Philippine E-Journals

MATTEO RICCI AND THE LATE MING DYNASTY: THE FRAGILE WEB OF DIPLOMACY, 1583 – 1610

Aurelio B. Calderon

Discipline: Intercultural Communication

 

Abstract:

This paper will seek to underscore the significance of this diplomatic feat by Ricci, one whose success did not depend on the levers of power politics, the formal institution of diplomacy, and the force of arms, it must, in the unfolding, touch on three points. Firstly, it must place Ricci's coming in the context of the late Ming Dynasty period. Secondly, it must say something about the man. Thirdly, it must provide a matrix for examining what Ricci did in China in terms of time, place, and the nature of the activities undertaken.