新世界：明末耶稣会士来华 对中国人地理观的影响 = THE NEW WORLD: JESUITS’ INFLUENCE OF CHINESE GEOGRAPHIC VIEW IN LATE MING DYNASTY

Abstract

Italian Jesuit priest, Matteo Ricci (1522-1610) arrived at China during Ming Dynasty, he composed the first European-style world map in Chinese, the Great Universal Geographic Map(坤舆万国全图) in 1602. This world map brought a series of western geography theories into China. This essay will first introduce some of the major western geography theories and how the ancient Chinese response to these theories. Then, the essay will discuss on how these western geography theories influencing the geographical perspective of the ancient Chinese. This is done through examine how the ancient Chinese put these western geographical theories into practices and writings, also comparing the world maps that the Chinese composed before and after Matteo Ricci’s Kunyu Wanguo Quantu. Finally, the essay will explore some of the limitations that restrain the world geographical views of the ancient Chinese.