Exceedingly Rare Historical CHINESE ATLAS 1789 NAGAKUBO
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Saturday, October 25, 2008 |
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Friday, January 23, 2009 |
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Description
pmbooks Store Nagakubo's Atlas of Historical China Nagakubo Sekisui Historical Atlas of China Nagakubo Sekisui. Tōdo rekidai shūgun enkaku zu. [Hongzhou, China? Nagasaki, Japan?]: 1789 (Kensei 1), 14" x 8" (35 cm x 20 cm). Original printed boards, orihon accordian-style binding. Thirteen double-page hand-colored maps: twelve depict the dynasties of China and one the Pacific Rim. Two prefaces written in classical Chinese, or Kambun. Occassional worming, several hinges loosened. Exceedingly rare, unsophisticated copy. One copy located through OCLC, at John Carter Brown Library, Brown University; I have not yet viewed this copy to compare. All images linked to larger scans. Label on front cover. Page 1 and 2 (right to left). Pages 3 and 4 (right to left). Later insert. Final map of atlas. Preface to The Maps of Mr. Nagakubo Sekisui, Mito Domain Right after it came to suddenly exist, the Universe was bright and peaceful. Soon after the frontiers and borders of our country were determined as the wild beasts fled or hid. Then sages emerged and China was established. Dynasties were given and five regions were distinguished. Until today, our mountains are still tall and our rivers are still vast. South, North, East, and West correspond above to all constellations. Distance far and near distinguishes places below. In the world there are many who are investigating geographical surroundings and understand the principles of weather and geography. However, what they have done is not as good as Mr. Nagakubo's map. Mr. Nagakubo is over 70 years old, but he is still eager to learn and never stops reading. Although he remains at home, his mind is great and broad enough to contain the universe. When I open his maps, I see that they are so complete and clear that nothing is left out. I am overwhelmed with admiration for his excellent work! I can't help extolling! How thoroughly he explores the Universe! No matter how wide or narrow the territories are, no matter how extensive or diminutive our lands and rivers are, everything in our great times is included and scrutinized on the maps. Congratulations! These maps will spread far and wide! Respectfully written by Shen Wan Lun, the later Liu Yue, the Year of Qianlong 54 [1789], Hongzhou, China ________ Preface to Historical Map of China Heaven and earth today are the same as in ancient times. They do not really change. How could we not be amused by the Creator if we devoted our intelligence and energy to detailed maps of the natural world only? However, on the basis of our natural world, we human beings have experienced innumerable and remarkable historical events, order and chaos, victory and defeat, and so on. The human world has transformed and evolved throughout history. In this regard, how necessary a historical map will be! Thus, Mr. Nagakubo's historical map, illustrating the remarkable human development, is a worthy endeavor. Mr. Nagakubo is adept at geography. He has the entire history in mind and covers all of the natural world. He reads extensively and knows the world¹s geography like his hand. In the past he made two maps of Japan (one large and one small) as well as a large map of Great Qing Empire. His works have earned him an admirable reputation. Because the historical development has not been detailed in his large map of Great Qing Empire, Mr. Nagakubo has herein made the more than ten maps in order to facilitate the historians. Those who often read flawed maps might mistakenly undervalue this gentleman's efforts. How could they understand how hard this gentleman worked on his detailed design? If people who are interested in history are reasonable in their evaluation, they would be able to quote and scrutinize his maps for their own advantage in one way or another, and Mr. Nagakubo would feel gratified. If you would rather inspect the myth of the Nature and the evolvement of human society, you could say that Heaven and Earth today are not the same as in Ancient times. However, then, if the Creator sees this, he would be surprised by the spirituality and intelligence of all things. Spring and Summer, 1789 Li Yuan of Shui Hu, [Mito Domain] Japan ___________ Insert (laid into atlas at later date) We could not cross the oceans if we only had ships without navigating skills. However, even if we are adept at navigating but are unfamiliar with the routes of navigation, our navigation will be just like walking in the dark of night. Today we have a map made by British Yong Pu Erdi on which we can find important information about land and water lines. The map is detailed, clear, and comprehensive. For water line, it is like light at dark night, it is like Sun and the Moon. With such map as "light," people could reach the North or South Poles within one day. Yong Pu Erdi's thoughtfulness and dedication made him special and differentiated him from the barbarian Westerners in the past. Especially, what he did was good enough for us to use to inspect the current development. Therefore, we should not discard works of today¹s barbarians. For this reason, Mao Tian Jian did his best to translate, examine, proof read, and edit this map for many years. Approved by the government authority, the map has been printed. Even scholars in remote and poor villages might be able to get this map and benefit from it. Respectfully, Zhao Yong, Middle Summer, the Year of An Zheng, Xuwu With Xiaolin Xinjin of Rushan and Zhaobufangxi of Baoyan, Japan Sekisui Nagakubo (1717-1801) Geographer, sinologist and astronomer. During Edo era, Ibaraki Prefecture was an advanced region in the geographical field of which Sekisui became the main figure. The first one ever to know the shape of Japan? Sekisui Nagakubo was born as a farmer's child in Taga County, Akahama-Mura (多賀郡赤浜村, nowadays Takahagi-Shi 高萩市). Until then, the maps of Japan were more or less clearly indicating the shape of the country and its different provinces (such as local Hitachi-No-Kuni 常陸の国). However, when Sekisui wrote in 1775 his "Revised Complete Map of Japanese Lands and Roads" (「改正日本輿地路程全図」or Kaisei-Nihon-Yochi-Zenzu), he made history by being the first one ever to mention the geographic coordinates. Thanks to this,the shape of Japan was totally known, with the exception of Ezo area (蝦夷地 now Hokkaido 北海道). On an accuracy level, his work is inferior to that of Tadataka Inou (伊能忠敬) and his "Maps Inou" (「伊能図」or Inou-Zu, 1821) based on location measurements, but Sekisui's map is a remarkable and fastidious research work since he wrote it by cross-checking previous works on the subject without proceeding to any measurement. The "Maps Inou" were kept secret by the Shogunate and remained unpublished for a long time whereas Sekisui's maps were printed on a large scale. That is why the "Mito Sekisui Maps" (「水戸赤水図」or Mito-Sekisui-Zu) were widespread until the beginning of the Meiji Restoration (1868). Sekisui is also responsible for creating many other colorful maps such as the "Revised and Complete World Map" (「改正地球万国全図」or Kaisei-Chikyuu-Bankoku-Zenzu). He even wrote the very first historical map, which was entitled "Map of Local and Successive Emperors in China by Province and County" (「唐土歴代州郡沿革地図」or Tōdo rekidai shūgun enkaku zu). Participation in the editing of the "Great Chronicles of Japan" (「大日本史」or Dai-Nihonshi) Sekisui did become famous in the geographical field. However, he was also a Sinologist and became the tutor of 6th Mito Lord Harumori (治保) in his last years. Moreover, he was in charge of compiling the geographical volume of the "Great Chronicles of Japan" when he worked at the Shōkō Hall (彰考館or Shōkō-Kan) under President Suiken Tachihara (立原翠軒). He also submitted memorials such as "Notice on Farming Ills" (「農民疾告」or Noumin-Shikkoku) and "Reflections on Annual Tribute" (「年貢考」or Nengu-Kou) as part of the heavy reform process undergone by Mito domain. Both alarmed for the peasants' struggle with life and argued the tax collection method being according to him one great factor for extreme poverty. As Sekisui was himself from an agricultural background, his works contain a great relevancy of the peasant community's real state of affairs. --from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
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