Li Zhizao

Li Zhizao

(born 1565, Hangzhou, China—died Nov. 1, 1630, Beijing) Chinese mathematician, astronomer, and geographer whose translations of European scientific books greatly contributed to the spread of Western science in China. In 1601 he met the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci, who baptized him in 1610. By engraving and printing numerous copies of Ricci's world map, Li altered many Chinese views of world geography. Li and Ricci translated Christopher Clavius's arithmetic primer Epitome arithmeticae practicae (1585; “Selected Arithmetic Methods”) as Tongwen suanzhi (1614). This book systematically introduced European-style mathematical notation, while Li included complementary elements from traditional Chinese mathematics. He also brought together and published a series of books composed by the Jesuits with Chinese help, Tianxue chuhan (1629; “First Collection of Writings on Heavenly Learning”), that included 20 Western scientific and religious titles.