Xu Guangqi

The spread of Catholicism in Beijing in the early ages owed much to some officials and intellectuals, especially Xu Guangqi (1562-1633) from Shanghai.

Xu was the first intellectual believer in Catholicism in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as well as the top official.

In 1595, he got to know several foreign missionaries in Guangzhou. In 1600, when he was on his way to Beijing for the imperial examination, he met Matteo Ricci for the first time in Nanjing, and admired the latter's knowledge.

In 1603, he acquainted another foreign missionary and got a brief idea of the Catholicism. Soon, he received baptism and converted to the Catholicism, getting the name of Paul.

In 1604, he passed the highest-level examination in Beijing and was offered an official post. Later, he was appointed as the prime minister.

He liked the western science and technology and finished several translation works. He was also the writer of Nongzheng Quanshu (Complete Treatise on Agriculture), one of four greatest agricultural books in China.