A native of Changshu, Jiangsu Province, and born into a non-Christian intellectual family, Qu took 15 years to become a Christian. He met Matteo Ricci in Shaozhou in 1590 and spent about two years learning European mathematics and astronomy, as well as Christianity, from him. Qu admired Ricci, and although he helped Ricci time and again when Ricci encountered difficulties, Qu did not become a Christian until 1605, when he was baptized by Joannes de Rocha and given the Christian name Ignatius. He brought his 14-year-old son to learn the teachings of the church from de Rocha as well, and when Qu died, his son went to Hangzhou in 1623 and invited Julio Aleni to Changshu. Thus Christianity entered Qu’s home village through the initiative of his son.
Attribution
This article is reproduced, with permission, from A Dictionary of Asian Christianity, copyright © 2001 by Scott W. Sunquist, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. All rights reserved.