An Italian Jesuit who arrived in Macau in 1579 to study Chinese language and customs, regarded as among the pioneers of the Jesuit China mission. With Matteo Ricci he co-authored the first Portuguese-Chinese dictionary, and at Zhaoqing he printed the first book written in Chinese by a European. His path into China began in Macau, an early testament to the city's role as a mission gateway.
A missionary who began in Macau and learned to explain his faith to Chinese readers in their own language — and whose dictionary with Matteo Ricci was among the earliest bridges between Europe and Chinese.
Michele Ruggieri was among the pioneers of the Jesuit China mission. His path into China began in Macau, an early testament to the city's role as a mission gateway.
Profile
- Chinese Name: 羅明堅
- Western Name: Michele Ruggieri (Portuguese: Miguel Ruggieri)
- Born: 1543 (Italy)
- Died: 11 May 1607
- Region: Italy / Macau · Zhaoqing, Guangdong
- Domains: Culture · Religion · Language
- Subject type: Historical figure · Jesuit missionary
Background
Ruggieri was born in Italy in 1543. After joining the Society of Jesus he was sent to the East. In the late sixteenth century Macau was Portugal's major Far East port and the place where missionaries settled and studied before entering China. Ruggieri's road into China began there.
Career
I. Arrival in Macau and study of Chinese (1579)
On 20 July 1579 Ruggieri arrived in Macau, tasked with studying the Chinese language and customs in preparation for entering China. Among those who travelled east with him was Matteo Ricci. Macau became his first stop in coming to understand Chinese language and culture.
II. Co-authoring the first Portuguese-Chinese dictionary (1583–1588)
Between 1583 and 1588 Ruggieri and Ricci co-authored the first Portuguese-Chinese dictionary, regarded as the first European-Chinese dictionary. The two developed a system for transcribing Chinese in the Latin alphabet, assisted by Sebastiano Fernandez, a Chinese Jesuit lay brother raised and trained in Macau. The manuscript was later misplaced in the Jesuit Archives in Rome and rediscovered only in 1934 by Pasquale d'Elia, finally being published in 2001.
Defining Moments
I. Entering mainland China (1583)
In 1583 Ruggieri and Ricci received permission to settle at Zhaoqing in Guangdong — a key step in establishing a Jesuit base inside mainland China beyond Macau.