Chapter 33: Christianity in China

And in essence, Macau is still part of China. However, at this time Westerners are proud of their natives. They don't care about this, and naturally feel that Macau is an autonomous city belonging to the Kingdom of Portugal. But in the face of Xia Jun's soft and hard measures, many people did not have the idea of resisting to the end.

Zhang Xuan essentially reserved many of Macau's policies.

It was nothing more than bringing Macao under the rule of Bactria .

It's just that these people are also very worried in their hearts, and he doesn't have much confidence in Daxia and even Zhang Xuan's assurance. Many people looked at the bishop.

The bishop is an old man. He couldn't help but draw a cross on his chest with his hand and said, "That Lord Duke, how are you going to deal with the Lord's cause?" ”

Suohan said: "The general didn't say? ”

"As the Lamb of the Lord, I must not allow the diocese of China to follow in the footsteps of the diocese of Japan, and if this duke expels the missionaries as Japan did, then I would rather resist to the end," said the bishop. You are all faithful believers in the Lord. Are you willing to defend the Lord's cause? ”

The remaining councillors hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes, Lord Bishop. ”

The bishop also saw their hesitation.

He sighed slightly in his heart and said secretly: "Decades ago, when Father Fan Li'an was here, Macau was definitely not like this. ”

Fr. Français is the founder of the Diocese of China. The very famous Matteo Ricci was a subordinate of Father Van Li'an, and Matteo Ricci preached in the image of Confucianism, which was also a decision made by Van Li'an, and Matteo Ricci carried it out. Fr. Fan Li'an devoted his life to the creation of a Greater China Diocese, including Japan, Malacca, Marani, China, etc.

But Fr. Fan Li'an's main concern is the diocese of China.

Many churches and seminaries in Macau were founded by Fr. Fan Li'an. Devoted to the spread of Christianity in China.

It was only after the death of Father Van Lien that many of his achievements were overturned.

For example, Matteo Ricci and others used Confucian costumes to see scholars, and this kind of behavior was banned by the Holy See. Instead, it set off a dispute over etiquette. Controversy over ancestor worship by the Chinese. Believing that ancestor worship is a kind of faith, it rejects the previous policy of tolerance and instead requires Christians not to worship their ancestors. In the last year, the Romans have made a special document for this. From the behavior of some priests in the Eastern diocese before, it has become the standard of the Church.

As a result, the flourishing diocese of China immediately fell into regression. Plus Japan's expulsion of Catholicism. The missionary enterprise in the East was at a low ebb.

If you look at it from a historical point of view, this is not the lowest point. At least in Beijing, Nanjing, and some other cities, there are churches. Historically, during the Kangxi period, Catholicism was banned, and the Chinese diocese existed in name only.

Now the priest may not see that. But there is also a judgment on the current situation. These Portuguese people in front of us are not saints of the Lord, and will never give everything to the cause of the Lord.

And the church though influential. But this is not Europe after all, and there is no main knighthood here.

Sochan said to the bishop, "Your Excellency, perhaps things have not come to this point. Lord Duke, it is still easier to speak, does the bishop want to talk to Lord Duke on behalf of Macao? ”

"All right," said the bishop. Take me to meet this Caesar. ”

The bishop walked through the familiar streets of Macau.

In ancient times, Macau was called Haojing, which refers to the natural bay here in Macau, which is round, as if it were a mirror. It's just that on the familiar street, there are many strange soldiers guarding it.

These soldiers rode Mongolian horses one by one, and these Mongolian horses, although they could not be compared with European war horses, looked very majestic. The further he went, the more martyrdom-like religious feelings grew in the bishop's heart. In his heart, he said, "Lord, bless your lamb." ”

The further north you go, the more and more dense such people become.

After a series of body searches, the bishop stood beside Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan looked at the bishop in a white robe and said, "What is the name of the bishop?" ”

The bishop said almost word for word: "Wei Kuangguo." I wonder how the Duke is prepared to deal with the Catholic Church? ”

It seems that Jesuit missionaries like to take a Chinese name. It's just that the bishop's Chinese language skills are a little too poor. Zhang Xuan was very uncomfortable when he heard it, but said: "I am a great Xia who embraces all rivers and rivers, has all things in mind, never prohibits the spread of a certain religion, does not manage whether it is Catholicism or Islam, as long as it can abide by the laws of the country and is believed by the Chinese people, the imperial court has not done much to hinder it, but there is one thing, I want to know, what is the relationship between the Church of Macao and the Holy See?" ”

Wei Kuangguo never expected that Zhang Xuan would ask this question.

Many Chinese do not know much about Christianity, let alone the Holy See behind it. This knowledge is rare enough in China. Speaking from Zhang Xuan's mouth, Wei Kuangguo couldn't help but glance at Zhang Xuangao. "The Holy See preaches the gospel to the mortal world in the glory of the Lord, and all missionaries are under the jurisdiction of the Holy See. ”

Although Wei Kuangguo realized that if he said this, it might make Zhang Xuan unhappy, but he didn't dare to lie.

Zhang Xuan said: "The Chinese Son of Heaven set up Shinto to govern the people. Inherit the will of heaven to rule the world, whether it is the Tao, the Buddha, the return, and the will of the Son of Heaven, only the religion is subject to the Pope who is thousands of miles away? I only ask you, how can you deal with yourself when there is a conflict between the Son of Heaven and the Pope in China? ”

Wei Kuangguo didn't know what to say for a while, and it took a while to weigh the words and say: "The Holy See does not interfere in secular affairs

Business. ”

When Zhang Xuan heard this, he felt extremely funny for a while, and said, "Self-deception." I should be the Duke of Great Xia, and what I am talking about is definitely not the academic affairs of Macao. It is also the teaching affairs of the entire territory of Great Xia. ”

"I can give you a little time. You can send someone to the Holy See. To discuss missionary matters in China. ”

"Until this negotiation is reached, everything in Macao will remain as it is, as long as you do not hinder the Great Xia Imperial Court from governing Macao. The imperial court will not target the Holy See either. ”

As soon as Wei Kuangguo heard about the missionary negotiations. And his eyes lit up.

To be honest, the spread of Christianity in China has also achieved some results, such as Xu Guangqi, Qu Shiqi and others are Christians. But many people who believe in Christianity just want to gain scientific knowledge from the West.

It has never been recognized above the political level.

Compared to the entire Chinese government, it supports missionary work. Macau's business is not worth mentioning.

This kind of contact at this level is exactly what the West and even the Holy See are looking for.

At this time, the West is rising in the China fever, and they have great curiosity about China, and they want to come to the Holy See for the sake of the spread of Christianity in China, even if they give up the cause of Macao.

Wei Kuangguo said in disbelief: "Is this true? ”

Zhang Xuan said: "A gentleman is hard to chase after a horse. ”

When Suo Shang went back, Zhang Xuan was also thinking about how to solve the church's problems.

To be honest, Zhang Xuan himself doesn't think that in fact, the thinking he brought from later generations is not all advantages. For example, when dealing with the same issue of Christianity, Japan dared to blatantly expel it. But Zhang Xuan didn't want to tear his face.

In a certain sense, Zhang Xuan actually overestimated the strength of Westerners in the South China Sea, and the hegemon of the China Sea in this era is the Zheng group, and it cannot be said that Westerners have no power. However, the power of Westerners may not be able to be used by the Holy See, and even if it is used by the Holy See, it may not be able to intervene in China's domestic war.

However, since Zhang Xuan didn't want to tear his face, the people below offered their plans. He Wusu offered this delaying tactic.

The boat ride from Macau to Rome can take months, if not a year. In particular, the Suez Canal was not opened, and Egypt was also an Ottoman province. So it is only possible to reach the Mediterranean Sea by bypassing the whole extraordinary.

Not to mention whether the negotiations went smoothly or not, it would take two or three years to go back and forth.

After two or three years of the current situation, the Guangdong side has eased up, and even Zhang Xuan himself may not know where the situation has developed at that time.

Negotiations are just negotiations, and they may not agree to talks. It can also be broken up after talking, it is just a matter of pushing back the time a little.

And Zhang Xuan's plans in his heart are not only these.

()