Could the Dutch or the Spanish be interested in proping up a more sucessful southern Ming?
Perpetual Brightness: Surviving Southern Ming
- Thread starter Faeelin
- Start date
Faeelin
Banned
Bejing, March, 1660
Since their conquest of China, many had hoped that the Manchu would civilize. There were those who said that, with time, the Qing would adapt Chinese ways, take Chinese names, and rule as Chinese emperors, with justice and wisdom.
Watching the Qing Emperor of Unbroken Rule smash apart an ivory chest, Adam Schall found himself doubting that would happen any time soon. “Your Majesty,” he said calmly, “the news is certainly bad.” He was about to continue, when The Emperor of Unbroken Rule interrupted him.
“Bad?” roared The Emperor of Unbroken Rule. He walked over to a table, and poured himself a deep cup of rice wine. “Bad news is when there’s a poor harvest somewhere. Bad news is being informed that a shipment of silk for the court will be late. The young emperor sat down, and frowned. “This, Grandfather [1], is a disaster.”
Adam sat down next to The Emperor. “Your armies have suffered defeats before,” he gently reminded The Emperor. “Nanjing was only taken a little more than ten years ago, and much of the south has always been rebellious.”
“Yes,” whined The Emperor of Unbroken Rule, “but things were going so well. What could have happened, to bring us such bad luck?”
Adam smiled at The Emperor. “Your Majesty, you know that I am a priest in the Order of the Jesuits.” The Emperor acknowledged it absently. Gently, Adam said, “I have received word, your Majesty, from fellow priests in my order.” He cleared his throat, and solemnly said, “The son of the Emperor of Eternal Experiences was baptized as a Christian.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule was silent for a moment. “You think your Lord of Heaven favors them, now that a Christian might one day rule China?”
Adam sighed. “It grieves my heart, Your Majesty, but I fear it might be so. You are a good man, and far better than any pretender from the Southern Dynasty [2].” He spread his hands. “But if God wills that China must be Christian, and you will not accept Christ into your heart, what can he do?”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule breathed deeply, and absently ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to give up my concubines, or my wives,” he said.
Adam Schall nodded sympathetically. The demands of Christ could be difficult for any man, he knew. “It is hard to obey the teachings of the Lord of Heaven,” he said sympathetically. “But should you do what is easy, or what is right?”
The emperor looked dubiously at Adam, but he pressed on. “Remember, Your Majesty, God forgives one’s sins. Jesus preached to prostitutes and money lenders. If you repent, I think he would forgive you concubines, if it saved the souls of China.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule looked at Adam, and then looked down at the floor. “Grandfather, you ask me to do something that is hard.” He paused. “Harder, perhaps, than anything I have ever done.” The Emperor of Unbroken Rule looked up at the man he called Grandfather. “But you have guided me since I was a child, and you have never led me astray.”
Trembling with joy, Adam listened as he heard The Emperor of Unbroken Rule say, “I will worship the Son of the Lord of Heaven, for the good of my people.”
[1] The Emperor of Unbroken Rule was extremely close to Adam Schall, as the Jesuit had been an advisor and confidant of his from the age of 12. Although the emperor was never likely to convert, many of his concubines did, and the two were extremely close. Schall was among the few who did not have to kowtow before the emperor, and could visit him at any time.
[2] The Qing had been referring to the Ming as the Southern Dynasty since the 1640s, denying that they were the true rulers of China.
Since their conquest of China, many had hoped that the Manchu would civilize. There were those who said that, with time, the Qing would adapt Chinese ways, take Chinese names, and rule as Chinese emperors, with justice and wisdom.
Watching the Qing Emperor of Unbroken Rule smash apart an ivory chest, Adam Schall found himself doubting that would happen any time soon. “Your Majesty,” he said calmly, “the news is certainly bad.” He was about to continue, when The Emperor of Unbroken Rule interrupted him.
“Bad?” roared The Emperor of Unbroken Rule. He walked over to a table, and poured himself a deep cup of rice wine. “Bad news is when there’s a poor harvest somewhere. Bad news is being informed that a shipment of silk for the court will be late. The young emperor sat down, and frowned. “This, Grandfather [1], is a disaster.”
Adam sat down next to The Emperor. “Your armies have suffered defeats before,” he gently reminded The Emperor. “Nanjing was only taken a little more than ten years ago, and much of the south has always been rebellious.”
“Yes,” whined The Emperor of Unbroken Rule, “but things were going so well. What could have happened, to bring us such bad luck?”
Adam smiled at The Emperor. “Your Majesty, you know that I am a priest in the Order of the Jesuits.” The Emperor acknowledged it absently. Gently, Adam said, “I have received word, your Majesty, from fellow priests in my order.” He cleared his throat, and solemnly said, “The son of the Emperor of Eternal Experiences was baptized as a Christian.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule was silent for a moment. “You think your Lord of Heaven favors them, now that a Christian might one day rule China?”
Adam sighed. “It grieves my heart, Your Majesty, but I fear it might be so. You are a good man, and far better than any pretender from the Southern Dynasty [2].” He spread his hands. “But if God wills that China must be Christian, and you will not accept Christ into your heart, what can he do?”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule breathed deeply, and absently ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to give up my concubines, or my wives,” he said.
Adam Schall nodded sympathetically. The demands of Christ could be difficult for any man, he knew. “It is hard to obey the teachings of the Lord of Heaven,” he said sympathetically. “But should you do what is easy, or what is right?”
The emperor looked dubiously at Adam, but he pressed on. “Remember, Your Majesty, God forgives one’s sins. Jesus preached to prostitutes and money lenders. If you repent, I think he would forgive you concubines, if it saved the souls of China.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule looked at Adam, and then looked down at the floor. “Grandfather, you ask me to do something that is hard.” He paused. “Harder, perhaps, than anything I have ever done.” The Emperor of Unbroken Rule looked up at the man he called Grandfather. “But you have guided me since I was a child, and you have never led me astray.”
Trembling with joy, Adam listened as he heard The Emperor of Unbroken Rule say, “I will worship the Son of the Lord of Heaven, for the good of my people.”
[1] The Emperor of Unbroken Rule was extremely close to Adam Schall, as the Jesuit had been an advisor and confidant of his from the age of 12. Although the emperor was never likely to convert, many of his concubines did, and the two were extremely close. Schall was among the few who did not have to kowtow before the emperor, and could visit him at any time.
[2] The Qing had been referring to the Ming as the Southern Dynasty since the 1640s, denying that they were the true rulers of China.
Yep. Though it seems like this is all a bit dramatic. Why didn't anything happen like in OTL, if all it took was some troubles and a westerner advisor to make the emperor convert? My guess is this is going to be far different from the much vaunted event that led to the chieftain of the Russians to become Christian rather than Muslim.
However, this may lead to several interesting trends:
1. More European influence in China. Maybe.
2. The Manchu becoming distinctly culturally different from the Han Chinese, possibly because more (not necessarily a majority) of the upper crust become Christian?
3. An uniquely Chinese/Manchu/whatever strain of Christianity developing.
I'd never heard of Adam Schall before. What are your sources? I am very, very glad that there are some people such as yourself with a good grasp of Chinese history writing AHs like this. Whoo hoo!
However, this may lead to several interesting trends:
1. More European influence in China. Maybe.
2. The Manchu becoming distinctly culturally different from the Han Chinese, possibly because more (not necessarily a majority) of the upper crust become Christian?
3. An uniquely Chinese/Manchu/whatever strain of Christianity developing.
I'd never heard of Adam Schall before. What are your sources? I am very, very glad that there are some people such as yourself with a good grasp of Chinese history writing AHs like this. Whoo hoo!
Faeelin
Banned
Strategos' Risk said:
Reputedly, he promised to convert if the Lord of Heaven helped him survive smallpox, in OTL 1661.
He didn't, of course. But there was a relatively substantial population of Christians in China at its height; up to 200,000. Out of a population of a couple hundred million, but still.
And Chinese Catholicism, at this point, still entails ancestor worship.
Heh. Yes.
This will assuredly happen.
Perhaps, assuming they follow in the emperor's footsteps.
Remember, though, that there are plenty of Chinese who are going to be reminded of the Mongols; and there are plenty of Manchus aware that the Chinese are worried about that, and will act accordingly.
This, I think I can say yes, without giving too much away.
Coxinga and the Fall of the Ming Dynasty
The Great Enterprise: The Manchu Reconstruction of Imperial Order in Seventeenth-Century China
The Sextants of Bejing:Global Currents in Chinese History
From Ming to Ch'ing: Conquest, Region, and Continuity Seventeenth Century China
The Glory and Fall of the Ming Dynasty
There are others I plan on using, but I haven't used them for what I've written yet.
Faeelin
Banned
Beijing, May 1660
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule knelt in the church that he been constructed by Adam Schall, and prayed to the man upon the crucifix. “Oh Lord of Heaven,” he began, “All that has been created has been made for You. Exercise upon me all Your rights. I renew my baptismal promises renouncing Satan and all his works. I promise to lead a good Christian life and to do all in my power to procure the triumph of the rights of God and Your Church.”
The Church was empty, aside from the Emperor, of course. He looked up at the image, and blinked. The man on the cross could have passed for any of his subjects, and looked nothing at all like the men of the Western Ocean Kingdoms. As he burned incense before the crucifix, The Emperor of Unbroken Rule wondered if any of the historians who had been around during Christ’s life had commented on that.
As he heard the footsteps on the carpet behind him, he asked, “Grandfather, did any of Jesus’s followers find it strange that the Son of the Lord of Heaven looked different than the rest of them?”
Adam Schall carefully sank to his knees next to the Emperor, crossed himself, and smiled. “To be honest, none of us are sure what Christ looked like.” He coughed. “None of the Apostles wrote about that, after all.” He grimaced slightly at the pain in his knees, and said, “It doesn’t matter, really, since how the Son of God looked is not important.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Ruler eyed Adam for a moment. “Perhaps,” he said. “But it seems to me that God would have taken the form most pleasing to men, and would therefore have looked like us.” A look of concern came over his face as he noticed Adam’s pain. “You are uncomfortable,” he said at last, “and from more than the pain in your joints.”
Adam smiled. “It’s nothing, Your Majesty,” he lied. “I have good news for you.” The Emperor waited expectantly, and Adam said, “Wu Sangui has not joined with the Ming, as we feared.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule smiled. “Excellent!” he said. “The Lord of Heaven must be smiling upon us.”
Adam grunted. “Remember,” he said, “his son is a hostage in the Imperial City. He knows that if he rebels, his life is forfeit.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule nodded in a vaguely irritated manner. “True,” he said. “But he hasn’t been obeying our commands. I feared that he had joined the Ming, and that would have given them Yunnan and the rest of the southwest.” He crossed himself awkwardly, and said, “Thanks to the Lord of Heaven, he seems to be sitting out the war.”
Adam looked up at the crucifix, and bowed his head. “You’re right,” he said. “I should be more grateful to him.” He paused, and mused, “I wonder if Wu Sangui wants to build his own realm in the southwest.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me,” he said. “From his point of view, it’s probably better to rule Yunnan than to serve in Bejing.” The Emperor got up, and helped Adam to his feet.
“You should not help me stand,” chided Adam. “It is unseemly for an Emperor to help one of his servants.”
“It is unseemly,” replied the Emperor as he lifted Adam up, “to let one’s Grandfather suffer.” He paused for a moment, and said, “I’ve decided to offer the Southern Dynasty a truce.”
Adam’s face became serious, as he took in the implications. “Why?” he asked.
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule, his throat dry, said, “I’m not certain that the Qing would win, otherwise.” Adam gave him an indulgent look, and The Emperor added after a moment, “And I’m concerned about the people. A good emperor,” he said, “should look after their needs, first and foremost.”
The Emperor fidgeted, and his eyes turned towards the crucifix once more. “In any case, there are plenty of examples in Chinese history of a Southern Dynasty holding on for a few years, before the new, northern dynasty sweeps them away.”
“With the Lord of Heaven on our side, our victory is only a matter of time.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule knelt in the church that he been constructed by Adam Schall, and prayed to the man upon the crucifix. “Oh Lord of Heaven,” he began, “All that has been created has been made for You. Exercise upon me all Your rights. I renew my baptismal promises renouncing Satan and all his works. I promise to lead a good Christian life and to do all in my power to procure the triumph of the rights of God and Your Church.”
The Church was empty, aside from the Emperor, of course. He looked up at the image, and blinked. The man on the cross could have passed for any of his subjects, and looked nothing at all like the men of the Western Ocean Kingdoms. As he burned incense before the crucifix, The Emperor of Unbroken Rule wondered if any of the historians who had been around during Christ’s life had commented on that.
As he heard the footsteps on the carpet behind him, he asked, “Grandfather, did any of Jesus’s followers find it strange that the Son of the Lord of Heaven looked different than the rest of them?”
Adam Schall carefully sank to his knees next to the Emperor, crossed himself, and smiled. “To be honest, none of us are sure what Christ looked like.” He coughed. “None of the Apostles wrote about that, after all.” He grimaced slightly at the pain in his knees, and said, “It doesn’t matter, really, since how the Son of God looked is not important.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Ruler eyed Adam for a moment. “Perhaps,” he said. “But it seems to me that God would have taken the form most pleasing to men, and would therefore have looked like us.” A look of concern came over his face as he noticed Adam’s pain. “You are uncomfortable,” he said at last, “and from more than the pain in your joints.”
Adam smiled. “It’s nothing, Your Majesty,” he lied. “I have good news for you.” The Emperor waited expectantly, and Adam said, “Wu Sangui has not joined with the Ming, as we feared.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule smiled. “Excellent!” he said. “The Lord of Heaven must be smiling upon us.”
Adam grunted. “Remember,” he said, “his son is a hostage in the Imperial City. He knows that if he rebels, his life is forfeit.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule nodded in a vaguely irritated manner. “True,” he said. “But he hasn’t been obeying our commands. I feared that he had joined the Ming, and that would have given them Yunnan and the rest of the southwest.” He crossed himself awkwardly, and said, “Thanks to the Lord of Heaven, he seems to be sitting out the war.”
Adam looked up at the crucifix, and bowed his head. “You’re right,” he said. “I should be more grateful to him.” He paused, and mused, “I wonder if Wu Sangui wants to build his own realm in the southwest.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me,” he said. “From his point of view, it’s probably better to rule Yunnan than to serve in Bejing.” The Emperor got up, and helped Adam to his feet.
“You should not help me stand,” chided Adam. “It is unseemly for an Emperor to help one of his servants.”
“It is unseemly,” replied the Emperor as he lifted Adam up, “to let one’s Grandfather suffer.” He paused for a moment, and said, “I’ve decided to offer the Southern Dynasty a truce.”
Adam’s face became serious, as he took in the implications. “Why?” he asked.
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule, his throat dry, said, “I’m not certain that the Qing would win, otherwise.” Adam gave him an indulgent look, and The Emperor added after a moment, “And I’m concerned about the people. A good emperor,” he said, “should look after their needs, first and foremost.”
The Emperor fidgeted, and his eyes turned towards the crucifix once more. “In any case, there are plenty of examples in Chinese history of a Southern Dynasty holding on for a few years, before the new, northern dynasty sweeps them away.”
“With the Lord of Heaven on our side, our victory is only a matter of time.”
Faeelin
Banned
September, 1660
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule knelt outside a bedroom, praying to the Lord of Heaven for his help. “Help me,” he begged, as tears streamed down his face. “I have done all that you have wanted from me! Why will you not spare her life?”
Adam Schall walked out of the bedroom, and sat beside the Emperor. “I am sorry, Your Majesty,” he said. He placed his hand upon Emperor’s shoulder. “She is seated with the Lord of Heaven now.”
The Emperor twisted out of Adam’s grip, in a rage smashed a porcelain vase against the wall. “Where’s your Son of Heaven now?” he demanded. “Why didn’t he save her?”
Adam swallowed, and tried to find the words. “I know you were close to Xiao Xian,” he said. “As a concubine, she was a good, Christian woman. And when you married her,” said Adam, “you seemed happier than any couple I had ever known.”[3]
The Emperor put his head in his hands, and sobbed for a moment. “No one ever knew we were married,” he said. “I could never let the court know, because my mother opposed it.” He gave Adam a look of despair. “What sort of marriage was that?”
“Your mother,” reminded Adam, “had her reasons. How would the empire have reacted, if you had married your brother’s wife after his death? What would they have thought?”
The Emperor seemed to ignore Adam’s words, and just sat there, sobbing. As he cried, the Emperor, who had spent days next to a woman infected with smallpox, began to cough blood.
Beijing, October, 1660
Death stalked the Imperial City. The malaria outbreak, which had began only a few weeks before, had spread throughout the city and the rest of China, and it had taken thousands. The bodies of the sick were tossed into the streets, left by their families to be carried away by the authorities. Beijing, a city of hundreds of thousands, seemed empty.
Among the multitude that lay in their beds, sweating or shivering, their bodies convulsing was the Emperor of Unbroken Rule. His doctors did their best, but they feared for his life. But the Son of Heaven did not feel the pain, and did not notice it. He had not woken for over two days, and was in a different place entirely.
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule found himself seated at a table, next to thirteen other men. He heard the murmuring of voices behind him, and he smelled delicious aromas, some of which he had never smelled before. They were drinking wine, and the men were chatting jovially.
The man at the head of the table looked acted like a Confucian sage, although he was dressed in a plain cotton robe. His hands, he noticed, were rough and scarred, like you would see on some one who was used to manual labor, and his face was weathered. But it was his eyes that captivated you. They seemed as if they were full of all the world’s sorrow, and the man’s shoulders were hunched, as if he carried a heavy burden.
It was strange, thought the Emperor, that the man seemed so sad. The other men were enjoying themselves, passing dumplings, rice, and wine back and forth. There was one other man at the table who seemed pensive, but there were always men who worried over the littlest things.
The man at the head of the table. “This cup,” said the man, “is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Drink this,” he said, “in remembrance of me.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule drank in the scene, watching as the men solemnly sipped, and shivered. He opened his mouth to speak, but then he heard a voice he missed terribly behind him. “Are you going to drink?” she asked.
The Emperor swallowed, and he felt tears in his eyes. After a moment, he turned around, and whispered the name of the only woman he had loved. “Xiao Xian.”
And then she, and the scene, was gone. The room dissolved, and The Emperor of Unbroken Experiences felt as if his heart was broken again. “Lord of Heaven!” he cried. “What do you want from me?” He fell to his knees, and prayed.
The Emperor never knew how long he knelt there, praying. He was in the middle of a prayer to the Virgin Mary when he heard a cry. He looked up, to see soldiers in gray silk armor escorting three men carrying crosses. When one of the men fell to the ground, his face caked with dirt and blood, a soldier beat him with his musket.
The Emperor noticed he was in a crowd on the side of the road; but the rest of them were jeering at the men before him. “He saved others!” cried one. “Let him save himself, if he is the Son of God!” He saw demons amongst the crowd, cackling at the fate of Christ.
”Forgive them,” the Emperor whispered. “They know not what they do.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule followed the procession up the hill, as the men dragged their crosses through the dirt. They reached the top of the hill, and the soldiers placed the crosses in a bamboo grove. The Emperor turned away as they stripped Jesus to the Crucifix, and listened to the soldiers laugh as they rolled dice for his robes. He stood for hours, and watched as the soldiers rolled dice for Christ’s clothing, and sank to the ground when they ran a spear through Christ’s chest.
And so the Son of Heaven watched as the Son of God died.
[1] The Emperor of Unbroken Rule was extremely close to Adam Schall, as the Jesuit had been an advisor and confidant of his from the age of 12. Although the emperor was never likely to convert, many of his concubines did, and the two were extremely close. Schall was among the few who did not have to kowtow before the emperor, and could visit him at any time.
[2] The Qing had been referring to the Ming as the Southern Dynasty since the 1640s, denying that they were the true rulers of China.
[3] Many of the women in the Ming and Qing courts converted to Christianity; partly because it was rumored that it would bring you luck in the Imperial bedroom.
And, of course, the marriage is ATL. In OTL the Emperor did fall head over heels for her, but they were never married, in public or in secret. He did get rid of his first wife, however.
Thoughts?
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule knelt outside a bedroom, praying to the Lord of Heaven for his help. “Help me,” he begged, as tears streamed down his face. “I have done all that you have wanted from me! Why will you not spare her life?”
Adam Schall walked out of the bedroom, and sat beside the Emperor. “I am sorry, Your Majesty,” he said. He placed his hand upon Emperor’s shoulder. “She is seated with the Lord of Heaven now.”
The Emperor twisted out of Adam’s grip, in a rage smashed a porcelain vase against the wall. “Where’s your Son of Heaven now?” he demanded. “Why didn’t he save her?”
Adam swallowed, and tried to find the words. “I know you were close to Xiao Xian,” he said. “As a concubine, she was a good, Christian woman. And when you married her,” said Adam, “you seemed happier than any couple I had ever known.”[3]
The Emperor put his head in his hands, and sobbed for a moment. “No one ever knew we were married,” he said. “I could never let the court know, because my mother opposed it.” He gave Adam a look of despair. “What sort of marriage was that?”
“Your mother,” reminded Adam, “had her reasons. How would the empire have reacted, if you had married your brother’s wife after his death? What would they have thought?”
The Emperor seemed to ignore Adam’s words, and just sat there, sobbing. As he cried, the Emperor, who had spent days next to a woman infected with smallpox, began to cough blood.
Beijing, October, 1660
Death stalked the Imperial City. The malaria outbreak, which had began only a few weeks before, had spread throughout the city and the rest of China, and it had taken thousands. The bodies of the sick were tossed into the streets, left by their families to be carried away by the authorities. Beijing, a city of hundreds of thousands, seemed empty.
Among the multitude that lay in their beds, sweating or shivering, their bodies convulsing was the Emperor of Unbroken Rule. His doctors did their best, but they feared for his life. But the Son of Heaven did not feel the pain, and did not notice it. He had not woken for over two days, and was in a different place entirely.
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule found himself seated at a table, next to thirteen other men. He heard the murmuring of voices behind him, and he smelled delicious aromas, some of which he had never smelled before. They were drinking wine, and the men were chatting jovially.
The man at the head of the table looked acted like a Confucian sage, although he was dressed in a plain cotton robe. His hands, he noticed, were rough and scarred, like you would see on some one who was used to manual labor, and his face was weathered. But it was his eyes that captivated you. They seemed as if they were full of all the world’s sorrow, and the man’s shoulders were hunched, as if he carried a heavy burden.
It was strange, thought the Emperor, that the man seemed so sad. The other men were enjoying themselves, passing dumplings, rice, and wine back and forth. There was one other man at the table who seemed pensive, but there were always men who worried over the littlest things.
The man at the head of the table. “This cup,” said the man, “is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Drink this,” he said, “in remembrance of me.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule drank in the scene, watching as the men solemnly sipped, and shivered. He opened his mouth to speak, but then he heard a voice he missed terribly behind him. “Are you going to drink?” she asked.
The Emperor swallowed, and he felt tears in his eyes. After a moment, he turned around, and whispered the name of the only woman he had loved. “Xiao Xian.”
And then she, and the scene, was gone. The room dissolved, and The Emperor of Unbroken Experiences felt as if his heart was broken again. “Lord of Heaven!” he cried. “What do you want from me?” He fell to his knees, and prayed.
The Emperor never knew how long he knelt there, praying. He was in the middle of a prayer to the Virgin Mary when he heard a cry. He looked up, to see soldiers in gray silk armor escorting three men carrying crosses. When one of the men fell to the ground, his face caked with dirt and blood, a soldier beat him with his musket.
The Emperor noticed he was in a crowd on the side of the road; but the rest of them were jeering at the men before him. “He saved others!” cried one. “Let him save himself, if he is the Son of God!” He saw demons amongst the crowd, cackling at the fate of Christ.
”Forgive them,” the Emperor whispered. “They know not what they do.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule followed the procession up the hill, as the men dragged their crosses through the dirt. They reached the top of the hill, and the soldiers placed the crosses in a bamboo grove. The Emperor turned away as they stripped Jesus to the Crucifix, and listened to the soldiers laugh as they rolled dice for his robes. He stood for hours, and watched as the soldiers rolled dice for Christ’s clothing, and sank to the ground when they ran a spear through Christ’s chest.
And so the Son of Heaven watched as the Son of God died.
[1] The Emperor of Unbroken Rule was extremely close to Adam Schall, as the Jesuit had been an advisor and confidant of his from the age of 12. Although the emperor was never likely to convert, many of his concubines did, and the two were extremely close. Schall was among the few who did not have to kowtow before the emperor, and could visit him at any time.
[2] The Qing had been referring to the Ming as the Southern Dynasty since the 1640s, denying that they were the true rulers of China.
[3] Many of the women in the Ming and Qing courts converted to Christianity; partly because it was rumored that it would bring you luck in the Imperial bedroom.
And, of course, the marriage is ATL. In OTL the Emperor did fall head over heels for her, but they were never married, in public or in secret. He did get rid of his first wife, however.
Thoughts?
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Fascinating, I hadn't expected that the Qing emperor would adopt Christianity in such a personal way in this AH. I bet that he isn't going to die, nor is he going to be ungrateful...
Also, shades of Taiping. Not so much of the charismatic cult leader in charge or the blatant heresy, but the creation of an actual (culturally) Chinese form of Christianity.
Awe-inspiring. Keep it up, please. This could be the next saga ATL.
Also, shades of Taiping. Not so much of the charismatic cult leader in charge or the blatant heresy, but the creation of an actual (culturally) Chinese form of Christianity.
Awe-inspiring. Keep it up, please. This could be the next saga ATL.
Faeelin
Banned
Beijing, October 1660
The Emperor awoke in a cold sweat, and sat up in bed. He was silent for a moment, as doctors began to run to get elixirs for him. Before they could get anything, however, he began to speak. His throat was parched, and his lips were blistered, but he sounded clearer then he ever had, as he spoke the first of his many poems on the Lord of Heaven.
“Late in the Han,
God’s son came down from Heaven
to save the people
and turn us towards good.
His grace goes wide!
Taking flesh through the virginity
of the Holy Mother,
In a stable he was born.
Joseph too came to present him the temple:
They say He can
save our souls from their destructiveness
and sweep away the Devil’s wantonness.”[1]
The courtiers in the room all paused, trying to comprehend the Emperor’s words. They were frozen for what was an awkward length of time, when Adam Schall burst through the doors, and ran in, despite the pain. “Hallelujah!” he cried. He knelt at the foot of the Emperor’s bed, and said, “Your Majesty, this is a miracle.”
Adam looked at the doctors, and with a trace of concern in his voice, said, “Your Majesty, you were out for three days. Your fever was so great the thought you would die.”
One of the doctors coughed quietly. “Your Majesty,” he added, “everyone who had your symptoms does die.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule shrugged. “Through Christ,” he said confidently, “all things are possible.” He turned to Adam, and patted the bed. “Sit, Grandfather. I have come to a decision.”
Adam sat down, although he noticed the manic gleam in the Emperor’s eye. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
The Emperor took a cup of tea from a servant, and sipped it. “I have decided,” he said dramatically, “that something has to be done about the Buddhists.” He sighed, and drained his cup of tea. “We will have to get rid of them.”
Adam dropped his cup of tea, spilling it on the silk blanket on the Imperial bed. The Emperor gave no sign that he had noticed, and Adam said, “This is a wise suggestion, Your Majesty. God abhors false idols, and rejoices at your piousness.” A servant began to pick up the pieces of the cup, careful to pretend he wasn’t listening. “But Your Majesty, I fear that so many of your subjects worship such idols now that they would rise up if you got rid of them all at once.”
Adam took another cup of tea from a servant, and carefully sipped it. “Perhaps, Your Majesty, we should follow the example of a king in Europe, who was known as Constantine.”
The Emperor grunted, and irritation flashed across his face. “Go on,” he said.
“Constantine,” explained Adam, “was the first king to convert to Christianity. But he knew that the foes of the faith were many, and so, at first, he made a pretense of tolerating all faiths equally.”
The Emperor wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Such acts lead to dissent and rebellion,” he said. “Why did God tolerate Constantine’s actions?”
Adam smiled. “Constantine knew, of course, that Christianity was superior. If all faiths could compete equally, he knew that its victory was only a matter of time, and one of his descendents thought Christianity was in such a strong position that he could ban the other faiths.” Adam folded his hands together and smiled genially. Only the servant noticed the bead of sweat on the old man’s brow. “So it is that all the lands of the Western Ocean are Christian.”
The Emperor sighed. “I see the wisdom in what you say,” he said grudgingly. “I will not ban idolatry completely. Yet.” He thought for a moment, and smiled. “I have it!” he cried. “We’ll triple taxes on the monasteries, and use the funds from that to encourage the teaching of priests.”
Adam nodded, and relaxed a bit. “You have a point, Your Majesty,” he said. He opened up the Bible he had with him, and said, “Your Majesty, if it is pleasing, I would like to read from the book of Isiah.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule smiled. “Of course, Grandfather.” He leaned back in his bed, and closed his eyes. “I always enjoyed it when you read to me.”
Adam turned to the page he was looking for, and began to read. The Emperor began to drift to sleep, and nodded off as Adam began to read his favorite passage in Isiah. “For the people,” he said, “walking in darkness have seen a great light.” Adam closed the book, and smiled at the man he called his son. “On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” As Adam walked out of the room, he promised he would give thanks to God every night for the light the emperor was bringing to the world.
[1] This is a poem by Wu Li, a Christian convert in China in the 17th century.
The Emperor awoke in a cold sweat, and sat up in bed. He was silent for a moment, as doctors began to run to get elixirs for him. Before they could get anything, however, he began to speak. His throat was parched, and his lips were blistered, but he sounded clearer then he ever had, as he spoke the first of his many poems on the Lord of Heaven.
“Late in the Han,
God’s son came down from Heaven
to save the people
and turn us towards good.
His grace goes wide!
Taking flesh through the virginity
of the Holy Mother,
In a stable he was born.
Joseph too came to present him the temple:
They say He can
save our souls from their destructiveness
and sweep away the Devil’s wantonness.”[1]
The courtiers in the room all paused, trying to comprehend the Emperor’s words. They were frozen for what was an awkward length of time, when Adam Schall burst through the doors, and ran in, despite the pain. “Hallelujah!” he cried. He knelt at the foot of the Emperor’s bed, and said, “Your Majesty, this is a miracle.”
Adam looked at the doctors, and with a trace of concern in his voice, said, “Your Majesty, you were out for three days. Your fever was so great the thought you would die.”
One of the doctors coughed quietly. “Your Majesty,” he added, “everyone who had your symptoms does die.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule shrugged. “Through Christ,” he said confidently, “all things are possible.” He turned to Adam, and patted the bed. “Sit, Grandfather. I have come to a decision.”
Adam sat down, although he noticed the manic gleam in the Emperor’s eye. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
The Emperor took a cup of tea from a servant, and sipped it. “I have decided,” he said dramatically, “that something has to be done about the Buddhists.” He sighed, and drained his cup of tea. “We will have to get rid of them.”
Adam dropped his cup of tea, spilling it on the silk blanket on the Imperial bed. The Emperor gave no sign that he had noticed, and Adam said, “This is a wise suggestion, Your Majesty. God abhors false idols, and rejoices at your piousness.” A servant began to pick up the pieces of the cup, careful to pretend he wasn’t listening. “But Your Majesty, I fear that so many of your subjects worship such idols now that they would rise up if you got rid of them all at once.”
Adam took another cup of tea from a servant, and carefully sipped it. “Perhaps, Your Majesty, we should follow the example of a king in Europe, who was known as Constantine.”
The Emperor grunted, and irritation flashed across his face. “Go on,” he said.
“Constantine,” explained Adam, “was the first king to convert to Christianity. But he knew that the foes of the faith were many, and so, at first, he made a pretense of tolerating all faiths equally.”
The Emperor wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Such acts lead to dissent and rebellion,” he said. “Why did God tolerate Constantine’s actions?”
Adam smiled. “Constantine knew, of course, that Christianity was superior. If all faiths could compete equally, he knew that its victory was only a matter of time, and one of his descendents thought Christianity was in such a strong position that he could ban the other faiths.” Adam folded his hands together and smiled genially. Only the servant noticed the bead of sweat on the old man’s brow. “So it is that all the lands of the Western Ocean are Christian.”
The Emperor sighed. “I see the wisdom in what you say,” he said grudgingly. “I will not ban idolatry completely. Yet.” He thought for a moment, and smiled. “I have it!” he cried. “We’ll triple taxes on the monasteries, and use the funds from that to encourage the teaching of priests.”
Adam nodded, and relaxed a bit. “You have a point, Your Majesty,” he said. He opened up the Bible he had with him, and said, “Your Majesty, if it is pleasing, I would like to read from the book of Isiah.”
The Emperor of Unbroken Rule smiled. “Of course, Grandfather.” He leaned back in his bed, and closed his eyes. “I always enjoyed it when you read to me.”
Adam turned to the page he was looking for, and began to read. The Emperor began to drift to sleep, and nodded off as Adam began to read his favorite passage in Isiah. “For the people,” he said, “walking in darkness have seen a great light.” Adam closed the book, and smiled at the man he called his son. “On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” As Adam walked out of the room, he promised he would give thanks to God every night for the light the emperor was bringing to the world.
[1] This is a poem by Wu Li, a Christian convert in China in the 17th century.
Great stuff as always.
I'm guessing that a whole lot of Bhuddists are going to flee down south and whatever strand of Christianity in Manchu China is going to be associated with the Roman Catholic Church...
Speaking of which, does the Pope know of Adam Schall's success? How old is this guy at 1660?
I'm guessing that a whole lot of Bhuddists are going to flee down south and whatever strand of Christianity in Manchu China is going to be associated with the Roman Catholic Church...
Speaking of which, does the Pope know of Adam Schall's success? How old is this guy at 1660?
Faeelin
Banned
Admiral Matt said:
Ah, but first I'm going to make you listen to an enthralling lecture on... government finances!
In a sense, yes. In another sense...
Any Chinese version of Christianity has to tacitly or expressly tolerate Chinese worship of Confucius, and Chinese ancestor worship. In OTL the Jesuits tried to argue that these were civil rites, and not religious ones; the Domincans and Fransiscans, probably correctly, viewed them as idolatry.
One suggestion comes to mind: Jesus descended to hell for three days after his crucifixion. It seems logical that what he could do once, he could do again....
This would also fit with the Chinese view, derived from Buddhism, that salvation is never out of reach.
Confucius, well, he does rever to Heaven a few times. But both of these things mean that to be even marginally successful, a Church in China has to look very different from one in Europe.
Not yet. The Pope will get word of it by the end of 1660, and his reply will take much longer. I wouldn't expect much help from Europe until 1665, and who knows what will have happened by then?
Perhaps now that the Emperor is a Christian, the Jesuits can "ease" the Chinese rites from worship into mere expressions of respect. After all, nobody in the US worships George Washington and the other Founders even though we build lots of statues of them and honor their memories.
The RCC believed the Greek philosophers had glimpsed some glimmer of the Truth, even though they were pagan. They could try the same thing with Confucius.
And did the Chinese actually WORSHIP Confucius? His works (and the works of his disciples) were the basis for the civil examination system, but I don't recall shrines to Confucius in the same way there were to Buddha.
The RCC believed the Greek philosophers had glimpsed some glimmer of the Truth, even though they were pagan. They could try the same thing with Confucius.
And did the Chinese actually WORSHIP Confucius? His works (and the works of his disciples) were the basis for the civil examination system, but I don't recall shrines to Confucius in the same way there were to Buddha.
Faeelin
Banned
MerryPrankster said:
This is what Jesuits tried to do, actually, and it was one of their justifications. "Better they get it half right now and the rest later, than not at all."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qufu
That's his birth place. It's not the same as the Buddha, which is why it was argued that it was a civil rite; and in any case, the fact that their ancestors are burning in hell would bother every Chinese person.
