Heading: (China)
Author: Huang, Qianren
Title: Da Qing wan nian yi tong di li quantu. [Complete Geographical Map of the Great Qing Dynasty]
Place Published: China
Publisher:
Date Published: [Jiaqing period (1760-1820), likely c.1810]
Description:

Woodblock engraving, printed in blue & white. Presented on 8 vertical scrolls, archivally mounted on modern silk backing, with rollers. Each scroll image approx. 153.5x31 cm (60½x12¼"); when together, approx. 153.5x248 cm (60½x97½").

Exceptional, superbly restored example of the rare "Blue Map" of the world as seen through Chinese eyes. This original map was probably executed in 1767, although no example of it now survives. There was, however, a manuscript copy of the map produced in 1800 which now resides in the Beijing National Library, and upon which the later versions were based. A revised and enlarged woodblock-printed version was produced probably sometime around 1811, and exists in two versions, one in black and white, and the other in blue, such as the present example. The title of the map is a political statement as much as a geographical description, showing China at the height of the Qing empire, and celebrating the 'unified status of all Chinese borders'.

Politics aside, the map had a utilitarian purpose in aiding the administration of the empire, and there are numerous administrative details and named symbols: squares capped by small rectangles = provincial capitals (sheng); squares = prefectures (fu); squares capped with triangles = independent district magistrates (zhilizhou); vertical rectangles = departments (zhou); diamonds = sub-prefectures (ting); circles = districts (xian); small buildings = frontier passes (guan); triangles = local headmen or western tribute states (tusi); dotted lines delineate provincial borders.



The physical geography is represented with mountains, deserts, rivers and coast lines all depicted, as is the mid-Qing era Great Wall with its checkpoints. The map focuses on two rivers, the Yellow and the Yangtze. The origin of the Yellow River is drawn correctly; however, the map still shows Minjiang River as the source of the Yangtze River, which repeats the old legend and is not correct.



The map minimizes the European notion of a map of the world, its centralized and marginalizing construct confirming the Qing/Chinese notion of the Central Kingdom. Russia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Korea are clearly defined .To the upper left of the map lie the Mediterranean ('Small Western Ocean'), and Atlantic ('Great Western Ocean'), with both the Netherlands and Great Britain shown as islands.

The excellent restoration repairs a number of small edge chips and earlier tears, very good condition, quite attractive, of great rarity.