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a rather peculiar context made the falling Ming dynasty believe that the Pope and European countries might be able to restore them to power. This rare example of China's request for an outside intervention towards its domestic policy was protagonised by the Jesuit Michał Boym (1612-1659) in his dramatic and rather quixotic mission as described by Monika Miazek. Her article is stimulating enough to challenge a historical Chinese-centred analysis of that scenario. The same might be said, in the contrary direction, of Chen Dongfeng and Tong Xiaofeng´s contribution. Their stress on Kangxi´s intent to establish a direct relation with the far West through the northern land road—either partially used by Boym and defended by some Jesuits—could only be understood in the wider context of European rivalry towards China. Of relevance are either the fact that China-Europe diplomatic relations were present in Chinese history far before the 1800s' treaties period—even if on a limited scale—and, secondly, that China has played an active sometimes leading role in this process, a fact not always considered in historical texts that tend to generalise a Western-centred image of an isolated and “immobile empire”.
Tereza Sena 冼丽莎 |
