Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. X Gu ngq (1562 1633) of Shanghai, and L Zh z o (1565 November 1, 1630) and Yáng Tíngyún (1557 1627) both of Hangzhou, are known as the Three Great Pillars of Chinese Catholicism. It is due to their combined efforts that Hangzhou and Shanghai became the centre of missionary activity in late Ming China. The three men shared an interest in Western science and mathematics, and it is probable that this was what first attracted them to the Jesuits responsible for their conversion.