· Publisher : World Scientific Publishing Company (November 27, 2023)
· Language : English
· Hardcover : 452 pages
· ISBN-10 : 9811271089
· ISBN-13 : 978-9811271083
Purchase from Amazon, click https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Global-Exploration-Pre-Columbian-Era/dp/9811271089
Purchase from the publisher, click https://doi.org/10.1142/13273
Use the discount code WSASOC20 will get 20% discount.
A Great Book to Read
I am very delighted and proud to recommend Dr. Sheng-Wei Wang’s new book ‒ Chinese Global Exploration in Pre-Columbian Era: Evidence from an Ancient World Map ‒ which lays out Chinese contributions in the world maritime exploration.
In the book, Dr. Wang thoroughly and rigorously investigates over 500 geographical items and dozens of annotations depicted on a rare and precious ancient Chinese world map named Kunyu Wanguo Quantu《坤舆万国全图》or Complete Geographical Map of All the Kingdoms of the World. The map is also known as Map of the Ten Thousand Countries of the Earth, or Great Universal Geographic Map. The map was published in 1602 in China by Italian missionary Matteo Ricci.
The US Library of Congress has produced a digitised edition of this map based on the map at the University of Minnesota’s James Ford Bell Library. Today there are five more copies of this map in the world: the Vatican owns one of the maps, and the other four are in private collections in Japan and France. Later copies of the 1602 edition of the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu can be found in China, Korea, London, and Vienna; one copy of the map recently was discovered in the storeroom of the Shenyang Museum in China.
Dr. Wang’s research covers not only the geographical information of over 500 items on this map, but also their histories. The latter were totally missing or not adequately researched by other researchers in the past. From analysing the geographical and historical content of the map, she was able to derive the political landscapes of the different regions and deduce the dates/eras when they were explored before these geographical items were drawn into a map. These dates/eras overlap separately with Admiral Zheng He’s sixth and seventh voyages to the Western Oceans in the early fifteenth century, the Southern Song Dynasty (twelfth century) and even far earlier to around 5,000 years ago.
She then compares these geographical items on Kunyu Wanguo Quantu with those on the major sixteenth-century European maps and the state-of-the-art archaeological evidence. Through this extensive, thorough, and in-depth research, she concludes that Kunyu Wanguo Quantu is of Chinese origin, and the political landscapes of these regions reveal Chinese worldwide maritime exploration in the Pre-Columbian era.
While some map aficionados nicknamed Kunyu Wanguo Quantu “the Impossible Black Tulip” and consider this map to be a mix of “science and fantasy”, Dr. Wang provides concrete evidence at multiple levels to show that the map contains “science and historical facts”. What a tremendous progress she has accomplished in this book!
Living in today’s complex world bombarded constantly by information and misinformation from all sources, we must bear in mind that to know the world, we need to first know the map of the world, or simply put, the history of the world. When you dig deeper, a map can tell you not only “where” a place is, but “when” that place began to exist or became extinct, and “what” event has happened or not.
History is a barometer for measuring humanity and human wisdom. From a map, we learn the kind of knowledge and process which enable us to shape our destiny. It is that extraordinary snapshot of Chinese civilization at the dawn of globalization discussed in her book that Dr. Wang aims to project into the reader’s mind.
Hwa-Wei Lee, Ph.D. (Univ. of Pittsburgh); Hon. Dr. Of S.S. (Ohio Univ.)
Dean of Libraries Emeritus, Ohio University
Retired Chief of the Asian Division, Library of Congress
American Library Association Melvil Dewey Medal Awardee (2015)
A valuable addition to your personal library
In her book, Chinese Global Exploration in the Pre-Columbian Era, published by World Scientific, Sheng-Wei Wang presents the reader with multiple demonstrations that Chinese sailors, including the 15th century admiral Zheng-He, explored and mapped the continents of the world prior to the Europeans. On these pages she presents documentary evidence detailing the curious equivalents that scholars have noted on some of the earliest maps of the world. From this data, she concludes that the most rational explanation for these graphic similarities is that medieval European cartographers incorporated into their maps knowledge of geographic features gleaned from earlier detailed surveys of the world that were made by the Chinese.
This well-documented treatise provides the reader with an abundance of tributary evidence supporting Wang’s conclusions; thereby, extending the depth of the study.
It would be worthwhile to also apply her methodology in the future to the analysis of cartographic implications of recently documented earliest visits (ca. 26000 – 3000 YBP) of Asiatic people to North America, to resolve the remaining historical puzzle.
In summary, this text is chock-full of supporting citations and insightful theories on the topic of Pre-Columbian Chinese global exploration and the influence of the maps they made. Anyone desiring to learn more about ancient maps, along with the facts and folklore surrounding the adventures of Zheng-He, will find it to be a valuable addition to their personal library.
John A. Ruskamp, Jr., Ed.D., M.B.A.
Senior Research Analyst for Epigraphic Research
Author of: Asiatic Echoes - The Identification of Ancient Chinese Pictograms
in pre-Columbian North American Rock Writing
Unveiling forgotten sea-voyaging world explorations
In the realm of historical literature, where narratives are often shaped by the conquerors, Sheng-Wei Wang emerges as a meticulous and compelling scientific voice challenging established accounts. Author Wang's accessible and methodical approach in this book sheds light on intriguing chapters in history on how and possibly when various continents of the world were discovered. She brought to life the previous Chinese dynasties’ sea-voyages and notably, the Ming dynasty's surveys of the world under the extraordinary Admiral Zheng He and his fellow sea-explorers.
Wang's work stands out for its scientific rigor and a discerning, 'microscopic' examination of historical evidence. Her commitment to precision is palpable in the thorough cross-referencing and fact-checking that underpins her accounts. Wang's knowledge also shines through in her adept translation and interpretation of annotated phrases in Chinese, found on ancient world maps. The result is a convincing and elucidating analysis that challenges recognized notions of propagated history, beckoning readers to reconsider the widely accepted chronicles.
This unprecedented exposition is more than a mere historical exploration; it is a testament to dedication and truth-seeking with an open mind. Wang's contribution serves as a treasured reference for generations to come, appealing to deep-thinkers, scholars, maritime experts, researchers, archaeologists, and history enthusiasts alike. By inviting readers to question the official accounts, Wang's work resurrects the annals of Chinese voyages around the world, which have been obscured by the sands of time. Through Wang's keen eye and scientific methodology, these historical reports resurfaced from the shadows to illuminate contemporary readers, allowing us to reassess our understanding of the world's past.
As importantly, author Wang’s first book "The Last Journey of the San Bao Eunuch, Admiral Zheng He" is also a commendable piece of detective work. Wang's narrative reads like an ancient Chinese "Indiana Jones" investigation, bringing the story of Admiral Zheng He and his sea-voyaging fleets in America to life. Hats off to Sheng-Wei Wang for her invaluable contribution to the exploration of forgotten or deliberately neglected histories.
With gratitude and respect for your work,
Jacqueline Sa – December 2023
Eco & Holistic-Health Entrepreneur in Northern California, USA
Former Strategic-Marketing Executive in Multinational corporations
International Business Alumna of the University of Texas at Austin
French Baccalaureate II in Philosophy & Metaphysics at College de Fraternité
5.0 out of 5 stars New Insights in the Pre-Columbian discovery of America by Ming Dynasty Chinese mariners
Ma Mai-ke
Amason online bookstore customer review
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R3GTV5P4LW3V1Y/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=9811271089
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