I Have a Universe in My Mind

Memory Palace was a method of memorization, and also a book.

This book was also known as Matteo Ricci's Memory Palace and described a rational method of memorization that had existed since long ago.

There were many different accounts of where this method came from. One claimed it originated in Ancient Rome and was a secret passed down only among a few Great Scholars. It was precisely because they had mastered this method that the Great Scholars possessed wisdom far beyond that of ordinary people.

Another said it came from Ancient Greece and supposedly originated with the Greek poet Simonides. One day, after Simonides recited a hymn of praise in a grand banquet hall, he left for some reason. The hall suddenly collapsed, killing all the guests inside. Their bodies were mangled beyond recognition. Simonides, who had escaped disaster, calmly analyzed where each guest had been seated and identified the bodies one by one. His ability shocked many people, and under pressure, he eventually revealed the secret of his memory.

Yet another account claimed it originated in the Middle Ages of Europe, as a secret art practiced among certain mysterious groups. Since printing had not become widespread at the time, many books had to be memorized by human minds, giving rise to this secret art. As a result, those who mastered it were regarded as evil Wizards, and many were tied to stakes and burned alive.

The one who truly carried this memorization method forward, however, was Matteo Ricci, who came after the Middle Ages.

Matteo Ricci was Italian, born on October 6, 1552. His original name was Matteo Ricci. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1571 and began dedicating himself to missionary work in 1577.

He first went to India, then eventually arrived in China. After years of