FEATURE ARCHIVE - SPRING 2004 The Red Manifesto of the Kangxi Emperor, October 31, 1716

Translation:
In compliance with His Majesty’s Imperial Order, We, the Intendants of the Imperial Press at the Wuyingdian, Yi Duli, Wang Daohua, and Zhao Chang, respectfully announce to all who have come from West the following manifesto:

In the 45th year of the Kangxi reign the Westerners Fr. António de Barros, S.J. [Long Anguo] and Fr. Antoine de Beauvollier, S.J. [Bo Xianshi] were appointed Imperial envoys. During the 47th year of the Kangxi reign the Westerners Fr. Giuseppe Provana, S.J. [Ai Ruose], and Fr. José Raimundo de Arxo, S.J. [Lu Ruose], were likewise appointed envoys, received their Imperial orders, and departed for the West.

For these many years until the present, there has not only been no written contact from them, but other missives difficult to interpret or validate have been received. For this reason another letter [to Rome] was sent via the Russians which we hope reached its destination.

Certainly until the men we dispatched have returned and these matters settled no credence can be placed in other explanations. If our envoys fail to return, we will have no positive evidence for whatever other letters may be had, and thus we cannot place out trust in them.

Therefore, fearing that our [most recent] letter will fail to reach its destination, this manifesto, with Western language text appended, has been printed and given the seal of the Provincial Governor of Guangdong Province. It is an open-letter to be copied and distributed among all Westerners who arrive that they may carry back for distribution.

[Dated] 17th day of the 9th month of the 55th year of Kangxi [October 31, 1716]

Description:
The Manifesto is written in Manchu, Chinese, and Latin, and printed in the vermilion red ink reserved for proclamations of the Emperor. It is block-printed, 39 x 93 cm. The original was written in Manchu by the Kangxi Emperor himself at Anzuling. Officials of the Imperial printers at the Wuyingdian rendered the Manchu into Chinese, which the Emperor himself corrected. Jesuit missionaries at court provide the Latin translation, and their signatures may be seen in that section.

Background:
In 1706, at the height of the Chinese Rites Controversy, the Kangxi Emperor appointed two Jesuit missionaries, Fathers Antonio de Barros and Antoine de Beauvollier, as his special envoys to Rome. Their mission e8 November, 2004e Portuguese coast.

Not having any news from them, the Emperor appointed Fathers José Ramón Arxo an8 November, 2004entatives in Rome. Arxo and Provana left Macau in 1708. Arxo died in Spain in 1711 and Provana died in 1720 on the return voyage to China. Since no word of their deliberations came to the Emperor, he had this document, the Red Manifesto, or Hongpiao, written and all missionaries resident in Beijing sign it, and ordered it given to any Europeans who came to the capitol. He states that he will not give credence to any documents regarding the Rites Controversy until his envoys return.

Original document: Rouleau Archives, Ricci Institute at the University of San Francisco.

Sources:
Litterae patentes imperatoris Sinarum Kang-Hi. Sinice et Latine cum interpretatione Ignatii Koegleri; Ex archetypo sinensi edidit additis notitiis sinicis Christophorus Theophilus de Murr ... Norimbergae et Altdorfii: Bibliopolio Monathi et Kussleri, 1802.
Includes detailed description of this document.

Apostolic Legations to China of the eighteenth century. Antonio Sisto Rosso, O.F.M.
South Pasadena: Perkins, 1948.
Includes background, facsimile, and translation of this document.

Kangxi yu Luoma shijie guanxi wenshu. Chen Yuan. 1932, 1974 rpt.