Descendent of Matteo Ricci Visits ZQU

Tracing his ancestor’s footprints, Prof. Luigi Ricci, the descendent of Matteo Ricci, set off from faraway Italy to revisit China. Prof. Ricci stopped in Zhaoqing Dec 9 – 12 and also visited ZQU.  

President He Fei met with Prof Ricci in the afternoon of Dec 11. President He introduced research programs of the Matteo Ricci Association in ZQU, the plan of building a Maetto Ricci International Academic Research Center on campus, and plans for the Sino – Italian Friendship Year in 2010. President He also extended a warm welcome to Prof Ricci by presenting the Second Matteo Ricci and Sino-western Cultural Exchange Symposium next Dec. Prof. Ricci was delighted by the progress in researching Matteo Ricci and highly praised the on-going efforts. Prof. Ricci also expressed full support in the future for all related projects. Wang Mingxing, the dean of the Tourism Faculty and Wen Shubin, the vice director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, were also in attendance. 

On Dec 10, Prof. Ricci gave students a lecture on “Matteo Ricci in China” and attended a Matteo Ricci academic forum. Prof. Ricci also visited Matteo Ricci Residence, Xianhuasi Church, Chongxi Tower, and Xijiang River where Matteo Ricci used to live and work.  

Matteo Ricci was an Italian missionary who came to Zhaoqing in 1583 and contributed tremendously to the spread of western culture in China. Matteo Ricci has been credited as “the first person to connect western cultures with the Chinese”, and Zhaoqing University scholars have published essays on different aspects of Ricci’s achievement and influence on Chinese culture. Zhaoqing University successfully hosted the First Matteo Ricci and Sino-western Cultural Exchange Symposium in December 2006.