Joseph Besson’s 1660 account of Jesuit missions in Syria offers a rare glimpse into the region’s cultural landscape from the perspective of French Jesuits living among diverse communities of Jews, Christians (Greek-Orthodox and Catholic), and Muslims. Drawing on unpublished Jesuit relations from 1625 to 1659 and an unsigned map of Syria, this article explores Besson’s portrayal of Greater Syria, a region encompassing modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and western Jordan, within the Ottoman empire. A detailed analysis reveals that the map is likely an original Jesuit creation, highlighting how Jesuit spirituality influenced their interpretation of physical spaces. Furthermore, the study illuminates the Jesuits’ role in shaping European views of the Orient and the Holy Land, contributing to the early development of Orientalism.

约瑟夫·贝松 (Joseph Besson) 1660 年对叙利亚耶稣会传教的描述，从生活在犹太人、基督徒（希腊东正教和天主教）和穆斯林等不同社区中的法国耶稣会士的角度，难得一睹了该地区的文化景观。本文利用 1625 年至 1659 年间未发表的耶稣会关系和一张未签名的叙利亚地图，探讨了贝松对大叙利亚的描绘，该地区包括现代叙利亚、黎巴嫩、以色列、巴勒斯坦和约旦西部，属于奥斯曼帝国。详细分析表明，该地图很可能是耶稣会士的原创作品，强调了耶稣会士的灵性如何影响他们对物理空间的解释。此外，该研究阐明了耶稣会士在塑造欧洲对东方和圣地的看法中的作用，为东方主义的早期发展做出了贡献。