A New Probe into the Relationship between Jin Sheng, an Important Minister in the Southern Ming Dynasty, and Western Learning and Western Religion

Abstract

Jin Sheng was an important figure who participated in the political and literary circles actively in the late Ming Dynasty，His blurred standpoint in religious belief is often difficult to verify. Mr. Chen yuan once proposed that Jin Sheng dedicated himself to the church for his whole life since he was baptized between the fourth and the seventh year of Tian qi （1624-1627），whereas Mr. Huang yi nong believe that he might join the church during the second year and the third year of Chong Zhen(1629-1630)，then converted to Buddhism in the fifth year of Chong Zhen(1632). Based on the relevant sources ,I will replenish and discuss in detail of former scholars‘s research including both conclusions from the research of Mr. Chen Yuan and Huang Yi Nong. This essay argues that Jin Sheng who lived in a chaotic time at the end of Ming Dynasty，maintained an open-mind，regard the beliefs of Catholicism and Western learning as instrumental way to pursuit the ideal personality， thus to carry out the Confucianist’s aspirations of Self-Cultivation, Family Regulation, maintaining State Governance, bringing Peace to All Under Heaven.