Jesuit missions to China. 17th-century artwork showing Jesuit scholars that carried out missionary work in China. The founders of the Society of Jesus were Francis Xavier (upper left, 1506-1552) and Ignatius of Loyola (upper right, 1491-1556). Christ is represented by the symbols at top centre. Holding up a map of China are Adam Schall (left, 1592-1666) and Matteo Ricci (right, 1552-1610). Schall (from 1618) and Ricci (from 1582) established themselves at the royal court. The map includes Peking (Beijing) and the Great Wall of China. This artwork was the frontispiece to 'China monumentis' (1667) by German Jesuit scholar Athanasius Kircher.