The Manchu language Biblical translations by Louis Antoine de Poirot, SJ (1735–1813) : the Jesuit mission to the Manchus in the context of Qing imperial culture / Weimar, Gregor Marius

Available online through

SOAS University of London Research Repository

Abstract:

This thesis examines the editing and annotations of Louis Antoine de Poirot’s Manchu language translations of Biblical texts, produced in Qing China towards the end of his life (1735-1813). It addresses two central questions: Why did Poirot translate the historical books of the Bible into Manchu in this particular way at this time, and who was his target audience?

Our research demonstrates that Poirot’s work represents a unique and revolutionary endeavour in China’s Catholic missionary history. As the last Jesuit missionary in Beijing, Poirot created a carefully selected corpus of Biblical texts designated specifically for an elite Manchu readership – Catholic converts educated in Confucian values and Chinese literature. These texts were intended to enable this community to maintain their faith beyond the anticipated absence of Catholic clergy, giving readers unprecedented agency in catechetical instruction.

The thesis is structured into three parts. Part 1 establishes the historical context by examining five key actors: the central authority of the Catholic Church through the Propaganda Fide, the Jesuit mission strategy of “accommodation”, the Confucian Qing state with its increasingly restrictive policies towards Christianity, Poirot himself as translator and court official, and the resilient Manchu Catholic elite who formed his target audience. This analysis reveals that Poirot operated against explicit prohibitions from both the Catholic Church, which sought to prevent unauthorized translations and interpretations, and the Qing state, which forbade Christian instruction of Manchu subjects. Part 2 outlines Poirot's editorial approach and his extensive use of annotations, demonstrating his exceptional Manchu language abilities and his strategic choices. Part 3 provides detailed case studies proving these claims through structural and textual analysis.

Our research shows how Poirot accommodated his texts to a Confucian-educated elite by a variety of strategies: by emphasizing the importance of historical books and genealogies in order to argue for Christianity's legitimate lineage; by using traditional Chinese literary devices such as explicit and concise prefaces (daxu 大序 and xiaoxu 小序); and by incorporating comprehensive annotations with catechetical characteristics, including question-and-answer structures, direct exhortations to readers and encyclopaedic explanations of unfamiliar concepts.

The analysis demonstrates that Poirot's texts were deliberately crafted to appear legitimate within Confucian orthodoxy while simultaneously serving as comprehensive catechetical material. His annotations to texts like the Acts of the Apostles and the Lord's Prayer reveal clear instructional purposes, while his use of vertical lines and detailed explanations made foreign Biblical content accessible to Qing readers. Poirot's pastoral zeal to save souls proved stronger than legal prohibitions, as he prepared these Manchu elite converts to serve as future catechists capable of ministering to their community.

The present thesis provides the first comprehensive historical analysis of how these texts were presented, identifying their intended audience and practical application, thus illuminating a remarkable example of missionary accommodation and religious resilience in Qing China.