Question One
When Alessandro Valignano arrival in Japan in the year 1579, the Society of Jesus had constantly been working for more than thirty years. The mission was, however, struggling despite the huge number that was considered to have been influenced by the feudal lords. The leadership of Francisco Cabral was stressful such that the few Jesuits workers were overworked, and therefore, they became frustrated. Francisco Cabral had refused to cater for the needs of Jesuits, and this was seen as a disrespect to the Japanese. After Valignano had arrived in Japan, he saw the way Jesuits were being mistreated through forced working and frustrations from their leader Cabral (Ross, 2004). He, therefore, vowed to change the direction of the mission and the policies of the Jesuit community. These were strategies that were important to address the problems that the Jesuits had previously encountered. Furthermore, the strategies were geared towards pursuing Cabral to lessen his policies that were considered stressful to the Jesuit people. The policies that Valignano came with were, however, respecting the Japan's culture and love for the Japanese people. Under the leadership of Valignano, the fortunes of Jesuit mission changed and the works of the Jesuits people were respected as well. The economy of the Jesuit community also flourished during the leadership of Valignano. The arrival of Valignano in Japan was also important as the Japanese politics changed to favor their leadership unlike previously where the Jesuits political agenda was not taken into consideration (Jack 2010).
Alexandro Valignano believed that the Jesuit mission in Japan was important and thus he proposed the changed of the Jesuit mission to ensure that Jesuit received recognition regarding culture and leadership (Matteo, 2005). After arriving in Japan, he proposed the integration of the Japanese culture with that of other groups such as the culture of European missionaries. He believed that Japanese people have a humble culture and thus they can easily be converted to Christianity. They were willing to accept the Christian doctrines, and this could allow them to have a greater influence in other groups within and outside Japan (Ross, 2004). Furthermore, he argued that when the Europeans and the Jesuits cultures are integrated, they will be in a position to influence the kingdoms of Japan. What is more, he argued that Japanese are capable of receiving and accepting new laws, and this was significant in ordaining them the Holy Spirit.
Mathew Perry’s approach contrasts the approach by Valegnano as his approach used military force as the main factor in negotiating for a treaty. He allowed the Americans to trade in Japan to end the Sakoku period which he believed had affected Japanese economy for more than 200 years. After the signing of Kanagawa treaty, Perry managed to return more than eight ships and renamed them the “Treaty of Peace and Amity” (Dunne, 2007). Instead of developing diplomatic relations with other groups, Perry used military force to chase them out of Japan. The Opium war affected Japanese reception of Westerners negatively in the mid-1850s. Even though the Japanese allowed some missionaries to come into Japan, the Chinese and the British were not allowed into the country of Japan. This in turn significantly affected the Japanese economy. The Japanese goods were not able to arrive in the markets outside Japan. The Japanese knowledge of the conflict as a result of Opium war affected many Japanese negatively. They saw the Jesuits as the source of the Opium war and therefore, it was difficult for any Jesuit who was non-Japanese to enter into Japan.
Question Three
The newly formed Society of Jesus in China changed the way in which Jesuit missionaries were missionizing in China. In China the Jesuit missionaries were led by Father Matteo Ricci who led the Jesuit missionaries developed a mission strategy that focused majorly on the scholar-officials unlike in Japan where the missionary strategy focused on the ordinary people (Matteo, 2005). A number of people who were literate were converted into Christianity whom included the famous Xu, Li and Yang who were considered the three pillars of the Early Christian Church. Instead of concentrating on Confucianism, the Jesuit missionaries proposed the integration of Christianity. Confucianism was used by Matteo Ricci to influence the languages in China and it in turn influenced the Jesuit strategy in Japan. He made the Jesuits to mainly follow the Confucianism culture and those who have been converted were taught basic medicine and how to value the caliber of brotherhood. The brotherhood aspect was important since it provided the Jesuits with the true meaning of the Lord in Heaven.
They were made to believe that living in a brotherhood society will make them see the Lord in Heaven. Li Zhizao and Xu defended Christianity and the Christian missionaries in China. For example, Li Zhizao gave them the freedom to spread the Christian values in all the regions of China (Dunne, 2007). Xu on the other hand, allowed them to build churches in all the parts of China and this allowed them to worship the Lord in Heaven freely. Even though the accommodation strategy of Christianity allowed the Jesuits to have freedom of worship and feel free in China. Through the strategy, they were able to reach and convert many Chinese into Christianity. The strategy however faced troubles from Vatican people since the doctrines the Jesuits followed differed from those of the Catholics in Vatican. Pope Clement XI proposed that all the believers regardless of the denomination to follow the Vatican doctrines but Kangxi Emperor refused the proposal arguing that people should be given the right to exercise the freedom of worship.
References
Dunne, G. H. (2007). The Jesuits in China in the last days of the Ming dynasty. Chicago.
Ross, A. (2004). A vision betrayed: The Jesuits in Japan and China, 1542-1742. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Jack, Hoey III, B. (2010). European Documents. Alexandro Valignano’s Japanese Mission Policy. Oxford University Press.
Matteo Ricci S.J. (2005). The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven. Tien-Chu Shih-i.
