44 beautiful and old maps of China

Mapmaking is an ancient art in China. Since the Warring States period (5th century BC) Chinese people began to study cartography.

It entered its golden age with the invention of the compass during the Song dynasty (11th century) and reached its peak in the 15th century when the Ming dynasty admiral Zheng He.

In general, the development of early Chinese cartography experienced three phrases: primitive map, classical map, and survey map.

The primitive maps were simple maps, still steeped in myth and legend.

It was not until the Han dynasty that classical maps began to emerge.

Related article: Flags of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau

A rare and beautifully engraved map of the old world divided into seven climatic zones according to the Ancient Greek geographer Strabo.

A beautiful example of Rigobert Bonne’s c. 1770 decorative map of China, Korea (Corea), Japan and Formosa (Taiwan). Extends from Tibet and Chinese Tartary east to Japan and south to Hainan.

A beautiful example of Rigobert Bonne’s 1770 decorative map of Chinese Tartary.

A beautiful example of Rigobert Bonne’s 1771 uncommon map of southeastern China.

A fine example of Rigobert Bonne and Guillaume Raynal’s 1780 map of Asia.

A fine example of Rigobert Bonne and G. Raynal’s 1780 map of the Southeast Asia and the Philippines.

This fascinating hand colored 1814 map by Edinburgh cartographer John Thomson depicts China.

This is a beautiful 1836 Hand colored map of China and Japan.

This fascinating hand colored map depicts Asia at the beginning of the 2nd century B.C.E.

This is Johnson and Browning’s 1861 map of China, first edition.

This hand colored map is a lithographic transfer, dating to 1863, by London cartographer Edward Weller.

A beautiful example of S. A. Mitchell Jr.’s 1864 map of the India, Tibet, China and Southeast Asia, including Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

This is an extremely rare and highly desirable 1876 Imray blue-back chart depicting Taiwan (Formosa) and northern Luzon. Covers the regions between 16°30′ to 25°40′ North Latitude and between 188°20′ and 130°20′ East Longitude.

This rare map is a plan of Beijing (Peking) China.

This extremely rare map is a street plan of Soochow ( Suzhou ) China.

This 1932 map depicts the city of Shanghai, China.

This is a rare and beautiful 1937 map of Shanghai China.

A dramatic and stunning 1950 view of the Summer Palace, in Beijing or Peking, China. The stunning Summer Palace or Yihe Yuan, overlooks Lake Kunming and lies just northwest of Beijing proper.

A scarce and stunning first edition example of Abraham Ortelius’ important 1572 map of Asia.

This is a rare map of the city and port of Macao (Macau) dating to 1764 by Jacques N. Bellin.

An attractive example of R. Bonne’s c. 1780 map of Eastern Russia, Tartary, and Siberia. Covers from Nerczinsk and Chinese Tartary north to the Arctic and eastward as far as Alaska.

An exceptionally beautiful example of John Cary’s important 1801 map of China and Korea.

John Pinkerton’s highly decorative map of China, published 1818.

This fascinating hand colored map depicts Asia in the 15th and 16th centuries.

An extremely attractive example of S. A. Mitchell Sr.’s 1853 map of China.

A beautiful 1855 first edition example of Colton’s map of China, Korea, and Taiwan. Covers from Mongolia to Hainan and from Tibet to Korea. Color coded according to various provinces and states.

A very nice example of A. J. Johnson’s 1862 map of China.

This is A. J. Johnson’s 1865 map of China.

This is an extremely rare map of the Chinese city of Tianjin ( Tientsiin or Tienjien ).

A highly uncommon map of Tianjin, dating 1932.

This rare and unusual map depicts the city of Tientsin, the second most important city, following Beijing, in Northern China.

This is an extraordinarily rare set of 45 post-Liberation topographical maps Beijing or Peking, China.

Amalgamated Map of the Great Ming Empire is a world map created in China. Date: unknown.

The Honil Gangni Yeokdae Gukdo Ji Do (“Map of Integrated Lands and Regions of Historical Countries and Capitals.”), often abbreviated as Kangnido, is a world map created in Korea, produced by Yi Hoe and Kwon Kun in 1402.

Left side, 3 panels of the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu, A Map of the Myriad Countries of the World, by Matteo Ricci

Chinese traditional Mapmaking skills became more developed and advanced in the late Ming dynasty under the influence of new ideas of technology and studies of natural science, which were introduced from the West to China. [Wikipedia]

Source: 1 , Geographicus , Wikipedia

Matteo Damiani

CHINA-UNDERGROUND. Matteo Damiani is an Italian sinologist, photographer, author and motion designer. Matteo lived and worked for ten years in China. Founder of CinaOggi.it and China-underground.com.

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