An illustrated Life of Christ presented to the Chinese emperor : the history of Jincheng shuxiang (1640) / Nicolas Standaert.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [321]-333).
"A selection (of Pt. 1) was published earlier in Print Quarterly XXIII, 3 (2006), pp. 231-253."--Preface.
"The Jincheng shuxiang is reproduced here with the ... permission of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien (Sin 108)"--Pref.

"A renewed attention to visual culture is one of the recent developments in the study of cultural contacts between China and Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The subject of this book is the illustrated Life of Christ presented to the Chinese emperor in 1640 by the Jesuit missionary Johann Adam Schall von Bell S.J. (1592–1666). The origin of the work is a small parchment booklet with coloured miniature paintings based on a wide variety of prints by well-known European engravers (e.g., H. Goltzius, J. Stradanus). It was compiled in Munich in 1617 and a Chinese version with the title Jincheng shuxiang was published in Beijing more than twenty years later in a nicely illustrated edition. This book is composed of two parts. Part I traces the complex history of production of Jincheng shuxiang, from its European origin to its Chinese reception. It also analyses the illustrations and the text. Part II contains the reproduction of the Chinese text and 48 illustrations, the reproduction of the identified original European prints and a translation of the Chinese text. It is hoped that the wider diffusion of this rare primary source, which is now reprinted for the first time since the seventeenth century, will further stimulate the study of visual culture in Sino-Western relations. The book will be of interest to a broad range of scholars, from art historians of China and Europe to scholars interested in print history, and theologians."--Publisher.

Description from Monumenta Serica: This collection in five volumes tries to realize the desideratum of a comprehensive interdisciplinary work on the manifold faces and images of Jesus in China, which unites the Sinological, mission-historical, theological, art-historical, and other aspects. The first three volumes (vols. L/1-3) contain articles and texts which discuss the faces and images of Jesus Christ from the Tang dynasty to the present time. In a separate volume (vol. L/4) follows an annotated bibliography of the Western and Chinese writings on Jesus Christ in China and a general index with glossary. The iconography, i.e., the attempts of the Western missionaries and the Chinese to portray Jesus in an artistic way, will be presented in the fifth volume of this collection (vol. L/5).

Contents of Volume 1:
Introductory Essays: ROMAN MALEK, S.V.D.: Faces and Images of Jesus Christ in Chinese Context. Introduction — PAUL H. WELTE, O.P.: Does Jesus Christ Need A Facelift? A Critical Voice to the Project "The Chinese Face of Christ." Remarks on Some Problems of Inculturation — Preliminary Contextual Considerations: Dao — Logos — Yesu: LIVIA KOHN: Embodiment and Transcendence in Medieval Taoism — JOSEPH H. WONG, O.S.B. CAM.: Tao — Logos — Jesus. Lao Tzu, Philo, and John Compared — J.D.M. DERRETT: St. John's Jesus and the Buddha — JOST O. ZETZSCHE: Indigenizing the "Name Above All Names": Chinese Transliterations of Jesus Christ — Part I: Faces and Images of Jesus Christ from Tang to Yuan: YVES RAGUIN, S.J. (1912—1998): China's First Evangelization by the 7th and 8th Century Eastern Syrian Monks. Some Problems Posed by the First Chinese Expressions of the Christian Traditions — STEVE ESKILDSEN: Christology and Soteriology in the Chinese Nestorian Texts — GUNNER B. MIKKELSEN: "Quickly guide me to the peace of the Pure Land": Christology and Buddhist Terminology in the Chinese Manichaean Hymnscroll — HANS-JOACHIM KLIMKEIT (1939—1999): Jesus' Entry into Parinirvana. Manichaean Identity in Buddhist Central Asia — HANS-JOACHIM KLIMKEIT (1939—1999): Das Kreuzessymbol in der zentralasiatischen Religionsbegegnung. Zum Verhältnis von Christologie und Buddhologie in der zentralasiatischen Kunst — FRANZ XAVER PEINTINGER: In Nomine Domini. Ein christlicher Grabstein in Yangzhou (1344)
Anthology I: Hsü-t'ing Messiah Sutra or Jesus Messiah Sutra (ca. 635) — The Lord of the Universe's Discourse On Alms-Giving (ca. 640) — The Sutra on Mysterious Rest and Joy (ca. 780) — The Luminous Lord of the Universe. From the "Nestorian Monument" (781) — A Nestorian Motwa Hymn in Adoration of the Holy Trinity (8th c.) — King Messiah: Syriac Texts from Gaochang (9th—12th c.) — Manichäische Jesus-Hymnen aus China (8.—9. Jh.) — Christ described in a Poem by Li Bai (701—762). Interpretation proposed by WU QIMING. Presented by ADRIAN DUDINK

Contents of Volume 2:
Part II: Faces and Images of Jesus Christ from Ming to Qing:
GAUVIN ALEXANDER BAILEY: The Image of Jesus in Chinese Art during the Time of the Jesuit Mission (16th—18th centuries) — CARMEN GUARINO: Images of Jesus in Matteo Ricci's Pictures for Chengshi moyuan — GIANNI CRIVELLER, P.I.M.E.: Christ Introduced to Late Ming by Giulio Aleni S.J. (1582—1649) — SUN YUMING: Cultural Translatability and the Presentation of Christ as Portrayed in Visual Images from Ricci to Aleni — PAUL RULE: The Jesus of the "Confucian Christians" of the Seventeenth Century — WHALEN LAI: Jesus in the Shengshui jiyan of the Early Yang Tingyun (1557—1627) — DOMINIC SACHSENMAIER: The Jesus of Zhu Zongyuan (1616—1660). A Complex Pattern of Inculturation — CLAUDIA VON COLLANI: Jesus of the Figurists — MIGUEL ÁNGEL SAN ROMÁN, O.P.: Jesus Christ Proclaimed in the Early Dominican Mission in China — GIOVANNI STARY: Jesus Introduced to the Manchus — P. RICHARD BOHR: Jesus, Christianity, and Rebellion in China. The Evangelical Roots of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom — LAUREN F. PFISTER: Reconsidering Three Faces of the "Revived One" from Mid-19th Century China — MARGO S. GEWURTZ: The "Jesus Sect" and "Jesus Opium": Creating a Christian Community in Rural North Honan, 1890—1912 — RALPH R. COVELL: Jesus in Protestant Writings in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries — JESSIE G. LUTZ: The Jesus of the Early Chinese Protestant Evangelists.

Anthology II: Early Jesuits on Jesus Christ — MICHELE RUGGIERI, S.J. (1543—1607): On the Birthday of God (Twelve Poems) — Matteo Ricci, Jesus und das Kreuz — XU GUANGQI (1562—1633): Eulogies and Hymns on Jesus — WEN XIANGFENG (1577—1642) a.o.: Jesus, the Barbarian — Giulio Aleni S.J. (1582—1642) on Jesus Christ — YANG GUANGXIAN (1597—1669): Jesus: A Subversive Rebel Leader — LUDOVICO BUGLIO, S.J. (1606—1682): Jesus in Budeyi bian — FERDINAND VERBIEST, S.J. (1623—1688): The Passion of Jesus — WU YUSHAN (WU LI), S.J. (1632—1718): Poems on Jesus — BLAISE PASCAL (1623—1662): Dieu crucifié: Le scandale de la Croix — BENNO M. BIERMANN, O.P. (1884—1970): Die Predigt des Kreuzes — GEORGE H. DUNNE, S.J.: Jesuit Suppression of the Doctrine of the Cross? — NICOLAS STANDAERT, S.J. (introduction): Jesus Christ in the Lidai shenxian tongjian — E.T.C. WERNER (1864—1954): Christ in the Li-tai shen-hsien t'ung-chien — K.L. Reichelt (1877—1952): Eine "taoistische" Geschichte Jesu aus Shenxian gangjian (1701) — The Chinese Text from Lidai shenxian tongjian (or Shenxian jian) — Taiping Texts on Jesus — ZHIGANG (19th. c.): An Ordinary Person: Jesus — ANONYMOUS (19th. c.): Jesus, the Only Hog.

Contents of Volume 3a
Part III: Modern Faces and Images of Jesus Christ.
Donald Daniel Leslie and Yang Daye: Jesus the Prophet in Chinese Islam -- Françoise Aubin: Jesus in the Confrontation between Islam and Christianity Transposed into China -- Francis K.H. So: The Subverted Image of Christ in the May Fourth Era -- Lewis S. Robinson: Medicine for the Soul? Christ-like Sacrifice and Filial Piety in Lu Xun’s Yao and Mo Yan’s Lingyao -- Liang Gong: The Image of Jesus in The Death of Jesus by Mao Dun -- Anna Bujatti: Lu Xun, Xu Zhimo, Ai Qing, and Mao Dun: The Human Face of Jesus Christ -- Roman Malek, s.v.d.: Der Sozialreformer Jesus. Das Leben Jesu nach Wu Leichuan (1869–1944) -- Ekman P.C. Tam: The Cross and the Lotus: Karl Ludvig Reichelt’s (1877–1952) Mission Theology and Methodology -- Winfried Glüer: Jesus in the Theology of T.C. Chao (1888–1979) -- Gotelind Müller: Lin Yutang (1895–1976), Christianity, and Jesus : A Bundle of Contradictions -- Matthias Christian, s.v.d.: John C.H. Wu (1899–1986) on Christ and China -- Poling J. Sun: Jesus in the Writings of Wang Mingdao -- Anthony S.K. Lam: The Image of Jesus in Kung Kao Po 1928 to 1930.

Anthology III: Richard Wilhelm (1873–1930): Jesus von Nazareth -- Hu Shi (1891–1962): The Death of Jesus -- Chu Chih-hsin [Zhu Zhixin] (1885–1920): What is Jesus? -- Ch’en Tu-hsiu [Chen Duxiu] (1879–1942): Jesus, the Incarnation of Universal Love -- Bing Xin (1900–1999): Gethsemane and Golgatha -- Lu Xun (1881–1936): Revenge (II) -- Wang Jingzhi (1902–1996): The Cross -- P.C. Hsu [Xu Baoqian] (1892–1944): Uniqueness of Jesus from a Chinese Standpoint -- T.C. Chao [Zhao Zichen] (1888–1979): What Jesus Means to Me -- L.C. Wu [Wu Leichuan] (1869–1944): Jesus as I Know Him -- T.C. Chao [Zhao Zichen] (1888–1979): The Pathway by Which I Know Jesus -- Wu Yao Tsong [Wu Yaozong] (1893–1979): My Conception of the Universe and of Life since I Knew Jesus -- Hoh Loan Shi: My Most Vital Sermon. The Spirit of the One Hundred and Twenty (Acts 1:12-14) -- Zia Nai-Zing [Xie Fuya] (1892–1991): Jesus as I Know Him -- Wang Shih Tsing: What Jesus Means To Me -- Peter S. Kuan: Jesus as I Know Him -- K.S. Wang: The Christ of the Chinese Road -- Xu Zhimo (1897–1931): Kalvarienberg -- Paul G. Hayes: The Virgin Birth in Chinese Thought -- George A. Young: Jesus, the Fourth Gospel and New China -- Lo Ch’uan-fang [Luo Chuanfang]: Jesus as a Missionary -- Andrew C.Y. Cheng [Cheng Zhiyi] (1898–1939): Follow­ing Jesus -- T.C. Chao [Zhao Zichen] (1888–1979): Jesus and the Reality of God -- Chiang Kai-shek [Jiang Jieshi] (1887–1975): Jesus Christus als Revolutionär.

Contents of Volume 3b:
Part IV: Contemporary Faces and Images of Jesus Christ.
Philip Clart: Jesus in Chinese Popular Sects; Marián Gálik: Jesus the Proletarian. A Biography by Zhu Weizhi (1905–1999); Wang Xiaochao: Marxist Interpretations of Jesus in China (1949–1999); Kristin Kupfer: Images of Jesus Christ in Christian Inspired Spiritual and Religious Movements in China since 1978; Barbara Hoster: “Rereading the Bible.” Jesus in Chinese Poems of the Late 20th Century; Peter C. Phan: Jesus with a Chinese Face. C.S. Song’s Jesus-Oriented Christology; Benoît Vermander, S.J.: Jesus Christ as Seen by Chinese Catholic Theologians Today; Gotthard Oblau: Himmlischer Arzt, Fürsprecher, Mahner und Weiser. Das Christusbild in chinesischen (evangelischen) Zeugnissen der Gegenwart; Heup Young Kim: Toward a Christotao: Christ as the Theanthropocosmic Tao; Jonathan Tan Yun-ka: Jesus, the Crucified and Risen Sage. Constructing a Contemporary Confucian Christology; Edmond Tang: The Cosmic Christ. The Search for a Chinese Theology; Joseph H. Wong, O.S.B. Cam.: Homo nobilis and Christ the Perfect Man. Fang Tung-mei, Karl Rahner, and the Chinese Face of Jesus; Liu Xiaofeng: A Trinitarian View on quaestio fidei in the Context of Modern Culture; Wolfgang Kubin: Vox clamantis in deserto. The Worldly Faces of Jesus Christ: China and the West.

Anthology IV: Dom Pierre-Célestin Lou Tseng-Tsiang, O.S.B. (1871–1949): Ways of Confucius and of Christ; John C.H. Wu (1899–1986): A Chinese Tunic for Christ; Guo Moruo (1892–1978): Jesus and Stalin; Ya Xian: The Monastery; Lin Yutang (1895–1976): The Teachings of Jesus; Chiang Kai-shek (1888–1975): Testimony on Good Friday 1960; Ji Xian: Type-B Blood; Chiang Kai-shek (1888–1975): Testimony on Easter 1961; Chiang Kai-shek (1888–1975): Testimony on Easter 1963; Chiang Kai-shek (1888–1975): Testimony on Easter 1964; Frère Pierre Zhou: Rêve de Noël; Jesus, Mao, and Gesta Dei per Sinenses (1966–1976); Yesu (Zongjiao cidian, Shanghai 1981); Choan-seng Song: From the Point-Nosed to the Flat-Nosed Christ; Simon Zhao: Bitter Cup and the Place of Skulls; A.B. Chang Ch’un-shen, S.J.: Jesus Christus – Der „Himmel-Mensch“ und das ch’i in der Christologie; Shen Yifan (1928–1994): Paradoxe Wahrheit des Kreuzes; Ch’iao Lin: The Face of Christ; Bai Hua: Auferstehen; Wang Meng: On the Cross; Han Bide: Why Jesus Christ Died on the Cross; Ding Guangxun (K.H. Ting): The Cosmic Christ; Gu Cheng (1956–1993): The Cross; Jung Young Lee: Jesus Christ: The Perfect Realization of Change; Wang Weifan: Meditationen über Jesus; Sha Yexin: Jesus, Confucius, and John Lennon: Act I; Choan-seng Song: Jesus, the Reign of God, and the Crucified People; Agnes Lee, S.M.I.C.: Jesus Christ and the Christian Identity in China; Harmony in Jesus Christ (fabc); Edmund Chia, F.S.C.: Face of Jesus Christ in Asia; Luis Antonio G. Tagle – Jacob Theckanath: Faces and Images of Jesus Christ in Asia.

Ch'ŏnju gangsaeng ŏnhaeng giryak  천주강생언행기략 (天主降生言行紀略) / 줄리오 알레니 (Giulio Aleni, 艾儒略) ; Ch'oe Kyŏng-sik 최경식 [Choe Gyeongsik] (translator).

Translation of: Tianzhu jiangsheng yanxing jilüe  天主降生言行紀略. Original illustrations based on Nadal included in Korean translated sections.

"천주께서 세상에 오셔서 하신 말씀과 행동의 간추림"--title page title subheading.

Appendix: Full facsimile text of 1635 edition of Tianzhu jiangsheng yanxing jilüe 天主降生言行紀略 (Bibliotheque nationale de France. Departemente des manuscrits. Chinois 6709).

 - 내    용 : 

  # “서양에서 온 공자”라고 존경을 받았던

     쥴리오 알레니 신부의 「천주강생언행기략」 번역서

  # 천주께서 세상에 오셔서 하신 말씀과 행동의 간추림

     (4대 복음서와 사도행전을 통합한 이른바 화합복음서)

  만일락경설

  제천주강생언행기략 범례

  천주강생언행기략 제1권 ~ 제8권

Text/Translation begins on p. [39]: Commento e immagini dell Incarnazione del Signore del Cielo = 天主降生出像經解 Tianzhu jiangsheng chuxiang jingjie. Traduzione e note di Lu Huizhong e Huang Xiu Feng. "con riproduzione anastatica del testo conservato presso AFIO (Archivo Franciscano Ibero Orientale) di Madrid 26/2".

Indice: Presentazione / Antonio Fappani. Verso la pienezza de verità e amore / Luciano Monari. Prefazione / Pier Francesco Fumagalli. Avvertenze e ringraziamenti. Introduzione / Gianfranco Cretti. Giulio Aleni e la Prospettiva in Cina / Hui-Hung Chen. Prefazione / Giulio Aleni. Mappa di Gerusalemme / Giulio Aleni. Sante Immagini della Incarnazione del Signore del Cielo / Giulio Aleni. Indice delle Immagini. Indice dei nomi di luoghi e persone. Nota bibliografica.

"[Tianzhu jiangsheng yanxing jilüe 天主降生言行紀略] supplemented by his Tianzhu jiangsheng yanxing jingjie (1637). This work of fifty-five pictures of Jesus’ life was based on Jerónimo Nadal’s (1507-1580) Evangelicae Historiae Imaginese (Antwerp, 1593), which was often included in Nadal’s Adnotationes et Meditationes in Evangeliae (Antwerp, 1595), a meditative commentary on the Sunday readings by a famous companion of Ignatius of Loyola. Aleni’s work, however, is not a translation of Nadal’s commentary, but a Chinese adaptation of Vita Christi by Ludophus de Saxonia (ca. 1300-1378). His Vita Christi e Quatuor Evangeliis et Scriptoribus Orthodoxis Concinnata was a very popular writing during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.....In this they [Jesuits] gave preference to a chronological presentation of Jesus’ life rather than to the translation of the four gospels..." Cf. Standaert, Handbook of Christianity in China, vol. 1, p. 622-623.

"....By this extensive sinicisation da Rocha’s picture show an interesting contrast with the second collection of Christian wood-block prints: the 55 pictures – all based on Nadal - in Tianzhu jiangsheng chuxiang jingjie天主降生出像經解 (Illustrated Explanation of the Lord of Heaven’s Incarnation), first published in 1637 in Jinjiang (Quanzhou) by Giulio Aleni.....The difference in style is quite marked: in Aleni’s xylographs the European linear perspective and the narrative combination ...... have been maintained. There are interesting Chinese adaptations as regards form... and content....but as a whole these woodblock prints render the Western originals faithfully." Cf. Cf. Standaert, Handbook of Christianity in China, vol. 1, p. 813.

Dig.ed. local access only. [AleniCommento.pdf]

Le origini dell'arte cristiana cinese (1583-1640) / Pasquale M. d’Elia.
Paging includes 2 folded leaves (plates) numbered 105-108, 115-118.
"Abbreviazoni bibliografiche": p. [9]. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Includes numerous plates of scenes of Christian importance with both European and Chinese examples.
***Graphic resource: stations of the cross, life of Christ, life of the Virgin Mary, nativity, St. John the Evangelist

Local access dig.pdf. [Vasseur-Melanges sur la Chine.pdf]
Online at Gallica.

Shengjiao xiangshuo 聖教像說.
No author, date or place of publication. Accordion-folded pages with color images in European fashion; facing pages in Chinese. Text appears to be adapted from Aleni's Life of Christ. Weathered boards, some detached sections, but images and text are bright and colorful. Printed in Shanghai? ca. 1900.

Dig. ed. local access [Shengjiao xiangshio.pdf]

Tianzhu jiangsheng chuxiang jingjie 天主降生出像經解.

Jap-Sin I, 187
Tianzhu jiangsheng chuxiang jingjie 天主降生出像經解
By Ai Rulüe 艾儒略 (Giulio Aleni).
One juan. Chinese bamboo paper in one volume. The Arabic number on the lower margin of each page was added later. No date or place of publication.

The cover bears the title Tianzhu jiangsheng yanxing jixiang 天主降生言行紀像 (equivalent to Tianzhu jiangsheng chuxiang jingjie, cf. Jap-Sin I, 188) and a Latin inscription: “Vita D.N. Iesu Christi imaginibus illustrata.” On folio 2v there is a note in Latin: “Duo exemplaria rarissima Jap.^a Sin. I. 187, Jap Sin I, 188 ￜ Vita D.N. J. Xti ￜ auctore P. J. Aleni ￜ Cum illustrationibus P. Natalis ￜ Parvus Codex (Jap-Sin I, 187) ￜ continet praefationem, ￜ quae in majori ￜ autem codex (Jap-Sin I, 188) major plures imagines . . . ￜ Initio, viam ￜ crucis ￜ Deest datum.”

This book is the same edition as Jap-Sin I, 188, but the quality of paper is inferior and even the printing is not distinct. The illustrations do not always follow the same order as in the above mentioned number. Three of the illustrations are missing, namely, (1) the sermon on the mount, (2) the miraculous cure of the centurion’s servant and (3) the cure of the paralytic man.
In addition to the twenty-seven folios of illustrations (folio 16r and 16v is a repetition of folio 14), there is an introduction (two and one-half folios). Here the country of origin of Christ is called Da Qin 大秦 , obviously a reference to the Nestorian monument (cf. Jap-Sin I, 33 and 53). It also tried to explain why spiritual beings were represented in physical forms: God the Father as an elderly man, the Holy Spirit in form of a dove and the angels as young men with wings.
At the end of the introduction the names of the three censors are given: Manuel Dias Jr. 陽瑪諾, Simão da Cunha 瞿西滿 and Pietro Canevari 聶伯多. For further details, see below (Jap-Sin I, 188).

Jap-Sin I, 188
Tianzhu jiangsheng chuxiang jingjie 天主降生出像經解
By Ai Rulüe 艾儒略 (Giulio Aleni).
One juan, white paper in one volume.
Twenty-eight folios, with an Arabic number in pencil on each folio. 28 x 16 cm.

The cover bears the a title in Chinese and a Latin inscription: “Vita Christi P. Natalis.”

At the beginning of the book there is a map of Jerusalem (43 x 28 cm.). The Chinese inscription on the map reads: 大秦如德亞國協路撒稜都城當天主降生時圖 (The city of Jerusalem in Judea of Da Qin at the time of God’s incarnation). There is another inscription: 此城日久存毀改變不一然吾主耶穌受難升天聖蹟諸所至今顯存凡諸國奉教者每往瞻禮云 (Through the centuries this city has suffered destruction and alterations; the place, however, where the Lord suffered, the place of the resurrection and the places where he worked miracles still exist and they are visited by the faithful of all countries).

This book is the same as Jap-Sin I, 187, except for the absence of the introduction in Jap-Sin I, 188 and that of the map of Jerusalem in Jap-Sin I, 187. In the introduction (Jap-Sin I, 187) Aleni says that he has translated the Tianzhu jiangsheng yanxing jilüe and that in imitation of Western commentaries illustrations are added to inspire the readers with love of Christ. It is obvious then, that the present book is a continuation of the Tianzhu jiangsheng yanxing jilüe (cf. Jap-Sin I, 58 and 76).
Courant (6750) says that the edition owned by the Bibliothèque Nationale (Paris) is a large in-octavo and on good paper, with an introduction by Aleni and a map of Jerusalem. It has twenty-eight folios and fifty-six illustrations, published in 1637 by the Jingjiaotang of Jinjiang (Fujian). This description makes us think that our edition is the same.
The Western commentary, mentioned in Aleni’s introduction, is the Adnotationes et Meditationes in Evangelia in Sacrosancto Missae Sacrificio toto anno leguntur by Jeronimo Nadal (1507–1580). The first part of this work has 153 illustrations. The title page reads: “Evangelicae Historiae Imagines ￜ ex ordine Evangeliorum quae toto anno in Missae Sacrificio recitantur, ￜ in ordine temporis vitae Christi digestae.” It was printed in Antwerp in 1593. It is not certain who was the painter of these illustrations. According to some they were painted by Martin de Vos; others attributed them to the Wierix brothers or to the Italian painter Bernado or Bernardin Passeri (cf. AHSI, XIII, pp. 121–122; XIV, pp. 194–195). The etchings, however, were made by six artists, namely: the three Wierix brothers, Jerome, Jean and Antoine; their assistants Adrien and Jean Collaert; and Charles Mallery.
The engraver of the Chinese engraving is unknown to us. According to Aleni the Chinese illustrations numbered only one tenth of the European. In fact, they numbered in all fifty-eight. Apart from the first and the last, which were of purely Chinese origin, they amounted to about one third of the European illustrations. They are very close to the original, both in composition and in spirit. In general, the Western style is retained, but here and there they reveal the Oriental touch of the artist. For instance, on folio 17v and 18r (Lazarus and the rich man) one may notice the Chinese blanket on the bed of the rich man, and on folio 21v (the washing of the feet) the vases are all in Chinese style and, to add to the decoration, there is a Chinese movable door screen on which is painted a Chinese landscape with cherry blossoms and bamboo trees. On the last folio (the coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven) the group of figures on the lower left corner are all Chinese mandarins, military men, scholars or ordinary people. These pictures, no doubt, could be of great help in the study of the early influence of European art on China.
A title is given to each illustration, the characters of which run horizontally. The figures and things illustrated are marked in the tiangan 天干 (ten heavenly stems). A column is reserved below the illustrations to identify the persons and things marked by the tiangan numbers, which take the place of the Roman alphabetic numbers in the original.
Source: Albert Chan, S.J., Chinese books and documents in the Jesuit Archives in Rome, pp. 110-112.