The map which the present example is based upon was first produced in 1767 for the Qianlong Emperor to celebrate the unification of the Qing empire. No example of the original survives. However, a printed copy of the map was produced in 1800 by Huang Zhengsun, and now resides in the Beijing National Library.

The map was then revised and enlarged in around 1811, resulting in the present work. This version was printed in two colours: blue and white, and black and white. There are examples of this version in the Maclean Collection in Chicago, the Library of Congress, and the Beijing National Library.

Three states of the map are known, the present example, without a date, is assumed to be the first. The "second" state has a slightly altered title [Complete Map of All-Under-Heaven of the Unified Everlasting Qing Empire], and has the addition of an imprint "[Suzhou, Tiger Hill, Jiqing Tang (Hall of Accumulating Treasures), dated: Daoguang 3 [i.e. 1823]]". The third state is a stele rubbing.

KEY:
- All names of countries, provinces, counties, cities, mountains, rivers and persons in the Chinese text are underlined. 
- Book titles in the translation are in italic. 
- Mistakes in the Chinese texts are marked in red.

Basic Unites of Local Administration in the Qing dynasty
省 Provinces
道 Circuits
府 Prefectures
廳 Sub-prefectures 
州 Departments
縣 Districts

SCROLL A
英圭黎
England 
荷蘭國在西海之北，謹按《政治典訓》載，荷蘭國使稱伊國與俄羅斯接壤，言語相通
Holland is at the north of the Western Sea. According to the Political Code (this is a Chinese book published around 1669), the envoy of Holland says that his country shares borders with Russia, and also shares the language.
大西洋和闌西
The Great Atlantic		
France
千熊臘，今為呂宋祖國
Spain, today it is the home country of the Philippines
回回祖國，亦名哈密
The home country of Muslims, also called Kumul
小西洋
The Little Atlantic
漢西劇廣縣地，東西相距千里
The area of the Juguang District on the west of Han (漢 maybe indicates the Han River), the distance from the east and the west [side of this area] is about a thousand miles (里 is “one Chinese mile,” which varies between 400 to 600 metres according to different dynasties).
哈烈，一名黑魯，東北至撒馬兒罕境
Herāt, another name is 黑魯 (this is another translation of the pronunciation of the city); its northeast [border] reaches Samarkand (Samarqand).
干闌河源
The origin of Ganlan River
按《水經註》，葱嶺山東，南北有山，相距千里，東西六千里
According to the Commentary on the Waterways Classic, (compiled in the 6th century and describing 1252 of China’s rivers in 40 volumes) to the east of Congling Mountains (the Pamirs), there are mountain ranges  stretching a thousand miles from north to south and extending for over six thousand miles from east to west.  
元潘昂霞《河源志》曰：吐番 朶甘思西鄙 有泉百餘泓，方可七八十里，履高下瞰，燦若列星，故名火敦腦兒。火燉，譯言星宿也。宋思本 (wrong character in the Chinese text, it should be 朱思本) 云：河源在中州西南，直四川 馬湖，蠻部之正西三千餘里，雲南 麗江宣撫司之西北一千五百餘里
It is written in the Records of River Origins by Pan Xiaang of the Yuan dynasty: In the朶甘思西鄙 (this is a translation of the pronunciation of a Tibetan term) county of Tibet, there are more than a hundred springs; [The size of a spring] could be as large as seventy to eighty square miles. [If one] ascends to high ground and looks down, [the springs] appear to shine like stars; this is why [this area] is called “The Sea of Stars”. Zhu Siben (a Yuan dynasty scholar and map-maker) says, the origin of the [Yellow] River is on the southwest of the central China, indicating Horse Lake of Sichuan, more than three thousand miles away from the west of the southern barbarian tribe [the Nanman], and more than one thousand and five hundred miles away to the northwest of the Pacification Commission [an administrative organization] of Lijiang of Yunnan Province.
河源之南山，積石山里，或云磧石
The southern mountain of the Origin of the Yellow River, there are stones piled in the mountain; it is also called 'Qishi'.
西天即漢身毒國，按《舘考》云：西天即天竺，在葱嶺之南，去月餘底東南數千里（a mistake in the Chinese text, it should be去月氏東南數千里），地方三萬餘里，分東西南北中五印度國，國各有王，地皆數千里。
The 'Western Heaven' is Sindhu (India), according to the Examination of the Four Translation: Sindhu, it is on the south side of Congling Mountains [The Pamir and Himalayan Mountains], several thousand miles away from the southeast of the Yuezhi ('Moon Clan'). Its size is more than thirty thousand square miles; it is divided into five Indian states in the east, west, south, north, and the centre. Each state has a king and is as large as several thousand square miles. 
河出西藩巴顏喀拉山，東名阿爾坦河，東北流三百餘里，合鄂敦塔拉諸泉源，大小千百泓，錯列如星，匯為查靈鄂靈二海子，各周三百餘里，東西相去五十里。折而北，經蒙古 托羅海山之南，轉東南，流千餘里。南北受數十小水，經烏蘭莽乃山下，有多母打禿昆多倫河、阿拉昆多倫河，自東南來入之。自此折而西北，流三百餘里，前後小水奔注，不可勝計。繞阿水爾馬勒產母孫山之東北，流百五十餘里，有齊普河、呼呼烏蘇河自西來入之。又迤東，東北流三百餘里，會哈克圖衮、俄羅濟諸水，歷歸德堡，經積石山至蘭州府、河州入中國界。
This river comes from the Bayan Har Mountains of the western land; towards the east, it is called 阿爾坦河 (translation of a Mongolian term, the “Gold River”). It flows northeast for more than three hundred miles, joined by the springs at 鄂敦塔拉 (translation of a Mongolian term, the “Sea of Stars”). There are hundreds and thousands [of springs] large and small, scattered like stars. They join together and form the two lakes named 查靈 (Tibetan, the “White Lake”) and鄂靈 (Tibetan, the “Blue Lake”). The circumference of each lake is more than three hundred miles, and there are fifty miles, from the east to the west, between them. […The river] turns north, passes the south side of 托羅海山 (Mongolian, the “White Peak”), turns southeast and flows more than a thousand miles. It is joined by several dozens of small rivers from the north and south […and] flows for more than three hundred miles and it is then joined by more rivers beyond counting. [… It eventually] passes the Guide Fortress (Fortress of Returning to Virtue) and the Jishi Mountain (Piling Stones Mountain), and arrives in the Lanzhou Prefecture and Hezhou City, and enters the borders of China.

SCROLL B
俄羅斯
東連羅剎，迤西直北（two characters unreadable, might be 俱無）地界。謹按《定俄羅斯羅剎方略》（the book title should be 《平定羅剎方略》）云：俄羅斯貢（two characters unreadable），從古未至，其國距京師甚遠，從此陸路可直達彼處。自嘉峪關行十三日至哈密，自哈密行十二、三日至土魯番。土魯番五種部落。通土魯番即俄羅斯之境。其國遼濶，有一萬餘里
To the east is 'Rocia' (a Mongolian term for Russia) which has no borders to its west and north. According to the Strategy on the Suppression of Rocia, Russia has not sent [official tribute bearers] since ancient times. One can reach this country directly by road on land but it is very far away from [our] capital. From the Jiayu Fortress, one travels for thirteen days before arriving at Kumul. From Kumul, one travels another twelve or thirteen days before arriving in Turpan (an important city on the Silk Route). There are five tribes in Turpan. Beyond Turpan, is the frontier of Russia. The country is vast and more than ten thousand miles across. 
The short Chinese terms are names of places and rivers.
For the long ones (from left to right):
高昌即明大州，漢車師地，唐交河、蒲頻（should be 昌）兩縣地。
Gaochang (Qara-hoja or Kara-Khoja) is the Dazhou of the Ming dynasty; it is the Gushi area of the Han dynasty; the Jiaokou and Puchang Districts of the Tang dynasty. 
(two characters unreadable）海，一名會澤。《山海經》以為沼澤。
The 'Sea of ...' another name is Huize. In the Classic of Mountains and Seas, it is regarded as a swamp.
哈密，漢敦煌郡，北境即伊吾（one character unreadable)
Kumul is the Dunhuang Commandery of the Han dynasty. Its northern area is Yiwu (Aratürük). 



回回，其先默得那其祖國。按《舘考》云：與天方國□（one character unreadable），天方在筠沖之地，舊名天堂，又名西域
Madinah [Medina] is the ancestral home of the Muslins. According to the Examination of the Four Translations, it is [near to] Mecca. Mecca is in the area called Junchong, and its old name was the “Heaven” as well as the “Western Area.”
元都實《河源記》云：星宿之源，在崑崙之西北。東流過山之南，然後折而抵山之東北，其遶山之三面，如玦焉，非源于是山也
In the Records of River Origins by Dushi of the Yuan dynasty, it says: The origin of the [Sea of] Stars is at the northwest of the Kunlun Mountains. [The river from the source] flows east, passing south of the [Kunlun] Mountains, then turns, and reaches the northeast of the Mountains. It circles around three sides of the Mountains, which look like an incomplete jade ring, and its source is not in these Mountains. 
Passage on the top:
西番，其先水羌，屬凡百餘種。唐始通中國，元郡縣其地，明封為贊善等五王，及烏思藏等都指揮司，朶甘思宣撫司千戶所 本朝貢道一由四川，一由甘肅
The ancestors of the Tibetans derive from more than one hundred ethnic clans. During the Tang dynasty, [the Tibetans] first came into contact with Central China. During the Yuan dynasty, the land [of Tibet] was settled [by the Imperial Government] into commanderies and districts. During the Ming dynasty, five kings, such as the King of Assisting Goodness, the Regional Military Commission of Ü-Tsang, together with the Pacification Commission Battalion of Dokham were assigned to govern Tibet. During our dynasty (the Qing), there were two tribute routes from Tibet to China, one via Sichuan Province, and the other through Gansu Province.

Passage on the left:
緬甸，按《舘考》：南至海，東北至雲南省三十八程
Burma, according to the Examination of the Four Translation: The south [of Burma] reaches the sea; there are thirty-eight post-houses between the northeast [of Burma] and the [capital of] Yunnan Province. 

Passage in the middle:
本邦，按“百譯”《舘考》：原名猛都，又名孟邦，種類甚繁，故以百譯稱
Mon 

, according to the 'Hundred Foreignness' (this is a Chinese name for the Mon 

) in the Examination of the Four Translation: [The country’s] old name was Mengdu, also known as Mengbang; There are many ethnic groups [in this country,] so it is called the 'Hundred Foreignness.'

Passage on the right:
八百大甸，按“八百”《舘考》：土酋有妻八百，名（should be 各）領一寨，因名八百□（one character unknown）婦。東北去布政使司三十八程
Babaidadian (this is a name of a place in the northeast of Burma, in Chinese, it means “Eight Hundred Big Fields”), according to the “Eight Hundred” in the Examination of the Four Translation: The local tribal chief [of this country] has eight hundred wives; each wife was put in charge of one stronghold, thus [this country] is called the “Eight Hundred Big Fields.” There are thirty-eight post-houses between the northeast [of this country] and the Provincial Administration Commission.
暹羅國即古赤土，明姑合暹與羅斛為一，本朝因之，受封朝貢
Siam (Thailand) is the ancient Chitu Country. During the Ming dynasty, [two countries] 暹 and 羅斛 joined and become one country. The Imperial court officially recognised this and allows Siam to continue to pay tributes. 

SCROLL C
九龍江即瀾滄，流入安南界。
The “Nine Dragons River” is the Canglan River, which flows into Vietnam. 

The long passage on the right will be translated with Scroll D 
Three Passages from left to right:
爛泥尾，船不可近
Lanniwei (the literal translation of this place is “Mud Edge Tail”), ships cannot approach here. 
柬埔寨，即古臘
Cambodia, it is the ancient Siem Reap (literally “The Flat Defeat of Siam”, a name given after a major defeat inflicted on the Siamese by the Kymers in the 16th Century. (Another example of the cartographic confusion once outside the Chinese borders with Cambodia depicted as an island). 

SCROLL D
城朔方，漢武中命衛青取河南地，立朔方郡，即此。
City Shuofang. During the reign of Han Wu Emperor (141BC-87BC), General Wei Qing was ordered to take the land of the south of the [Yellow] River, where the Shuofang Commandery was then established. This is it.
紅苗，上哨名板橋，中哨梅山，下哨□溪 □等砦□□十三又□都塘□砦一百三十五 地連三省，周千三百里
The Red Miao (an ethnic minority), the upper field [of this land] is named Banqiao, the middle Meishan, and the lower □xi. [It has] thirteen strongholds. Dutang has one hundred and thirty-five strongholds. This land is connected with three provinces; the perimeter of this land is one thousand and three hundred miles. 
The shorter passage below:
廣南，本安南地，漢為日南郡，隋、唐驛州，明又安府，與交趾、東京隔一水。
Guannan is originally a land of Annam. During the Han dynasty, it was the Ri’nan (literally, South of the Sun) Commandery; During Sui and Tang dynasties, it was the Yi Department. In the Ming dynasty, it was (briefly) re-established as a prefecture (Between the Tang and Ming dynasties it was not ruled directly by China), which is separated from Jiaozhi [Commandery] and the East Capital [of Annam] by a river.

The long passage: 
安南國，本古南交地，秦象郡，漢交趾、九真、日南三郡地。歷吳、梁、陳、隨，俱置郡置府。唐曰交州，後改為安南都護府。宋封安南王。明永樂初，置交趾布政使司，宣德後，封安南國王。本朝因之，每歲朝貢。入交道有三，一由廣西，一由廣東，一由雲南。由廣西之道亦有三，一由憑祥州，一由思明府，一由龍州。安南自置東西二京十承政司。
Annam, in the past it was Nanjiao (a territory ruled by the central government). During the Qin dynasty, it was the Xiang Commandery. During the Han dynasty, the land belonged to three commanderies: Jiaozhi, Jiuzhen, and Rinan. During the Wu, Liang, Chen, and Sui dynasties, [the central government] all established commanderies or prefectures here. During the Tang dynasty, [this place] was called Jiao Department, later it was changed to the Annam Protectorate. During the Song dynasty, the King of Annam was granted [permission to rule by the central government] (the Chinese had, in fact, been expelled from Annam during the previous Rule of the Five Dynasties). During the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty, established a Provincial Administration Commission of Jiaozhi there; During the Xuande reign, [the central government] recognized the King of Annam [as a vassal state of the central government]. (In reality in 1427 a large Chinese army suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of the Annamese). Our dynasty (the Qing) follows such a tradition, [and allows Annam officials to] pay tributes yearly. There are three routes to go to the Jiao area (Annam): one via Guangxi Province, one via Guangdong Province, and one via Yunnan Province. There are also three routes via Guangxi Province: one via Pingxiang Department, one via Siming Prefecture, and one via Long Department. Annam established two capitals in the east and the west, as well as ten Executive Commissions.
SCROLL E
喀爾喀左[旗]			蘇尼特右[旗]			蘇尼特左[旗]			阿霸垓右[旗]
Khalkha Left [Banner] 	Sonid Right Banner 	Sonid Left Banner		Abahai Right Banner
(These are names of Mongolian nomadic pastures of the Qing dynasty)
(The apparent reversal of left and right derives from the tradition that the Chinese Emperor always faces south and therefore all directions are given from the Emperor’s standpoint. It was this tradition which dictated the layout of the Forbidden City with the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Emperor’s main audience chamber placed at the northernmost point in the city and the Emperor’s throne placed at the northernmost point of chamber.)
旗察哈爾游牧處
Grazing grounds of the Chahar Banner
太（常）寺牧場
Pasture of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices
兩黃旗牧場
Pasture of the two Yellow Banners 
(The Plain Yellow Banner and Bordered Yellow Banner, were both under the direct command of the Qing Emperors) 
									禮部牧場
									Pasture of the Ministry of Rites
			四子部落
			Tribes of the Four Sons

八排□（should be 瑤）。大排八，小排二十九，地界三省，方□（could be 千）餘里。
[The Land of the Yao] [There are] eight greater rows [of households] and twenty-nine lesser rows (this may refer to the various ranks of the headmen who traditionally ruled over the Yao). [This] land is bordered by three provinces, and is one thousand square miles.
府境南北一千一百四十里，東西八百里。
The boundary of this prefecture is: from south to north, there are one thousand one hundred and forty miles; from east to west, there are eight hundred miles. 
萬里石塘
The Paracel Islands (Literally, “Ten Thousand Miles of Stony Ponds”)
(The ownership of these islands still disputed between China, Vietnam and Taiwan. Due to the scarcity of large scale early Chinese maps, all sides in the dispute have at one time or another quoted this map in an attempt to advance their case.)
李佛，一名烏丁樵林。
Johor, another name is Ujong Tanah (meaning the End of the Land). (This is the island of Singapore which, somewhat surprisingly, is placed wholly separate, and at the opposite side of the sea, from Thailand.) 

SCROLL F
沙漠
Desert

Mongolian names of pastures from left to right:
阿霸喀納爾右[旗]
Abahanar Right Banner
阿霸喀納爾左[旗]
Abahanar Left Banner
阿霸垓左[旗]
Abahai Left Banner
烏蘭布通
Ulan Buh
克西克騰
Hexigten
(These are all Mongolian names of places of grazing pastures.)
(It is possible that this is the route from the capital of the Qing dynasty, Beijing, to its old capital in the northeast, Shenyang, also known as Mukden. According to the preface of the map, the little houses indicate forts, so the lines between those forts might be a defensive line or perhaps stopping places for the Imperial Court when travelling between the two capitals.)
京師
The Capital (Beijing)									(This is the beginning of the Great Wall)
宛平 			順天 				大興
Wanping [District]	Shuntian [Prefecture] 	Daxing [District]					 
醫[巫]閭
	(This is a Manchu name of a mountain which is regarded the origin of the Manchu people)

南澳，粵閩交界之處。
Nan'ao [District], it is at the borders of Guangdong Province and Fujian Province.

南澳氣水至此趋下不回。船不敢近。
At this place, the air and water of Nan’ao [District] turns downwards and never return. Ships dare not to approach near here.

丁機宜						舊港，即三佛齊故址						萬丹
Terengganu					Old Port, it is the old kingdom of Srivijaya			Wandan
                            
(Srivijaya was an ancient and powerful maritime Malay empire centred on Sumatra. It dominated the region from the 7th Century until its final decline in the 12th Century. Its disintegration was so total that it was completely forgotten and its existence was only re-discovered by archaeologists and historians in the 1920’s primarily from outside sources such as the reference to it on this map.)

SCROLL G
(These are the grazing pastures of Mongolian nobles and princes. The curved line in the middle is a river. For those who had high ranks, their pastures are located near the river and in the upper reaches of the river (left is upper reaches).)
科爾沁親王 			科爾沁王		鄂爾羅斯公
Khorchin Imperial Prince		Khorchin Prince	Duke of Ordos 

扎賴特貝子
Beile Prince of Jalaid

杜爾伯特貝子
Beile Prince of Dörbet

鄂爾羅斯公
Duke of Ordos
科爾沁親王 			科爾沁王		科爾沁公
Khorchin Imperial Prince		Khorchin Prince 	Duke of Khorchin

Princely and Noble Titles in Qing dynasty (ranks from high to low):
1) Imperial Prince (Princes of the Blood)
2) Prince of a Commandery (Prince of the Second Rank)
3) Beile (Lord of the First Rank)
4) Beizi (Lord of Second Rank)
5) Duke of the First Rank
6) Duke of the Second Rank)
7) Marquis
8) Viscount
9) Baron

At the top of the imperial hierarchy, the highest six ranks enjoyed the "Eight Privileges" These privileges were red carriage wheels, purple horse reins, heated carriages, purple cushions, gemstone mandarin hat crests, two-eyed peacock feathers on mandarin hats, use of leather whips to clear the path, and employment of eunuchs.
Peacock feathers, however, were prohibited for princes above the rank of beizi and direct imperial clansmen. The "Eight Privileges" entitled the prince to participate in state councils and share the spoils of war. However, the prince was also bound to reside in the capital and render service to the imperial court.

黑龍江至此入海
The Heilong River (Literally, the “Black Dragon River”) enters the sea from here.

諸水會於黑龍江，同北流。
Several rivers join the Heilong River; together 
[they] flow towards north.
(Within this line is the Manchu area, which is the ancestral home of the Qing emperors and many of the nobles and so may represent the Imperial Processional route to the homeland.)

(This area is called the Zhoushan Archipelago)
盖山，即陳錢山。
Gai Mount is Chenqian Mount.
東霍山，浙江海洋要山
Donghuo Mount is an important mountain on the coast in Zhejiang Province.

定海，即舟山，周三百餘里。
Dinghai is Zhoushan Island; its perimeter is more than three hundred miles. 

對馬郡，北去高鹿（should be 麗）信宿可至。
Tsushima Commandery, if [one] goes north to Goryeo, it only takes one or two nights.
魚鄰島
Yulin Island (“Fish Neighbour Island”)
旺崎
Nagasaki
日本，古倭奴國，唐始改名。其地直會稽之東，貢道舊由寧波入。分五畿、七道、三島。附庸之國九百餘島。
Japan is the ancient Nakoku. It changed its name during the Tang dynasty. Its land is directly at the east of Kuaiji [Prefecture of China]. The old route for the payment of tributes was to enter from Ningbo. [Japan] is divided into five areas, seven circuits, and three islands. It has vassal states of more than nine hundred islands. 
長嶼嶼商賈畢集，為日本交易之所。
Gotō Islands, the merchants are all gathered here. This is the trading place of Japan. 

琉球國，明初歸附，分國為三：中山、山北、山南。後惟中山來朝。本朝因之，受封。
Ryukyu 

 -- it became a vassal state of China during the early Ming period. It is divided into three countries: Chūzan (literally, “Middle Mountain”), Hokuzan (“Mountain North”), and Nanzan (“Mountain South”). Later on, only Chūzan came to pay [tributes to the central government]. Our dynasty (the Qing) continues [to recognize Chūzan] which received the imperial grant. [The Kingdom of Ryukyu was an important intermediary handling the otherwise forbidden trade between China and Japan during both the Ming and Qing dynasties. 
小琉球
Lesser Ryukyu 
呂宋，今為千熊臘所屬之國。一名敏林臘。
The Philippines, today it is a vassal state of Spain. Another name is Manila.
網巾礁腦
Mindanao
蘇祿
Sulu
文萊，即娑羅國。
Brunei.
[The white tracks represent sea and trading routes]
SCROLL H
朝鮮
古箕子國，漢置元菟、樂浪二郡，後陷入高麗。唐置安東都護府，自後歷代朝貢。本朝封朝鮮國王，其地東西南瀕海，北抵長白山，東西二千里，南北四千里，由國城過鴨綠江至京師三千五百里。
京畿道領郡三、府三、州七、縣三；江源道領郡七、府五、州四、縣十；黃梅（should be 海）道領郡三、府三、州五、縣八；全羅道領郡三、府三、州四、縣二十三；慶尚道領郡七、府六、州五、縣十一；忠清道領郡四、州九、縣七；咸鏡道領郡三、府五、州八；平安道領郡十一、府九、州十六、縣六。

It is the ancient state ruled by Jizi (the uncle of the last king of the Shang dynasty). During the Han dynasty, it was divided into two commanderies, Yuantu and Lelang, later these were absorbed into the Kingdom of Goryeo. During the Tang dynasty, Protectorate of Settling the East was established. Since then, [Korea] has paid tribute through all succeeding dynasties. Our dynasty granted the ruler of Korea the title of King. Korea is surrounded by the sea on its east, west and south, to the north it extends to the Changbai Mountain [of China]. It is two thousand miles from east to the west and four thousand miles from north to south. It is three thousand and five hundred miles from the capital of Korea, across the Yalu River, to our capital. 
The Gyeonggi Province has three commanderies, three prefectures, seven departments, and three districts; The Gangwon Province has seven commanderies, five prefectures, four departments, and ten districts; The Hwanghae Province has three commanderies, three prefectures, five departments, and eight districts; The Jeolla Province has three commanderies, three prefectures, four departments, and twenty-three districts; The Gyeongsang Province has seven commanderies, six prefectures, five departments, and eleven districts; The Chungcheong Province has four commanderies, nine departments, and seven districts; The Hamgyong Province has three commanderies, five prefectures, and eight departments; The Pyongan Province has eleven commanderies, nine prefectures, sixteen departments, and six districts.

本朝幅圓之廣，恆古未有。東西南朔，莫可紀極。而萬國之梯航重譯，職貢稱臣者，更指不勝曲。乾隆丁亥年間，餘姚黃千人曾為《天下輿圖》，其中山川疆界，都邑封圻，靡不星羅棊布，如指諸掌，洵足瞻盛世之版章，為遠近之觀度矣。然其時，金川、西藏、新疆，州郡未經開闢，而河道海口等，尚不無掛漏之譏。茲刻遵御篡諸書，悉為增補，較舊圖似加詳晰。全圖內，每方寸百里；凡省從 、府從 、直隸州從 、州從 、廳從 、縣從 、關從 、土司從 、各省疆界從 。其塞徼緜亘，無際海嶼，風訊不時，難以里數計者，載其方向，俱仍舊式，未敢稍易。已見此圖久經鐫版行世，茲特刻為屏幅，俾途寓書箱，便於携帶。博雅君子，懸壁縱觀天下之廣，可以全覽焉。


The size of the territory of our dynasty is vaster than that achieved [by any previous dynasty] since antiquity. To the east, west, south and north, it is beyond measurable limit. In addition, there are ten thousand countries which [sent their diplomatic envoys] travelling long distances through mountains and seas as well as innumerable other foreign countries, in order to pay their tributes to us in a regular and timely manner and to serve as subjects. During the Dinghai year of Qianlong reign (1767), 

 (1694-1771) from Yuyao once made a “Map of All under Heaven.” In that map, all the mountains, rivers, borders, cities, and lands, are shown like the [numberless] stars or pieces of the “Go” board. [With this map], one could see the details of the empire just as easy as one can see one’s own fingers; [That map] is indeed enough for one to see the territory of a flourishing reign, as well as for one to see and measure the long or short distances. However, at that time [areas like] Jinchuan, Tibet, and Xinjiang and their departments and commanderies had not yet been established. The omission of waterways and estuaries on the earlier map is more culpable. This current map, on the other hand, is extensively supplemented from information from imperially edited books, thus it is much more detailed and clearer than the previous one. On this map, each square cun (1 cun is roughly 3.33cm) indicates a hundred square miles. The   indicates Province,   indicates Prefectures,   indicates the Capital-Department,   indicates lesser Departments,   indicates Sub-prefectures,   indicates Districts,  indicates forts,   indicates aboriginal-offices, and   indicates the border between provinces. As for those [places] such as continuous fortresses, islands on the boundless seas, [places which we of which we are uncertain] as well as [places that] cannot be counted by miles, [we shall still] record their directions, according to the earlier conventions which we dare not to change. This map has already been engraved and printed for use but this version is specially engraved and made into a screen-hanging-scroll, so that it is easy to carry during travel and [can be put into] a book-box. A gentleman with broad knowledge and upright morality could hang [this map] on a wall and get a complete view of the vastness of the earth under heaven. 


As well as making a grand political statement, the map serves as an efficient visual administrative tool. Each named provincial capital (sheng) appears as a square with a small rectangle on top; prefectures (fu), as a square; independent district magistrates (zhilizhou), as a square with a triangle on top; departments (zhou), a vertical rectangle; sub-prefectures (ting), a diamond; districts (xian), a circle; frontier passes (guan), a small building; local headmen or western tribute states (tusi), a triangle; the borders of each province, dotted lines. Mountain ranges, the Great Wall, and the Gobi Desert are prominent.  

Waterways were essential for the effective administration of the Empire, providing transport for not just people, but commerce. It is therefore not surprising that the source of the Yellow River is correctly located in the Bayan-har mountain, accompanied by an expansive explanatory note, with the Minjiang River shown as the source of the Yangtze. 

This superb map is as much a political statement of Qing power as it is a geographical record. It shows China at the height of Qing supremacy providing details on administrative divisions (with towns, cities, and provincial capitals), topographical features, and places of strategic significance. It also extends to all lands that impacted the Qing Empire including Holland, Great Britain, France, Spain, and Arabia as well as bordering countries such as Outer Mongolia, Korea, Japan, India, Cochin-China, Southeast Asia, and Russia. Much attention is given to the waterways and the source of the Yellow River is correctly located in the Bayan-har Mountains. The Minjiang River is given as the source of the Yangtze. Mountain ridges and the Great Wall are depicted in elevation, desert areas are stippled. The legend to the left of the title gives political and geographical details on Korea, below that is a colophon together with the legend to the map. The map was printed from woodblocks and constitutes an important development of traditional Chinese cartography following the introduction of Western land surveying techniques by the Jesuits. It remained a cornerstone of Imperial administrative planning for decades.

The ‘Da Qing wan nian yi tong di li quantu’ (‘Complete Geographical Map of the Great Qing Dynasty’) better known as the ‘Blue Map of China’ is one of the rarest and most significant Chinese maps ever made. Much of the information so vividly displayed is based on research originally presented to the Qianlong Emperor by 

 (fl. 1760–1770) in 1767, reaffirming the status of the kingdom as the geographical, political, and cultural centre of the world.

As well as making a grand political statement, the map served as an efficient administrative tool with individualised symbols indicating administrative units such as provincial capitals (sheng) prefectures (fu), independent district magistrates (zhilizhou), departments (zhou), sub-prefectures (ting), districts (xian), frontier passes (guan), and local headmen or western tribute states (tusi). The borders of each province are indicated with dotted lines. Mountain ranges, the Great Wall, and the Gobi Desert are prominent. Waterways, essential for the effective administration of the Empire, are also noted with the source of the Yellow River correctly located in the Bayan-har Mountains. 

The legendary Blue Map of China is one of the rarest, largest and most aesthetically magnificent Chinese maps ever made. Much of the information so vividly displayed is based on research originally presented to the Qianlong Emperor by 

 (fl. 1760-70) in 1767, reaffirming the status of the kingdom as the geographical, political, and cultural centre of the world.

Large woodcut wall-map of the world, printed in blue, white, and ochre, in 16 sections on eight sheets, recently mounted on 8 scrolls.

The 'Blue China' World Map