京城各國暂分界址全图 [Full Map of Various Foreign Countries' Temporarily Divided Territory Boundaries within the City of Beijing.] 1900

京城各國暂分界址全图. Jīng Chéng Gè Guó Zàn Fēn Jiè Zhǐ Quán Tú. [Full Map of Various Foreign Countries' Temporarily Divided Territory Boundaries within the City of Beijing.] [Beijing: n.d., but 1900].

Extremely important and exceptionally rare map illustrating the year-long occupation of Beijing following the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion. The foreign zones of occupation are demarcated by different colours thus: blue - French; light green - Japanese; pink - Italian (northwest corner, west of the Forbidden City); red - German; the British sector is uncoloured; the explanatory notes explain that certain areas of the British and German zones were adminstered by United States and Russia.

The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist uprising marked by proto-nationalism in northeastern China. The rebellion was largely a response to Christian missionary activity in China and was initially supported by the Qing Empress Dowager Cixi. In June of 1900 the quasi-spiritual Boxers, convinced they were immune to foreign weapons, attacked the Chinese Christians and foreigners living in Beijing's Legation Quarter. The legations scrambled a tenuous defence and found themselves besieged. Relief came quickly in the form of the Eight-National Alliance, which, with an army of some 20,000, defeated the Boxers and occupied Beijing, as well as a number of other northern Chinese cities.

This map is extremely rare - we have only been able to identify the Library of Congress' 'captured map' (LoC G7824.B4S5 1900 .J5. https://www.loc.gov/item/2006458552/

Large woodcut map of Beijing on a scale of 1:14,500, coloured by a contemporary hand, verso blank, flags of the occupying powers in upper part of the map just below title, Chinese text to the left and right of the title describing the occupation, numerous streets, alleyways and traditional courtyards named, 625 x 555mm (sheet).

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