1894 Kishida Large Folding Map of Qing China and East Asia

A remarkable find, this scarce, huge map of China and East Asia was prepared in 1894 by Kishida Ginkō at the start of the First Sino-Japanese War (1894 - 1895). This was the largest and most detailed map of China, and East Asia in general, available during the war - a transformative moment in East Asian history that upended the traditional Sino-centric order and established Japan as a world power. Its influence on both the First Sino-Japanese War and its aftermath cannot be understated.

A Closer Look

A stunning work, this map covers the entirety of the Qing realm, including Manchuria, Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet, as well as Korea, Japan, and part of Southeast Asia. Administrative centers, cities, towns, and geographic features (rivers, lakes, mountains, islands) are noted to a remarkable extent, including in the far-flung corners of the Qing domain, including Taiwan (soon to be annexed by Japan), reflecting the considerable research Kishida put into the map. Administrative and national boundaries are traced, while provincial, prefectural, and county seats are noted according to a legend at the bottom. Additionally, the Great Wall of China, canals, railways, ports, harbors, lighthouses, and palisades (柵欄, namely the 'Willow Palisade' in Manchuria) are recorded. Somewhat unusually, Beijing serves as the Prime Meridian (written as 零度 at the top and 中度 at the bottom). Eight insets surround the map, including, at top-left, city plans of Nanjing, Wuhan, Hangzhou, and Suzhou, and at bottom-right, plans of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. At the bottom-left is an inset map of Vietnam (Annam, noting the French occupation of Cochinchina), with Laos and Cambodia.

Text at the bottom in both Classical Chinese and Japanese discusses Kishida's sources, which included various maps that he collected over several years in China as well as observations from his own travels, and his intentions in producing the map, to promote better understanding of China in Japan. The publication of the map corresponded with the start of the First Sino-Japanese War. Kishida was a known China expert in Japan whose works, including this map, informed the Japanese military and government in planning their policies and actions towards China.

The First Sino-Japanese War (1894 - 1895)

Tokugawa Japan and Qing China faced similar problems in the mid-19th century: overpopulation, domestic unrest, ineffective governance, weak leaders, and, finally, foreign threats from Western powers. Both countries were on the receiving end of 'gunboat diplomacy,' which forced them to open ports for foreign trade, allow foreigners to reside there, and tolerate a degree of foreign cultural influence, such as Christian missionaries. The combination of pent-up discontent and sudden shock from outside the system caused both to undergo upheaval and crisis.

Their fortunes diverged, however, in that the Qing managed to hold on to power (just barely) while the Tokugawa fell and were replaced by a new regime led by the Meiji Emperor. The new government came to power promising to expel foreign influences. However, the government then embraced them, recognizing that Japan's best hope for survival was to imitate the Western imperial powers (a realization the Tokugawa had also come to, albeit too late).

From the Meiji Restoration in 1868 onwards, drastic changes were implemented, often against public opposition, to the extent that this agenda has been dubbed a 'revolution from above.' Within a few years, Japan was already eyeing the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan and looking to expand its influence in Korea. The latter goal was greatly aided by the 1876 Treaty of Ganghwa, Japan's own 'unequal treaty' imposed on Korea.

These moves set Japan and China at odds, upending the traditional order in East Asia, where China dominated other countries were secondary. Traditionally, Joseon Korea was effectively a protectorate of China. Taiwan was a Qing territory (initially part of Fujian, then upgraded to a province in 1887). Thus, the increasing Japanese influence in both regions disturbed the Qing. Nonetheless, by the 1890s, Japan was in the ascendant, while problems beset the Qing, who could not afford a major conflict.

The catalyst for war came when the Korean Donghak Peasant Uprising of January 1894 gained rapid momentum (one of the rebels' main grievances was growing Japanese influence in Korea). In reaction, nominally to protect Japanese citizens and property, Japanese troops were dispatched to Korea. China mobilized to defend Korea, which it considered a subject nation, putting the two East Asian superpowers in direct conflict.

The Qing attempted to modernize their military in the late 19th century, but the resulting 'Self-Strengthening Movement' was only partially successful. Its limitations were on clear display as Japan's thoroughly modernized military sprang from one victory to another. The Qing surrendered to a humiliating treaty, surrendering to Japan both Taiwan and their influence in Korea. Japan's victory was shocking to many in the West and signaled its rise as a proper regional, if not a world power. In Japan, the war led to a surge of popular nationalism that would carry the country to further wars and expansionism in East Asia. In China, the war resulted in calls for more drastic reform and spelled greater troubles for the Qing, which would collapse within twenty years.

Publication History and Census

This map was edited and published by Kishida Ginkō (岸田吟香) and printed by Sanma Shichibei (三間七兵衛, perhaps a pseudonym) in early August 1894 (Meiji 27). A later edition of the map (重訂五彩中外方輿全圖) was published in Shanghai in 1906, after Kishida's death, adding updates and coloration. The present edition of the map is held by the University of California Berkeley, the University of Chicago, and the National Museum of History in Taiwan, and within Japan by the National Diet Library, the Nichibunken (International Research Center for Japanese Studies), the National Archives of Japan, and the National Museum of Ethnology. This map should not be confused with a small, similarly-titled map by Kishida published in July 1894, the 'Complete Map of the Qing Empire' (清國輿地全圖).