P. Johann Adam Schall von Bell S.J. und die Geheimakten zum Gerichtsprozeß der Jahre 1664–1665 in China

Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666) from Cologne is one of the best-known Jesuit missionaries in China, along with Matteo Ricci and Ferdinand Verbiest. Thanks to his good relationship with the young Emperor Shizu (Shunzhi), who addressed him confidentially as mafa (grandfather, elder gentleman), he rose in the hierarchy of officials to the first rank (which, however, did not include the corresponding executive powers) and thus attained themost influential position among all missionaries in the empire. His life and work have been known in detail for almost a century, after Schall’s own Historica narratio of the China Mission was published in 1665, especially through Alfons Väth’s excellent, well-documented biography, which admittedly has hagiographic overtones, but this does not detract from its reliability. Schall played an important role in the reform of the Chinese calendar, which had already been initiated by his untimely deceased confrères Johannes Schreck (1576–1630) and Giacomo Rho (1593–1638). Since in China Heaven enjoyed the highest reverence and the emperor ruled the empire by its mandate, astronomers and astrologers were very influential; they registered celestial phenomena and predicted eclipses, which, like other unusual phenomena, were considered unlucky; they signalled the displeasure of Heaven and could have an effect on the continuance of the dynasty. Schall himself was to experience the significance of such phenomena first-hand when earth tremors affected his trial.