherly shows his concentrated thought that his improper understanding of Chinese and western culture.