Ancient Chinese's Map
A group of scientists appraising artifacts in the Hebei Provincial Museum
at Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, have discovered that a quarter-inch thick
copper plate bears the world's oldest map clearly marked with distances. The
2,300-year old map marks the locations of buildings in the five mausoleums of
Wang Cuo (344-313 B.C.E.), his queen, and his concubines. Called the Zhao Yu Tu
("map of the area of the mausoleum"), it was excavated in the late
1970s in Pingshan County, Wang was the fifth king of the Zhongshan Kingdom, one
of dozens of principalities that flourished during the Warring States period
(476-221 B.C.E.).
It is not only the oldest map found in China but the oldest numeral
bearing map in the world. Thirty-seven inches long and 19 inches wide, the map
marks more than 70 locations, symbols, numerals, and epigraphs inlaid with gold
and silver. South is on the top of the map and one-half inch is equal to 16.5
feet on the map's scale.
Also found on the map was a 42-character
imperial edict ordering the construction of the mausoleum. The king also asks
that two copies of the Zhao Yu Tu be made, one to be stored in the Zhongshan
imperial court, the other to be buried with him. The second copy has not been
found.