1983 Zhang Six-Sheet Tectonic Wall Map of East Asia

A visually impressive, very large 6-sheet tectonic wall map of China and East Asia, edited by Zhang Wenyou and published in 1983 by Sciences Press.

A Closer Look

Covering from Central Asia, Mongolia, and Manchuria in the north to India and Indonesia in the south, this highly technical map uses color shading to provide geologic and tectonic information, resulting in a stunning visual presentation. Color shading and a system of letters and numbers indicate geologic eras and tectonic elements, while shades of blue provide information on ocean crusts. Additional symbols denote various types of geologic formations, tectonic deformations, and other features explained in the legend at bottom-left.

Seismology and Seismic Political Shifts

Unsurprisingly for such a large country, parts of China are very earthquake-prone. The late 1960s and 1970s were particularly active , with major earthquakes in 1973 (Luhuo), 1975 (Haicheng), and 1976 (Tangshan and Songpan-Pingwu). The Tangshan Earthquake on July 28, 1976, was one of the deadliest earthquakes in Chinese history, killing some 300,000 people, perhaps many more, and flattening the city of Tangshan (the hometown of Zhang Wenyou). As the Tangshan Earthquake preceded Mao Zedong's (1893 - 1976) death by a matter of weeks and was one of the last major events of his reign, it has sometimes been seen as a portent of the significant changes that would take place in China in the following years. After Mao's death, one of his deputies, Hua Guofeng (1921 - 2008), became the nominal leader of the Chinese Communist Party, quickly turning on Mao's widow, Jiang Qing, and her allies, who were arrested and blamed for the horrors of the Cultural Revolution (which Mao instigated and led).

The end of the Cultural Revolution strengthened the reformist faction of the Chinese Communist Party, allowing Deng Xiaoping (1904 - 1997) to emerge as the main force in the Party by late 1978, setting the stage for the 'reform and opening up' agenda that has drastically changed China in the years since. Although the sciences had recovered somewhat from the most chaotic and destructive phase of the Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s, the late 1970s saw a wholesale revival of scientific and academic activity. Eager to make up for lost time, Chinese scientists built international connections, translated the latest works into Chinese, undertook ambitious research projects, like this map, and trained a new cadre of young scholars, and dedicated themselves to using science to help China reemerge as a great power.

Publication History and Census

This map was compiled by a team of researchers led by geologist Zhang Wen-you (张文佑). It was published by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)-affiliated Sciences Press and printed by the Shanghai Zhonghua (Chong-hwa) Printing House. Especially given the strong connection with CAS, this map was likely influenced by Huang Jiqing et al's 'Tectonic Map of China' (previously sold by us), first published in 1979. By comparison, the present map is produced in a larger format and expands the scope to include the South China Sea (a small inset on Huang's map) and other parts of East Asia (Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Mongolia, and Southeast Asia). The present map is well represented in institutional collections but scarce on the market.