Matteo Ricci

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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https://smallwhale.org/articles/matteo-ricci

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1. When was Matteo Ricci born?October 6, 1552
2. Where was Matteo Ricci born?Macerata, Republic of Florence (now Italy)
3. What is the career?Italian Jesuit priest, missionary, and polymath
4. What is the recognition?Declared Venerable by the Apostolic See in 2022 for heroic virtues
5. Who was Matteo Ricci?Matteo Ricci was an Italian Jesuit explorer who traveled to China in the late 1500s. He learned Chinese and became a bridge between Europe and China.
6. Why did Matteo Ricci go to China?He went to China to help spread Christianity and to learn about Chinese culture. He worked hard to speak Chinese and understand Chinese ideas.

Jesuit China Missions: The concerted efforts by the Society of Jesus to evangelize and introduce Western science and culture to China.
Kunyu Wanguo Quantu: A significant 1602 world map created by Matteo Ricci, notable for its Chinese script and comprehensive geographical representation.
Euclid's Elements: A foundational ancient Greek treatise on geometry and number theory, translated into Chinese by Ricci and Xu Guangqi.
Venerable: A title conferred by the Catholic Church upon a deceased person recognized for having lived a life of heroic virtue.