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Maps do not always depict objective geographic reality or merely serve as navigational tools from one location to another. Maps can be gateways to imagined views of the world, opening the viewer's mind to boundless imagination.

This zone highlights maps of imagined lands, with two focusing on religious views and others attempting to express social and political ideals, sarcasm, and humor. They illustrate the unexpected potential of maps to use space as a means of visualizing ideas and dreams.

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left down: Yu Ji Tu (1137), right down: 大明九邊萬國人跡路程全圖 (1700-1720?)

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Measure matters when it comes to installing maps…

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Measure matters when it comes to installing maps…

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Translation goes beyond transforming languages; it involves the transference of messages across various mediums, including text, visuals, and even gestures.

In this zone, visitors can observe different examples of geographic knowledge being transferred and transposed across various media. Some originated as text and were later visualized as maps, while one Chinese map was "translated" into its English version in all aspects except the language itself. Ancient stories and folklore about faraway lands may be represented on maps in the form of reinterpreted text or images, exemplified by some of the exhibits.

This conversion across media was an essential dynamic in the history of mapmaking, inviting visitors to reflect on the interpretation and reinterpretation of messages across time, languages, and forms.

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Setting up the Nestorian crosses to showcase their intermingling of cultures. Thanks to the HKU Museum and Art Gallery for their support!

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This zone presents six topics that invite you to explore maps with a scholar's mind. The families of European maps demonstrate how map research helps us understand mapmaking history, while the Menzies theory of the discovery of the Americas is an interesting case to test your ability to research and come to conclusions with the help of maps. The traveler stories lead you to reflect on the roles of maps and travelers in the history of cultural and knowledge exchange. You can also see maps that are open for speculation and further research. Lastly, you can find a late Qing map packed with cultural, historical, and geographical references, which lures you to dive in for lots of fun, be it fact or fiction.

Follow the exploration cards in each section to interact with the exhibits in ways that your curiosity leads you!

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Maps help us visualize the perspectives of the mapmakers rather than presenting an absolute, objective reality. Here you can admire two important Chinese maps, each a beautiful showcase of the representation of the world. The zone also highlights regional maps that exhibit unique styles, scales, and purposes.

Furthermore, there are atlases from various countries, illustrating multiple centrisms, for you to explore. By engaging with maps that reveal perspectives different from your own, this exhibition prompts you to reflect on your own point of view, allowing you to see, feel and interpret maps in new and profound ways.

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Installing the so called “Ruggieri Map” (1590?) with a lot of manpower. 

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Officially named: “Sinarum Regni aliorumque regnorum et insularum illi asia enti um descriptio” possibly after Matteo Ricci and Michele Ruggieri, 47x35 cm

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Students thoughtful approach towards mapmaking…

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China in Maps: 500 Years of Evolving Images

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The exhibition was thoughtfully curated, presenting a chronological journey through time, allowing visitors to witness the transformation of China's geography, political boundaries, and societal changes. The meticulous attention to detail in the maps was evident, and it was fascinating to see how cartographers from different eras interpreted and depicted China's vast and diverse regions.

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I learned a lot in today’s trip, different kinds of ancient maps give me more new inspirations. I think sculpture can be an art method to illustrate maps, which also keeps for a long time easily. My map is created on a big stone, using the art of engraving to accomplish it. I drew China's north-south divide and also marked my location on the map.

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I’m Iris. This is my Subconscious Map, inspired by section 3 Imagined Worlds of the exhibition. My subconscious influences my view of the world. For example, the river circulating around the main island in the map, symbolizes that emotions, desire, memories, etc., together shape my world view. It’s always dynamic. The cube is a symbol of objective facts. There’re 6 sides, which side is closer depends on the random outcome of dice roll. Heart island, soft, this is a hotbed of links with others. Sometimes it evaporates.

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My map was inspired by the "Fool’s Head World Map", I used my face shape as the map boundary, I also marked the location of my hometown and Hong Kong, as well as some places I have been to, this is my personal map.

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It is my map called “Happy Island”, which I hope all the creature in this world(human inclued) can live happliy together!

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Exploring "China in Maps - 500 Years of Evolving Images" Exhibition with my classmates yesterday was a great experience! I learned a lot about how people created and utilized maps centuries ago, which led me to reflect on my perception of time and space.

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1) Dr. Marco CABOARA, Co-curator & Senior Lecturer in the History of Cartography and History of Science (ca. 3 min)

2) MA Ziqian, Student HKUST (ca. 3 min.)

3) Dr. Christine M. KAISER, Co-curator & Lecturer in Research Methodology for Visual Arts (ca. 3 min.)

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Photo shows a moment in the work by Karin Sander and Philip Ursprung at the Venice Architecture Biennial 2023

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Beginnings are always a good start…(a term coined by Lesley Lokko)

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Beginnings are always a good start…(a term coined by Lesley Lokko)

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This exhibition „China in Maps“ made me think that we are all neighbours somehow and the question is how do we like to relate to each other?

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In this zone, we explore maps and images of Hong Kong from the early colonial times. The three maps by European mapmakers present Hong Kong in its surrounding waters, and in the bigger geographic context of the Pearl River Delta and Guangdong. A set of printed views of the Hong Kong coastline, and another set of photographs showing panoramas, give us a glimpse of the views of this young and growing city in the 19th century.

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From a contemporary standpoint, scientific measurement appears to be the fundamental basis of mapmaking. We often assume that mapmakers with better technology can create more accurate maps, and we may perceive advancement in measurement technology as a linear process. The exhibits in this zone challenge such assumptions and showcase the dynamic process involved. For ancient mapmakers, representing distances and locations on maps was often an elastic concept.

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In the 16th century, commerce and missionary activities drove global cultural and knowledge exchange. Contrary to popular belief that knowledge flowed unilaterally from Europe to Asia, knowledge actually circulated in multiple directions. Many maps from that time propelled the circulation of geographic knowledge. Bustling maritime trade bolstered the importance of navigational sea charts and motivated Chinese and European mapmakers to borrow from one another.

This zone focuses on a particularly special map, the map created by the Jesuit missionary Michele Ruggieri (1543-1607). By comparing important maps from that era, you can explore how multiple sources shaped this map during the late Ming period.

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Chinese collections at the Bodleian: The Selden Map of China

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HKUST Special Collection_East Asian Maps

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HKUST Special Collection_East Asian Maps

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Sketch: How to engage with the three zones of map making?

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HKUST Special Collection_Antique Maps of China

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HKUST Special Collection_Antique Maps of China

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Fool's Head World Map | Royal Museums Greenwich

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Fool's Head World Map, based on Ortelius's third 'Typus Orbis Terrarum,' which suggests a publication date after 1587. Published by an unknown maker, it shows a fool's or jester's cap with a world map where the face would be. In this conceit, it is based on an earlier woodcut map by Jean de Gourmant.

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Project Management:

Kevin HO,

Clara KWAN,

Peggy LEE,

Irene LI,

Edward SPODICK,

Joyce YAU

Curators:

Marco CABOARA,

Christine Maria KAISER

Content Support
Lester CHAN,
Samson CHOI,
Qiuzi GUO,
Peggy LEE,
Gabi WONG,
Leo WONG

Text Editors
Catherine KWOK,
Shirley ZHANG

Exhibits Loan
Ronald THAM
University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong

Designer
Studio Cassells Limited

Constructor
Happy Blue Ocean Limited

Conservation Consultant
Karina JAGUDINA

Book Cradle Production
Tze Wah LU,
Fiona MA,
June OR

Development Game
Sam CHU,
Liuruo HAN

Content Support Game
Jeffrey CHAN,
Giann CHUNG

Development AR Mobile App
Kentaro TAKAHIRA,
Boyu LI, Wai TONG,
Linping YUAN

Early ideation
Yifang WANG,
Leni WANG

Video Production
Andy CHEUNG,
Anthony HO,
Felicia PANG,
Jeffrey TUNG,
Delores YIP

Website
Adrian LAI

Promotional Materials
Thomas NG,
Vanaie LIU,
Simon WONG,
Hoiyin WONG

HKUST Partners
Shaw Auditorium
VisLab, Department of Computer Science & Engineering

Collaboration Partners
Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
James Ford Bell Library, University of Minnesota
Seoul National University Museum

Advisors
Advisory Committee for HKUST Library Special Collections

Special thanks to
Paola CALANCA,

Vvzela KOOK,

Ziqian MA

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The magnet for different perspectives: The “Ricci map” (late 1700)

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The magnet for different perspectives: The “Ricci map” (late 1700)

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The library created a unique content team consisting of librarians, designers and curators for dealing with this significant task of a large-scale exhibition: we met, discussed and agreed on what to show and how to show. This task, as you might imagine, was not without obstacles: all the way through, we all learned constantly from each other but as well with each other. It was an exceptional experience and a collaborative effort!  Thank you everybody for joining this unique experience! “China in Maps” is one of a kind, and we are very relieved to finally invite you all together for a glimpse of this website or to go and see the exhibition in person. If you come in person, please engage with our staff; everybody contributed bits and pieces and might be delighted to show you!

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Please feel free to add your personal view during tours or even here on the padlet…