Author(s)

Xu Jianghong ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China

Corresponding Author

Xu Jianghong

ABSTRACT

While the Complete Atlas of Jiangxi Province from the Tongzhi reign is well-documented, the subsequent cartographic project undertaken during the Guangxu reign remains largely overlooked. This paper utilizes archival documents, memorials, and official reports to reconstruct the process of compiling the Jiangxi provincial atlas as part of the imperial Huidian Atlas (Atlas of the Collected Statutes) project. It details the establishment of a provincial surveying bureau in 1891, the challenges encountered— including non-compliant submissions from local prefectures, difficult terrain, and adverse weather conditions—and the measures taken, such as recruiting technical personnel and procuring Western surveying instruments. The study traces the multiple deadline extensions requested by provincial officials and documents the final completion and submission of the comprehensive atlas in 1896. Furthermore, it clarifies the history of the atlas's subsequent reprinting during the Xuantong era, resolving potential dating discrepancies in library catalogs. This paper argues for the significant historical value of the Guangxu-era atlas, particularly for the study of Jiangxi's local history, and highlights its importance as a primary source that awaits further scholarly attention.

KEYWORDS

Guangxu Period; Jiangxi Province; Huidian Atlas; Cartography; Surveying and Mapping; Qing Administration; Local History

CITE THIS PAPER

Xu Jianghong, A Study on the Compilation of the Jiangxi Provincial Atlas for the Guangxu-Era Huidian Atlas. Lecture Notes on History (2025) Vol. 7: 83-87. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/history.2025.070113.

REFERENCES

[1] Xie Xiaohua, "Provinces' Submission of Atlas Materials for the Collected Statutes during the Guangxu Reign," Historical Archives, no. 2 (2003).
[2] Beneficial Governance in Jiangxi, The Shun Pao, November 5, 1891.
[3] Zhang Hualong (ed.), Jiangxi Provincial Chorography: Surveying and Mapping, Fangzhi Press, 1995, p. 79.
[4] Memorial Requesting a Two-Year Extension for Jiangxi's Cartographic Survey, 18th day of the 1st lunar month, Guangxu 19 (1893), First Historical Archives of China, File No. 03-7173-050.;Jiangxi Governor's Dispatch Regarding Province-Wide Cartographic Survey, 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month, Guangxu 19 (1893), Grand Secretariat Archives of Academia Sinica, Taiwan, File No. 137597.
[5] First Historical Archives of China, File No. 03-7174-017
[6] Archived at the First Historical Archives of China, File No. 04-01-38-0029-009
[7] Archived at the Grand Secretariat Archives, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, Document No. 138567
[8] Archived at the Grand Secretariat Archives, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, Document No. 137632
[9] Xie Xiaohua, "Provinces' Submission of Atlas Materials for the Collected Statutes during the Guangxu Reign," Historical Archives, no. 2 (2003). Two months later, the Peking Gazette reprinted the full text of this article (Peking Gazette Transcript, The Shun Pao, July 3, 1896, lower edition).
[10] Ministry of Revenue Regarding Jiangxi's Survey Completion and Expenditures, Guangxu 22/5 (1896), Grand Secretariat Archives, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, File No. 198653. Summary: The memorial was approved with the imperial endorsement ("Let the responsible office take note. Respect this.") on 4/9. The Ministry would verify the accounts upon receiving the maps.
[11] Jiangxi Official Gazette, The Shun Pao, June 18, 1896, upper edition.
[12] Jiangxi Official Bulletin, The Shun Pao, July 11, 1897, upper edition.
[13] In Xuantong 1 (1909), the Jiangxi Official Book Bureau was renamed Jiangxi Official Gazette Bureau, and later changed to Jiangxi Official Paper Printing Office. See: Jiang Jing (ed.), Oriental Studies Journal, Zhejiang Gongshang University Press, 2019, p. 299.
[14] Zhao Zengyue, "Archival Records on the Establishment of the Institute of Maps and Gazetteers under the Late Qing Ministry of Civil Affairs (Part 1)," Historical Archives, no. 4 (2023).

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