This biography of Candida Xu (1607-1680), granddaughter of the prominent Chinese Christian convert and statesman Xu Guangqi (1562-1633) and foremost Chinese Christian woman of the seventeenth century, is based on the biography of Candida Xu titled Histoire d'une dame chrétienne de la Chine (Paris, 1688) written by her confessor Philippe Couplet, S.J. (1623-1693), an obituary of his mother and other writings by her eldest son, and the Xu family history. Using these as well as other relevant European missionary and Chinese language sources, Candida Xu's life as daughter, wife, mother, and generous contributor to the Christian Church is recounted. Events in her life are set in the context of historical and religious circumstances in China at the time. Consideration of the situation of women, particularly Christian women, draws out how Candida Xu's faith helped her and other believing Christian women to gain greater freedom of choice and action.
Selected for The Society for the Study of Chinese Religions Celebration of First Books at the AAS Annual Meeting (March 26, 2022), featuring books that exemplify new groundbreaking work in the study of Chinese Religions.
'The depiction of Candida Xu in this book (published in 2021) has broadened our horizon in rediscovering the life of women in Chinese Christianity.'
- Wai-yin Christina WONG , The Chinese University of Hong Kong
'The depiction of Candida Xu in this book (published in 2021) has broadened our horizon in rediscovering the life of women in Chinese Christianity.'
- Wai-yin Christina WONG , The Chinese University of Hong Kong