Map of Imperial Territories

Originally drawn during the Ming dynasty (1368�1644), Jiajing period (1522�66), dated 1526; postscript by Yang Ziqi (1458�1513)

Modern copy of original made in 1983

Hanging scroll, ink, color, and white pigment on 2 widths of silk stitched together; 160.2 x 182.6 cm

Inventory number: 2/1526/19892

This is one of the finest Ming maps showing political and administrative divisions.� The original version, drawn in color on silk around 1512 or 1513, is lost.� A reworked version, based closely on the original was made in 1526 and bearing a long colophon by Yang Ziqi (1458�1513), is now in the collection of the L�shun Museum.� The National Library of China's hand-drawn copy of the 1526 map was made in 1983.

The map provides at a glance the territorial scope and divisions of the Ming Empire, whose external borders are demarcated by a red line, as are provincial boundaries.� Although no explicit scale is stated, the shape of the coastline, courses of rivers, political subdivisions, and locations of administrative seats are relatively accurate, suggesting that the original map was drafted according to some kind of scale.� Using traditional Chinese cartographic conventions, the network of rivers and waterways is comprehensively shown and the sources of a number of rivers are provided.� Topographical features, historic sites, and scenic spots are indicated pictorially.� Cities and towns are white, the provincial capitals are red circles, while the imperial capital Shuntian (modern Beijing) and the secondary capital Yingtian (modern Nanjing) are prominent as the yellow octagons with red borders.� The map�s more than 2,000 annotations are supplemented by Yang Ziqi's colophon.