The Wise Man from the West

by Vincent Cronin

The Wise Man From the West : Matteo Ricci and his Mission to China [paperback] Cronin, Vincent [Jan 01, 1984]

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Travel, China

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1955

About the author

Vincent Archibald Patrick Cronin FRSL (24 May 1924 – 25 January 2011) was a British historical, cultural, and biographical writer, best known for his biographies of Louis XIV, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great, and Napoleon, as well as for his books on the Renaissance.

Cronin was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, to Scottish doctor and novelist, A. J. Cronin, and May Gibson, but moved to London at the age of two. He was educated at Ampleforth College, Harvard University, the Sorbonne, and Trinity College, Oxford, from which he graduated with honours in 1947, earning a degree in Literae Humaniores. During the Second World War, he served as a lieutenant in the British Army.

In 1949, he married Chantal de Rolland, and they had five children. The Cronins were long-time residents of London, Marbella, and Dragey, in Avranches, Normandy, where they lived at the Manoir de Brion.

Cronin was a recipient of the Richard Hillary Award, the W.H. Heinemann Award (1955), and the Rockefeller Foundation Award (1958). He also contributed to the Revue des Deux Mondes, was the first General Editor of the Companion Guides series, and was on the Council of the Royal Society of Literature.

He died at his home in Marbella on 25 January 2011.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent...

Reviews

[Damien · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. Matteo Ricci was a true missionary who brought the Catholic Faith to China. He incorporated all that was good in Chinese culture - love for literature, respect for the dead, ceremony - and rejected all that was bad.

[Joseph H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horribly dry writing but endlessly fascinating. Ven. Matteo Ricci, pray for us and for all of China 🙏💯

[Tim Byron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very skilfully written book about a remarkable man, Matteo Ricci. An Italian Jesuit priest, Ricci was the first foreigner to be allowed inside the Forbidden City in Beijing. Patient and Brilliant Ricci - after many set backs - was uniquely embraced by the Mandarin Class in China, and also the Emperor himself. Cronin's book chronicles his remarkable journey and achievements. Colourfully written, with skillful exposition and intricate details that evoke a remarkable society rarely seen by outsiders, and never before penetrates so successfully as Ricci. The book can be enjoyed on many levels, by Sinologists, historians, explorers and people of faith.

[James Tetley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Wow, Wow. What an awesomely inspiring book. Matteo Ricci was an amazing man. A trailblazer and Vincent Cronin does a fantastic job of capturing his life in print. His perseverance his desire to bring the gospel to the Chinese and his cross-cultural sensitivity in bringing these things into the Eastern context is fascinating. How do you bring the gospel into a culture steeped into anti-foreign tendencies laced with a mixture of Confuscianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Ricci wins the hearts of the rulers through a combination of science and faith. Even the fascinating idea that bringing a more accurate understanding of the world will have a knock-on effect to the credibility of the gospel is deeply important. The style of dress, watching the culture, understanding the protocols, not imposing an idea of we are right you are wrong, and using the language of the people. All of these were incredibly insightful. Strongly recommend this book as required reading to inspire and encourage anyone who wants to see the gospel brought into a culture. The sad final chapter where the Catholic church basically dismisses his methods through a papal bull and then tries to impose their culture on the Chinese resulting in the closing of the door to Christianity - reveals the importance of Ricci's life and methods

[Matthew Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable account of Mateo Ricci, one of the earliest modern missionaries to China. The biography highlights the Jesuit's tiresome efforts to accommodate Xity and himself to Chinese culture amidst the otherwise dominant imperialism of Portuguese missions. It's a well-written book, though reflective of its time (mid 50s) in various ways.

[Pere Argemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary narrative of an extraordinary man. It shows you what a person is able to do and achieve when having a clear and high ideal. In his case, the conversion of all the Chinese.

[Tony Gualtieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating story that transcends its dated but trenchant presentation in these pages.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insights into the challenges and culture of 16th century China as seen from the perspective of European Jesuit missionaries.

[Lauren Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

An affectionate portrayal that reads more like a bio of Cronin's favorite uncle than of a 16th century Jesuit. I actually got teary when he died--which tells you both the warmth of the profile and the novelistic feel of the book. I haven't read anything else on him so I don't know just how idealized this is. He seems too good (humane, open minded, etc) to be true for his time, place and position. But you do get a very good feel for the obstacles facing those trying to convert the Chinese during the period.

[K.N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well-written biography of Matteo Ricci, focusing on his life and work in China. While I found his political struggles and his fellow missionaries and converts interesting, I believe it's my disinterest in their mission that put me off. Treasure-hunters, business officials, and/or adventurers I will gladly read about, but pious Christian men are much less interesting. It was especially tedious knowing how little Christianity influenced China, though Ricci was rather clever in his attempts, it just wasn't the right continent to grab converts.

[Al Maki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I took away from this book more than anything was Matteo Ricci's determination to carry out his mission. He went as an individual into a society that no interest in him or his mission and devoted his life to getting their attention through patience and persistence. His devotion was heroic.

[Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found only one fault with this excellent biography, one it shares with many others: as you read it is frequently difficult to keep track of the timeline. The problem could easily be solved by putting the year concerned somewhere in the border of every page. I've seen it done, and it's a wonderful innovation

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am currently reading this book, but the book I have says it was published in 1957. The cover is different. The paperback cost $.85. I must have an old one, but same history.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fr. Matteo Ricci was an Italian Jesuit priest who lived from 1552 to 1610. He was also a founding member of the Jesuit China missions. He arrived in China in 1582, and it was here that he received his name "Wise Man." Vincent Cronin, was a British writer and popular historian, who is known for his writings on famous historical figures such as Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and Catherine the Great. The fact that chose to write a book on Fr. Ricci is a testament to how important this missionary was in history. That book is entitled The Man from the West, and I would like to tell you a little bit about it.

The book begins with Fr. Ricci experiencing a call to missionary work in China. We then see their beginning time in China, getting acclimated with the land and culture, and meeting some of the government officials. We then see him preparing to meet the emperor, Wan-Li, because he believed that would help him gain ground in the missionary work. We then see the many struggles Fr. Ricci experienced in his vocation, including being held prisoner and clashing with the Buddhists. The book, naturally, ends with his death and also the death of the mission work he started as well, not because of him but because of a change in political climate mixed with a change of the evangelization method the newer missionaries used.

Fr. Ricci was a great priest and a great man. His method of evangelization was much more tolerant and open-minded, compared to others who followed after him. He didn't go into China with a mission of convert or perish. He came in with a sense of love and understanding. He tried to understand their culture and what made them who they were. He took Asian works and had them converted to Latin, and took Western works and had them converted to Chinese. This showed respect to the people, their past, and their culture. It was through this these methods and simply exuding Christ's love that he was able to succeed in a hostile situation. I really found this book to be a fascinating read and appreciated the style with which Vincent Cronin wrote as it made the history come alive and shed light on a great man in Catholic history who many might not know about. It is truly a fascinating read, and one I think you should pick up when you have a chance.

This book was provided to me for free by Ignatius Press in exchange for an honest review.