The Beijing Center

Ferdinand Verbiest’s 400th Birth Anniversary Event at TBC

  • The Beijing Center

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October 9, 2023, marked the 400th anniversary of the birth of Ferdinand Verbiest. On this significant day, HE Bruno Angelet, the Belgian Ambassador to China, along with Sinology experts and scholars from both China and Europe, alongside representatives from various fields, convened at TBC. Together, they traced the footsteps of Ferdinand Verbiest, reflecting on the remarkable achievements of this Belgian missionary. 

From left to right: Belgian Ambassador to China HE Bruno Angelet, Belgian Counsellor Johan van Hove, Director of the Macau Ricci Institute Stephan Rothlin, and Deputy Director the Macau Ricci Institute Jarosław Marek Duraj

Simon Koo, the Executive Director of TBC, delivered the opening remarks, extending a warm welcome to all distinguished guests. As an institution boasting the most extensive library of Sinological books in English on the Chinese mainland, TBC showcased numerous works by Ferdinand Verbiest and Belgian scholars during the event. Among the highlights was the original publication of Historia Tartaro-Sinica nova by Belgian missionary Francois de Rougemont in 1673. Verbiest’s scholarly endeavors serve as a bridge of Sino-European friendship, inspiring TBC to redouble its efforts in promoting cross-cultural exchanges and strengthening connections between China and the West.

Belgian Ambassador to China, HE Bruno Angelet, visits the exhibits at TBC

During the event, Ambassador HE Bruno Angelet also delivered a speech, introducing the academic contributions of Ferdinand Verbiest and his connections with China. Verbiest arrived in China in the mid-17th century and was eventually buried in the Zhalan Cemetery in Beijing. He was one of the most influential missionaries to China in the early Qing Dynasty. As a distinguished mathematician and astronomer, Verbiest taught geometry and astronomy to Emperor Kangxi, playing a crucial role in modernizing and advancing Chinese science in astronomy, mathematics, and cartography. The astronomical instruments he designed and crafted are still showcased at the Beijing Ancient Observatory, bearing testament to the historical exchange of scientific knowledge between the East and West. 

Speech by Belgian Ambassador to China, HE Bruno Angelet.

This commemorative event was jointly organized by the Embassy of Belgium in China, the Macau Ricci Institute, the Yale Center Beijing, and TBC. At this auspicious moment, we collectively express our profound respect for Ferdinand Verbiest, a visionary mathematician, astronomer, and ambassador of Sino-European friendship. 

From left to right: Executive Director of TBC Simon Koo, President of the Macau Ricci Institute Stephan Rothlin, Belgium Ambassador to China H.E. Bruno Angelet, Provincial of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus Stephen Tong S.J., Director of the Yale Center Beijing Carol Li Rafferty

Translated by Fiona

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