Bai Jin (1656~1730)

Bouvet，Joachim

Jesuit missionaries. It is also made in white, and the words are bright and far. French. Born in Mangshi, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1678 and was one of the first Jesuits to come to China selected by King Louis XIV of France. The first batch of missionaries to China, led by Fr. Hong Ruohan, crossed east from Brest, France, on March 3, 1685, via Siam (present-day Thailand), and arrived in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province in the summer of the 26th year of the reign of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1687). At the beginning of the following year, he was recommended by Nan Huairen to come to Beijing, where he served in the court with the missionary Zhang Cheng, teaching Western scientific knowledge such as astronomical calendar, mathematics, medicine, and chemistry, and at the same time studying Manchu. In the 32nd year, Emperor Kangxi felt that there was a shortage of scientific and technological talents in China, so he sent him to carry 49 precious books as a gift to the Venerable King, and returned to China to hire missionaries to teach science in China. In the 38th year, Bai Jin led 10 people, including the mathematics teacher and missionary Ba Domin (1665~1741), to return to Beijing, and brought a batch of precious carvings from the king. In the forty-seventh year, he was ordered to go to various provinces with Fei Yin (1673~1743), Lei Xiaosi (1663~1738), Du Demei (1668~1720) and other priests to measure and draw the "Imperial Map", which lasted 9 years. He was also ordered by Emperor Kangxi to study the Book of Changes, and wrote the General Principles of the Book of Changes. He later died in Beijing. His books also include "The Current Situation of China" and "Ancient and Modern Respect for Heaven". The most famous is "The Biography of Emperor Kangxi", and the Chinese translation is called "Emperor Kangxi".

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The Kangxi Emperor in the eyes of Bai Jin --- dedicated to the "Biography of Emperor Kangxi" written by Louis XIV himself

The French Catholic priest Bai Jin was born in Manchester, France, in 1656, and was sent to China by King Louis XIV of France. He served as an attendant to the Kangxi Emperor, lecturing on the astronomical calendar and Western sciences such as medicine, chemistry, and pharmacy.

On July 4, 1693 (the 32nd year of Emperor Kangxi), Kangxi suffered from malaria and was cured after taking quinine offered by two priests, Bai Jin and Zhang Cheng. In recognition of their merits, Kangxi gave land to build a house in the imperial city of Xi'an Gate as a residence for missionaries. On the same day, Kangxi appointed Bai Jin as the envoy to France, which Bai Jin gladly accepted and soon set off to return to France. After returning to China, Bai Jin dedicated the "Biography of Emperor Kangxi" written by Louis XIV himself.

In his essay to The Biography of Emperor Kangxi, Bai Jin said, "Modern people are often skeptical of the travels brought by people who have returned from afar. The zeitgeist is incredible. I have truthfully recorded the words and deeds of Emperor Kangxi, so I think this "Biography of Emperor Kangxi" should naturally gain the full trust of readers. But because of the above-mentioned skepticism, this wish may not be realized. However, since "The Biography of Emperor Kangxi" only records the facts we have seen with our own eyes and introduces extremely accurate knowledge, I believe that readers will read this book with a different attitude than reading ordinary travelogues. Moreover, it would be imprudent for me to present to His Majesty King Louis XIV the wrongful account that would have caused the wrath of His Majesty the Great Louis XIV, the first wise monarch in the world, or that would have lost the grace of Emperor Kangxi, the first monarch of the East."

Bai Jin introduced the situation of the Kangxi Emperor to Louis XIV in the "Biography of Emperor Kangxi":

"Two or three years ago, the Jesuits sent by His Majesty to the Emperor had the privilege of coming into contact with a great man whom he had never dreamed of before, outside of France. Like His Majesty, he has a noble personality, extraordinary wisdom, and an open mind commensurate with the emperor, and he is equally rigorous in governing the people and self-cultivation, and is respected by the people of his own country and neighboring countries. Judging from his magnificent achievements, he was not only prestigious, but also a powerful and respected emperor. It is indeed surprising to see such a British lord in a frontier land. In short, the emperor had the power of a wise monarch. If it is said that his ability to govern the country is not as good as His Majesty, then I am afraid it can also be said that he is the most holy monarch among the emperors who have ruled the world since ancient times. The French Jesuits were astonished by this."

"He was extremely talented, well-read, intellectual, and discerning. He has the fortitude to deal with complex affairs, and he has the strong will to formulate, direct, and realize grand plans. His hobbies and interests are elegant, and they are all suitable for the status of an emperor. He was just, upheld justice, advocated virtue, and loved his subjects. He has a character of obedience to the truth and a heart of self-denial that absolutely suppresses lust. The list goes on and on. Moreover, it is not surprising that among the wise kings, there is such a love of art and the diligent study of the sciences."

"The Kangxi Emperor was politically impartial and acted in accordance with the laws of the country; Meritocracy in the appointment of people, and regard these as strict tenets of government governance. Therefore, there has never been an incident of opposition to the Kangxi Emperor out of favoritism or personal gain. The Kangxi Emperor attached great importance to and strictly selected outstanding officials and supervised their actions, which showed the emperor's benevolence towards his subjects. Moreover, the extraordinary apprehension that manifested in him when a severe famine occurred in a province speaks volumes about his strong sense of duty as the head of a nation and the father of the nation."

"In order to understand the lives of the people and the governance of the officials, the Kangxi Emperor often visited the provinces. During the inspection, the emperor allowed lowly craftsmen and farmers to approach him and treated them with great kindness and kindness. The emperor's gentle inquiry moved the other party very much. The Kangxi Emperor often asked the people all kinds of questions, and he was sure to ask them whether they were satisfied with the local government officials. If the people express their dissatisfaction with an official, he will lose his position, but if an official is praised by the people, he will not necessarily be promoted only because of it."

"The Kangxi Emperor, however, lived a simple life, and as far as his clothes were concerned, there was no sense of extravagance and wastefulness, not because of his love of money and miserliness. Although he himself tried to be frugal, he was particularly generous with the funds spent on the state. As long as it is a cause that is beneficial to the country and the people, even if he spends millions of taels, he will never hesitate to do so. This is one example of this. He often allocated large sums of money for the repair of government offices, as well as for the improvement of people's lives and the development of commerce, for the management of rivers and canals, the construction of bridges, the repair of ships, and other similar undertakings. It is not difficult to see from this that the simple life of Emperor Kangxi was entirely due to his understanding of the meaning of frugality, and also because he wanted to be a monarch and father of the country who was loved by his subjects, so he worked hard to accumulate wealth for the actual needs of the country."

Bai Jin reviewed his close contact with Emperor Kangxi in "The Biography of Emperor Kangxi". He said, "The Emperor himself asked us about Western science, the customs and rumors of Western Europe, and various other questions. We are most willing to speak to the Emperor about the grandeur of King Louis; Similarly, it can be said that Emperor Kangxi liked to listen to this topic the most. In this way, the emperor actually made us sit on the altar where the throne was placed, and we must sit on both sides of the throne. Such a special occasion has never been given to anyone but the Prince."

Assigned by Kangxi to return to France, Bai Jin brought gifts from Emperor Kangxi to King Louis XIV of France, including forty-nine books in Chinese. At that time, there were only 23 Chinese books in the Mazaran Library in France. It is not difficult to imagine that this hardcover Chinese book delighted and amazed Louis XIV.

Bai Jin said in "The Biography of Emperor Kangxi", "It is safe to say that this emperor is one of the most perfect and wise monarchs who have ruled the world since ancient times, and in many ways he is extremely similar to His Majesty."