Abstract
This chapter takes a Ming-centric approach to the Jesuit cartographic project
under Matteo Ricci and his immediate successors, discussing reactions
to the missionaries’ maps and their citation in works published by Ming
scholars. Of all the empires in which the Jesuits set foot, the Ming was the
first in which they encountered an already highly developed cartographic
culture, leading to an unusually prominent role for cartography in their
proselytization. Examining the issues the Jesuits addressed through maps,
as well as their methods of production, distribution, and influence, this
chapter argues for an understanding of their publications as part of the
late Ming publishing boom.
Publisher
Amsterdam University Press