Subject: Europe--Description and travel--17th century

Xifang dawen 西方答問. [Jap-Sin II, 22. BAV Borg. Cin. 324.17]
AuthorAleni, Giulio 艾儒略, 1582-1649Jiang Dejing 蔣德璟, jinshi 1622
PlaceGuilin Shi 桂林市
PublisherGuangxi shifan daxue chubanshe 廣西師范大學出版社
CollectionRicci Institute Library
Edition
LanguageChinese 中文
TypeBook (Text in Collection)
SeriesAi Rulüe Hanwen zhushu quanji 艾儒略漢文著述全集 ; v. 2
ShelfHallway Cases
Call NumberBV3427.A38 A2 2011 v.2
Descriptionp.125-154 ; 26.5 cm.
Note《西方答問》二卷. In Ai Rulüe Hanwen zhushu quanji 艾儒略漢文著述全集 = Collection of Jules Aleni's Chinese works. Vol. 2, p. 125-154.
Each page represents two leaves of the original.
Reprint of ARSI edition.
Full bibliographical citation see: Ad Dudink & Nicolas Standaert, Chinese Christian Texts Database (CCT-Database) http://www.arts.kuleuven.be/sinology/cct

Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Borgia Cinese, 324.17 (1st ed. 1637) online Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Archives

JapSin II, 22
Xifang dawen 西方答問.
By Ai Rulüe 艾儒略 (Giulio Aleni).
Two juan. Bamboo paper bound in one volume, European style.
Printed and published by the Catholic church of Jinjiang (Fujian) 晉江景教堂 in 1637 (Chongzhen 10).

The cover bears a Latin inscription: “Quaesita et responsa | de rebus et moribus | Europaeis | a P. Julio Aleni S.J.”
The title page bears the title in four large characters. On the verso of this folio there is a declaration that explains the rule of the Church that translations of sacred books and other texts must be read three times (by censors) before permission is granted for publication: 遵教規凡譯著經典諸書，必三次看詳，方允付梓. This is followed by the names of the censors: Fu Ruwang 伏如望 (João Fróis), Yang Manuo 陽瑪諾 (Manuel Dias Jr.), and Luo Yagu 羅雅谷 (Giacomo Rho). The imprimatur was given by Manuel Dias Jr., then Vice-Provincial. There are two seals with the emblem of the society of Jesus: one square and the other round. Hsü Tsung-tse (1949, pp. 300–301) reproduces a preface, dated 1641, by Mi Jiasui 米嘉穗 of Qiaochuan 樵川 (Fujian), which is not in our edition.
The table of contents of juan A and B consists of two folios. Folio 1r bears the title (西方答問首卷) and below are given the name of the author (遠西艾儒略撰) and of the proofreader, Jiang Dejing 蔣德璟. Each half folio has nine columns with nineteen characters in each column. The title of the book is printed in the middle of each folio with the number of the juan and the number of the folio below. Juan A consists of folios 5–29 and juan B of folios 1–7. The text is punctuated and geographic names are marked with lines.
This book has seemingly been written to satisfy many of the author’s friends who were eager to know something about the West. Although the two juan are short, they cover nearly all the subjects an inquisitive visitor would want to know about a strange land, then unknown to the Chinese.
The Xifang dawen has been translated by John L. Mish from an early edition (Vatican Library, Borgia Cinese 324 no. 17) with the title: “Creating an Image of Europe for China: Aleni’s Hsi fang ta wen,” Monumenta Serica, 23 (1964), pp. 1–87 (pp. 4–30: reproduction of the Chinese edition).
Jiang Dejing (d. 1646) was a native of Jinjiang 晉江 (Fujian). He obtained the jinshi degree in 1622. In the Chongzhen period (1628–1644) he was once Minister of Rites and later served as Grand Secretary (1642–1644).

Cf. Hsü 1949, p. 300; JWC 1:195–196.
Source: Albert Chan, S.J., Chinese Books and Documents in the Jesuit Archives in Rome, p. 302.

Yulan Xifang yaoji 御覽西方要紀. [Jap-Sin II, 158. BnF Chinois 1882]
AuthorVerbiest, Ferdinand 南懷仁, 1623-1688Buglio, Lodovico 利類思, 1606-1682Magalhães, Gabriel de 安文思, 1610-1677
Place---
Publisher---
CollectionRicci Institute Library
Edition
LanguageChinese 中文
TypeDigital Book (PDF)
Series
ShelfDigital Archives
Call NumberD907.B9 1669d
Description1 juan.
NoteYulan Xifang yaoji 御覽西方要紀 / [利類思, 安文思, 南懷仁]
BnF record title also in French: Mémoire sur l'Occident présenté à l'Empereur.
See also Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編 ; 3278.

For full bibliographic and textual citation see: Ad Dudink & Nicolas Standaert, Chinese Christian Texts Database (CCT-Database).
Local access dig.pdf. [Yulan Xifang yaoji.pdf]

JapSin II, 158
Yulan Xifang yaoji 御覽西方要紀.
By Lodovico Buglio, Gabriel de Magalhães, and Ferdinand Verbiest.
One juan, bamboo paper in one ce with a paper case. 1669. No place of publication.

The inside of the cover bears a label with a Latin inscription: “Si fang yao ki | Occidentalium (rerum) | compendium | a PP. Buglio | de Magalhaens | et Verbiest | 1669 scriptum | V. Sommervogel vo Buglio.” There is a note by D’Elia that reads: “Supplica offerta da questi | 3 Padri all’Imperatore nel 1669 | in favore dell’innocenza dei | Missionari (e di Schall) | cf Pfister I, 242, 14.”
The recto of folio 1 bears the title of the book. The last folio gives the date and the names of the authors: 康熙八年三月初六日臣利類思，安文思，南懷仁盥手錄.
The whole book consists of fourteen folios with nine columns to each half folio and eighteen characters to each column. The title of the book is given in the middle of each folio and the number of the folio below the fish-tail. Van Heé gives the following description:
Mémoire sur l’Occident présenté à l’Empereur. Cet opuscule, daté de 1669, contient un rapport des trois Pères alors présents à la capitale, Magalhaens, Buglio, Verbiest. En voici l’origine. Kang-Hi venait de prendre en mains les rênes du gouvernement. Après des expériences repétées, Verbiest avait convaincu toute la Cour de l’ignorance du Musulman Ou Ming-Hiuen [吳明烜]. L’Empereur dès lors donne aux Pères des témoignages de bienveillance extraordinaires. Il les appelle au Palais, s’entretient familièrement avec eux, offre goûters et friandises, les questionne sur les sciences et les gouvernements de l’Europe, et se montre enchanté des instruments d’horlogerie, appareils de physique amusante moitié enfantains, moitié serieux qu’ils lui font parvenir. Pour satisfaire sa curiosité, et réprondre plus amplement aux questions posées par l’Empereur encore tout jeune (en 1669 Kang-Hi n’avait que 14 ans), les trois Pères s’entendirent pour composer cette relation sur les choses d’Europe. (Van Hée 1913, pp. 28–29)
See also the annual letter of 1669 (Henri Bosmans, S.J., “Les Lettres annuelles de la vice-province de la Compagnie de Jésus en Chine Année 1669 par Adrien Grelon” in Annales de la Société d’Émulation pour l’étude de l’histoire et des antiquités de la Flandre occidentale 62, Bruges, 1912, pp. 15–61):
Ensuitte, ils luy presenterent une brieve relacion des choses d’Europe en langue chinoise, pour satisfaire plainement a sa curiosité, et respondre a diverses questions, qu’il leur avoit faict quelques jours auparavant. Et dans cette relation ils ensererent deux points de grande importance: le 1r quelle loy ou relligion on suivoit en Europe, et le 2d quels estoient les predicateurs de cette loy. Et bien que l’Empereur entende et parle fort bien la langue chinoise, il vo(u)lut neanmoins que cette relation fust traduitte en langue tartare” (pp. 41–42).
This book covers a wide range of subjects. It deals with the countries in Europe, distance, ships, wonders of the sea, native products, manufactures, Western learning, costumes, customs, legal systems, business transactions, food and drink, medical science, temperament of the people, works of charity, palaces and dwelling places, cities and military defense, marriages, religion, and missioners. There are several passages where the missioners aim directly at the Chinese society of their days or seek to clarify their positions as missioners in China, as illustrated by the following examples:
If there are no direct proofs against the violator of the law, even if the judge witnessed the violation of the law, he is not to impose a heavy penalty on the violator (folio 8r, on legal systems).
Generally speaking, Europeans esteem highly [the virtues of] loyalty and faithfulness. To be unfaithful would be considered as a great disgrace. Hence to call somebody disloyal and a liar would be intolerable (folio 8v, on business transactions).
They like to be frank, and would not dream of cheating others. They maintain as a principle the love of one’s neighbor as oneself and they try to share their fortune with others . . . . In dealing with others they lay stress on humbleness. As a result, it is rare to find in the country people who are not being looked after. They are especially courteous to foreign visitors (folio 10r, on the temperament of the people).
[They set up institutions] for orphans and abandoned children, considering that the poor cannot raise their many children and that it would be a crime to have their children drowned (folio 10v, on works of charity).
Marriage between man and woman, in general, takes place at the age of about twenty, when they are fully grown up, and the engagement takes place at an opportune time. It is done by mutual consent. The property of the wife [is so protected that] the husband cannot dispose of it at will. If the husband happens to commit a crime or if he is in debt, the judge can make him pay from his own property; but he cannot make use of the property of his wife (folio 12r, on marriage).
The Western countries profess only Catholicism and for the past sixteen centuries there has been great peace. The morality and the customs of the peoples are in great harmony. They live in abundance and are happy, each with his own work without quarrels or greed for other peoples’ property (folio 12v, on religion).
The religious enter an order when they are young, and they take the vows not to marry or to seek government honors . . . . They have to pass their examinations with distinction before they are allowed to preach in foreign lands, and they are not allowed to return again to their home lands. Thus, though their origin is in the West, nevertheless they spend their lives in places where they happen to be (folio 13r, on religion).

Source: Albert Chan, S.J., Chinese Books and Documents in the Jesuit Archives in Rome, pp. 442-444.

Full text online at Galllica.
御覽西方要紀Yu lan xi fang yao ji.Mémoire sur l
御覽西方要紀Yu lan xi fang yao ji.Mémoire sur l'Occident présenté à l'Empereur.
Source: gallica.bnf.fr