The History of Cartography

"The History of Cartography" is a survey and illustration of the development of cartography as a science and as an art. It is both an reference work and an exploration of the earth, sky, and cosmos as envisioned by societies throughout time and around the globe. Volume 2, book 2, considers the cartographic traditions of East and Southeast Asia, presenting research and interpretation of archaeological, literary, and graphic sources. In addition to describing developments in cartographic technique, the contributors address topics such as the relation of calligraphy to cartography in China, cosmology as a basis for spatial diagrams, astronomical maps, and the influence and dissemination of Western cartography in the East. Throughout, the editors and contributors emphasize interpretation within the maps' specific cultural contexts in order to avoid imposing Western measurements of accuracy on Asian cartographies. Catherine Delano Smith opens volume 2, book 2, with a discussion of prehistoric cartography in Asia. Nathan Sivin and Gari K. Ledyard introduce the materials on East Asia. Cordell D. K. Yee contributes six chapters on cartography in China, and John B. Henderson adds one on Chinese cosmographical thought. Ledyard writes on Korean, Kazutaka Unno on Japanese, and John K. Whitmore on Vietnamese cartography. F. Richard Stephenson and Kazuhiko Miyajima provide chapters on celestial mapping in East Asia. Joseph E. Schwartzberg concludes the volume with six chapters on Southeast Asia and Greater Tibet, supplemented by an appendix on Mongolian cartography by Guntram H. Herb.