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Samuel Purchas: The Map of China
Title: The Map of China Map Maker: Samuel Purchas
Description: Fine dark impression of the Purchas map of China, which is widely regarded as the first map of China published in Europe, derived directly from Chinese sources. This rare and important early English map was a model for the later maps by De Bry and Semedo. It was first published in Purchas his Pilgrimes, a collection of travel writings, based on the work of the famous geographer, Richard Hakluyt (1552-1616). Purchas records he originally based his map on Chinese one, captured by Captain Saris, an English merchant in the port of Bantam (in modern Indonesia). It is possible that this Chinese map was the 1593 "Cao Map", of which there is now only one recorded example. Squares and circles depict cities and settlements. The provinces of China are marked and boundaries shown, for perhaps the first time on a Western map. Note that Macau and Canton (Guangzhou) are both named. The vignettes in the corners depict Matteo Ricci and a Chinese couple. Condition Description: Small hole in upper left corner, expertly repaired on verso.
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