The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci

作者 Jonathan D. Spence
出版社 Faber & Faber
出版时间 1985年4月
ISBN 9780571132393

内容简介

AsthefirstgreatageofEuropeannavalexplorationcametoanendinthelatesixteenthcentury,merchantsandmissionariesbegantotraveltotheFarEastinsearchofnewmarketsandnewharvestsofsouls.OneofthemostextraordinaryofthesetravellerswasMatteoRicci,aJesuitwholefthisnativeItalyin1577andjourneyedfirsttoIndiaandthentoChina,wherehelivedandworkedfrom1583untilhisdeathin1610.TocapturethecomplexemotionalandreligiousdramaofRicci'slife,JonathanSpencehasshiftedawayfromconventionalbiographicaltechniquesandhasplacedhissubjectinastructureofimagesthatRiccihimselfcomposed.OnesetoftheseimagesderivesfromfourcrucialmomentsintheBible,whichRicciintroducedtoChinabymeansofwoodengravingswithhisappndedcommentaries,onesetisfoundinabookontheartofmemory,whichRiccicomposedinChineseandcirculatedamongmembersoftheMingdynasty'selite.TheresultisnotonlyarichandcompellingnarrativeaboutRicci'slifeinItaly,IndiaandChina,butalsoasignificantworkofglobalhistory,inwhichintellectual,social,military,maritimeandreligiousthemesaredrawntogether,juxtaposingtheworldofCounter-ReformationEuropewiththatofMingChina.TheMemoryPalacethatRicciattemptedtodescribeinprintistransformedinSpence'sextraordinarybookintoaframeforRicci'slifeandametaphorforthehopesandfearsofalargelyforgottenworld.

作者简介

JonathanD.Spence(Chinesename:史景遷,August11,1936–)isaBritish-bornhistorianandpublicintellectualspecializinginChinesehistory.HehasbeenSterlingProfessorofHistoryatYaleUniversitysince1993.HismostfamousbookisTheSearchforModernChina,whichhasbecomeoneofthestandardtextsonthelastseveralhundredyearsofChinesehistory.Aprolificauthor,reviewer,andessayist,hisotherbooksincludeTheDeathofWomanWang(1978);TheMemoryPalaceofMatteoRicci(1984);TheQuestionofHu(1987);ChineseRoundabout:EssaysonHistoryandCulture;TheGateofHeavenlyPeace:TheChineseandTheirRevolution1895-1980;TheChan'sGreatContinent:ChinainWesternMinds;andGod'sChineseSon(1996).HisresearchoftentakeshimtomanyChineseuniversities.

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