Abstract:

Historical maps are the greatest accomplishments of research in historical geography.The project team completed The Historical Atlas of China during the Qing Dynasty in the past ten years, and the newest achievement will inherit and develop this academic tradition. All seventy-two maps in three groups have technological innovations. All the features on the maps have been rigorously examined, and all the points, lines and surfaces have been verified by using data from more than one document or antique map. The complete textual research content is presented in Biangaobiao（编稿表） which is divided into Zhengbian（正编） and Fubian（辅编） . The former includes significant features in the history of Qing Dynasty, and the latter serves as the basis for drawing the boundaries of administrative regions. The project team selected more than 40000 figures from Zhengbian（正编）and drew the county-level administrative boundaries covering the whole country in 1911 accordingto Fubian（辅编）, thus improving the research accuracy of the administrative boundaries from the prefecture（府）level to the county level. The Historical Atlas of China during the Qing Dynasty is the first dynastic atlas of China, which is helpful for us to understand the process of the expansion or reduction of the territory, the establishment of administrative regions and the changes in the geographical features of Qing Dynasty. It has significant academic value, strong practical significance.