Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Buddhism was evolving, and Nestorianism was not idle either.

After learning of the court's decision from Xu Guangqi, Johann Adam Schall von Bell and others knew that Nestorianism had encountered its most serious calamity since the Nanjing Massacre.

They gathered together to discuss how to respond.

Giulio Aleni said:

“Every church has to be approved by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. How many can the Court of Imperial Sacrifices approve?”

"Can all existing churches be preserved? Can new churches be built in the future?"

This was the matter of utmost concern to all the missionaries, Xu Guangqi said:

“It is impossible to build new churches in the mainland, and even the existing churches may not be preserved.”

"The imperial court required that the number of religious sites in the interior should not exceed one-thousandth of the total number of households."

"There are only a few thousand people who believe in Nestorianism now. If we strictly count by the number of households, there can only be one church."

“Apart from the Catholic Church in the capital, churches in other places need special approval from the imperial court to remain.”

Such strict restrictions made all missionaries realize that although Christianity was not banned this time, the situation they faced was not much better than if Christianity had been banned.

In particular, Xu Guangqi added:
"Because the deities worshipped by Nestorianism are not orthodox gods, they are not allowed to be spread outside of religious sites unless they are granted special permission by the imperial court."

"If someone illegally proselytizes or holds gatherings, they will be arrested and have their records recorded. Foreigners who commit multiple crimes will be deported."

"You should not preach outside in the future, especially Buddhism and Taoism, they are watching you."

This left the missionaries present somewhat bewildered, and some were already considering leaving.

Their purpose in coming to the Ming Dynasty was to spread their religion. Now that the court prohibits preaching outside of religious sites, how can they spread their doctrines?

Seeing that the missionary work in the Ming Dynasty was about to suffer a major blow, those missionaries who still wanted to return to the West wanted to leave the place.

Johann Adam Schall von Bell wanted to stay here because he had been appointed by the Ming emperor as the chief archbishop of the Nestorian Church, holding a supreme position within the church.

Although many missionaries were not convinced by him, he had worked diligently over the past few years and had won over a group of people.

The Ming emperor, in particular, highly regarded him and, because of his assistance in formulating the calendar and casting cannons, bestowed upon him a knighthood.

With such a status, Johann Adam Schall von Bell naturally did not want to leave the Ming Dynasty. He asked Xu Guangqi:

"What about churches that are not orthodox churches, and those that are orthodox churches?"

Will Nestorianism receive preferential treatment, at least being treated the same as Buddhism and Taoism?

Like many missionaries who wanted to stay in the Ming Dynasty, he looked at Xu Guangqi expectantly, hoping to get an answer.

However, Xu Guangqi shook his head and said:
"It might have been possible before, but it's difficult now."

"The imperial court required that the righteous gods must be integrated into the pantheon of gods of heaven and earth, with the Emperor, the Earth God, and the Son of Heaven as the supreme gods of the three realms of heaven, earth, and man, and to be appointed by the Son of Heaven."

"Furthermore, in terms of doctrine, it is not permissible to prevent the belief in other righteous gods or to eliminate extreme doctrines."

"Even if you accept the investiture from the Celestial Venerable Dous now, you cannot become the true church without modifying your doctrines."

The text details the debates in the imperial court and the requirements for the righteous gods set by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, which clearly had a target connotation of monotheistic religions such as Nestorianism.

The issue is no longer whether Nestorianism is willing to accept the investiture of the Celestial Venerable, but rather that even if they want to be investitured, they must meet the court's regulations and meet the conditions for becoming a true deity.

This disappointed Johann Adam Schall von Bell and others, because many of the missionaries who remained in the Ming Dynasty had already accepted this situation and were willing to accept investiture.

However, their previous hesitation caused them to miss the opportunity. Even if they wanted to accept the investiture now, the imperial court would not grant it easily.

In his discussions with them, Xu Guangqi also mentioned the Confucian hostility towards Nestorianism after the spread of the doctrine of original sin. He warned:

"The doctrine of original sin has not yet been incorporated into extreme doctrines, but related proposals have already emerged."

"The same goes for doomsday theories. Some people associate them with the Hongyang Sect's doctrines such as 'When the Red Sun's calamity ends, the White Sun will be born,' and consider them to be extreme doctrines used by cults to intimidate believers."

"There will be more and more restrictions, so if you want to convert to the Church of the True God, you must decide as soon as possible."

These demands undoubtedly disappointed the missionaries present even more. Many had realized that it would be extremely difficult for Nestorianism to become a true church in the future.

This caused many people to deeply regret their earlier hesitation, which led to the Nestorian Church losing the opportunity to become a true church.

Giulio Aleni said disappointedly:
"Is there really no other way?"

How can the missionary work of Nestorianism continue in the Ming Dynasty?

Xu Guangqi said:

"It's not that there's absolutely no way out; His Majesty has left you some room for maneuver."

"Even with strict restrictions in the two capitals and sixteen provinces of the interior, the imperial court was able to enforce them."

"But outside the two capitals and sixteen provinces, the court's control was not so strong, and the requirements were relatively relaxed."

"You may freely preach in the vassal states, territories, and free trade zones of the Ming Dynasty. The number of religious sites outside the country shall not exceed one percent of the total number of households."

This is obviously much more lenient than the mainland, especially since Xiangshan'ao has been designated as a free trade zone, which falls within the scope of free missionary work.

Many of the missionaries from the Ming Dynasty came from Xiangshan'ao, and most of those who wanted to leave planned to return to Xiangshan'ao. Some decided to wait and see if the Ming Dynasty would lift the restrictions.

Many people still believe that this is just another example of the Nanjing incident, and that it can be reinstated in a few years.

What delighted these missionaries most was Xu Guangqi's next words, which made them realize that this Grand Secretary was fighting for their rights.

Xu Guangqi said:

"At my urging, the Emperor decided that any Christian church within the sphere of influence of the Ming Dynasty should belong to the Jing Church."

"When you go abroad, you must preach the gospel diligently and prevent other Christian denominations from spreading their doctrines indiscriminately."

"The doctrines of Nestorianism are much more moderate than those of other religions now. We must not let these people disturb us and make us appear as if Nestorianism is spreading extremist doctrines."

While discussing this matter, Xu Guangqi explained to the group of missionaries:
"To be honest, the Emperor has a good impression of the Jingjiao Society and, despite the pressure from his ministers, he did not ban the Jingjiao Society."

"It's just that you are reluctant to accept the investiture, and the Roman Catholic Church is unwilling to reach an agreement with the Ming Dynasty."

"His Majesty could only grant the request of his ministers to restrict the spread of Nestorianism in the interior and allow you to develop it overseas first."

Upon hearing this news, the missionaries, who had been extremely disappointed, were now overjoyed.

While it is regrettable that Christianity is not being spread in mainland China, they are extremely pleased to have gained a dominant position in Christianity overseas.

Having lived in the Ming Dynasty for decades, they had come to understand its immense power. With the Ming Dynasty's permission, they were able to travel to Korea, Japan, and other places to spread the Nestorian Christian doctrine.

They might be able to gain dominance in this region, forcing the Vatican to take them seriously.

Some high-ranking members of the Nestorian Church are already eager to recruit missionaries from those areas.

After the Ming emperors appointed archbishops and cardinals to the Nestorian Church, some missionaries had already integrated into the church and instinctively wanted to expand their power.

Johann Adam Schall von Bell, who had been knighted, inquired even more carefully:

"Paul, are you subject to any restrictions while you are preaching in the territory?"

"Has His Majesty permitted Nestorianism to be adopted as the state religion of a vassal state?" Xu Guangqi shook his head and said:

“The state religion of a vassal state needs to belong to the orthodox church, and it would be very difficult for Nestorianism to become the state religion of a vassal state.”

"But it can be spread freely within the territory, as long as the number of religious sites and clergy does not exceed that of the City God."

"We still need to discuss the specifics with the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and there will be some restrictions."

This news left Johann Adam Schall von Bell with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow. He said:
“I am a hereditary knight, and I can establish my own territory.”

"But the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is not easy to deal with now, as it is managed by Qian Qianyi, who is inclined towards Buddhism."

"Paul, can you think of a way to stop Qian Qianyi from targeting the Jingjiao Church?"

Xu Guangqi shook his head, not believing he could persuade Qian Qianyi.

Despite his low official rank—currently only a minor official—Qian Qianyi was a literary leader and a former leader of the younger generation of the Donglin Party, wielding far greater influence in the court and among the public than Xu Guangqi.

He has now become the founder of the Practical School, aiming to counter Zhang Pu's scientific school. Western learning and Nestorianism are influenced by this and are targeted by him; Xu Guangqi simply cannot persuade him to abandon them.

Unless Zhang Pu takes the initiative to seek peace and reaches an agreement with Qian Qianyi.

However, Zhang Pu was arrogant and proud, and with the current emperor behind him, even Xu Guangqi, his teacher, could not restrain him.

Moreover, the rise of the scientific school, which absorbed Western learning, was equally beneficial to the spread of Western learning and Nestorian Christianity. Xu Guangqi could not possibly restrict the development of the scientific school or actively limit himself.

In fact, the emperor's emphasis on Nestorianism was largely due to Western learning. If this were abandoned, Nestorianism would face even greater calamities.
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The matter reached an impasse, and Xu Guangqi changed the subject, saying:
"The name Paul should no longer be used."

"Buddhism is de-Sinicizing, changing the transliteration of Sinic words and phrases."

"Paul is a transliteration of the Western name, and it is within the scope of de-Sinicization."

"Do not use it again, and do not give believers religious names."

This undoubtedly displeased the missionaries present. Giulio Aleni said:
“Taking a religious name is a religious rule; does that also violate the law?”

"These restrictions are far too strict. Do we need permission to do anything?"

Xu Guangqi explained with some helplessness:
“It’s not that taking a religious name violates the law, but that using a foreign name falls under the category of ‘barbarianization’.”

“Nestorianism in China must be Sinicized and its Chinese name used, rather than a transliteration of a foreign word.”

"If you must choose a religious name, you can choose a pseudonym, similar to a lay Buddhist or Taoist hermit."

He explained the names of Buddhism and Taoism to them in detail, arguing that if Nestorianism were to be Sinicized, it would have to be modeled after them.

Many of the missionaries present were reluctant, so Johann Adam Schall von Bell smoothed things over by saying:

"We call you Paul because your name was difficult to translate before."

"Now that we have pinyin to translate names, we can give names in the future without using Western names, but using Chinese characters and pinyin."

"Paul, what name do you intend to use to replace your current Christian name?"

After considering it for a moment, Xu Guangqi said:

"My pen name is Xuanhu, and people call me Master Xuanhu."

“You can use the Buddhist and Taoist terminology to refer to me as Layman Xuanhu.”

"The translation is XuanHu, which is my Christian name."

Write down your Chinese name and its translation for everyone to use.

Other Chinese believers did the same, no longer using Western names as their religious names, but instead following the example of Buddhism and Taoism, calling themselves lay practitioners.

This is more in line with their customs, and many Chinese believers have expressed their approval.

As for Johann Adam Schall von Bell and others, their Chinese names were mostly transliterations of a syllable from their baptismal names, so they did not need to adopt separate Christian names.

Although some people oppose this unconventional religious name, they cannot stop Chinese believers from de-Sinicizing.

As for Xu Guangqi's reason for doing so, it was because "if a feudal lord uses barbarian customs, he will be treated as a barbarian." He did not want to use barbarian customs and be regarded as a foreign barbarian in the future.

His disciple, Han Lin, shared the same thought and inquired:
"What about conflicts in terms of etiquette and law?"

"Does the imperial court allow Nestorian Christians to take concubines?"

Xu Guangqi said:

"The imperial court certainly allowed Nestorian Christians to take concubines, and stipulated that etiquette and law took precedence over religious law, and that doctrine could not contradict etiquette and law."

"However, if Nestorianism insists on monogamy, the court will respect it, since the laws and etiquette do not require that concubines be taken."

This actually means to let things slide and not take any action.

Han Lin asked Tang Ruowang:

"What did the priests say?"

Is it permissible to have concubines?

"If concubinage is not allowed and is considered a crime, many people will leave?"

Speaking of this, Xu Guangqi offered the following reminder:
"Stop speaking ill of others so casually."

“If we consider ourselves guilty, the court will add to our criminal record.”

"Crimes committed multiple times can lead to exile, so it's essential to reduce the number of crimes committed."

This left the missionaries somewhat bewildered. They said the purpose of sin was to achieve redemption, but the Ming Dynasty directly regarded the sin they spoke of as a crime.

How could Nestorian Christianity spread under such circumstances, and what doctrines would it use?
Compared to that, whether or not to take a concubine is a minor matter.

Under the expectant gazes of Xu Guangqi and others, Johann Adam Schall von Bell said:
“The clergy of Nestorian Christianity must abide by the precepts, and the precepts that believers abide by must be modified accordingly.”

“We’ll discuss this later, when the Longhua Democratic Church returns.”

This approach, while undoubtedly a delaying tactic, was praised by many.

Compared to the younger Johann Adam Schall von Bell, they trusted Long Huamin more.

In particular, Long Huamin's return to Rome was to resolve the etiquette issue, and they all hoped that Long Huamin would return and produce a Vatican resolution.

Ultimately, after discussions among the Nestorian missionaries and believers, no conclusion was reached.

However, they were determined not to give up missionary work in the Ming Dynasty. Even though there were many restrictions on missionary work in the interior, they still decided to maintain the Jingxie Church.

The translation of the *Dousi Tianzun Shengjing* (Scripture of the Heavenly Venerable of the Devas) should continue, and, in accordance with the requirements of the Ming Dynasty, the number of transliterated words should be further reduced. It will then be submitted to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices for revision, removing any doctrines that contradict the unity of all religions and determining the scope of the examination.

The Nestorian Church trained its own clergy in the Ming Dynasty, and after passing the examinations of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, they obtained priesthood certificates.

This is also why Zhu Youjian did not completely ban Christianity; he hoped to use pressure to promote the Sinicization of Christianity. As long as Nestorian Christianity continues to exist, this work will continue to be promoted.

Once the doctrines of Nestorianism are less extreme and can be integrated with other religions, it will have been fully Sinicized and qualified to become a true theocratic church. (End of Chapter)