Da Qing Fen Sheng Yu Tu: Unlocking the Secrets of Colored Maps in East Asia

The History of Cartography series published by the University of Chicago Press has contributed significantly to our understanding of cartography in China, Japan, and Korea. However, despite these efforts, the topic of color on maps remains largely unexplored. The scarcity of written sources on this subject is particularly pronounced when it comes to East Asia, where map coloring processes and colors on maps themselves remain poorly understood.

The aim of this publication is to provide a comprehensive overview of the use of colors on maps in East Asia from the 17th to the early 20th century. By employing a multi-perspective approach and transdisciplinary methods, we have pooled and compared research results from various fields of study to gain a deeper understanding of Asian maps.

Our three-year joint research project, Coloured Maps (2018-2021), has enabled us to conduct an in-depth analysis of hand-drawn and hand-colored maps from East Asia at the Museum am Rothenbaum (MARKK) in Hamburg. These maps, created between the 17th and 20th centuries, offer a unique glimpse into the social lives of mapmakers and users, as well as the historical and social context in which they were produced.

The use of colors on these maps was a highly considered process, involving the selection of materials to create mimetic representations of nature or codify information in an abstract form. By analyzing the materials used, we can gain insights into the making of colors and the process of coloring maps.

Color is not only an important aspect of map design but also plays a crucial role in understanding the purposes and uses of maps. Colors regulated how maps were read and reinforced their meanings, significances, and ideas. The addition of colors to black-and-white maps enhanced them with additional information, further emphasizing the close connection between maps and colors.

This publication aims to provide a foundational overview of the subject, stimulating further research on the topic. By exploring the use of colors on maps in East Asia, we can gain a deeper understanding of the historical and social context in which they were created, as well as the processes involved in their production.

Da qing fen sheng yu tu