Tongzhi period, 1863

Huangchao Zhongwai Yitong Yutu [The Complete Atlas of the Unified Empire]. China, copperplate version printed in Qianlong period, 1756; reprint in Tongzhi period, 1863.

Important atlas fusing Western and Chinese cartographic techniques. Cordell Yee views this atlas as the synthesis of the traditional Kangxi atlas with the use of a square grid, probably resulting from the Chinese reform movement. The statement “Zhangxue wei ti, Xixue wei yang (Chinese learning as the principle, Western learning as the application)” appears in the preface to the present work. The atlas consists of more than one hundred leaves, which could be assembled to form four sheet maps: two small maps consisting of a few leaves, one of Vietnam and one of Taiwan; and two large maps, one of mainland China with Hainan and one of Asia extending east to west from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea and north to south from the Arctic Ocean to Indochina and India. References: Cordell D.K. Yee, ‘Traditional Chinese Cartography and the Myth of Westernization’ in The History of Cartography, Vol. II, Book 2, pp.198-199.

12 books, small folio (300 x 190 mm). Woodcut printed, profusely illustrated. Apart from the first volume that is more textual, the remaining eleven volumes are all maps in grids. Thread-bound, light brown Chinese wrappers, title label on the front covers (title label of vol. 1 almost lost, of vol. 12 partly lost, and of the other volumes slightly chipping; the binding threads of vol. 1, 11 and 12 loose; sides and cover margins slightly worn and toned, small stains in some pages along the margins).
Please note that this lot is subject to an import tariff. If the buyer instructs Christie’s to arrange shipping of the lot to a foreign address, the buyer will not be required to pay the import tariff. If the buyer instructs Christie’s to arrange shipping of the lot to a domestic address, if the buyer collects the property in person, or if the buyer arranges their own shipping (whether domestically or internationally), the buyer will be required to pay the import tariff. Please contact Post Sale Services on +1 212 636 2650 prior to bidding for more information.

Please note that this lot is subject to an import tariff. The amount of the import tariff due is a percentage of the final hammer price plus buyer's premium. The buyer should contact Post Sale Services prior to the sale to determine the estimated amount of the import tariff. If the buyer instructs Christie's to arrange shipping of the lot to a foreign address the buyer will not be required to pay the import tariff, but the shipment may be delayed while awaiting approval to export from the local government. If the buyer instructs Christie's to arrange shipping of the lot to a domestic address, if the buyer collects the property in person, or if the buyer arranges their own shipping (whether domestically or internationally), the buyer will be required to pay the import tariff. For the purpose of calculating sales tax, if applicable, the import tariff will be added to the final hammer price plus buyer's premium and sales tax will be collected as per The Buyer's Premium and Taxes section of the Conditions of Sale.