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The Jesuits in China: Cross-cultural Encounters
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Explore the intriguing history of Jesuits in China with two talks by speakers from the Ricci Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. These talks are held in conjunction with the opening of the special exhibition, Pagoda Odyssey 1915: From Shanghai to San Francisco, and will explore historical exchanges between cultures
Talk 1
Echoes of the Empire: Jesuit Pioneers and the Shaping of Sino-European Relations
This talk examines the roles of four key figures in the Christian history of Ming and Qing China, showcased through portraits in an exhibition. It covers the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci, his first Christian convert Xu Guangqi, the German Jesuit Johann Adam Schall von Bell, and the Flemish Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest. These pioneers facilitated cross-cultural exchanges between China and Europe, contributing their expertise as cartographers, mathematicians, and astronomers at the imperial court. The lecture also examines the legacy of these figures through portraits produced at the Tushanwan Orphanage in Shanghai, which was founded on land donated by Xu Guangqi's family.
About the speaker
M. Antoni J. Ucerler, S.J., D.Phil., Oxon., FRHistS, was born in London, England. A Jesuit priest, he has lived and worked in Turkey, Canada, Poland, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. He currently serves as the Director of the Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History and Associate Professor of History at Boston College. His most recent book is The Samurai and the Cross: The Jesuit Enterprise in Early Modern Japan (2022). In 2016 he co-curated a major exhibition at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, China at the Center.
Talk 2
A Crown Jewel of the Catholic Social Enterprise in China: The Artists of the Tushanwan Orphanage
This lecture explores the transformation of Xujiahui in Shanghai into a hub of East-West exchange by Jesuits from Europe and the United States during the late Qing and early Republican Era, following early Jesuit missions in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It highlights the Tushanwan Orphanage as a key example of this influence, embodying the spiritual and social values of the Christian mission in China. Utilising rare photos, images, and documentary footage from the Ricci Institute's archives, the talk offers a unique look into the orphanage's history and contributions, showcasing material that has seldom been publicised since the Institute’s founding in the late 1940s.
About the speaker
Wu Xiaoxin 吳小新 Ed.D. is the Director of Research at the Ricci Institute, Boston College. His research and publications focus on Chinese-Western cultural and historical exchanges through Western missionary experiences in China and archival resources. His publications include Christianity in China: A Scholar's Guide to Resources in the Libraries and Archives of the United States (2009), and Collections of Historical Sources on Christianity in China 中國基督宗教史料叢刊 (2011– 14). He also serves as Co-Chief Editor of Studies in the History of Christianity in East Asia.
About the Ricci Institute
The Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College is an internationally renowned research centre for the study of Chinese and East Asian-Western cultural exchange. Originally founded by Edward J. Malatesta, S.J. (1932–98) at the University of San Francisco in 1984, it moved to its new home at Boston College in 2022. Over the past four decades it has promoted the interdisciplinary study of the history of Christianity in China. In recent years, it has expanded its outreach and collections to support research on the history of Christianity in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Its library and archival holdings include over 120,000 volumes in both East Asian and European languages, as well as unique historical artifacts, photographs, and extensive digital holdings.
The ACM Conversations Lecture Series is generously sponsored by Royal Insignia
