「陽明後學」章潢、李贄、祝世祿、焦竑、鄒元標及馮應京等人是活躍於明萬曆年間的思想家兼教育家，而利瑪竇乃當時「輸入西學的第一人」，他們交流、互動，構成明末中西文化交流最初時期儒士與傳教士相會、直接對話、建立友誼的歷史圖景。江右王門章潢，主持白鹿洞書院，屢次邀請利瑪竇到書院與年輕士子研討學問，相互辯難，腦力激盪。泰州王門李贄與利瑪竇初識於南京，再會於濟寧，彼此交換讀書心得，討論人文觀念，惺惺相惜。同為泰州王門的名士兼名宦祝世祿，除鼎力襄助利氏推展南京的傳教事業外，還親自發給他到北京的路票，熱切奧援利氏進京朝貢。而亦屬同門的學界領袖焦竑，倡導「多元文化思想」，並與利瑪竇密切往來，促進了士人階層與利氏的交流。江右王門鄒元標以中國傳統「敬天」思想「會通」西方「天學」。鄒氏的傳人馮應京，一面深交利氏以認識西學，一面指派弟子向利氏問學。馮應京出資刊印利氏《天主實義》，並公開發售給人們，引起了明末至清初文教界、宗教界的關注。至於陽明後學與利瑪竇交往與友誼之涵義，則至少有二：其一，陽明後學首開士大夫與利瑪竇建立正向的學術交流之風氣；其二，外來文化有賴本土相應的社會文化與學界人物的支持才能滋長。

During the Wanli 萬曆 era of the Ming dynasty, many active ideologists and educationists belonged to the Yangming school 陽明後學, including Zhang Huang 章潢, Li Zhi 李贄, Zhu Shilu 祝世祿, Jiao Hong 焦竑, Zou Yuanbiao 鄒元標 and Feng Yingjing 馮應京 etc. It was at this time that Matteo Ricci became known as the first man to introduce Western culture. The interaction and exchange between them paints an historical picture of the earliest period of Sino-Western cultural exchange that took place between Confucian scholars and Christian missionaries in the late Ming, as one of meetings, direct dialogue, and the forming of friendships. Zhang Huang of the Wang school of Jiangyou 江右王門, who was in charge of the Bailudong Academy of Classical Learning 白鹿洞書院, frequently invited Ricci for discussions, fierce debates and brainstorming sessions with young scholars in the academy. Li Zhi from the Wang school of Taizhou 泰州王門 met Matteo Ricci for the first time in the city of Nanjing 南京, and again later in Jining 濟寧. They exchanged what they had learned in the course of their reading and discussed their views on human affairs, cherishing every moment in each other’s company. Another distinguished official and literary man of that school was Zhu Shilu, who apart from lending Ricci his kind assistance in promoting his missionary work in Nanjing, personally issued him a ticket giving him passage to Beijing and gave his fervent support to Ricci to enter the capital and pay imperial tribute. Jiao Hong, yet another leader in academic circles and early advocate of multicultural thinking, was also in close contact with Ricci, which spurred exchange between Ricci and the scholarly classes. Zou Yuanbiao of the Wang school of Jiangyou interpreted the Western concepts of heavenly studies 天學 from the point of view the traditional Chinese idea of respecting heaven 敬天. Zou's disciple Feng Yingjing kept close acquaintance with Ricci in order to learn Western knowledge and also sent his disciples to study with him. Feng funded the publication of Ricci's book Tianzhu shiyi 天主實義 and sold it to the public, drawing the attention of education and religious circles in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The friendship and exchange between Ricci and the Yangming school had at least two implications. First, it established the practice of progressive academic exchange between Ricci and the literati; second, the growth of foreign culture came to rely on the support of the corresponding local culture and figures in academic circles.