INTRODUCTORY DECLARATION.

For Europeans, there were many exchanges, not only with people, but also regarding sciences and academic disciplines; nevertheless, these exchanges were not so productive as to prevent most of the Chinese from still looking down on our achievements compared to their own. They frequently asserted that we were not so much approaching the heights of their wisdom as we were merely moving a little further away from the laziness and crudeness of other barbarians. Indeed, some jokingly remarked that, according to an ancient proverb of their people, only the Chinese Sinae The Latin term for the Chinese people. were gifted with both eyes, while the rest of mortals were plainly blind; they did, however, grant Europeans one eye. Therefore, it pleased the Companions The "Socii," referring to the members of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits. to explore all the secrets of this nation. Just as they had already penetrated the lands themselves, fortified by so many barriers and guards, they also sought to create an entrance for themselves into the innermost sanctuaries of that proud philosophy which holds such a high opinion of itself. Their plan was this: once they had thoroughly learned and understood all their tenets, institutions, and especially their ancient records, they might seek—in imitation of the Apostle A reference to St. Paul, who in the New Testament (Acts 17) adapted his preaching to the culture and philosophy of the Athenians to win them over.—whatever light or strength could be found there to announce and confirm the truth of Christian Philosophy A term used by the authors to present Christianity not just as a religion, but as a supreme system of wisdom and logic.. Thus, these proud men might finally recognize, even against their will (unless a wicked self-love should utterly blind them), that it was they rather than we who truly lacked a "second eye," since they were completely ignorant of our sciences, to which we had now joined their own philosophy.

Therefore, after a diligent examination, the Companions realized that nearly the whole of Chinese Philosophy—certainly the flower and marrow of it—is contained in four principal books These are the "Four Books" of Confucianism: the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects, and Mencius.. There is no member of the literati The educated class of scholar-officials in Imperial China. who does not hold these in his memory from youth. The more one drinks from this pool of political and moral knowledge, the more quickly he is promoted to literary degrees, honors, and Magistracies Official government positions.. From these books, finally, the chief oracles of the nation and the "eternal truths" of the Chinese are sought.

They undertook this task with great courage, first working to understand these books; it is impossible to describe how much they labored and sweated over them. Since they found nothing in them that opposed reason or the Law of Nature, but much that marvelously supported it, they decided to learn them thoroughly and turn them to their own use. This great labor was met with an equally great reward. For when Christian truths were presented—deduced (as they believed) from Chinese principles, supported and illustrated by the authority and testimony of their ancient Kings and sages, and finally adorned with their own words and maxims—the Chinese no longer received them with fear or contempt as foreign and barbarian, but welcomed them with listening ears and even with reverence as their own. Not a few, upon whom the divine light shone more kindly, followed with ready minds; soon they were the ones encouraging and leading their relatives and friends to "enroll" in this same philosophy. Others, however, who were entangled in the bonds of greed and lust, or who were more alienated from us by their devotion to superstitions, nevertheless looked up to the intellect, memory, and wisdom of the Europeans.