Overview
- Is the first scholarly study of the famous Jesuit Chinese children’s primer, the Four Character Classic
- Includes masterful translations of both Wang Yinglin’s (1551–1602) hallowed Confucian Three Character Classic and Aleni’s Chinese catechism that was published during the Qing (1644–1911)
- Underscores how Aleni’s published work functions as a good example of the Jesuit use of normative Chinese print culture to serve the catechetical exigencies of the Catholic mission in East Asia
Part of the book series: Christianity in Modern China (CMC)
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About this book
This book is the first scholarly study of the famous Jesuit Chinese children’s primer, the Four Character Classic, written by Giulio Aleni (1582–1649) while living in Fujian, China. This book also includes masterful translations of both Wang Yinglin’s (1551–1602) hallowed Confucian Three Character Classic and Aleni’s Chinese catechism that was published during the Qing (1644–1911). Clark’s careful reading of the Four Character Classic provides new insights into an area of the Jesuit mission in early modern China that has so far been given little attention, the education of children. This book underscores how Aleni’s published work functions as a good example of the Jesuit use of normative Chinese print culture to serve the catechetical exigencies of the Catholic mission in East Asia, particularly his meticulous imitation of Confucian children’s primers to promote decidedly Christian content.
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Keywords
Table of contents (3 chapters)
Reviews
“Clark’s translation is well-crafted. … Scholars of Confucianism and, in particular, East Asian Christianity will find this to be an essential reading.” (Lukas K. Pokorny, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 49 (1), March, 2023)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Anthony E. Clark is Professor of Chinese History and Edward B. Lindaman Endowed Chair at Whitworth University. He is the author of several books, including China’s Catholics in an Era of Transformation (2020), China Gothic: The Bishop of Beijing and His Cathedral (2019), and Heaven in Conflict: Franciscans and the Boxer Uprising in Shanxi (2015)
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: A Chinese Jesuit Catechism
Book Subtitle: Giulio Aleni’s Four Character Classic 四字經文
Authors: Anthony E. Clark
Series Title: Christianity in Modern China
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9624-7
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Singapore
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2021
Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-15-9623-0Published: 10 January 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-981-15-9624-7Published: 09 January 2021
Series ISSN: 2730-7875
Series E-ISSN: 2730-7883
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIII, 105
Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations, 1 illustrations in colour
Topics: Christianity, History of Religion, International Relations, Children's Literature, Religious Studies, general