Thomas Pereira’s 'Lülü Zuanyao' 律呂纂要 (ca. 1685): A Jesuit Music Theory Textbook for the Chinese Emperor

Thomas Pereira (1646–1708), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, arrived in Beijing in 1672 and was appointed by the Kangxi Emperor (1654–1722) as his music tutor. For the emperor's music lessons, Pereira authored Lülü Zuanyao 律呂纂要 [Elements of Music] (ca. 1685), the first known Western music theory treatise written in Chinese. My translation includes the first half of Zuanyao that focuses on Western music notation, solmization, and the hexachordal system. As a product of the global circulation of musical knowledge in the early modern period, Zuanyao is significant in three ways. First, it illustrates the direct influence of the music education Pereira received in Portugal on his adaptation of Western musical concepts for a Chinese audience. Zuanyao shares several similarities with Portuguese pedagogical treatises published in the early part of the seventeenth century. Second, Zuanyao exemplifies the Jesuits' unique approach to the China mission. Missionaries implemented strategies to attract the Chinese elite by integrating Christian teachings into Chinese cultural contexts and showcasing their scientific knowledge, including music. Third, Zuanyao reveals the complex interplay between the missionaries and the Chinese imperial court. The emperor's cautious view of Christianity prompted Pereira to eliminate all religious references, thus transforming Zuanyao into a secularized music theory textbook. Ultimately, Zuanyao serves as a valuable case study that deepens our understanding of the musical dialogue between China and Europe in the seventeenth century.