In April of the tenth year of Wanli, this date appeared repeatedly in general textbooks of later generations. Marked by the emperor's reception of the Portuguese envoy, the Ming Dynasty, the oldest empire, once again set its sights on the ocean, which accounts for 71% of the planet.
; With the "Yingtai Selection Conference" as a symbol, this empire set off an "ideological renaissance" that changed history.
First, the anxious Portuguese envoys who were waiting in the capital were allowed to have an audience with Emperor Zhu Yijun of the Ming Dynasty at Bailu Palace in Xiyuan.
Because Portugal was not a vassal of the Ming Dynasty, the Christian mission was also an informal official delegation, and the Ministry of Rites also took great pains in the interview etiquette. In the end, Yang Junmin, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, came up with an idea that was adopted: Hanshan, the president of the Religious Association, as a member of the Ming Dynasty’s religious circles and
The emperor's representatives greeted the Portuguese Christian mission outside the gate of Bailu Palace. The two parties met with their respective religious etiquettes - Hanshan put his hands together and Fan Li'an made the sign of the cross on his chest.
After the two parties entered the palace, they stood facing each other from east to west. At that time, the official announced the arrival of His Majesty the Emperor. The Emperor came out from the back of the palace and stood behind the throne. Everyone bowed and bowed. The Emperor granted him a flat body and everyone thanked him. He gave him a seat and tea and everyone thanked him.
The ceremony is over.
Tu Long, the general manager of Honglu Temple, told Fan Li'an about this plan, and everyone in the delegation looked at each other. Luo Mingjian was puzzled: "Our teachings do not allow us to kneel down to any statue or person other than the only true God."
Tu Long said "Oh", looked at them with a half-smile, and asked again: "Are you sure you don't want to kneel down and worship His Majesty?"
Matteo Ricci said to Valiant in Portuguese: "As soon as Peter entered, Cornelius greeted him. He fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter pulled him and said, 'Stand up, I am also a human being.' St. Peter still did this.
..."
Ines interrupted: "Your Excellency Fan Li'an, I think it's best for us to follow the rules of the Ming Dynasty. I heard that Buddhists also kneel to worship the emperor, and it's okay for us missionaries to kneel down." Matteo Ricci listened.
After saying this, Ines glared angrily.
Fan Li'an hesitated for a long time and tentatively said to Tu Long: "Well...can you please allow us to respect our beliefs -"
Tu Long didn't wait for him to finish, and sneered: "Everyone, we Chinese believe that His Majesty the Emperor is the 'Son of Heaven', the lord of 'Heaven, Earth, Man, and God'. Apart from Heaven, His Majesty the Emperor is the greatest! If you
Your religion cannot solve the question of who is more noble, your God or His Majesty the Emperor - just go back home."
Luo Mingjian listened on the sidelines, and before Fan Li'an could speak, he shouted: "Sir, I think this etiquette is not a problem for us!" After saying this, sweat broke out on his forehead, and he made the sign of the cross on his chest.
Seeing Luo Mingjian's face pale, Fan Li'an took over the conversation and said: "Master Tu, we are willing to kneel before His Majesty the Emperor out of our respect for the tradition of your country. But please make it clear to Your Majesty that this is not the etiquette that Christians should have.
"
When Tu Long heard that they had surrendered, he softened his tone and came up with an idea: "I don't think you need to worry about this. Chinese Buddhists did not worship the emperor before. But they solved this problem by saying that the emperor is the living Buddha."
After hearing what the interpreter said, Matteo Ricci's lips trembled with fright and he made the sign of the cross on his chest. Although Fan Li'an knew that Tu Long had good intentions, he could only smile bitterly after hearing his idea, because this was completely unfeasible in Catholicism.
There is only one "living Buddha", and that is Jesus the Son.
In any case, the etiquette issue was solved and the biggest obstacle to meeting the emperor was lifted. After repeated etiquette drills, the Ministry of Rites informed the mission that on the 26th of this month, Fan Li'an, Luo Mingjian, Matteo Ricci and Ines will receive
The honor of meeting the emperor.
On the night of the 25th, Fan Li'an, who was excited about meeting the emperor, could not fall asleep until midnight, so he could only go out for a walk in the garden.
The decoration of the foreign guest hotel is a typical Chinese garden. Although it is late at night, the glass oil lamps hanging everywhere decorate the garden beautifully. Fan Li'an walked half a circle among the pavilions and waterside pavilions, and suddenly found that Matteo Ricci was also there.
In the garden, he was sitting on a wicker chair with his head bowed, as if praying.
Fan Li'an approached lightly, and sure enough he heard him confessing: "Loving Heavenly Father... you redeemed me, and you chose me when I was still a sinner. But the sin in my heart has always been there.
Tangled with me, please cleanse my heart with your precious blood, and please let the Holy Spirit be with me and help me. Allow me to understand your truth and obey your will. When I am rebellious and unwilling,
When I submit, please discipline me. May your will be done in me... Lord, Lord..."
He prayed repeatedly, and his voice was full of pain, which made Fan Li'an's tears suddenly well up in his eyes. At this moment, Fan Li'an knew that in the heart of Matteo Ricci, a young missionary, tomorrow's actions that violated the doctrine were a violation of his faith.
A kind of heavy pressure made him experience for the first time the pain he had to go through in the process of preaching.
He listened quietly for a while. In the devout prayers of Matteo Ricci, the excitement of meeting the emperor gradually faded, and a holy and sacred feeling rose from his heart, which gave him an almost divine feeling.
Awe-inspiring tranquility.
After a long time, he coughed slightly, interrupting Matteo Ricci's prayer. After Matteo Ricci greeted him, Fan Li'an said with a smile: "Dear Father Matteo Ricci, we were fascinated by the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty along the way.
I lost my eyes and soul, and lacked communication. This is my fault. Do you have anything to say to me?"
Matteo Ricci hesitated for a moment, and as if he had made up his mind, he picked up a sixteen-page booklet from the wicker chair.
He handed it to Fan Li'an and said: "Father Fan Li'an, I have been learning Chinese these days. I should have some talent for languages and learn quickly. But today I saw this booklet."
Fan Li'an took the book and walked a few steps to the brightly lit place next to it. Then he saw the title in simplified official script on the book: "Nature (Volume 1)".
He opened it casually, and then his brows suddenly tightened, as if a bright light pierced his eyes: Chapter 1 - The world we live in. At the bottom is a model of the solar system with six planets.
Fan Li'an's lips also trembled, and he said in a trembling voice: "Did Giordano Bruno's heretical doctrine spread to China?"
Matteo Ricci whispered: "No, the orbit drawn by the Chinese is elliptical. They have used mathematics to prove that the moon is a satellite of the earth. If you turn back, there is a picture of the moon with bumps on the next page.
"
Fan Li'an swallowed, feeling that this spring night in Beijing seemed to be hotter than he imagined, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to comfort the young missionary. He just felt that the garden, which was just beautiful just now, was filled with shadows of gnashing teeth and claws under the illumination of the oil lamp. A breeze blew by, and the leaves were
The rustling sound is like the whisper of a devil.
Then his firm will made him straighten his waist. He wiped his sweat and exhaled a long breath. He whispered: "Matteo Ricci, 'Those who did not seek me, I asked them to meet; those who did not visit me, I met them.
Appear to them. 'What you see is what the Lord has shown you; what you tell me is what the Lord has shown me."
Matteo Ricci raised his lowered head, his eyes shining with admiration, looking at this pioneer who had been preaching in the East for nearly twenty years. He continued: "'It is all according to His own predestined good intention to call us
Knowing the mystery of His will, according to the plan at the fullness of time, he might bring all things together in Christ, in heaven and on earth.'"
He added: "Matthew Ricci, how can we speculate on God? How can we know that what we insist on is actually an unbreakable truth? What missionaries pursue is to let those who have not sought and seen Christ hear the Lord's message.
The Gospel, this is what we are here for. Do you understand, my child?"
Matteo Ricci's eyes were moist. Fan Li'an hugged him and kissed his forehead. "It's too late. We should all go to bed. Tomorrow - tomorrow is the day arranged by the Lord. Go."
When Matteo Ricci walked away, Fan Li'an looked at the shadows in the garden and murmured in a low voice: "We also have an inheritance in Him. This is the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will and has been predestined according to His will."
.”
...
On April 26, the tenth year of Wanli, the four heads of the Portuguese mission entered Xiyuan in a carriage under the guidance of the officials of Honglu Temple.
There is no need to elaborate on the dazzling experience along the way. When they entered Bailu Palace, the buildings and ceremonial guards that showed the majesty of heaven made the four of them feel even more insignificant as "human beings". Matteo Ricci looked at the glittering golden palace in front of him and thought to himself:
"Although the person living here is not Jesus, he must be someone like King Solomon."
...
"King Solomon" is a young man with a strong build but a somewhat thin face. He has a short beard on his lips and a smooth shave on his chin. He is different from the Ming Dynasty people the mission has seen.
The emperor was also holding a three-year-old boy in his arms. The child was as handsome as jade. At this time, he was staring at several Portuguese people with his dark eyes.
After the ceremony was completed, the emperor bestowed upon everyone a flat body. Shen Shi, the minister of etiquette who accompanied him, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, Fan Li'an, the envoy of the Roman Church in Europe, and others are here to pay homage to the Holy See."
Emperor Yuyin replied: "That's all, the Yi people don't understand Chinese etiquette, so they don't have to be formal."
Shen Shixing bowed and accepted the order: "Yes. Thank you."
According to the previous drill steps, everyone in the envoy bowed five times and kowtowed three times to express gratitude; the emperor called Ping Shen, gave him a seat, and gave him tea; everyone in the envoy still bowed five times and kowtowed three times to express gratitude.
After three bows, the ceremony was completed. Fan Li'an and others had a layer of sweat on their foreheads. Before Zhu Yijun could speak, Prince Luo in his arms suddenly touched Zhu Yijun's cheek and asked: "Father, are you wearing different clothes?"
Zhu Yijun ignored the people in the envoy, Wen Yan held Prince Luo's hand and said, "Well, my father told you, this world is a big place, there are many countries, and their people dress and speak differently from us.
They are Portuguese and they wear clothes like this."
The king of Luo County was only four years old and two and a half years old. Hearing this, he only seemed to understand but not understand. Fan Li'an was very surprised when he saw the emperor holding the child out to receive him. This shows that the ceremonial nature of this visit is not very important.
It is likely that the emperor will talk to them about some more in-depth topics.
But the emperor did not speak. They could only smile and watch this scene, with expressions of joy and admiration on their faces.
When Zhu Yijun raised his head and said: "It's not easy for the envoy to come this far, you all have worked hard."
Only then could Fan Li'an answer. He first thanked the emperor in an exaggerated tone for taking the time to meet with him, which was a great honor for the envoy. Then he expressed his praise for the richness and civilization of the Ming Empire in an extremely exaggerated tone - Shen Shixing was listening.
, a sense of pride arose spontaneously in my heart.
The emperor listened with a smile, occasionally lowering his head to coax Prince Luo. After Fan Li'an finished praising him, he asked with a smile: "Your Majesty, is this Prince Luo?"
Zhu Yijun nodded and said with a smile: "Yes." After speaking, he raised the child and said: "He is my eldest son. In the future, he will become the master of all nations in the world." King Luo Jun didn't know why, because Zhu Yijun was lifting him, he stretched out his hand to kick his legs.
Let out a giggle.
Shen Shixing, who accompanied him during the meeting, trembled - this was the first time the emperor made a political statement that he would make Prince Luo the crown prince after his birth. But why did the emperor hug Prince Luo when he received the Portuguese envoy?
He came out and why he had to make a declaration, his mind raced, but he couldn't find the answer for a while.