Adam Schall (English spelling) Johann Adam Schall von Bell

A Jesuit priest who was active in missionary work and astronomy and calendar calculations from the end of the Ming Dynasty to the beginning of the Qing Dynasty in China. His Chinese name was Tang Ruowang, and his pen name was Daowei. He was from a prestigious family in Cologne, Germany (then the Holy Roman Empire), where he studied various subjects at a Christian school, and then studied abroad in Rome. He became a Jesuit in 1611, and in 1622 traveled to China with Nicolas Trigault (1577-1628, Chinese name Jinni Ge), learning Chinese in Beijing. He gained fame when he correctly predicted lunar eclipses three times during his time there. He preached in Xi'an, but following the death of Johann Terrentius (1576-1630, Deng Yuhan) in 1630, he was summoned to Beijing together with Giacomo Rho (1593-1638, Luo Yagu), who was in Shanxi, and with the help of Xu Guangqi and others, he completed the Chongzhen Almanac (1634), which was based on Western astronomy. The calendar reform was not realized due to the chaos at the end of the Ming Dynasty, but in 1645, he was appointed Chief Administrator of the Observatory under the Qing Dynasty and completed the "Shixian Calendar" based on the "Chongzhen Calendar" (later renamed "Shixianshu" to avoid the character for "calendar" in "Hongli", the given name of Emperor Qianlong). This calendar was in effect from 1645 until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.

He was treated well by the Qing Emperor Shunzhi (reigned 1643-1661), and in 1650 he built the first Western-style building in Beijing, the cathedral (South Hall; the remodeled version still stands). He also provided convenience for other missionaries, and made an effort to spread Christianity, such as by presenting religious books and astronomical instruments to the Korean prince who came to Beijing. However, in 1664 he was arrested on false accusation by Yang Guangxian (date of birth and death unknown), and despite the defense of Verbiest (Nan Huairen), he was sentenced to death, and the Imperial Heavenly Superintendent and many other missionaries were also implicated. However, due to a series of natural disasters, the other priests were released, and Charles was also released by order of the Empress Dowager and returned to South Hall, but the persecution by Yang Guangxian and others did not cease, so he was moved to East Hall, where he died on August 15, 1666. Later, in 1669, as a result of a retrial, Charles' honor was restored. In addition to producing scientific instruments such as armillary spheres, sundials, and telescopes, as well as maps and star charts, he also cast a large number of cannons towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, and wrote over 30 works in Chinese, mainly astronomy documents, including the 100-volume "New Western Calendar," a reorganization of the "Chongzhen Calendar" in the Qing Dynasty.

[Kazuhiko Miyajima February 16, 2018]

"Chinese Astronomical Calendars" by Yabuuchi Kiyoshi (1969/Expanded and revised edition, 1990, Heibonsha)" ▽ "Eastern and Western Civilization Exchange 5: Western Civilization and East Asia" edited by Eno Kazuo (1971, Heibonsha)" ▽ "People in the History of China 8: The Decline of the Great Empire" edited by Chin Shunshin (1982, Shueisha/Shueisha Bunko)" ▽ "The Conflict of Eastern and Western Calendars: A History of China in the Early Qing Dynasty" by Adrien Gléron, translated by Yazawa Toshihiko (1986, Heikawa Publishing)" ▽ "The Tale of the Four Cathedrals of Beijing: Another Guide to Beijing" by Yazawa Toshihiko (1987, Heikawa Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の明(みん)朝末期から清(しん)朝初めに布教と天文暦算に活躍したイエズス会士。漢名は湯若望(とうじゃくぼう)、字(あざな)は道未(どうみ)。ドイツ（当時神聖ローマ帝国）のケルンの名門の出で、その地のキリスト教学校で諸科を学び、ローマに留学。1611年イエズス会士となり、1622年トリゴーNicolas Trigault（1577―1628。漢名金尼閣(きんにかく)）とともに中国に赴き、北京(ペキン)で中国語を修得。ここでの月食の予報計算が三たび的中して名声を博した。西安で布教にあたったが、1630年テレンツJohann Terrentius（1576―1630。鄧玉函(とうぎょくかん)）の死に伴い、山西地方にいたローGiacomo Rho（1593―1638。羅雅谷(らがこく)）とともに北京に召還され、徐光啓(じょこうけい)らを助けて西洋天文学に準拠した『崇禎暦書(すうていれきしょ)』を完成した（1634）。これによる改暦は明朝末期の混乱で実現しなかったが、1645年、清朝のもとで欽天監監正(きんてんかんかんせい)（天文台長）に任じられ、『崇禎暦書』に基づく『時憲暦(じけんれき)』を完成（のち、乾隆帝(けんりゅうてい)の諱(いみな)である「弘暦(こうれき)」の暦の字を避け、『時憲書』と改められた）。この暦は1645年から1911年の清滅亡まで施行された。

　清の世祖順治帝(じゅんちてい)（在位1643～1661）の厚遇を受けた彼は、1650年には北京最初の西洋建築である天主堂（南堂。改築されたものが現存）を建て、また、他の宣教師の便宜も図り、北京にきた朝鮮皇子にも宗教書や天文器械を贈るなど、布教に努めた。しかし1664年、楊光先(ようこうせん)（生没年不詳）の誣告(ぶこく)により逮捕され、フェルビースト（南懐仁(なんかいじん)）の弁護も効なく死刑を宣せられ、欽天監役人や他の宣教師多数も連座した。ところが天変災害が相次いだため、他の神父は釈放、シャールも太皇太后(たいこうたいごう)の命で釈放され、南堂に戻ったが、楊光先らの迫害はやまず、東堂に移され、1666年8月15日に没した。その後1669年、再審の結果、シャールの名誉が回復された。渾天儀(こんてんぎ)、日時計、望遠鏡など科学器械や地図、星図の製作のほか、明末には多数の大砲も鋳造し、漢文著書も清代に『崇禎暦書』を再編した『西洋新法暦書』100巻など、天文書を中心に30余編ある。

［宮島一彦　2018年2月16日］

『藪内清著『中国の天文暦法』（1969／増補改訂版・1990・平凡社）』▽『榎一雄編『東西文明の交流5　西欧文明と東アジア』（1971・平凡社）』▽『陳舜臣編『人物中国の歴史8　落日の大帝国』（1982・集英社／集英社文庫）』▽『アドリアン・グレロン著、矢沢利彦訳『東西暦法の対立――清朝初期中国史』（1986・平河出版社）』▽『矢沢利彦著『北京四天主堂物語――もう一つの北京案内記』（1987・平河出版社）』

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