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Ferdinand Verbiest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Father Ferdinand Verbiest (October 9, 1623 – January 28, 1688) was a Flemish Jesuit missionary in China. He is known as Nan Huairen (南懷仁) in Chinese.
Born at Pittem near Kortrijk, Belgium, he studied in Leuven, Mechelen, Sevilla and Rome. He entered the Society of Jesus on September 2, 1641. In 1658 he accompanied Father Martino Martini to China and reached Macao in 1659. He led the mission in Shanxi until 1660, when he was called to assist, and later replace, Father Adam Schall von Bell in Beijing in his work in astronomy. Beside his work in astronomy, he also experimented with steam. He developed a little steam propelled trolley at around 1670, possibly the first steam powered "car". He died in Beijing and was succeeded as the chief mathematician and astronomer of the Chinese empire by another Belgian Jesuit, Antoine Thomas (1644-1709). His remains were buried near those of Matteo Ricci on March 11, 1688.
Verbiest was the only Westerner in Chinese history to ever receive the honour of a posthumous name by the Emperor.
- List of Belgians
- Religion in China
- Christianity in China
- Jesuit China missions
- Roman Catholicism in China
JOSEPH BRUCKER. The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1912, Robert Appleton Company
- Catholic Encyclopedia article
- Ferdinand Verbiest, a Jesuit scientist in China (Fairfield University)
- Replica of the mechanical vehicle built by Verbiest (scroll down)