The Kangxi Emperor was the more enlightened emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and he himself had an understanding of many Western science and technology, and he was enthusiastic about studying, and he did not reject Western missionaries. This was rare among the emperors of the Qing Dynasty. When he was ill, he even took the initiative to ask for Western medicine from missionaries, which is even rarer in Chinese history.
Kangxi' name was Ai Xin Jue Luo Xuan Ye, born on May 4, 1654, and ascended the throne in 1662. In May 1693, Kangxi contracted malaria. After trying many medicines to no avail, he offered to have Western missionaries come and see him. The first "foreign doctor" to see him was Father Louis, who was sent by the Jesuits of Portugal. On June 13, Father Lu was taken into the deep palace to see the emperor. At that time, Kangxi's condition had worsened, and many people thought that he had an incurable disease, and he himself issued an edict to recruit all the princes in case of an accident. Lu Yidao followed the customs of Chinese medicine to take the pulse for the emperor. After finishing his pulse, he said to the emperor and those present: "The emperor's pulse is disordered, but there will be no danger to his life." "
The crowd asked, "What medicine is there?" "
He said no, only some rejuvenating pills.
Kangxi did not speak, but simply ordered him to back off.
Kangxi did not fully believe Lu Yidao's claims. He asked other missionaries to see him. Among them were two missionaries from France, Chinese named Zhang Cheng and Bai Jin, who brought a powdered medicine that claimed to be "all the diseases that these powders cure in France."
Kangxi wanted to take it, but the palace doctor advised that the emperor should not risk taking this medicine powder of unknown origin. However, Kangxi was afraid that his illness would become more and more serious, so he stopped listening to persuasion and took half the dose of powder on his own initiative. After taking it, the high fever will go away by more than half. But after that, it didn't work, and Kangxi still didn't heal.
Later, through the introduction of Zhang Cheng and Bai Jin, two More French Jesuit missionaries Hong Ruohan and Liu Ying, who came to China with Zhang Cheng and Bai Jin, entered the palace to see Kangxi. They brought the emperor cinchona cream, which was specially used to treat malaria.
At that time, the people around the emperor were skeptical about the effect of the medicine brought by the missionaries. They found three patients from outside the uterus and asked them to take the medicine first. As a result, the three patients who took the drug "all at once" were all better. Kangxi listened and couldn't wait to take the medicine. But he was dissuaded by the prince around him.
At that time, the four ministers around Kangxi mainly requested to "test the medicine" for the emperor, including Sony's son Soltu. After the four ministers took the medicine, they were safe and sound. Only then did the princes rest assured that the emperor would take medicine. After Kangxi took the medicine, the effect was very good, and the pain was alleviated at that time. After taking the medicine for a few days, I was cured.
After his recovery, Kangxi was so pleased that he gave the mansion of his criminal minister Suksaha (whose house was raided at the time) to the four missionaries who cured him of his illness, and the mansion was converted into a church, which is the original site of the famous North Church of Shishku Church. The three imperial physicians who dissuaded him from taking the medicine, Kangxi ordered their execution. Later, at the mercy of his ministers, Kangxi converted them into exile. The crime is: see death and do not save.