e, and in the latter's place as head of the Chinese
mission sent Juan de San Pedro Martyr.

There is no doubt but that at this time Benavides and Cobo were
the two outstanding Chinese linguists among the Spaniards in
the Philippines. To Benavides has been attributed [109] a Chinese
dictionary, and Schilling [110] uses the already quoted letter of Cobo
to prove that he also wrote a Doctrina in Chinese, but, granting that
such works were written by him, there is no evidence that they were
written in Chinese characters, and not in Chinese transliterated into
roman letters. The available evidence points to the fact that Cobo
was the only one who could then write in Chinese characters. Salazar
in his above quoted letter had said that "one of these two [have
learned] how to write also," and in the same letter he continued,
"Fray Juan Cobo, the Dominican religious--who, as I have said before,
knows the language of the Sangleys and their writing, and who is most
esteemed by them--is sending to Your Majesty a book, one of a number
brought to him from China." [111] Further witness to Cobo's amazing
knowledge of Chinese writing is given by Aduarte:

"He knew three thousand Chinese characters, each different
from all the rest, for the Chinese have no definite number
of letters nor alphabet.... He translated a number [of
Chinese books]; for like those of Seneca, though they are
the work of heathens, they contain many profound sayings
like ours. He taught astrology to some of them whom he found
capable of learning; and to bring them by all means to their
salvation also taught them some trades that are necessary
among Spaniards, but which, not being used by the Chinese,
they did not know--such as painting images, binding books,
cutting and sewing clothes, and such things--doing all to
win men to God." [112]

Finally, as a more definite proof that Cobo could have been the
author of the Chinese Doctrina of 1593, we have the record [113] of a
_Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana en Lengua China_ written by him,
as well as many other works in Chinese.

In May 1590, then, the most accomplished Sinologist yet to work in
the Philippines was in charge of the Dominican province. "His first
act," wrote Aduarte, "was to strengthen the ministry to the Chinese by
appointing to it Father Domingo de Nieva, a priest of great virtue and
very able--which was tremendously important there--and one w