1628: Sambiasi started Jesuit mission in Kaifeng
Father Francesco Sambiasi (毕方济, 1582–1649) was an Italian Jesuit who arrived in China in 1610.
In 1628, he started a Jesuit mission in Kaifeng. Unfortunately, the mission house was located within walking distance from the Kaifeng synagogue. This meant that, in 1642, just like the synagogue, this house of worship was also destroyed by the Yellow River flood.
1631: Father Figueiredo (费乐德)
Took over the Jesuit mission in Kaifeng
Father Rodrigue de Figueredo (1594–1642) was a Portuguese Jesuit. In 1631, he was tasked with taking over Jesuit missionary work in Kaifeng.
Visited the kehillah but left behind no records
According to statements issued by the Jewish community to Father Jean-Paul Gozani (骆保禄, 1647–1732), which were recorded in his letter dated 5th November 1704, Father Figueredo visited the Jewish community on multiple occasions, including in 1640.
Father Figueredo's writings do not indicate any interactions with the Jewish community; this was likely because his primary responsibility was to spread the Gospel.
1642: Father Figueiredo (费乐德)
Refused to abandon followers and leave Kaifeng
Father Rodrigue de Figueredo 费乐德神父 [Zane Archives]
In 1642, when the city of Kaifeng was already under siege by the rebel army, a Jesuit lay brother from Macau, Francois Ferreira (1604–1652), was sent to the provincial capital to persuade Rodrigue de Figueredo (1594–1642) to leave the city. The imminent collapse of the Ming Dynasty and multiple sieges by rebel forces put the Jesuit missionaries in a difficult position. Nevertheless, father Figueredo refused to abandon his followers and remained within the city walls.
Jesuit mission house washed away
The flood completely wiped out the Jesuit mission house, which Father Francesco Sambiasi (毕方济, 1582–1649) established in 1628. Father Figueredo was never heard from again. It is thought that he might have drowned in flood, along with many of his Christian followers.
1663: Father Herdtrich (恩理格)
Mathematician in direct service to Emperor Kang-xi
Father Christian Wolfgang Herdtrich (1625–1684) was an Austrian Jesuit. In 1641, he joined the Society of Jesus. In 1660, he departed for China. In 1671, he was summoned to the royal court as a mathematician in direct service to Emperor Kang-xi (reign 1661–1722).
Creator of the first Chinese-Latin dictionary
He was tasked with the task of creating the first-ever Chinese-Latin dictionary, which was significant both practically and symbolically. Another notable achievement of his was the translation of Confucius texts into Latin.
He made great strides both for the Catholic Church and the Chinese Empire. Upon his death in 1684, Emperor Kang-xi personally wrote his epitaph.
Look for Father Figueredo, restart mission in Kaifeng
Although the Jesuit mission suffered greatly during the transition from the Great Ming Dynasty to the Great Qing Dynasty — which gave impetus to social, political, and economic turbulence — the infusion of new manpower allowed the Church's presence in China to continue to expand.
In 1663, Herdtrich was sent to Kaifeng by the Chief Justice (按察使) of Henan Province, Xu Zuan-zeng (许缵曾, 1627–1697). Xu Zuan-zeng excelled in the Imperial Examinations and therefore held a Doctorate; he was baptised when he was one year old by his great-grandfather Xu Guang-qi Paul (徐光启, 1562–1633), a colleague of Father Matteo Ricci (利玛窦, 1552-1610).
Herdtrich was tasked with finding Father Rodrigue de Figueredo (费乐德, 1594–1642) and restarting the Jesuit mission that was ended by the 1642 flood.
Visited Kaifeng synagogue but left no writing
Scholars note that Herdtrich visited the Jewish community’s synagogue when he was in Kaifeng.
1676: Father Christiano Enriquez
Rebuilt Jesuit mission house and hospital in Kaifeng
The Jesuit mission house and medical clinic in Kaifeng were destroyed by the flood of 1642.
In 1676, Father Christiano Enriquez returned to Kaifeng. He restarted the Jesuit mission and rebuilt a medical clinic in the city. This served as the city’s evangelical centre for the next two decades until a local government official shut it down.
Visited the kehillah several times but left no writing
Father Enriquez visited the Kaifeng Jewish community several times, at least once in the year 1662 or 1663. It was also highly probable that he witnessed the newly constructed synagogue and the dynamic of the congregation at the time; however, he never wrote about this experience. He also made no effort to copy or secure an original of the Kaifeng Torah.
Assumed Kaifeng Torah was not pristine
According to Father Jean-Paul Gozani (骆保禄, 1647–1732), who visited the synagogue in 1704, it was probable that Father Enriquez saw no point in wasting his time on a text that had already been “corrupted by the Talmudists” and was no longer “pure, as it had been before the coming of the Saviour.”