The commemorative event ‘In the footsteps of Ferdinand Verbiest’, taking place on Friday 20 October 2023, is getting closer. 75 people have already registered.
On behalf of the Provincial Government of West Flanders and Pittem Municipal Government, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for your cooperation in this event.
THE MEMORY OF FERDINAND VERBIEST IN CHINA
The impact of a lapidary statement on charity and genuine love
As Professor Thierry Meynard has convincingly argued during the Symposium that Ferdinand Verbiest S.J. was a man of science who spent considerable time and energy in understanding the physical world. On the political level, he was a foreigner at the service of the emperor Kangxi in his function as Director of the Imperial Observatory. He was also a Jesuit missionary promoting Christianity in China. This combination of science, politics and religion was rather unusual in Europe but it resulted from continuing adjustments between the Jesuit order, the political powers and the academic world. In the footsteps of his great Master Johann Adam Schall (1592-1666) Verbiest and a few Chinese Christians working at the Imperial Observatory, succeeded in 1668 and 1669 defeating their rival Yang Guangxian, and re-establishing the credit of Western European. Once again, science, politics and religion seem to be in harmony again.
Against this life achievement I would briefly hint to the spiritual background of Ferdinand Verbiest referring to two preliminary observations in the Spiritual Exercises, section 230, the founder of the Jesuits suggested for the mature retreatant namely:
First, “love ought to manifest itself more in deeds than in words. Second, “love consists in a mutual sharing of gifts, (where), the lover gives and shares with the beloved what she/he possess … and vice versa. Hence, if one has knowledge, she/he shares it with one who does not possess it; and so also if one has honors, or riches…. always (giving) to the other.”
This brief but decisive hint seems to me a reason why Ferdinand Verbiest along with his companions and lay missionaries left such a deep impact in China not only allowing other foreign missionaries to be able to do their work in the Middle Kingdom but also in reaching out in a decisive way to the Chinese.
I would restrict my panegyric to the genius of Ferdinand Verbiest to the spiritual roots in the Spiritual Exercises of the founder of the Jesuits Ignatius Loyola who shared this lapidary but profound insight into the nature of charity in the context of his meditation of love into the recommendation: we must put love more in acts than in words.
Therefore, Ferdinand Verbiest embodied in a special way this unique link between an action driven man of science and a man of faith. In fact, looking at the amazing achievements of his life in the area of geography, astronomy, hydraulics, supervising cannons it shows a faith defined as the courage to trust which encourages the bold movement of the renaissance to put the human building firmly into the center and opens all scientific research which would not only facilitate scientific and economic development but would at the same time also enhance the dignity of each human being.
Therefore, contrary to missionaries whose impact seemed to be restricted to the church Ferdinand Verbiest firmly standing in the great tradition of his Masters Matteo Ricci and Johann Adam Schall von Bell his outreach showed the practical concern for all the Chinese and for the whole Middle Kingdom no matter inside or outside the church, truly love and charity put into action.
This truly touched the heart of the Chinese and explains why Ferdinand Verbiest is still so dearly remembered as a true friend by the Chinese today while in Europe his memory may have faded away long time ago.
Therefore, we hold a very special lesson for dialogue and a bold request for truth which is firmly built on the dialogue with Chinese people and culture as well as firmly built on a partnership between reason, scientific rigorous research and faith which generously shares the precious values which unite different cultures beyond their differences. We recognize therefore, as we have discovered on the Fourth Centenary Symposium on 9 October how the genius of Ferdinand Verbiest with his companions has anticipated the development of the enlightenment, “Aufklärung” based on the partnership between science, reason and wisdom traditions.
We could not dream of a more profound lesson of wisdom of genuine love within a context of antagonism and averse to a genuine dialogue based on mutual listening and rigorous intellectual analysis.
Prof. Dr. Stephan Rothlin SJ
Macau Ricci Institute
Faculty of Business and Law
University of St. Joseph, Macau
The program
4:00 pm Festive welcome for the participants
5:00 pm Welcome address ‘In the footsteps of Ferdinand Verbiest’ by H.E. Carl Decaluwé, Governor of West-Flanders
5:05 pm Opening remarks by H.E. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador for Belgium in China
5:10 pm ‘Dialogue between Belgium and China via Science and Technology’ by representative of MOST (t.b.c.)
5:15 pm 'The image of Ferdinand Verbiest in China' by Prof. Dr. Stephan Rothlin, Director of the Macau Ricci Institute at the University of St. Joseph, Macau
5:20 pm 'The involvement of Verbiest at the Old Observatory' by WANG Xiaofeng, Director of the Observatory
5:25 pm Music by the Chinese Orchestra of the Zhejiang Provincial Government
5:30 pm Monologue ‘The Discovery of Heaven’ by Kurt Defrancq, actor
5:45 Music by the Chinese Orchestra of the Zhejiang Provincial Government
5:50 'Imperial observatory, landmark of Beijing' by H.E. ZHOU Jinxing, Mayor of the Dongcheng district Beijing
5:55 'Ferdinand Verbiest, son of Pittem' by H.E. Denis Fraeyman, Mayor of the Municipality of Pittem
6:00 ‘Flanders-China relations in the fields of Science, Research and Trade' by Koen De Ridder, Economic Representative of Flanders in Beijing
6:15 Unveiling ceremony of the commemorative plaque by the Belgian and Chinese high profile guestspeakers
6:20 Closing speech by H.E. Carl Decaluwé, Governor of West-Flanders
6:25 Music by the Chinese Orchestra of the Zhejiang Provincial Government
6:30 End
10月9日是南怀仁诞辰400周年纪念日,一场国际研讨会在北京举行,比利时驻华大使安博宁阁下、各位汉学专家和学者们齐聚一堂,共同纪念南怀仁。
October 9 marked the 400th of Ferdinand Verbiest's birth. On this significant day, an international symposium took place in Beijing, where the Belgian Ambassador to China, H.E. Bruno Angelet, esteemed sinology experts and scholars from various fields came together to honour the extraordinary legacy of Verbiest.
更多詳情請點擊以下連結至比利时驻华大使馆微信公眾号
For more information, please cleck the following link to the The Embassy of Belgium wechat public account.
Refer from The Embassy of Belgium wechat public account
【本報消息】由澳門大學圖書館及澳門利氏學社合辦的《利氏華傳廿載 繼往開來》書展於昨日下午三時在澳門大學伍宜孫大學圖書館開幕,展出澳門利氏學社的主要出版物,包括《北京大事記》及由澳門大學圖書館借出的館藏《利瑪竇中國札記》等書籍。
澳大副校長馬許願,澳大圖書館館長吳建中、副館長王國強,澳門利氏學社社長羅世範神父、副社長杜哲磊神父、澳門利氏學社圖書館主管蘇祺茵,以及研究員共同參與。
是次書展獲澳門大學圖書館提供場地及大力支持,書展以一代傳教士利瑪竇神父、《澳門利氏學社學刊》及學社出版物為主題,將利瑪竇對文化的態度、對東西方文化交流的貢獻和利氏學社的研究核心理念推廣至澳門高等院校,期望以是次活動為基礎,日後能有更多機會與不同的本地院校開展合作。
10月9日,南怀仁诞辰400周年纪念论坛在耶鲁北京中心成功举办。当天,比利时驻华大使安博宁(Bruno Angelet)及业内研究学者齐聚,探讨南怀仁的生平、学术贡献和深刻影响。本活动由比利时驻华使馆 、圣若瑟大学澳门利氏学社、北京中国学中心和耶鲁北京中心合办。
Sun Yat-Sen University and the Macau Ricci Institute has a joint cultural exchange program today. Our Vice-Director Fr. Jaroslaw Duraj, Project Manager Brian Chao, Librarian Ms. Sofia Sou showcased the history of the Macau Ricci Institute, world heritage of the St. Joseph Church and the Seminary, also the Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy (FRSP), Saint Joseph Seminary Library and the Macau Ricci Institute Library.
Additionally, we also took a tour at the Treasure of Sacred Art of St. Joseph's Seminary and the Exhibition - "The Journey over a Thousand Miles - An Exhibition of Religious Culture and Heritage Jointly Presented By Six Religious Communities in Macao." at the Old Court Building, after that, the tour continued to the Diocesan Historical Archives and Patrimony and Macau popular historical sites, Macau Museum and Ruins of St. Paul.
The main purpose of this cultural exchange program is to let scholars and researchers to further understand the rich history behind Macau and the contributions that Matteo Ricci has brought to China. Last but not least, exchange students have donated two volumes of books to help and support rebuilding our old lost Tomás Pereira Library.