Yang Guangxian
Encyclopedia
Yang Guangxian (1597-1669) was a Chinese Confucian
writer and astronomer who was the head of the Bureau of Astronomy (欽天監) from 1665 to 1669.
during the late Ming
period. In 1637, he went to Beijing
and then tried to advance himself by charging other people with criminal acts, or blackmailing them. When he tried this against Grand Secretary Wen Tiren (溫體仁), he was exiled to Liaoxi (遼西), where he stayed until the end of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. In Liaoxi, he learned astrology
and fortunetelling.
Upon his return to Beijing, his new skills in astrology made it possible for him to pose as an astronomer
, which gave him entrance into the higher circles. But the highest positions for astronomers were all taken by Jesuits. In 1659, he wrote On Collecting Errors , a criticism of the Western calendar
. He also wrote his first attack on Christianity
, On Exposing Heterodoxy . But his first direct attack on the leading Jesuit astronomer of the court, Johann Adam Schall von Bell
, appeared in 1660, when he sent A Call to Rectify the Country to the Board of Rites (禮部), claiming that they wanted to Westernize the Chinese calendar. It was rejected.
More writings followed over the next few years. These were collected in 1665 as I Cannot Do Otherwise . The most important of these articles appeared in September 1664: A Complaint Requesting Punishment for the Evil Religion . This time, it was accepted by the Board of Rites. In it, he claimed that Schall was responsible for the death of Consort Donggo in 1660 by choosing an inauspicuous day for the burial
of her son in 1658. Schall suffered a stroke during the investigations and had to be supported by Ferdinand Verbiest
.
In April 1665, Schall and seven of his Chinese assistants were found guilty and sentenced
to death. Eventually, only five Christian Chinese were executed: all Christian missionaries were exiled to Macau
instead, with only the four Jesuits remaining in Beijing. Adam Schall, who died in 1666, would not live long enough to see the ban lifted in 1671.
Yang Guangxian became the head of the Chinese Bureau of Astronomy (欽天監監正). In 1668, however, he was removed from the post and replaced again by the Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest, because he could not produce a valid calendar during a competition with the Jesuit astronomers. The previous case against the Jesuits was reinvestigated and all findings were reversed. Yang sentenced to death, only to be exiled to his native village due to his old age. He died the next year during his journey home.
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
writer and astronomer who was the head of the Bureau of Astronomy (欽天監) from 1665 to 1669.
Biography
Yang Guangxian was an assistant guard commander of the Xinanwei (新安縣) in AnhuiAnhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
during the late Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
period. In 1637, he went to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and then tried to advance himself by charging other people with criminal acts, or blackmailing them. When he tried this against Grand Secretary Wen Tiren (溫體仁), he was exiled to Liaoxi (遼西), where he stayed until the end of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. In Liaoxi, he learned astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
and fortunetelling.
Upon his return to Beijing, his new skills in astrology made it possible for him to pose as an astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
, which gave him entrance into the higher circles. But the highest positions for astronomers were all taken by Jesuits. In 1659, he wrote On Collecting Errors , a criticism of the Western calendar
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
. He also wrote his first attack on Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, On Exposing Heterodoxy . But his first direct attack on the leading Jesuit astronomer of the court, Johann Adam Schall von Bell
Johann Adam Schall von Bell
Johann Adam Schall von Bell was a German Jesuit and astronomer. He spent most of his life as a missionary in China and became an adviser to the Chinese emperor.- Life :...
, appeared in 1660, when he sent A Call to Rectify the Country to the Board of Rites (禮部), claiming that they wanted to Westernize the Chinese calendar. It was rejected.
More writings followed over the next few years. These were collected in 1665 as I Cannot Do Otherwise . The most important of these articles appeared in September 1664: A Complaint Requesting Punishment for the Evil Religion . This time, it was accepted by the Board of Rites. In it, he claimed that Schall was responsible for the death of Consort Donggo in 1660 by choosing an inauspicuous day for the burial
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
of her son in 1658. Schall suffered a stroke during the investigations and had to be supported by Ferdinand Verbiest
Ferdinand Verbiest
Father Ferdinand Verbiest was a Flemish Jesuit missionary in China during the Qing dynasty. He was born in Pittem near Tielt in Flanders, later part of the modern state of Belgium. He is known as Nan Huairen in Chinese...
.
In April 1665, Schall and seven of his Chinese assistants were found guilty and sentenced
Sentenced
Sentenced was a Finnish heavy metal band that played melodic death metal in their early years. The band formed in 1989, in the town of Muhos, Finland, and broke up in 2005.-Early years :...
to death. Eventually, only five Christian Chinese were executed: all Christian missionaries were exiled to Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
instead, with only the four Jesuits remaining in Beijing. Adam Schall, who died in 1666, would not live long enough to see the ban lifted in 1671.
Yang Guangxian became the head of the Chinese Bureau of Astronomy (欽天監監正). In 1668, however, he was removed from the post and replaced again by the Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest, because he could not produce a valid calendar during a competition with the Jesuit astronomers. The previous case against the Jesuits was reinvestigated and all findings were reversed. Yang sentenced to death, only to be exiled to his native village due to his old age. He died the next year during his journey home.