controversy chinese rites controversy dispute roman catholic missionaries chinese rituals 17th 18th centuries debated centered chinese ritual practices honoring family ancestors formal chinese imperial rites qualified religious rites incompatible catholic belief argued chinese rites secular rituals compatible christianity certain limits tolerated disagreed reported issue rome rome sacred congregation propagation faith sided condemning chinese rites based brief congregation sided lifting ban disputes china asia including japan india controversy embroiled leading european universities dynasty including considered case offices holy intervened near end 17th century shifted positions agreeing opinion rome disagreed banned rites reaffirmed ban forbade debate centuries holy assessed issue pope issued decree december authorizing christians observe ancestral rites participate ceremonies general principle admitting native traditions church provided traditions true authentic spirit proclaimed background early adaptation local customs unlike american conquered military force spain portugal european missionaries encountered asia united societies untouched european influence national visitor society jesus asia argue case japan adaptation christian customs societies asia policy accommodation china reused adapted chinese context point started wear gown buddhist monks adopting prestigious silk gown chinese particular christian views chinese rituals called chinese chinese followed jesuit missionaries china japan decree signed march pope alexander vii accepted practices favorable chinese customs reinforcing accepted usage chinese language notable exception contemporary latin catholic discipline generally forbidden use local languages instructions given sacred congregation propagation faith known new missionaries asia provisions clearly effect adapting local customs habits countries paramount act zeal forward arguments convince peoples change rites customs evidently contrary religion catholic christianity morality absurd bring france spain italy european country chinese bring countries instead bring faith faith reject hurt rites people provided instead keeps protects reception china friendly working china grateful services provided areas astronomy diplomacy artillery manufacture important contribution empire military european artillery technology directed cannons jesuit took negotiations treaty helped translating end seventeenth century converts issued christianity chinese chinese europeans quiet disturbances provinces harm commit crimes doctrine common false empire tendency decide temples dedicated lord heaven place found ought preserved permitted wish worship god enter temples offer perform ceremonies practised according ancient custom christians let henceforth offer opposition christianity equal status china hired court scientists artists controversy society jesus jesuit order successful penetrating china serving imperial court impressed chinese knowledge european astronomy mechanics fact ran accurate methods allowed emperor successfully predict ritual duties functioned court painters turn impressed elite adapted lifestyle encountered problem missionary work china gradually developed adopted policy accommodation issue chinese rites chinese elite attached buddhism practiced common people lower aristocracy period despite provided framework state home life practices involved ancestors religious orders started missionary work china 17th century coming spanish colony philippines contrary refused adaptation local customs wished apply china principle applied places horrified practices ignited heated controversy brought rome raised main points contention determination chinese word god generally accepted lord heaven willing allow chinese christians use heaven lord prohibition christians participate season rites prohibition christians use forbidden inscription site soul follow chinese rites ancestor worship rome tried argue chinese rites social religious ceremonies converts allowed continue participate argued chinese folk religion offerings emperor departed ancestors civil nature incompatible catholicism opponents argued kinds worship expression native religion incompatible catholic beliefs pope decree pope condemned chinese rites rituals outlawed discussion anti rites decree november forbade use approving lord heaven pope sent papal communicate chinese rites mission led communicated prohibition chinese rites january result banished pope issued march papal bull die officially condemned chinese rites pope wishes following facts permanently known people world west calls god creator heaven earth universe word sound right chinese language china chinese converts catholicism term heavenly lord years terms heaven addressed lord heaven earth universe tablet bears chinese words reverence heaven allowed hang inside catholic church immediately taken spring autumn worship worship ancestors allowed catholic converts allowed converts appear ritual ritual pagan participate actively iii chinese officials successful candidates metropolitan provincial examinations converted allowed worship temples fifteenth days month prohibition applicable chinese catholics officials recently arrived posts students recently passed metropolitan provincial examinations chinese catholics allowed worship ancestors temples home cemetery time funeral chinese catholic allowed perform ritual ancestor worship allowed company non christians ritual nature regardless circumstances despite decisions clear chinese customs traditions way interpreted nature allowed continue chinese converts way chinese manage households govern country means interfered exactly customs allowed continue papal china necessary decisions absence papal responsibility making decisions rest head china mission short customs traditions contradictory allowed clearly contradictory tolerated circumstances reiterated papal bull quo decree demanded missionaries china oath forbidding discuss issue ban early 18th century rome ensuing challenge led expulsion catholic missionaries china july led irritated emperor issued order missionaries order obtain imperial permit stay china declare follow rules emperor disagreed decree banned christian missions china decree stated reading proclamation concluded petty impossible reason understand larger issues understand china single chinese works remarks incredible ridiculous judge proclamation religion different small buddhism seen document contains nonsense allowed preach china avoid trouble chinese converts involved controversy letters protest books pamphlets etc controversy debate intense group christian named chinese group converts support bishop supported emperor reinforcement defense christianity china grounded accommodation policy practiced ended failure eighteenth century persecution chinese christians began father heavenly lord sect given catholicism china period steadily increased reign emperor appreciated admired artwork western technologies emperor reinforced anti christian policies dissolution pope dissolved issue jesuit accommodation policy particular decree accept chinese rites placed equal europe christianity pope decision rites controversy continued church efforts gain converts china weeks election pope ordered congregation peoples relax certain aspects received guarantees confirmed mere civil characteristics called chinese rites holy released december new decree known stating catholics permitted present ceremonies honor temples schools erection image tablet permitted catholic schools catholic students permitted attend public ceremonies appearance head civil deceased images oath chinese rites prescribed fully accord recent regulations meant chinese customs longer considered honourable way relatives permitted catholic christians recognized philosophy integral chinese culture religion conflict catholicism shortly government china established diplomatic relations vatican papal decree changed ecclesiastical situation china revolutionary way church began flourish established local ecclesiastical hierarchy named chinese chinese national later year appointed
Chinese Rites controversy