Xu Guangqi

Servant of God

Xu Guangqi
Servant of God; Xu Guangqi
	Xu Guangqi with Matteo Ricci (left); From Athanasius Kircher's China Illustrata, 1667
Born	April 24, 1562; Shanghai, China
Died	November 8, 1633; Beijing, China

Servant of God
Xu Guangqi
Servant of God Xu Guangqi
徐光啓
	Portrait of Xu Guangqi
Vice Minister of Rites
	In office; 1629–1630
Preceded by	Ma Zhiqi
Succeeded by	Li Sunchen
Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Library
	In office; 1632–1633
Senior Grand Secretary	Zhou Tingru; Wen Tiren
Personal details
Born	April 24, 1562; Shanghai County, Songjiang, South Zhili, Ming Empire
Died	November 8, 1633 (aged 71); Beijing, Shuntian, North Zhili, Ming Empire
Resting place	Guangqi Park, Xujiahui, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
Nationality	Chinese
Spouse	Wu
Relations	Candida Xu (granddaughter) (Xu Zhun) (Xu Maheux)
Children	Xu Ji (徐驥)
Parent(s)	Xu Sicheng (徐思誠), father
Education	Jinshi Degree (1604)
Occupation	scholar-official (Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary), agronomist, astronomer, mathematician, writer
Known for	Three Pillars of Chinese Catholicism; Chinese translation of Euclid's Elements; Chongzhen calendar; Complete Treatise on Agriculture
Baptismal name	Paul Xu
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	徐光啓
Simplified Chinese	徐光启
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Xú Guāngqǐ
Wade–Giles	Hsü2 Kuang1-ch‘i3
IPA	[ɕy̌ kwáŋtɕʰì]
Courtesy name
Chinese	子先
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Zǐxiān
Wade–Giles	Tzu3-hsien1
Second alternative Chinese name
Chinese	玄扈
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Xuánhù
Wade–Giles	Hsüan-hu
Third alternative Chinese name
Chinese	文定
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Wéndìng
Wade–Giles	Wên2-ting4
Fourth alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	保祿
Simplified Chinese	保禄
Literal meaning	Paulus
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Bǎolù
Wade–Giles	Pao3-lu4

Xu Guangqi or Hsü Kuang-ch'i (April 24, 1562 – November 8, 1633), also known by his baptismal name Paul or Paul Siu, was a Chinese agronomist, astronomer, mathematician, politician, and writer during the Ming dynasty.^[6] Xu was appointed by the Chinese Emperor in 1629 to be the leader of the Shixian calendar reform, which he embarked on with the assistance of Jesuits.^[7] Xu was a colleague and collaborator of the Italian Jesuits Matteo Ricci and Sabatino de Ursis and assisted their translation of several classic Western texts into Chinese, including part of Euclid's Elements. He was also the author of the Nong Zheng Quan Shu, a treatise on agriculture.

He is one of the "Three Pillars of Chinese Catholicism". The Roman Catholic Church considers him a Servant of God^[8], one of the stages towards formal sainthood.^[9] On April 15, 2011, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi announced the start of a beatification process for Xu Guangqi,^[10] which has stalled.^[11]

^ Cite error: The named reference dude was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Dudink (2001), p. 409.
^ Cite error: The named reference duude was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c Brockey (2008), p. 140.
^ Brockey (2008), p. 59.
^ Hummel, Arthur W. Sr., ed. (1943). "Hsü Kuang-ch'i" . Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period. United States Government Printing Office.
^ Stone (2007).
^ Roman Catholic Diocese of Shanghai: 徐光启列品案筹备进程
^ "In a first, Shanghai-born Ming Dynasty bureaucrat and scientist Xu Guangqi to be beatified". Shanghaiist. May 5, 2018.
^ "Church to beatify early China convert in Shanghai". UCA News. 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
^ "The 29th International Conference of the US-China Catholic Association August 2-4, 2024 DePaul University — Lincoln Park Campus Chicago, IL". USCCA. Retrieved August 10, 2024. {{cite web}}: zero width space character in |title= at position 72 (help)

[dude-1] Cite error: The named reference dude was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[FOOTNOTEDudink2001409-2] Dudink (2001), p. 409.

[duude-3] Cite error: The named reference duude was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[FOOTNOTEBrockey2008140-4] Brockey (2008), p. 140.

[FOOTNOTEBrockey200859-5] Brockey (2008), p. 59.

[6] Hummel, Arthur W. Sr., ed. (1943). "Hsü Kuang-ch'i" . Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period. United States Government Printing Office.

[FOOTNOTEStone2007-7] Stone (2007).

[8] Roman Catholic Diocese of Shanghai: 徐光启列品案筹备进程

[9] "In a first, Shanghai-born Ming Dynasty bureaucrat and scientist Xu Guangqi to be beatified". Shanghaiist. May 5, 2018.

[10] "Church to beatify early China convert in Shanghai". UCA News. 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2018.

[11] "The 29th International Conference of the US-China Catholic Association August 2-4, 2024 DePaul University — Lincoln Park Campus Chicago, IL". USCCA. Retrieved August 10, 2024. {{cite web}}: zero width space character in |title= at position 72 (help)

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Servant of God Xu Guangqi
Xu Guangqi with Matteo Ricci (left) From Athanasius Kircher's China Illustrata, 1667
Born	April 24, 1562 Shanghai, China
Died	November 8, 1633 Beijing, China