Diego de Pantoja facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Diego de Pantoja
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 24 April 1571  Valdemoro, Spain |
| Died | 9 July 1618 (aged 47) Portuguese Macau |
| Occupation | Musician, missionary |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Diego de Pantoja was a Spanish man who lived a long time ago. He was born in April 1571 in Valdemoro, Spain. He became a Jesuit, which is a member of a Catholic religious group. Diego de Pantoja was also a missionary, meaning he traveled to teach people about his faith. He is most famous for going to China and working with another well-known Jesuit, Matteo Ricci, especially in the city of Beijing. His Chinese name was Pang Diwo.
Contents
A Life of Exploration and Learning
Diego de Pantoja arrived in a place called Portuguese Macau on July 20, 1597. Here, he got his final instructions for his important work in China. He studied at St. Paul's College before starting his journey.
Journey to China
He was then sent to Nanjing, which was the southern capital of the Ming dynasty in China. He stayed there starting in March 1600. In Nanjing, he worked closely with Matteo Ricci. Ricci later finished an important book called Zhifang waiji. This book was China's very first world atlas, showing maps of the entire globe.
Together, Diego de Pantoja and Matteo Ricci left Nanjing on May 19, 1600. They traveled to Beijing, which was the main capital of the Ming dynasty. They arrived in Beijing on January 24, 1601.
Working in Beijing
Diego de Pantoja spent many years working in Beijing. He was a talented musician. He also worked as an astronomer, helping to correct the calendar. This was very important for knowing the right time for farming and festivals. He was also a geographer, which means he studied and mapped the Earth. He helped with understanding latitude, which is how far north or south a place is.
Return to Macau
Later in his life, on March 18, 1617, Diego de Pantoja had to leave China. He was sent away along with his colleague, Sabatino de Ursis. He then moved back to Macau. He lived there for a short time before he passed away in January 1618.
See also
- Jesuit China missions
