An International Symposium in Commemoration of the 3rd Centenary of the death of Tomás Pereira, S.J

In the Light and Shadow of an Emperor

Tomás Pereira, S.J. (1645-1708), the Kangxi Emperor
and the Jesuit Mission in China

Lisbon
10-12 November, 2008

Macau
27-29 November, 2008

The symposium examines one of the most decisive and controversial moments in the history of the Jesuit Mission in China during the reign (1661-1722) of the Kangxi Emperor (1654-1722). One of the most outstanding and enlightened Chinese monarchs, Xuanye’s celebrated cultural tastes, scientific curiosity and political sensibility led to the admission of the Jesuits at his court. This attitude had its apex in the proclamation of the Edict of Tolerance of March 22, 1692, allowing the Catholic faith to be preached and practiced in China. It was a relevant and uncommon gesture of openness towards the West that led to the flourishing of the Catholic Mission in China. It also confirmed the respectability of Western learning in China and secured Macau’s fragile situation as a European entrepôt. To all of this the Portuguese Jesuit, Tomás Pereira S.J. (1645-1708) contributed decisively, as is clearly demonstrated by the full text of the Edict of Tolerance, which with the imperial eulogy was transcribed on his tombstone. Tomás Pereira also played a crucial role in trying to appease the famous Rites Controversy in China after Western politico-religious animosities had disrupted the Kangxi Emperor’s original attitude of benevolence towards the Catholic Missions.

Working at the court of Kangxi for more than thirty years (1673-1708), Tomás Pereira not only forged a unique and privileged personal relation with the Emperor, but also served as an innovative musician and a skillful mediator on Sino-Russian affairs. He built the new Nantang Church in Beijing, and was a pro interim Prefect of the Court of Mathematics, as well as an effective representative and protector of the Christian missions in China. This symposium reviews from an interdisciplinary and primary source perspective Tomás Pereira´s life and work in the contexts of the China Mission and of Chinese Politics and Court Culture. It was, in fact, a rich and unique moment of dialogue of China with the West and constitutes an inspiring experience for the future. For this reason, the symposium takes as its starting point the 300 th anniversary of the death of Tomás Pereira, whose intellectual skills, dedication, loyalty and moral authority made him one of the most influential and respected Jesuits in the inner circle of the Kangxi Emperor.

Main Themes

Tomás Pereira: the Man and the Missionary
The China Mission in the time of Kangxi Emperor
Tomás Pereira, Science and Mission
Tomás Pereira and the Music in China
Tomás Pereira, the Court and the Chinese Culture
Tomás Pereira and the Sino-Russian Negotiations of Nerchinsk

Scientific Committee

Prof. John W. Witek, S.J. – Georgetown University, USA

Prof. Paul Rule – Ricci Institute –
University of San Francisco Center for the Pacific Rim, USA

Prof. António Vasconcelos de Saldanha – Instituto do Oriente –
Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas/Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Portugal

Prof. Henrique Leitão – Centro de História das Ciências –
Faculdade de Ciências/Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

Prof. Fernando Ramôa Ribeiro – Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Portugal

Prof. Lin Qian – Chinese National Commission for the History of the Qing Dynasty, PRC

Prof. Zhuo Xinping – Centre for the Study of Christianity –
Institute for World Religions – Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, PRC

Prof. Zhang Xiping – National Research Center of Overseas Sinology –
Beijing Foreign Studies University, PRC

Prof. Louis Gendron, S.J. – Chinese Province – Society of Jesus

Prof. Alfredo Dinis, S.J. – Province of Portugal – Society of Jesus

Fr. Thomas McCoog, S.J. – Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu, Rome

Ambassador João de Deus Ramos – Fundação Oriente, Portugal

Mestre Tereza Sena – Macau Ricci Institute, Macau

Dr. Jin Guoping – Portugal

Organising Institutions

	The Macau Ricci Institute
	Instituto do Oriente ISCSP (Universidade Técnica de Lisboa)
	Centro de História das Ciências Faculdade de Ciências (Universidade Clássica de Lisboa)

Co-organising Institutions

Reitoria da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa

Centre for the Study of Christianity – Institute for World Religions –
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

National Research Center of Overseas Sinology – Beijing Foreign Studies University

Chinese Province – Society of Jesus

Province of Portugal – Society of Jesus

Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu

Fundação Oriente

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