Three Pillars of Chinese Catholicism

of Shanghai, and Lǐ Zhīzǎo and Yáng Tíngyún both of Hangzhou, are known as the Three Great Pillars of Chinese Catholicism . It is due to their combined efforts that Hangzhou and Shanghai became the centre of missionary activity in late China. The three men shared an interest in Western science and mathematics, and it is probable that this was what first attracted them to the Jesuits responsible for their conversion.

Origin of name

This name is derived from a passage in Saint Paul’s letter to the :
:“And when they had known the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship…"
The passage in Chinese is somewhat more obvious:
:「那称为教会柱石的雅各、矶法、约翰，就向我和巴拿巴用右手行相交之礼...」
wherein it calls , and the "pillars of the Church". The inevitable connection was then seen between the "pillars" of the early Church and the three men who helped to evangelize Ming China.

Xu Guangqi

Yang Tingyun

Yang Tingyun was born into a devout Buddhist family. At the age of 35 , after taking the Imperial Examinations he assumed the post of Inspector. In 1600 he met Matteo Ricci one of the founding fathers of missionary activity in China, but did not convert or receive Baptism at that time. Later however, in 1611, Yang accompanied a fellow official Li Zhizao back to Hangzhou to arrange for his late father's funeral, and saw that Li had not only thrown out his home's Buddhist statues and imagery, but that he did not send for Buddhist priests to give the man his last rites. Instead, he had brought two Jesuit priests, Lazaro Cattaneo and Nicolas Trigault, to do the job and a Chinese monk Zhōng Míngrén to explain the rite's significance to the gathered friends and relatives. One month later, impressed by Li's newfound piety, he abandoned his concubine, and was himself baptized, receiving the Christian name "Michael" .

When the church had for the most part been completed, Yang became severely ill. Knowing it was his end, Yang Tingyun requested the from the priest, and in January of 1628, at the age of 71, died. Because he had been seen as a great scholar and man of excellent moral fibre, the people of Hangzhou had him honoured in the Xiāngxián Cí , a hall for honouring local heroes and ancestors.

After converting, Li Zhizao took an oath saying, "As long as I live, all that God has given me, I shall for put to good use for Him." While still in Beijing, he presented Matteo Ricci with 100 of gold for the purpose of building a church there. Later Li would also be responsible for introducing Catholicism to his hometown of Hangzhou the following year when, returning home for his father's funeral, he brought with him two other Jesuit missionaries.

Writings

Li Zhizao was responsible for translating many works of Western science and mathematics into Chinese.
*''Plea to Translate Books on Western Calendar Methods'', ''Qǐng yì xī yáng lì fǎ děng shū shū'' 《请译西洋历法等书疏》, was submitted to the Ming dynasty Wanli Emperor, beseeching him to hire missionaries and have them make corrections to the Chinese calendar.