One of my favorite historical people is Matteo Ricci. He joined the Jesuits at a young age and spent several years in Goa in India before traveling to his intended destination of Macau.
Upon his arrival, the Catholic mission in China had limited success. There were few converts and the emperor did not allow the missionaries inland.
Unlike his colleagues, Ricci spent time studying the language and culture of China. He became an expert in the Chinese classics. 1/x
