Amazon.com Review
Matteo Ricci (1552-1616), an Italian Jesuit, entered China in1583 to spread Catholicism in the largely Confucian country. In orderto make a persuasive argument for the educated Chinese to abandontheir traditional faith for the new one he was carrying, Riccirealized that he would have to prove the general superiority ofWestern culture. He did so by teaching young Confucian scholars tricksto increase their memory skills--an important advantage in a nationwith countless laws and rituals that had to be learned by heart. Ricciattracted numerous students with this method; more important, Riccicame to have a sympathetic understanding for China that hecommunicated to Rome, and thence to the European nations atlarge. Spence's portrait of Ricci is a gem of historicalwriting. --Gregory MacNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Memorable
The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci uses a Chinese-language treatise by Ricci on the mnemonic arts as a guide to the story of his mission to China. Ricci was the first Christian missionary to be able to establish residence in Beijing, in 1601. His story is as remarkable - Ricci was able to learn Chinese well enough to translate books and debate points of theology with local scholars, and his capacity for memorisation appears to have been exceptional - as it is poignant. It also offers rich comment on mutual European and Chinese Renaissance-era prejudices. Indeed, Spence makes a very entertaining job of digging up colourful cultural details from both sides, and in painting the mission's political, economic, and religious context.

The memory palace was a system by which information was placed within the rooms of an imaginary palace, in this case a single room peopled with statues conjured for their association value with Chinese characters. Spence's book uses the palace images as its own guide, and he also analyses four religious prints published, with brief commentaries by Ricci, in a contemporary Chinese collection of graphics. The book is loosely chronological as well as thematic, following its protagonist from Macerata in Italy to Rome, Goa, Macau, and through various provincial cities to Ricci's death in Beijing. This is both an original and an insightful historical work, with wide relevance in spite of its specialised topic.

Stranger in a Strange Land
Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest, lived in China for 27 years, from 1582 to 1610, working towards the conversion of the Chinese.Do you think he bit off more than he could chew ?Maybe so.At any rate, he gave it his best.Why he was inclined to do so, and how he went about doing it, are the basic topics of this most interestingly constructed book.I would say there are several levels to consider.First, the training and background of such a missionary figure in that time, including the works of philosophy and religion that influenced him.The hardships of being a missionary are not neglected. Second, the Chinese society of that time and why Ricci's mission was basically "Mission Impossible". Third, a study in contradictions: the misunderstanding of each "side" of the other's longterm goals, the contradictory images of other faiths (Buddhism, Judaism, Islam), the clash between trade and faith in Europe, and the different concepts of morality.While globalization had begun, it had a long, long way to go.A fourth theme might be more literary: how a scholar like Spence could construct such a literary approach to history, making it sparkle and shine in ingenious ways for a reader.I was fascinated by this process.I would say that for anyone interested in history per se, this would be a five star book.However, if you are primarily concerned with China, this study is more about Europe and perhaps, "Europe meets China in the late 16th century".If you are more interested in Europe, there are probably more central works for you.Readers interested in what a `memory palace' might be are advised to obtain a copy of the book.It's a fascinating read if not the easiest.

An enlightening history
As I grow older, I worry sometimes about the aging 'muscle' in my head.I had noticed that Thomas Harris mentioned this book in the back of his novel Hannibal, so I ordered it;Not to be like the fictional Dr. Lecter, but rather to develop my memory and keep it honed.
This is book about history, about discipline, about a passion.Spence knows his stuff, to be sure, but I find his style to be aggravating--the research is phenomnal and very much appreciated, but there are times when it interrupts the flow of the read.This is the only reason I give it four stars instead of five.Otherwise, it is a Five-star. I like the book immensely, and I am learning.

A book Sinophiles and European Historians will Love
Not being interested in Christian missionary work in China, I had resisted reading this book for years. That was a terrible mistake and another example of how you can't judge a book by its cover or title. The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci is not so much a book about Matteo Ricci or missionaries as it is a look at the two continents of Europe and Asia in the late 1500's to 1610 (when Matteo Ricci died). It covers subjects such as crusades, plagues, theology, the arts, travel, China leading up to the fall of the Ming (1644), corruption, punishments, dress, the role of Buddhism in Chinese society, slavery, sodomy, food and so much more.

Yes, it is a book for historians or those interested in historical times, especially the Inquisition and Christianity's outreach to foreign shores, but its breadth of topics is so unusual, and its treatment of these subjects through the eyes of one man who left his native Italy to travel to Rome, Portugal, Goa, and eventually China so detailed, that the rewards of reading this book were wholly unexpected and thus a wonderful surprise--like opening a tin to discover a jewel box.

Train of Consciousness...
This book had some wonderful nuggets about Ricci and China, but there were so many tangents and mind-numbing details that it was challenging to read.The main issue is that the book is thematic in nature rather than chronological.On one page Spence is talking in detail about China in 1582 and the next he's talking in detail about Portugal in 1567.He flips back and forth across the decades and the continents enough that it's very difficult to get a picture of Ricci's life.A lot of Spence's content seems pulled from history books on Europe, having little or nothing to do with either Ricci or China.If you want a random, panoramic view of life in the late 1500's this book is for you.If you're looking for a comprehensive, orderly look at Ricci or China or his memory system you may be disappointed.It's worth the read, but with appropriate expectations. ... Read more

Product Description
A 16th century Italian Jesuit, Matteo Ricci was the founder of the Catholic Mission in China and one of the most famous missionaries of all time. A pioneer in bringing Christianity to China, Ricci spent twenty eight years in the country, in which time he crossed the cultural divides between China and the West by immersing himself in the language and culture of his hosts. Even 400 years later, he is still one of the best known westerners in China, celebrated for introducing western scientific and religious ideas to China and for explaining Chinese culture to Europe.

The first critical biography of Ricci to use all relevant sources, both Chinese and Western, A Jesuit in theForbidden Citytells the story of a remarkable life that bridged Counter-Reformation Catholic Europe and China under the Ming dynasty. Hsia follows the life of Ricci from his childhood in Macerata, through his education in Rome, to his sojourn in Portuguese India, before the start of his long journey of self-discovery and cultural encounter in the Ming realm. Along the way, we glimpse the workings of the Portuguese maritime empire in Asia, the mission of the Society of Jesus, and life in the European enclave of Macau on the Chinese coast, as well as invaluable sketches of Ricci's fellow Jesuits and portraits of the Chinese mandarins who formed networks indispensible for Ricci's success.

Examining a range of new sources, Hsia offers important new insights into Ricci's long period of trial and frustration in Guangdong province, where he first appeared in the persona of a foreign Buddhist monk, before the crucial move to Nanchang in 1595 that led to his sustained intellectual conversation with a leading Confucian scholar and subsequent synthesis of Christianity and Confucianism in propagating the Gospels in China. With his expertise in cartography, mathematics and astronomy, Ricci quickly won recognition, especially after he had settled in Nanjing in 1598, the southern capital of the Ming dynasty. As his reputation and friendships grew, Ricci launched into a sharp polemic against Buddhism, while his career found its crowning achievement in the imperial capital of Beijing, leaving behind a life, work, and legacy that is still very much alive today. ... Read more

Product Description

" On Friendship, with its total of one hundred sayings, is the perfect gift for friends."& mdash;Feng Yingjing, renowned scholar and civic official, 1601

Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) is best known as the Italian Jesuit missionary who brought Christianity to China. He also published a landmark text on friendship& mdash;the first book to be written in Chinese by a European& mdash;that instantly became a late Ming best seller.

On Friendship distilled the best ideas on friendship from Renaissance Latin texts into one hundred pure and provocative Chinese maxims. Written in a masterful classical style, Ricci's sayings established his reputation as a great sage and the sentiments still ring true.

Available for the first time in English,On Friendship matches a carefully edited Chinese text with a facing-page English translation and includes notes on sources and biographical, historical, and cultural information. Still admired in China for its sophistication and inspirational wisdom,On Friendship is a delightful cross-cultural work by a crucial and fascinating historical figure. It is also an excellent tool for learning Chinese, pairing a superb model of the classical language with an accessible and accurate translation.

Customer Reviews (1)

A beautiful, thoughtful little book.
Matteo Ricci was a contemporary of William Shakespeare, and in his own way, every bit as brilliant.Like many founders -- Socrates, Confucius, Lao Zi, Jesus -- he seemed to summarize in his person and teachings several deep insights that different followers would develop into systems of their own.Ricci argued that Classical Chinese philosophers knew and worshipped the Supreme God whom Christians also worship -- an insight that would be developed by Jesuits, the "Three Pillars" of Chinese Catholicism, 19th Century scholars like James Legge, and continues to gain traction in modern China.(This is a special interest of mine -- having once written a book on "how Jesus fulfills the Chinese culture.")Ricci realized that science could be not impress Chinese with the Western world and make them curious to know more, but was itself a part of that blessing which Christianity brought to the Middle Kingdom -- an insight that would be developed by Catholics and Protestants for hundreds of years.Ricci began the outreach to upper classes and to emperors that would culminate in a "special relationship" between Jesuits priests and the great Kang Xi emperor.

But most of all, read his autobiography, and what stands out is the winsomeness of the man.He made friends.He dived into a river to save a mandarin's family from drowning.He stood up for a group of street thugs who tried to rob him, saving them from execution.He practiced courtesy as an art, and as a way of living out the Gospel among a cultured people.

This book is, thus, weightier than the number of pages it contains -- which is not many.The central text is only 100 sayings, making it about the length of the "Gospel" of Thomas.It is a kindlier text, and maybe a more sensible one.The translator fortunately (for those of us who read Chinese) gives the Chinese text on facing pages.He adds a long and helpful introduction, and lots of useful appendixes, including the sources of the quotes.(Mostly from Cicero, Augustine, Plutarch, Seneca, and the like.) It is also a physically attractive book -- perhaps a nice Christmas gift for the right friend.

Few of the sayings are earth-shattering -- but then, neither are the Confucian texts his audience was used to.They are bread-and-butter of kindness and judiciousness; like the Proverbs, some seem too prosaic, while others make you think.I expect they will grow with time.Ricci's audience much appreciated them; the little booklet was reprinted many times.The best book I know on friendship is still C. S. Lewis' The Four Loves; but I am glad to make the closer aquaintance here of my friend Matteo Ricci, and the genial Christian humanism or Christian Confucianism that led him to translate these kind words in a time of turmoil and despair in the late (soon to be Late) Ming Dynasty.

... Read more

Product Description
One of the most precarious and daunting tasks for sixteenth-century European missionaries in the cross-cultural mission frontiers was translating the name of "God" (Deus) into the local language. When the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) introduced the Chinese term Shangti as the semantic equivalent of Deus, he made one of the most innovative cross-cultural missionary translations. Ricci's employment of Shangti was neither a simple rewording of a Chinese term nor the use of a loan-word, but was indeed a risk-taking "identification" of the Christian God with the Confucian Most-High, Shangti. Strange Names of God investigates the historical progress of the semantic configuration of Shangti as the divine name of the Christian God in China by focusing on Chinese intellectuals' reaction to the strangely translated Chinese name of God. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Valuable resources for inculturation between Asian culture and Western Christinianity
It is one of the most valuable resources about the model of inculturation between Asian value and Christianity.Historically, Matteo Ricci resoected the Chinese Confucianism and tried to explain the Christian God through the lens of Chinese religion, Confucianism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Original Research Material
Indispensable original research material available for anyone who is working on religion, Christianity in China, interreligious conversations between the East and West. Highly recommended!

The True Meaning of Matteo Ricci
Simplicity at its finest: Chinese on one page, English on the other.Allows you to see exactly what Ricci was up to without a commentary pushing one's political agenda.That is, reading the text of "True Meaning" for oneself, one can conclude the truth about Matteo Ricci. He did not misunderstand the chinese, nor force them into conversion (one man against millions?) as the 'liberals' claim. Rather his understanding, respect and love for them was profound. He did not "water-down" or "sell-out" the Catholic faith by conceding or accomodating too much as so-called 'conservatives' claim. He did what any Catholic must do: he became all things to all men.And like St. Paul in the Agora, he presented the Real Christ in such a way that Christ was a)understandable to the people listening and b)true to the person of Christ. ... Read more

Product Description
Hauptseminararbeit aus dem Jahr 2001 im Fachbereich Ethik, Note: 1,0, Universität der Bundeswehr München (Institut für Theologie und Gesellschaft), Veranstaltung: Grundlagen christlicher Ethik, 17 Eintragungen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht spezifische Fragestellungen zur Akkommodationsmethode des Pater Matteo Ricci. Hierbei wird anfangs die grundlegende Sichtweise Ricci's in Bezug auf die in China vorherrschenden Religionen Buddhismus, Taoismus und Konfuzianismus geschildert. Den Schwerpunkt bilden Betrachtungen zur konkreten Anwendung der Akkommodationsmethode auf die Begriffe wie Gott, Schöpfung, Seele, Hölle und Paradies. Weiterhin werden sowohl die einzigartigen Chancen als auch die Grenzen dieses neuartigen Missionskonzeptes dargestellt. ... Read more

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This Book Is In Italian. ... Read more

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Hauptseminararbeit aus dem Jahr 2001 im Fachbereich Geschichte - Mittelalter, Frühe Neuzeit, einseitig bedruckt, Note: 1,3, Universität der Bundeswehr München (Historisches Institut), Veranstaltung: HauptseminarWelteroberung und Mission, 14 Eintragungen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Die vorliegende Arbeit versucht, aus der literarischen Vielfalt spezifische Fragestellungen zur Akkommodationsmethode zu untersuchen. Eingangs werden einige biographischen Angaben und missionsgeschichtliche Grundlagen dargestellt. Den Schwerpunkt bilden die Betrachtungen zur Entwicklung und Anwendung der Akkommodationsmethode. Dies beinhaltet unter anderem die Anpassung an chinesische Namen, Kleidung und Sitten sowie Ricci's wissenschaftliches Engagement und sein Verhältnis zur Religionslandschaft China's. In diesem Zusammenhang werden sowohl die einzigartigen Chancen als auch die Grenzen dieses neuartigen Missionskonzeptes näher beleuchtet. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This Book Is In Italian. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more