The Selden Map of China: A New Understanding of the Ming Dynasty
Dating from the seventeenth century at the height of the Ming Dynasty, the Selden Map of China reveals a country very different from popular conceptions of the time, looking not inward to the Asian landmass but outward to the sea. Discovered in the stacks of the Bodleian Library, this beautifully decorative map of China is, in fact, a seafaring chart showing Ming Dynasty trade routes. It is the earliest surviving example of Chinese merchant cartography and is evidence that Ming China was outward-looking, capitalistic, and vibrant.
Exploring the commercial aims of the Ming Dynasty, the port city of Quanzhou and its connections with the voyages of the early traveler Zheng He, this book describes the historical background of the era in which the map was used. It also includes an analysis of the skills and techniques involved in Chinese map-making and the significance of the compass bearings, scale, and ratios found on the map, all of which combine to represent a breakthrough in cartographic techniques.
The enthralling story revealed by this extraordinary artifact sheds light on the long history of China’s relationship with the sea and with the wider world.
RM135.00
Out of stock
Description
Dating from the seventeenth century at the height of the Ming Dynasty, the Selden Map of China reveals a country very different from popular conceptions of the time, looking not inward to the Asian landmass but outward to the sea. Discovered in the stacks of the Bodleian Library, this beautifully decorative map of China is, in fact, a seafaring chart showing Ming Dynasty trade routes. It is the earliest surviving example of Chinese merchant cartography and is evidence that Ming China was outward-looking, capitalistic, and vibrant.
Exploring the commercial aims of the Ming Dynasty, the port city of Quanzhou and its connections with the voyages of the early traveler Zheng He, this book describes the historical background of the era in which the map was used. It also includes an analysis of the skills and techniques involved in Chinese map-making and the significance of the compass bearings, scale, and ratios found on the map, all of which combine to represent a breakthrough in cartographic techniques.
The enthralling story revealed by this extraordinary artifact sheds light on the long history of China’s relationship with the sea and with the wider world.
Publisher: Bodleian Library
Paperback
2019
ISBN: 9781851245246
Related products
-
Mr Selden’s Map of China: The Spice Trade, a Lost Chart and the South China Sea
Timothy Brook’s award-winning Vermeer’s Hat unfolded the early history of globalisation, using Vermeer’s paintings to show how objects like...RM59.50 -
Red Dust
In 1983, Ma Jian turned 30 and was overwhelmed by the desire to escape the confines of his life in Beijing With his long hair, jeans and artistic...RM49.90 -
The Painted Veil
Kitty Fane is the beautiful but shallow wife of Walter, a bacteriologist stationed in Hong Kong Unsatisfied by her marriage, she starts an affair...RM35.90 -
Photography and China
With its lush and diverse landscapes, ancient ruins, and stunning architecture, China is a photographer’s dream Exploring this visually rich and...RM139.50