New Research on Confucian Christian Liu Ning during early Qing Dynasty

Abstract

Researches on common Christians in the early Qing dynasty is relatively scarce. ’I'his essay tried to uncover and investigate the family? lives? writings?communications and thought of Liu Ning> who was a Christian and also a Confucian adept in studying ancient Confucian classics and Chinese philology and phonology in the early Qing. Some new historical materials prove that Liu was born in 1 620, not as some scholars said in 1625; and he died nearly in 1715 when he was 96 years old. He was probably baptized by Prosper Intorcctta (1625——1696.) in Nanfeng County or by other missionaries before Liu went to Chongyi County to hold the position of Confucian instructor in 1687. This essay also discusses some of Liu's thoughts?such as Restoring Confucianism and Replacing Buddhism and so on. The last part points out the changes of Christianity's legitimacy from the late Ming to the early Qing dynasties and concludes some main reasons for these changes.