A Study On Rodrigues, A Diplomatic Emissary Of China, Japan And Portugal In Middle And Later Ming Dynasty

The Age of Exploration in world history is a gloomy age of war and chaos; but as well, a golden age that the western countries were dreaming to unify the world. It was the end of Ming Dynasty in China and the Modern Times in Japan when the Portuguese landed on China and Japan successively, that inaugurated the era of Eastern-Western cultural communication. From then on, a large number of so-called Southern Barbarians (It is what the Portuguese were called in Japan, China and some other Asia countries.) came to far eastern countries for business and also for culture exchange as well. Among them, the Jesuit (Catholic missionary) and their interpreters who acted as a link of cross-cultural communication had made a significant contribution to the import of advanced western science and theory, prospering global trade and enhancing global cultural communication.This study will focus on the experiences of a well-known interpreter in Sino-Japan modern history-Jo(a|~)o Rodrigues (The Chinese translation of his name is Ruohan Lu.) and aim to ravel the origin, expanding and contribution of the Jesuits who were flourished in the late Ming Dynasty and Edo Period. In addition, we will discuss the characteristics and a series of puzzles shown in neoteric Sino-Western and Japanese-European cultural and economic exchanges by analyzing his particularity of figure as a missionary, an interpreter as well as a trade agency. This study will help us to have a macro understanding of the history of the Age of Exploration as well as an in-depth understanding of the history of China in late Ming Dynasty and Japan in Edo Period that was filled with legends and controversies. Also they will conduce to relevant researches on ancient history of cultural communication and relationship between China and foreign countries. Admittedly, they are all-important to complementary research on Sino-Japanese modern history and the history of interpretation. Besides, they are of significance in revealing new historical data about Rodrigues.This study consists of four special chapters besides the initial chapter and the conclusion chapter. For all that each chapter is an integral part; they are closely interconnected and well transitional. The main content of each chapter is as following.Chapter â… : The Situation of Trade and Mission during the Age of ExplorationThis chapter manly makes a particular review on the situation of trade and mission in China and Japan from the late Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty. It will be easier for us to understand Rodrigues, such a particular person, who is remote from our daily life if we can understand his social background first.Chapter â…¡: Rodrigues in JapanThis chapter is especially for retrospect of Rodrigues' life experience and early educational experience in Japan, and try to make clear this fragment of history that has been fogged by time. We will mainly focus on Rodrigues' experience of presenting...