1、 Introduction

The History of the Mission of Cardinal Doro "is a document compiled in the 18th century by Giovanni Giacomo Fatinelli, which records the life and visit to China of the papal envoy Doro during the Kangxi reign. This document is currently housed in the Casanata Library in Rome, Italy, and consists of six volumes covering Doro's letters and the beginning and end of his visit to China. At the end of the 20th century, the Casanata Library sorted out its collection of Chinese literature, and Meiorkin cataloged Catholic literature from the Ming and Qing dynasties, mentioning "The History of the Dorothea Mission". This document contains a large number of Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin manuscripts from the 17th and 18th centuries. Against the backdrop of increasingly close relations between China and Vatican, systematically organizing and studying these manuscripts has significant historical and practical significance. This article provides a preliminary exploration of "The History of Cardinal Doro's Mission".

2、 The life of the editor of "The History of Cardinal Doro's Mission"

Introduced the life of Fatinelli, the editor of "The History of the Mission of Cardinal Doro". Fatinelli was born into a noble family in the Republic of Lucca, Italy, and studied canon law and civil law, obtaining a doctoral degree. He became famous for becoming the charg é d'affaires of Doro in Italy. Doro was the first papal envoy to China, aiming to investigate the etiquette dispute in China, but failed due to language barriers, cultural differences, and obstruction from Portuguese forces. Fatinelli has a deep understanding of the controversy over Chinese etiquette and the issue of the Catholic Church in China. He has participated in the editing of the book "History of Chinese Culture" and compiled relevant literature. He criticized Jesuits for being too close to heretical beliefs, which had a negative impact on the church. In their hometown, the Jesuits attempted to establish a public school but were unsuccessful. Fatinelli refuted the memorandum of Jesuit Joseph at the Roman Inquisition and gained the support of papal liturgical experts. Despite attempts by the Jesuits to refute, the Pope's trust in Fatinelli remained unaffected. The Pope entrusted him to collect and organize Doro's letters, and write about his life story. The creation of "The History of the Mission of Cardinal Doro" was influenced by the instructions of the Pope and the works of Spanish bishop Parafax Mendoza. Fatinelli received honorary titles and work in Rome, becoming a diplomat of the Republic of Lucca to the Holy See. After the death of Pope Clement XI, Fatinelli gave up publishing the full text of "The History of the Mission of Cardinal Doro", leaving a suspense.

3、 Overview of the History of Cardinal Doro's Mission

In 1733, Fatinelli donated documents related to Doro to the Casanata Library in Rome, which was founded by Casanata and managed by Dominican monks from the Minerva Monastery. The original and copy of "The History of the Mission of Cardinal Doro" are divided into three volumes, recording the different stages of Doro's mission. The copy is well preserved, and this article takes the copy as an example to explore. The author added and modified some content in the copy, which never appeared in the original. The first volume of the copy introduces the background of the "Controversy of Etiquette" and Doro's background, describing the difficulties and challenges faced during the early stages of the journey. Pope Clement XI chose to appoint Doro as bishop on December 21, 1701, which was both Doro's 33rd birthday and the feast of the Apostle St. Thomas. The Pope attaches great importance to the dispatch of envoys, and St. Peter's Basilica held a grand celebration. Before departure, Doro met with King Philip V of Spain and took the initiative to explain his motives and purposes for the mission. Philip V expressed his support. The second volume of the copy collects and organizes Doro's letters and reports during his time in China, spanning from the arrival of the envoy in Beijing to the end before Macau. The content in the manuscript helps to clarify some historical mysteries and complements the archives of the Jesuits. Doro always emphasized the diplomatic nature of this visit to China, and the main purpose of the Holy See is to establish more official contacts with the Qing court. The third volume of the copy introduces the situation of Doro during his stay in Macau, China and the series of events that occurred after his death. During his stay in Macao, Dorothy sighed a lot and thought that he had been treated with courtesy by the Chinese people, but was assassinated by the brothers in the church. A book titled 'Report on the Death of Cardinal Doro' was anonymously published in Rome in 1711, covering the experiences of Doro in the five months leading up to his death. The content overlaps with certain chapters of 'The History of the Doro Mission' and is most likely written by Fatinelli.

4、 Conclusion

Dorote's visit to China is the first official contact between the Roman Catholic Church and China, marking a turning point in cultural exchange between China and the West. Pope Gregory XV established the Roman Ministry of Propaganda with the aim of bypassing European colonial powers, directly managing missionary work, cultivating local clergy, respecting local customs, and avoiding the imposition of European civilization. The Ministry of Communications emphasizes the independent selection, cultivation, and delivery of missionaries, the elimination of religious monopolies in specific regions, the development of parish priests, and the laying of the foundation for parish localization and decolonization. Pope Clement XI established direct contact with Kangxi through the Ministry of Communications. The History of Cardinal Doro's Mission "is an internal document of the Holy See, which records the changes in the Holy See's policy towards China and the process of Doro's mission. However, the content has characteristics of the times, emphasizing the authority of the Holy See, opposing Portugal's apostolic rights, and weakening the contribution of the Jesuits. This document influenced the later publication of 'The Historical Memory of Cardinal Doro' and became an important document for suppressing the Jesuits. The decision of the Holy See to directly send envoys to China violated the interests of European colonial countries and religious groups, leading to the failure of the Doro mission. Pope Clement XI and Benedict XIV issued edicts prohibiting Chinese believers from worshiping their ancestors and Confucius, cracking down on Jesuits of Portuguese nationality in China, and weakening Portugal's right to preserve the faith. The majority of the content in "The History of the Mission of Cardinal Doro" has not yet been made public. Organizing, translating, and studying it will help reconstruct the complex process of negotiations between Beijing and Rome in the early 18th century, and understand the focus and principles of the Vatican's foreign relations.