Why did Kangxi expel missionaries who refused to follow the Jesuit approach to Chinese rites?

The Kangxi emperor expelled missionaries who refused to follow the Jesuit approach to Chinese rites primarily because he viewed the intervention of the Holy See as an unacceptable intrusion into his sovereign authority.1

The Chinese Rites Controversy centered on whether traditional ceremonies honoring Confucius and ancestors were compatible with Christianity. The Jesuits were lenient, viewing these practices as social rituals that could be adapted to the faith. However, other orders, such as the Dominicans and Franciscans, condemned them as superstitious.123

When Pope Clement XI issued a decree in 1704 forbidding Chinese Catholics from participating in these rites, Kangxi perceived this as an interference in what he considered his exclusive domain. Consequently, he ordered the expulsion of missionaries who would not adhere to the Jesuit line, as he saw their refusal to accept his perspective on these cultural traditions as a direct challenge to his rule.1