Michele Ruggieri’s Xinbian Tianzhu Shilu: Reexamining the Process of Composition and Printing

This study examines scholarly discourse on Michele Ruggieri’s Tianzhu Shilu, focusing interpretations of the chronological relationship between its Latin and Chinese versions. It highlights how existing research has been shaped by a “Ricci-centric” paradigm and illustrates how contemporary scholars have challenged this framework. The study also reconsiders the theory that the Latin version of Tianzhu Shilu preceded the Chinese version, presenting evidence for a pre-existing Chinese catechism. It argues for a bidirectional, with translations from Chinese to Latin coexisting with the reverse process. This indicates that Tianzhu Shilu emerged from a complex textual production process rather than a linear translation. The paper thus reevaluates Ruggieri’s linguistic proficiency and scholarly achievements, calls for rigorous textual criticism, and proposes new directions for research on East-West cultural exchange research.