The Chinese Rights Controversy

The Chinese Rights Controversy began in the late 1500s when Jesuit missionaries started evangelizing China. Jesuits judged that Confucius was a philosopher rather than a religious figure, so he could be given civil honors just like Catholics in Europe revealed Plato and Aristotle. The Dominicans and Franciscans eventually came around to the Jesuit view, but before that happened, they appealed the matter to Rome. Sometimes Rome gave a favorable ruling on the Chinese rights, and sometimes it gave an unfavorable one. Many Chinese individuals thought the Vatican was being arrogant and culturally imperialistic.