When the Jesuits decided to travel to China, they had a clear mission: to spread the word of God and the Church to anyone who was willing to listen. This would be a challenge in many parts of the world, but especially in China. The Jesuits had to overcome a great deal of cultural fear, ethnocentrism, and xenophobia to convert the Chinese, but they overcame these obstacles by employing various techniques that proved effective. An important factor that allowed the conversion of the Chinese was the strong leadership and cornerstones of the church. Like any important moment in history, there are specific priests and representatives of the Church who can be identified as the founders of the cultural exchange between Europe and China. Francis Xavier is widely known as the founder of the mission. Although he never made it very far into mainland China, his courageous actions inspired the priests who followed him to take action. Another important figure in this exchange was Matteo Ricci. He was a brilliant man who was probably the most important founder of the mission in terms of conversion techniques. He used mnemonic devices for memory and cartography to impress the Chinese, thus giving him the opportunity to talk further about the religion. Without leaders like Xavier and Ricci, perhaps there would not have been men intelligent enough to penetrate Chinese xenophobia and achieve a solid conversion. The Jesuits quickly learned China's fear of foreigners and sought to incorporate their teachings into Chinese culture. The greatest example of this is linking their teachings to Confucianism. For thousands of years, and until the Jesuits established their mission, the teachings of Confucius were at the center of Chinese culture. Instead of fighting that powerful force, the... center of the card... their energy in one group, they had an overall greater effect. Another benefit of this cascading conversion had to do with the way the Jesuits related to the literati. The Jesuits, like the literati, were scholars. This meant that they related well to each other, but it also meant that they might not relate as well to the municipality. Talking to literati, they knew that ordinary people would listen more easily to a fellow countryman than to a foreigner. When the Jesuits landed in China, they had a clear mission. Using these techniques, they overcame the cultural obstacles they faced to accomplish their duty. Ultimately, it was not necessarily their hard work and dedication that led to a successful conversion, but the intellectual ability to think and use efficient and effective techniques in their goal of converting all of China..