Philippe Couplet

Philippe Couplet, known in China as Bai Yingli, was a Flemish Jesuit missionary who lived from 1623 to 1693. He traveled to the Qing Empire to share knowledge and work with other missionaries. Couplet helped create an important book called Confucius, Philosopher of the Chinese, which was published in Paris in 1687. Because his writings were in Latin, he is sometimes called Philippus Couplet. His work helped connect Chinese and Western ideas during an important time in history.

Life

Philippe Couplet was born in Mechelen in the Spanish Netherlands, now Belgium, in 1623. He joined the Jesuit Order in 1640.

Couplet became very interested in China after hearing a talk by Martino Martini, a Jesuit missionary who had worked there. In 1656, he traveled to China with a group led by Michał Boym. Over the years, he helped build churches in Jiangnan, supported by Candida Xu, a Christian woman from a well-known family.

In 1681, Couplet returned to Europe. His job was to ask the Pope if Christians in China could use their own language in church services. He visited Rome, where he gave the Pope many Chinese books about Christianity. He also met Louis XIV, the king of France, who then planned to send five Jesuit scientists to work at the Chinese court.

In 1687, Couplet helped publish a book called Confucius Sinarum Philosophus ("Confucius, Philosopher of the Chinese") in Paris. This book translated some important Chinese writings and showed how smart and wise Confucius was. Though Couplet wanted to go back to China, he was hurt in a storm on his way there and passed away in 1693.

Works

Philippe Couplet wrote several important books about China. In 1686, he created a Chronological Table of the Chinese Monarchy in Latin. In 1687, he helped publish Confucius, Philosopher of the Chinese in Paris, which shared Chinese ideas with people in Europe. He also wrote other books explaining Chinese life and faith.