Title

On the Life and Family of Li Zhizao  

Author

Zheng, Cheng 

Genre

Article  

Pages

653-684      

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

Li Zhizao, civil service examination, Ming studies, Christianity 

Abstract

 Li Zhizao was a key figure in the history of Sino-Western communication in the late Ming Dynasty, and together with Xu Guangqi and Yang Tingyun, he was considered one of the famous “Three Pillars of Chinese Catholicism." Since it appeared in 1966, Rev. Maurus Fang Hao's A Study on Li Chih- Tsao has been the definitive source of information on Li's life and family. This article examines additional materials and ideas about Li's date of birth, family history, civil service examinations, career as a government official, and ancestors and descendants. I trace ten generations of Li's family tree and research the biographies of Li's second son, Cibin, grandson Xixiong, and great-great grandson Gengxing. This paper will pave the way for further study of Li's life and family.