Hong Kong Cardinal Stephen Chow SJ holding a copy of the book alongside its editor, Rachel Yuqing Liu
The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies (TBC) released this month both the Chinese and English editions of 漫步北京耶穌會遺址——中西文明交匯的空間記憶 (Exploring Jesuit Heritage in Beijing – Traces of East–West Cultural Encounters). The book is a thoroughly revised and expanded edition of Fr Thierry Meynard SJ’s 2005 volume, Following the Footsteps of the Jesuits in Beijing: A Guide to the Sites of Jesuit Work and Influence in Beijing, now presented with rich illustrations and updated scholarship.
The volume introduces sixteen historically significant sites across Beijing associated with the Jesuit presence, tracing the paths of figures such as Matteo Ricci SJ, Johann Adam Schall von Bell SJ, and Ferdinand Verbiest SJ. It explores churches, tombs, and scientific landmarks such as the Ancient Observatory, while also examining sites including Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer Palace), the Confucius Temple, and the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)—places where intellectual and cultural encounters between China and the West once unfolded.
Cardinal Stephen Chow SJ, Bishop Joseph Ha, Rev Peter Choy, and Rev Joseph Chan of the Diocese of Hong Kong, together with priests, sisters, and scholars long engaged in Sino-Western cultural exchange, visited the sites featured in the book and contributed endorsements reflecting on faith, history, and contemporary pastoral practice.
The Jesuits first arrived in Hong Kong one hundred years ago, making the publication of this book in Hong Kong in 2026 particularly meaningful. Through a journey of walking, reflection, and memory, the book invites readers to engage with Beijing’s urban landscape and reconsider the potential for East–West dialogue in today’s world.
The Chinese and English editions of Exploring Jesuit Heritage in Beijing – Traces of East–West Cultural Encounters are now available online. The Chinese print edition will be available in bookstores soon, with details on availability in Taiwan to follow.
