Biography

Matteo Ricci was born in 1552 in the Marche, where he began his study of the humanities, both at home and at the school the Jesuits had founded in Macerata just a few years earlier. Until he was sixteen, his mind, affections, and view of the world were nurtured by the land and culture where he was born. Sent by his family to Rome in 1568 to begin the study of law at the university there ("la Sapienza"), in 1571 he entered the Society of Jesus, studying at the Collegio Romano, where his teacher was the famous mathematician Christophe Clavius.

While he was still a student of philosophy, in 1577 he was assigned to the missions in India. After four years in India, he was called to Macau to study the Chinese language and prepare himself for attempting to get into China. In 1583, he entered the city of Zhaoqing, where he founded the first residence. In eighteen years of a laborious approach to the imperial court, he opened three more residences, until he was called to Beijing by an imperial decree to present gifts as the ambassador of Europe.

 From 1601 on he lived in Beijing under the protection of the emperor - who, however, he was never able to meet - and produced his most important works. At his death, which occurred in 1610, the emperor granted a plot of land for the burial of a foreigner for the first time in Chinese history.