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. Numerous copies of the 1767 map exist and, 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.

Ten states of the map are known. This state is undated and 'Type F' (the sixth), and was produced after 1820, the year of the last state. Other copies of Type F are found in WereldMuseum, Leiden, the Library of Congress, Kobe City Museum and Umi-Mori Art Museum. 

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. 

Much attention is given to the waterways, which 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 River. 

Historical background: Chinese scholarship in the late-Qing Dynasty was dominated by ‘Kaozheng’ or ‘evidence-based’ scholarship, which was a response to, and reaction against, the Neo-Confucianism that had held sway during the Song (960–1279) and Ming (1368–1636) Dynasties. ‘Kaozheng’ sought to strip away the layers of Taoist and Buddhist interpretations of Confucian teaching that had accrued during the Song and Ming dynasties, which they saw as obscuring its true meaning and nature. In doing so, the Qing scholars hoped to shed new light on the ancient texts, and also that the texts might be better guides for contemporary policy and politics. ‘Kaozheng’ with its emphasis on critical thinking, and search for authentic texts, was not only confined to the realm of Confucian scholarship but also bled through into all aspects of Chinese intellectual inquiry, such as science and in the present case astronomy.

The Sunderland Collection

The 'Daqing Wannian Yitong Dili Quantu' - 大清萬年一統地理全圖 (‘Complete Geographical Map of the Great Qing Dynasty’), colloquially 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 Huang Qianren (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.

This map reflects the enduring influence and power of Qing political authority on geographical understanding. It shows China at the height of their control, 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. 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 European land surveying techniques by the Jesuits. It remained a cornerstone of Imperial administrative planning for decades.

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 Huang Qianren (fl.1760–70) in 1767, reaffirming the status of the Kingdom as the geographical, political, and cultural centre of the world.

The 'Blue China' World Map