Date: 14 October 2025 (Tuesday)
Time: 3:30-5:00 pm
Venue:   LI-6376, 6/F, Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Academic Building, City University of Hong Kong
Speaker: Prof. Ronnie Po-chia Hsia (Penn State University)
Language: English

Abstract
This lecture explores how Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci adopted Confucian scholar robes in 1595 to connect with Chinese elites. Using historical records and Chinese images, it shows how clothing helped Jesuits blend into Ming society, aiding their global mission. Though criticized by other Europeans, this strategy built cultural bridges. For Hong Kong students, it highlights how appearance shaped early East-West exchanges, linking local history to global networks. The lecture reveals how Jesuits navigated cultural differences, offering insights into how people adapted during the early stages of globalization in the Ming dynasty.
 

Biography
Professor Ronnie Hsia is Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of History at Penn State University. His research focuses on the history of the Protestant Reformation, Catholic Renewal, anti-Semitism, and the encounter between Europe and Asia. His current book project, Translating Christianity: China and the Catholic Missions 1584-1780, studies the cultural encounter between Counter-Reformation Europe and the Ming and Qing empires. After two decades of work on Central Europe, publishing extensively on the Reformation and anti-Semitism, he has expanded his research to a global perspective. Professor Hsia now focuses on the history of explorations, the rise of western Europe, the comparative history of early modern empires, and the history of Christian missions, particularly in China. He teaches courses on early modern Europe and is developing courses in world and comparative history. Born and educated in Hong Kong, he studied primarily in the UK and USA and has extensive research experience across Europe. He is currently a guest professor at the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies in Hong Kong.

All are welcome!