Chinese Maps: Images of "All Under Heaven"

by Richard J. Smith

For nearly two thousand years, the Chinese Emperor proclaimed himself ruler of 'All Under Heaven'. In the eyes of the Chinese leaders, all the peoples of the known world were the Emperor's subjects, and the empire's boundaries stretched to the end of the earth. Maps were used to support this vision. Charts of foreign lands and images of the 'barbarians' that populated them presented the world as the Chinese perceived it: with the Middle Kingdom as lord and other states as vassals paying tribute to it.

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Richard J. Smith is Professor of History and Director of Asian Studies at Rice University, Houston, Texas.

Reviews

[Lance Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is a quick read as many of its pages are images. It provides a nice coverage of Chinese cartography through the ages, and the manner in which Chinese maps reflected China's sinocentric view of the world. I recommend it if you ever happen to come across it.