Abstract: After an introduction to the tradition of map-making in ancient China and the impossibility of using most ancient maps for spatial analysis together with contemporary maps using modern techniques such as ArcGIS, this paper points out that Kangxi Complete Atlas Imperial Territories of Kangxi Era, the first map of China based on land surveying was among the few atlases with geographical coordinates before the 20th century. The article introduces the content of this atlas, the digitization method and the significance of digitizing this atlas. The significance of this digitization project can be generalized into four aspects. First, this digitized atlas will help us to improve accuracy in our study of the changes of rivers lakes and coastlines of China during the past 300 years. Second, the digitization of Complete Atlas of Imperial Territories of Kangxi Era will help us solve some problems related to the change of administrative regions which cannot be solved through traditional methods. Third, after digitizing the whole atlas we will built a China basic; geographical information system as it existed 300 years ago, with information about both administrative divisions and physical geographical features which will be beneficial for the study of historical geography history and other subjects. Fourth the digitized atlas and spatial analysis will help us to understand the development of cartographical techniques and will improve the study of the history of surveying and mapping in China. Finally some issues related to the digitization of this atlas are discussed.

摘要： 康熙《皇舆全览图》是中国史上首次利用西方测绘方法绘制的覆盖今日中国大部分地区的地图， 对该图进行数字化， 其科学意义和学术意义主要体现在以下四个方面： 其一、借助数字化地图， 可提高近三百年我国河流、湖泊及海岸线变迁研究的精度； 其二、可望破解以往一些历史政区研究的学术难题；其三、通过对该图的分层数字化， 并建立相应的属性表， 将形成一套以该图完成的１７１０ 年代为时间界面的覆盖目前中国大部分领土范围的国家基础历史地理数据库和地名数据库， 将为历史地理及相关学科的研究提供便利； 其四、通过对该图的数字化， 并与此后各个时代绘制的相同地区的地图进行空间对比分析， 可以研究我国地图测绘技术的变化， 将进一步完善我国的测绘史研究。此外， 还讨论了该图数字化过程中需要注意的问题。