The Blue Maps of China: A Conversation with Elke Papelitzky

Mapping the empire and beyond: How Chinese mapmakers saw their place in the world in the early nineteenth century The blue terrestrial maps show the Chinese empire surrounded by its neighbors such as Japan, Korea, and India. Instead of mapping these regions according to their shape, the mapmakers added short texts indicating their relationship with the Chinese empire throughout history. This talk will explore how these early nineteenth century maps position the Chinese empire in space and time. Elke Papelitzky is associate professor of Chinese history at the University of Oslo, Norway. Her research focuses on the history of East Asian maps in the early modern period with a particular focus on the maritime world.