Book contents
- Connected Cartographies
- Reviews
- Connected Cartographies
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Maps and Figures
- Acknowledgments
- Digital Book Companion
- Note on the Use and Transcription of East Asian Languages
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 The Lay of the Land
- 2 Translation and Treason
- 3 Translating the West
- 4 Material Matters
- 5 At the Limits of China
- 6 China’s Place in the World
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index
3 - Translating the West
Matteo Ricci’s World Map and Quandaries about European Identity in Late Ming China
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 December 2025
Book contents
- Connected Cartographies
- Reviews
- Connected Cartographies
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Maps and Figures
- Acknowledgments
- Digital Book Companion
- Note on the Use and Transcription of East Asian Languages
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 The Lay of the Land
- 2 Translation and Treason
- 3 Translating the West
- 4 Material Matters
- 5 At the Limits of China
- 6 China’s Place in the World
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Focusing approximately on the period 1584–1610, this chapter addresses the contrasting question of the translation of European world maps in China. The chapter argues that the creation of Matteo Ricci’s world map, which was based on European and Chinese sources with text in Chinese characters and the use of Chinese printing methods and materials, was motivated by the need to create a new identity for Europeans in China; Matteo Ricci’s world map created “The Great West” as a geographical and cultural category. The chapter also explores the intricacies of cartographic translation and the back and forths between China and Europe, covering the activities of Michele Ruggieri and Matteo Neroni
Keywords
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Connected CartographiesWorld Geography and the Sino-Western Translation of Knowledge, 1580-1842, pp. 83 - 120Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
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