About the characters and history of the Kangxi period

Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1592～1666)

1. Early years

Johann Adam Schall von Bell, a Jesuit missionary. German. Born in Cologne on May 1, 1592 (some say 1591). Born into a noble family with an active personality, he attended the famous Sanwangmian Noble Middle School. Due to his outstanding academic performance, he was recommended to the German Academy in Rome after graduation.

In 1619, he was sent by the Jesuits and arrived in Macau under the leadership of the French priest Ginniguet. The Ming Dynasty entered Guangdong in the second year of Tianqi (1622). He arrived in Beijing on December 25 of the same year (January 25, 1623). He was proficient in astronomy and calendar calculations. In his first two years in Beijing, he won the appreciation of Zhang Wenda, the Minister of Household Affairs, with his accurate calculation of lunar eclipses.

In 1626, Tang Ruowang wrote "Theory of Telescope" with the assistance of Chinese scholar Li Zubai. The "Telescope Theory" is compiled based on the work of Seduli published by the Frankfurt Publishing House in Germany in 1616. It provides a detailed explanation of Galileo's telescope and is the earliest enlightenment work published in China that introduces Western optical theory and telescope technology.

In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, he went to Xi'an to manage Shaanxi's academic affairs.

In the third year of Chongzhen (1630), he was recommended by Xu Guangqisu, the Minister of Rites, and returned to Beijing to work in Qin Tianjian, translating almanacs, promoting astronomy, and making instruments. At the same time, he used the opportunity of explaining astronomy to the eunuchs to spread Catholicism in the palace. Among those who were baptized into Christianity were the eunuch Pang Tianshou and others.

During his tenure, Tang Ruowang also collaborated with Chinese scholars to translate "Georgius Agricola," a masterpiece written in 1550 by German mining and metallurgist Georgius Agricola on European mining and metallurgical technology in the 16th century. "Dere Metallica Libri XII" (Dere Metallica Libri XII), the Chinese translation is named "Kunyu Gezhi". After the book was compiled, Tang Ruowang submitted it to the imperial court, and Emperor Chongzhen approved it: "The complete book of 'Kunyu Gezhi' is issued and local officials can adopt it according to the terrain."

In the seventh year of Chongzhen, he assisted Xu Guangqi and Li Tianjing in compiling one hundred and thirty-seven volumes of "Chongzhen Almanac". He was also ordered by the Ming Dynasty to supervise the manufacture of war artillery using Western methods, and also dictated the principles and techniques of cannon casting, manufacturing, storage, transportation, performance, gunpowder preparation, and artillery shell manufacturing, etc., which was compiled by Jiao Xu into "The Essentials of Fire Attack". The second volume and the first volume of "Secrets of Fire Attack" were the authoritative works introducing Western musket technology at that time.

In the ninth year of Chongzhen, Tang was ordered to set up a factory to cast cannons. In two years, 20 cannons were cast. In order to gain the legal status of Catholicism in various provinces, in the 11th year, Chongzhen was asked to confer the four words "Qin Praise for Tianxue", and plaques were made and distributed to Catholic churches in various places for hanging.

2. Official in the Qing Dynasty

In the first year of Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1644), the Qing army entered Beijing and the Ming Dynasty fell. Tang Ruowang was protected by the Qing court for his knowledge and skills in astronomy and calendar, and was ordered to continue revising the calendar.

Tang Ruowang repeatedly demonstrated the merits of the New Calendar to the new rulers, and promptly presented newly made geographical screens, armillary spheres, horizon dials, telescopes and other instruments, and used the new Western method to accurately predict the first year of Shunzhi. (1644) During the Bingchen solar eclipse on the first day of the eighth lunar month, at the moment of initial loss, extreme eclipse, and full recovery, Dorgon finally convinced the then regent Dorgon to decide to issue the new calendar that he participated in the compilation of to the world starting from the second year of Shunzhi. . The almanac he revised using Western methods (which was an abridged version of the "Chongzhen Almanac") was named the "Shixian Calendar" by the Qing government and was promulgated throughout the world.

In November of the first year of Shunzhi, he was ordered to be the supervisor of Qintian. The following year, he compressed the "Chongzhen Almanac" into 103 volumes of the "New Western Almanac" and presented it to the regent Dorgon, who granted him the title of Shaoqing of Taichang Temple.

In the seventh year of Shunzhi, the Qing government granted land to rebuild the church next to the original Catholic Church in Xuanwumen. Tang Ruowang expanded a sutra church built by Matteo Ricci and built the first cathedral (South Church) in Beijing. This became the living place of Tang Ruowang and other priests. Tang Ruowang works at the ancient observatory near Jianguomen in Beijing. There are more than 50 missionaries working at the ancient observatory. Tang Ruowang is the most important missionary among them. He also serves as the director of the ancient observatory, namely Qin Tian Jian Jian Zheng.

In the eighth year of Shunzhi, after Emperor Shunzhi came into power, he was successively awarded the title of Minister of Taipu Temple, Minister of Taichang Temple, Tongzheng Envoy, and the title "Tongxuan Teacher" (it was a taboo during the Kangxi Emperor's time, and was changed to "Tongwei Teacher" "). Tang Ruowang often visited the palace and made many suggestions on the gains and losses of the government. He wrote more than 300 memorials. Emperor Shunzhi discussed the establishment of a successor before his death and sought Tang Ruowang's opinion.

3. Calendar

The dispute between the Chinese and Western calendars has been going on for a long time. As early as the 16th year of Shunzhi, Wu Mingxuan reported to Tang Ruowang that Tang Ruowang’s calculations were wrong, but he ended up with a “fraudulent” He was almost sentenced to death for the crime of "reallying the truth". In 1661, Shunzhi died of illness and eight-year-old Kangxi ascended the throne. Auxiliary minister Ao Bai and others opposed Western theories. Minister Yang Guangxian said that Tang Ruowang and other missionaries were guilty of three things: conspiracy to rebel; heresy to confuse the public; and calendar absurdity.

In the winter of 1664, Obai abolished the new calendar and arrested missionaries such as Tang Ruowang and Nan Huairen who had suffered a stroke and were paralyzed.

On September 26, the third year of Kangxi's reign, the Qing court "conducted a meeting to examine Tang Ruowang and the officials of the Qin Tian Jian. On March 16 of the following year, the court discussed that Tang Ruowang, the Qin Tian Jian's official, should be engraved." As predicted, Yang Hongliang, the official of the five senses, Li Zubai of the Li Ke, Ke Cheng, the official of the Song Dynasty, Fa, the official of the Song Dynasty, Zhu Guangxian, the official of the winter, and Liu Youtai, the middle official, were all executed late. Liu Biyuan, son of the late Liu Youqing, Jia Wenyu, son of Jia Liangqi, and Ke of the Song Dynasty. Cheng's son Song Zhe, Li Zubai's son Li Shi, and Tang Ruowang's adopted son Pan Jinxiao were all sentenced to death." After Tang Ruowang and others were sentenced to death at the initial trial, a three-dimensional observation was conducted from China, Hui, and the West. Actual inspection activities to simultaneously predict eclipse time. As a result, the solar eclipse time predicted by Nan Huairen and others based on the Western calendar was consistent with the facts and was the most correct. However, instead of lightening the punishment for Tang Ruowang and others, the punishment was intensified: from hanging to the cruelest punishment, Ling Chi. It is clear that the imperial court just hoped that Nan Huairen and others would make mistakes so as to find a strong excuse for persecuting them. Otherwise, the Westerners' correct solar eclipse forecast should be the reason and basis for reducing or revoking their charges.

According to the verdict, Tang Ruowang should be executed in Lingchi the following year. But soon a comet appeared in the sky, which was considered an ominous omen by the ancients. Another major earthquake suddenly occurred in the capital, and the palace was damaged in the earthquake. This obviously frightened the Qing rulers. Tang Ruowang was spared from death in prison, and was released under the special order of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. Tang's servant Pan Jinxiao was also spared from death. The other Han people listed above who engaged in Western learning were still beheaded. So far, a large number of Han Chinese experts in Western mathematics and astronomy that Xu Guangqi had carefully cultivated during the Chongzhen period were completely wiped out.

4. Death

On July 15, the fifth year of Kangxi (August 15, 1666), Tang Ruowang died of illness in his residence. In the eighth year of Kangxi's reign, Kangxi vindicated Tang Ruowang. On November 16, 1669, Kangxi issued another memorial to Tang Ruowang: "The emperor ordered to offer sacrifices to Si Tongzheng, the former general envoy, and add two levels and then one level, and he was in charge of the affairs of the Imperial Heavenly Supervisor and Seal Affairs. Therefore, Tang Ruowang Zhi Ling said: I have devoted my life to my work, and I have paid tribute to my work. It is a grand ceremony for the country. Er Tang Ruowang came from the Western Regions and studied astronomy. He was specially given the title of Teacher Yuan Xitongwei. I passed away suddenly. Use it for mourning. Send officials to offer sacrifices. If you have any knowledge, you will enjoy the immortal glory.

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