Cross and Dragon – Matteo Ricci and China

Co-published with Macao Foundation

In an epic historical story that talks directly to our times, Cross and Dragon dramatizes the life of one of the most famous Western figures in China: Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci. Sent by the Pope in the late 16th century to convert the Chinese Emperor, Ricci was faced with a “mission impossible” as China in the Ming Dynasty did not allow foreigners to enter the country.

Initially, dressed like a Buddhist monk, he slipped into the country, where he impressed everyone he met with his secret weapons: remarkable memory techniques and the latest Western science.

He stayed for 30 years. During this time, his journey took him from southern China and rural life to the mesmerizing city of Nanking and on to Peking, where he eventually had an office in the Forbidden City. Through his belief in cultural engagement rather than military confrontation, he opened new doors for East–West understanding.

Born in Hong Kong, Edwin Kong is a veteran international content developer for film, television, and publishing.

He has worked in the film industry in the US and Europe, producing a series of commercially and critically acclaimed documentaries, notably Rising Sun, on the Sino-Japanese War (1931–45). In the mid-1980s, he founded the first art cinema in Hong Kong, going on to initiate and set up the city’s inaugural cable television company, together with Hong Kong Telecom, Swire Pacific, Golden Harvest, and Viacom. He also assisted in establishing the first international standard television production studio in Guangzhou.

A versatile creative media leader, he currently operates a publishing joint venture with Japan’s Shogakukan Inc and Peace Publishing House in Beijing, and recently produced an illustrated history of Neolithic China, published by Science Publishing House in Beijing.

“The history, cultural, and personal events related to Father Matteo Ricci over 400 years ago, sit at the heart of the problems that China has today with the West and the rest of the world. Today, as before, China and the West look at each other without understanding but with great curiosity. Through his translations of the Chinese Confucian classics into Latin, Ricci introduced Europe to the depth, complexity, and diversity of Chinese civilization. This caused profound cultural change in the West, including influence on the Enlightenment.” 

—Francesco Sisci, Italian Sinologist

“The screenplay has something of the qualities of theatrical masterpieces such as Bertolt Brecht’s Galileo, John Osborne’s Luther and Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons, while also calling to mind great films such as Martin Scorsese’s Silence and Bolt’s The Mission. It will be certain to generate widespread discussion and debate, causing a renewed interest in the possibilities of a deeper understanding between China and the world.”

—John Minford, Australian National University

“The script is rich in content not only because Ricci’s ‘adventure’ was so heroic. I particularly like the way the richness of the Chinese cultural world is highlighted. He meets some of the most fascinating personalities of Ming China, and touches, and is touched by, their minds and souls.”

—Elizabeth Sinn, University of Hong Kong