Juan de Palafox and China

Abstract

This paper examines the book History of the Conquest of China by the Tartars written by the bishop of Puebla Juan de Palafox (1600-1659). This essay seeks to demonstrate that this is an important testimony of the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, in the context of other Western accounts of that event.It also shows the worldwide effect of the Manchu invasion over China and the perception of historical crisis, as he observedin his textwritten in New Spain during the Dynasty’s transition. Lastly, the essay tries to analyze the participation of Archbishop Palafox on the controversy regarding Jesuit methods in the evangelization of China. The involvement of Palafox in the Rites Controversy was due to his pastoral role in Mexico and his duties in connection with Asia, accordingly with the Patronato Real. The work of Palafox shows also the viewpoint of a statesman’s observer of the global trends occurring during this problematic time.