Jean Joseph Marie Amiot

French sinologist and missionary (1718-1793)

Jean Joseph Marie Amiot (Chinese: 錢德明; pinyin: Qián Démíng; 8 February 1718 – 8 October 1793) was a French Jesuit missionary. He worked in Qing China.

Jean Joseph Marie Amiot
Born(1718-02-08)8 February 1718
Died9 October 1793(1793-10-09) (aged 75)

Amiot was born in Toulon, France, and joined the Society of Jesus in 1737. He was made a priest in 1746. He was then sent to Qing China, where arrived in August 1751.[1]

He lived the rest of his life in China. He died after he heard the news that King Louis XVI had been executed.[2]

Amiot translated Chinese literature to French. He translated The Art of War in 1772, which made the work known in the Western world.[3]

Amiot studied Chinese music, which he wrote down and was played in the Qing court. His works were used to study Chinese music in the 18th century.[4]

References

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  1. Rochemonteix, Camille de (1915). Joseph Amiot et les derniers survivants de la mission française à Pékin (1750-1795). Paris: A. Picard et fils.
  2. Hermans, Michael (28 September 2019). "Appendix 2 Amiot's Life". The Mandate of Heaven. Brill. pp. 224–274. doi:10.1163/9789004416215_009. ISBN 9789004416215. S2CID 214432345.
  3. "» Jean Joseph Marie Amiot Introduces "The Art of War" to the West THE SHELF". Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. Lieberman, Fredric (2001). Amiot, (Jean) Joseph. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.00799. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0.