著者

橋本 敬造

出版者

関西大学

雑誌

関西大学東西学術研究所紀要 (ISSN:02878151)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.40, pp.A21-A38, 2007-04

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The author discusses the conflict at the introduction of the Western method into the traditional Chinese calendar system in the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. It was not only the question of how to prepare the traditional Chinese calendar, which was the Luni-solar system, according to the Western astronomical system, but also the problem of how to justify to adopt the Western system instead of the traditional Chinese. This is not a new problem. But, here, we should like to discuss the issue from the point of view of the Western learning, Xixue 西学, as well as the Tianxue 天学, which means Christianity. This is because the author's main concern here is in the development of the Rites Controversy in the early Qing period. So far this issue concerning the Qing calendar has been called the Calendar Accusation, Liyu 暦獄. The author regards the prosecution had the nature of the religious one. First of all the discussions begin with the astronomical controversies, raised by the prosecutors, Yang Guangxian 楊光先et al. He carried on his campaign against the missionaries. In 1664, he submitted to the Board of Rites the document in which he charged Johann Adam Schall von Bell, Tang Ruowang 湯若望, with several alleged errors in astronomical calculations and accused the missionaries of plotting against the state and of indoctrinating the people with false ideas. He referred to the view mentioned in the Tianxue chuankai 天學傅概 [History of Christian Church in China], written in 1664 by the convert, Li Zubai李祖白. He developed the ideas that man had originated in Judea and that a branch of the human family migrated to China under the leader, tentatively identified as Fuxi 伏羲. He also asserted that in ancient China God had been worshipped under the name Tian天or Shangdi 上帝, which was known as the Tianxue 天学, which was eventually to be revived by Ricci. This was repugnant to Yang. Including this idea, Yang produced other articles as the evidences for the accusation of the religion and the missionaries with their followers. Finally Yang lodged against Schall the more serious-though in fact erroneous-charge that he had deliberately fixed on the inauspicious day in 1658 for the burial of the infant prince, Rong Qinwang 榮親王, in order to cast spells on the parents (i.e., Emperor Shizu 世祖and Empress Xiaoxian 孝賢). For the critical issues against the New Method, Xinfa 新法, now F. Verbiest, Nan Huairen 南壊仁, following Adam Schall von Bell, successfully defended, because he had so far well prepared astronomically. Immediately after this prosecution, the Western astronomical system, Xifa 西法, became exclusively called the New Method. On the other hand, the religious issues were mainly treated by the senior missionary, L. Buglio (Li Leisi 利類思). Here we discuss the conflict from the aspects of the both sides, religious and astronomical.