ITALY, 2008, special cancel for the China Cartographical Exhibition in Trent
and honoring Martino Martini, SJ

Martino Martini, was born in Trent, a relative of Fr. Eusebio Kino, SJ. After finishing his studies in Trent, he entered the Austrian Province of the Society of Jesus in 1631, studied at the Roman College under, among others, the polymath Fr. Athanasius Kircher, and after his theological studies in Portugal where he was ordained (1639) proceeded to the China mission. He spend much time and energy gathering historical and geographical data about China. In 1653 he was back in Europe both to publish his collected data and also to present the case at Rome for the Chinese Rites favored by the Jesuit missionaries in China. His publications were very favorable received by the scientific community, and his pleas for the Chinese Rites were favorably received by the Vatican (at least for the moment). On his return to China he worked in the Hangzhou area where he built a church considered one of the most beautiful in the country. But no sooner was it finished than he died of cholera. More - More

CHINA, 2008?, personalized stamps honoring Martino Martini, SJ

The Jesuit Yearbook for 2010 reports the above stamps issued during a recent exhibition "Charting China: early views through European Eyes." The first series shows: the title page of Martini's Novus Atlas Sinensis (1655), a 17th century portrait of Martini pointing to his map, a geographer holding one of Martini's maps of China. The second series shows maps taken out of the Novus Atlas Sinensis of four Chinese provinces: Peking, Fukien, Kuantung and Chekiang. These are personalized tabs or labels se-tenant with an 80 fen stamp "Magpie Stands in the Plum" issued by China in November 2005 (Design Z11).

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