The "Terms Controversy" concerns the Chinese translation of the term "Deus". The first translation controversy of political theology in the history of Chinese thought aroused from Matte Ricci till Nicholas Longobardi. This article takes the "Terms Controversy" as the core issue of the Rite Controversy. It is related to the "translation" issues of political theology: Who has the "authority (sovereignty) of translation"? Translation, if it is necessarily a kind of interpretation, "who" is the ultimate "interpreter"? The authority of translation is also the authority to interpret, whoever owns it shall gain the authority to interpret. Thus, this relates to the "sovereignty dispute" in translation, which is also discussed in political theology: "Who is the final decider?"
