A European Community in Yangzhou during the Pax Mongolica

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Two Latin tombstones were discovered in Yangzhou in 1951 by the People’s Liberation Army. These two gravestones are unusual and very interesting above their historical implications. Their Christian names, iconographies and Latin inscription make us imagine that they were certainly Christians and probably Europeans. The following questions naturally arise: Who were two owners of the tombstones, Caterina and Antonio? Were they local Chinese people or foreign dwellers living temporarily in Yangzhou for the reasons of commerce or religion? It is generally accepted that Caterina and Antonio belonged to an Italian merchant family, even if many historians disagree on their city of origin. Most researchers of the tombstones agree that Franciscan friars were responsible for the process of making them, which is suggested by the Latin inscription in that friars were good at Latin while generally ordinary people like merchants did not know Latin.
Several sources including these two tombstones attest to the formation of a non-negligible European community in such a far-away unfamiliar Chinese city during the period of Pax Mongolica, which was composed of Italian merchants and Franciscan friars for the sake of profit and religion.

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