1592 — 1666
Johann Adam Schall von Bell
Jesuit missionary and astronomer in China.
As the Shun-chih emperor, who in his youth called Schall Ma-fa (Grandpa), turned more toward Buddhism, Muslim astronomers attacked Schall’s astronomical competence and his Christian teachings. On April 20, 1664, Schall suffered partial paralysis, such that his speech and movements were left impaired. Charged with treason and teaching false astronomy and a heterodox religion, Schall was imprisoned with three confreres, endured a state trial, and was condemned to death. An earthquake in Peking followed by a fire less than two weeks later frightened the judges, with the result that Schall and his confreres were set free. After Schall’s death, Ferdinand Verbiest, his successor at the bureau, asked for a new investigation, which led to the rehabilitation of Schall’s name and restoration of all his titles and ranks.
Attribution
This article is reprinted from Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, Macmillan Reference USA, copyright (c) 1998 Gerald H. Anderson, by permission of The Gale Group; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. All rights reserved.
Sources
- Johann Adam Schall von Bell, Historica narratio de initio et progressu missionis Societatis Jesu apud Sinenses (1665; repr, Historica relatio de ortu et progressu fidei orthodoxae in regno Chinansi permissionarios Societatis Jesu ab anna 1581 uqsue ad annum 1669, 1672). Rachel Attwater, Adam Schall: A Jesuit at the Court of China (1962); H. Bernard and P. Bornet, Lettres et memoires d'Adam Schall, S.J., relation historique (1942); R. Malek, ed., Johann Adam Schall 400th Anniversary Volume (1997); Louis Pfister, Notices biographiques et bibliographiques sur les Jesuites de l'ancienne mission de Chine (1932-1934; repr., 1975), pp. 162-170 (contains a list of Schall's Chinese works); A. Vath, Johann Adam Schall von Bell: Missionar in China, Kaiserlicher Astronom und Ratgeber am Hofe von Peking, 1592-1666 (1933; repr., 1991).
About the Author
Associate Professor of East Asian History, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA
