Jesuits & China
450 Years of East-West History The Jesuits & China The Complete Connection From the first failed attempt to enter the empire in 1552 to active Vatican-Beijing diplomatic negotiations in 2026 — a full mapping of one of history's most complex, consequential, and underreported civilizational relationships. 920 Jesuits in China 1552–1800 450+ Years of Engagement 8 Distinct Historical Phases 720K Catholic Converts by 1901 01 Before the Jesuits: The Deep Root of Christianity in China Most accounts of Christianity in China begin with Matteo Ricci. That is where the popular story starts, and where most people stop. But the actual root of Christian contact with China goes back nearly 900 years before Ricci was born — and the Jesuits themselves became its primary archaeologists. In 635 AD, Syriac Christian missi...