BIBFRAME Work

Title

Matteo Ricci and the missionary role in the evolution of Chinese lexicon

Type

• Text
• Monograph

Contribution

• Zhao, Ming (Lecturer of Chinese language) (author)

Subject

• Ricci, Matteo, 1552-1610 (LCNAF)
• Chinese language--Semantics, Historical (LCSH)
• Missions--Linguistic work--China (LCSH)
• Chinese language--History--16th century (LCSH)
• Chinese language--Etymology (LCSH)
• Chinese language--Foreign elements (LCSH)
• Chinese language--New words (LCSH)
• Astronomy--Terminology--History (LCSH)
• Geometry--Terminology--History (LCSH)
• Religion--Terminology--History (LCSH)

Language

• English

Classification

• DDC: 495.12/41 (Assigner: dlc)
• LCC: PL1291 (Assigner: dlc) (Status: used by assigner)

Content

• text

Supplementary content

• bibliography
• index

Summary

"This is a systematic study of Matteo Ricci's (1552-1610) enormous impact on the development of modern scientific and intellectual terminology in China. Taking the Sino-Western cultural exchanges initiated by Western Jesuit missionaries in the late-Míng dynasty as its starting point, this book comprehensively presents the new terms coined by Ricci (and his collaborators) in his religious, geographical, geometrical, and astronomical Chinese writings. It uses a multitude of examples adopted from Ricci's Chinese works as well as from ancient Chinese documents to discuss etymological evolution. Ricci's early coinages of terms and their subsequent history demonstrate the role of interaction and scholarly collaboration between the late Míng Jesuits and Chinese intellectuals in the formation of modern Chinese lexicon. The research conclusions of this book will further advance Míng-dynasty studies and contribute to a new understanding of the creation of modern Chinese lexicon. A vital resource for students, scholars and linguists studying and researching in the history of Chinese and early Mandarin. This volume will also be very interesting among students and scholars of Chinese literature and history, particularly among scholars who work in Míng history and literature"-- Provided by publisher.

Table of Contents

Introduction -- The historical background to Ricci's missionary role in the evolution of the Chinese lexicon -- Religious terms coined by Matteo Ricci -- Geographical names and terminology coined by Matteo Ricci -- Geometrical terms coined by Matteo Ricci and Xú Guāngquĭ ǐ徐光啟-- Astronomical terms coined by Matteo Ricci and Lĭ Zhīzăo 李之藻 -- Terms coined by Matteo Ricci and Michele Ruggieri -- Ricci's missionary role in the evolution of the Chinese lexicon -- Appendix 1: The evolution of word forms in Ricci's coinages -- Appendix 2: Ricci's timeline in China.

Authorized Access Point

Zhao, Ming (Lecturer of Chinese language). Matteo Ricci and the missionary role in the evolution of Chinese lexicon

Admin Metadata

• Date: 2026-09-11T20:13:55.865115+00:00
• Agent: cbc
• Status: c
• Derived from: 23758905

Admin Metadata

• Date: 2026-09-11
• Cataloger id: Unknown
• Description level: http://id.loc.gov/ontologies/bibframe-2-6-0/
• Description language: eng
• Description authentication: pcc