Noël Golvers is the Verbiest expert of the Institute.  In 1984, he obtained his Ph.D. in Classics from Leuven. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Institute to work on Verbiest's Latin correspondence in collaboration with the department of Chinese studies.

When in 1993 the project was revived by the new chair of Chinese studies, Noël was  invited as the expert on the Latin sources of the 17th-18th century Jesuit mission in China.

Noël edited and translated a great number of Latin works by and on Jesuits in China. His book on Verbiest's "European Astronomy" of 1687 (published in 1993) was followed by a study on the accountbook held by the Jesuit François de Rougemont in late 17th century China (1999), and  a highly acclaimed book on the reception of Verbiest's astronomical work in Europe (all published in Louvain Chinese Studies)

Since the mid 1980s, Noël has, with the support of the Verbiest Institute,  unearthed numerous unknown manuscripts and books related to the China Jesuit mission.    Noël is currently preparing a bibliography and anthology of unedited works of Verbiest. His next book is an exhaustive study of the western books that circulated among missionaries in 17th century China.  

In our newsletter,  Noël regularly reports on his latest findings.

More on Noël's research interests and publications on the website of the Seminarium Philologiae Humanisticae

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