Chengshi Moyuan cataloged in six sections: heavenly works; places; officials; abundant items; scholarship; Buddhism and Daoism.
“….Four religious engravings that were owned by Ricci have been preserved in a most curious way, by being included in the “ink cake” album Chengshi moyuan 程氏墨苑 (The Ink Garden of Mr. Cheng), published shortly after 1605 by the famous ink master Cheng Dayue 程大約 (1541-1616?). With his fine sense of publicity Ricci had given them to Cheng to be reproduced both on his ink cakes and in this “sales catalogue”. Significantly, the four images (the disciples of Emmaus, Saint Peter sinking in the water, Sodom, and the Virgin with Child) were given a place in Cheng’s section of “Buddhist and Taoist subjects” (zihuang 緇黃). The reproduction of the Western prints is amazingly exact. Most interesting is the fact that the picture of the Virgin with Child according to its inscription was made “In Sem[inario] Jap[onico] 1597”, a clear sign of the connection with the Jesuit workshops in Japan.” ---Cf. Standaert, Handbook of Christianity in China, p. 811. See also p. 866.

Local access dig.pdf. [Lopes-Chengshi moyan.pdf]

Abstract: The early seventeenth century is noted for the fruitful cultural, religious, and artistic exchange between Europe and the Chinese imperial court. The missionaries of the Society of Jesus (Societas Iesu) became a prominent bridge connecting the two distinct cultures, where the main differences were, at the same time, the reason for their mutual allure. At that time, Jesuit priests, such as Matteo Ricci (1552–1610), João da Rocha (1587–1639), and Giulio Aleni (1582–1649), contributed significantly not only to the dissemination of Christianity in Beijing, Nanjing, and other important cities beyond the Portuguese administration of Macau, but also to the transmission of Western knowledge and technology. Along with the flow of goods and rare commodities brought from Europe which overwhelmed the Chinese emperors of the late Ming and High Qing courts, Western art was introduced into China as a synthesis of visual science, artistic sophistication, and eloquence, explaining why it became so valuable, particularly during the time of the three Qing emperors, Kangxi (1654– 1722), Yongzheng (1678–1735), and Qianlong (1711–99). The modus operandi in the apostolic ministry of the Society of Jesus around the world is well known for the use of images as a visual explanation of Christian doctrine, particularly in China, India, and Japan. The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola (Exercitia Spiritualia), composed between 1522 and 1524, suggests that the images should be referred to as a reflection on the word, demonstrating the complementary function between text and images in the explanation of Christian teachings. This article discusses the agency of one of the earliest sets of European prints used in the context of the Jesuit mission in China as a visual explanation of biblical teachings. By means of iconographic examination and iconological approach, it examines how Christian prints included in the Chengshi moyuan 程氏墨苑 (The Ink Garden of Mr. Cheng) were used as a visual reasoning of the scriptures, demonstrating that the three biblical prints were linked to each other and purposely put together as a result of a doctrinal program.

Keywords: European prints in China, artistic exchange, Jesuits in China, Matteo Ricci, Chengshi moyuan, Ming dynasty, spiritual exercises

“….Four religious engravings that were owned by Ricci have been preserved in a most curious way, by being included in the “ink cake” album Chengshi moyuan 程氏墨苑 (The Ink Garden of Mr. Cheng), published shortly after 1605 by the famous ink master Cheng Dayue 程大約 (1541-1616?). With his fine sense of publicity Ricci had given them to Cheng to be reproduced both on his ink cakes and in this “sales catalogue”. Significantly, the four images (the disciples of Emmaus, Saint Peter sinking in the water, Sodom, and the Virgin with Child) were given a place in Cheng’s section of “Buddhist and Taoist subjects” (zihuang 緇黃). The reproduction of the Western prints is amazingly exact. Most interesting is the fact that the picture of the Virgin with Child according to its inscription was made “In Sem[inario] Jap[onico] 1597”, a clear sign of the connection with the Jesuit workshops in Japan.” ---Cf. Standaert, Handbook of Christianity in China, vol. 1, p. 811. See also p. 866 (below).

“….The second variant is found in some of the works in Classical Chinese that Ricci wrote towards the end of his life, notably a work entitled Xizi qiji 西字奇跡 (The Miracle of Western Letters), published in Beijing in 1605. It is a booklet of six folios, containing three short Biblical stories hand-written by Ricci in Chinese characters, and accompanied by their romanisation. The romanisation used here is more mature and generally consistent and also indicates the tones of each character.” --Cf. Standaert, N., Handbook of Christianity in China, v.1, p.866.

n.17: These same stories, supplemented with four pictures and an additional article entitled “Transmission by Writing Presented to Master Cheng Youbo” were later included in …. Chengshi moyuan 程氏墨苑 (Mr. Cheng’s Ink Garden)….” n.18 Cf. Coblin (1997), p. 263.

See also Trigault, Xiru ermu zi 西儒耳目資.
Alt. version dig.pdf. [Ricci-Xizi qiji RGO_III 231-12].
Also included in: Li Madou Zhongwen zhuyi ji 利瑪竇中文著譯集.
Local access dig.pdf. [Ricci-Xiziqiji.pdf]