在早期耶穌會中國傳教區的靈魂人物利瑪竇(Matteo Ricci, 1552-1610)所撰的《基督宗教傳入中國史》中，以圖像或物像吸引中國人視覺眼光的作法，有相當多的紀錄。這其中大量的物像傳遞和使用的記載，都明白表示，在早期天主教於明末中國的發展中，利氏此作，該是對耶穌會視覺物像有最豐富紀錄的單一作者史料。然而，從視覺資料的角度去使用這份史料的研究是非常少的。本研究即以此史料為主，並配合其他傳教士文獻，探討這種看到西方圖像的紀錄，到底傳遞了如何的傳教策略和文化互動內涵。雖然本研究是以利氏及其著作為中心，但其著作內容涵括當時耶穌會中國傳教區，所紀錄包括其他傳教士，所以本論文題目定名為「利瑪竇時代」。本人在此強調用視覺物像的觀念來涵括一切，或作為本研究的對象，是因為利氏就常用“cosa”(thing，事物)來統指一切傳教士所攜帶的有形物件。它們在傳教脈絡下的使用有其一致性的邏輯，並經常作為禮物之交換。特別是經常出現的基督宗教聖像，作為禮物傳達的用途高過於用於解釋教義。而這些紀錄亦顯示了耶穌會傳教區在中國內部，或與鄰近傳教區之間，視覺物像來往流通的網絡。這個視覺物件的傳播網絡，就是一種友誼概念下的聯繫網。傳教士能解讀成功友誼關係的建立，主要就是透過禮物的交換。而在這過程中，視覺物件對傳教士有不同詮釋關係下的象徵功能，原基督宗教聖像的「神聖性」意義被轉化。這個面向，將導向我們思維物件的「物性」問題。本文運用視覺語言和人類學物質文化的理論，來理解其物性轉移和其傳遞資訊的問題。

The primary figure of the early Jesuit China missions, Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), in his work entitled Della Entrata della Compagnia di Giesù e Christianità nella Cina (On the Entrance of the Society of Jesus and Christianity in China), describes numerous uses of images and visual objects to attract the attention of the Chinese. These descriptions reveal the contexts of Jesuit interaction and communication between missions in regions such as China and Japan by the transmission of religious images and objects. This work may be the richest source for visual objects written by a single author in late-Ming Catholicism. However, research on this source from the perspective of visual objects is rare. My research investigates those descriptions, along with other related Jesuit literature, showing how the two cultures interacted by means of these visual objects and what these descriptions reveal about their intended uses. This study employs theoretical considerations of visual language and material culture from anthropology to interpret the nature of these visual objects and their communicative functions. Ricci stated his view that the Chinese would like to see images, have conversations and meetings with the Jesuits, and obtain further information about them and their religion. In addition, Ricci usually used the term “cosa” (thing) to indicate any object, both sacred and secular. In most instances, these “things” or “objects” played a dual role: to initiate a friendship, and to maintain an amicable relationship. The Jesuit interaction contexts were built upon friendships, in which all objects as gifts were “signs” to indicate the successful development of friendly relations; and in this process the Christian images also took on a secular dimension.

耶穌會；利瑪竇；圖像；視覺物象；視覺語言；物質文化

Jesuits; Matteo Ricci; images; visual objects; visual languages; material culture