Martino Martini’s Qiuyou pian (逑友篇, 1647): Introducing the Christian Understanding of Friendship in Early Modern China

Martino Martini’s Qiuyou pian (逑友篇, 1647) represents a deliberate attempt to complement Matteo Ricci’s Jiaoyou lun (交友論, 1595) by introducing a deeper Christian understanding of friendship to China. Despite its rich content and scholarly value, Qiuyou pian has remained overshadowed by Jiaoyou lun. While scholars have noted Christian overtones in Martini’s work, no detailed analysis of its distinctive approach to friendship has been undertaken. Through close textual analysis, this study reveals that Martini’s conception of friendship is deeply rooted in the Christian notion of agape (love). The analysis illuminates both similarities and differences between the two works while drawing meaningful parallels between Qiuyou pian and Aelred of Rievaulx’s Spiritual Friendship, a seminal Christian text that adapts Ciceronian ideals of friendship. Martini’s reflections resonate with Aelred’s adaptation, suggesting a conceptual lineage that transcends temporal and cultural boundaries. Recovering this overlooked work reveals the complex dynamics of Jesuit cultural accommodation and religious transmission in early modern China.