The True Stars of Cartography: East Asian Mapmakers
by Saki Savavi Bowman The true stars of Cartography: East Asian Mapmakers
fig. 1, The Solar System, Map of Ocean Currents and Wind, 1906, Yamane Akisato
Having developed at the edges of the Pacific Ocean, unable to ignore the interplay of typhoons, monsoons, and mudslides – It’s no wonder that Eastern Asian cartography reflects a theme of animating the Air Element. Asian Cartographers communicate their spatial geography via style, color, and trade routes. Another tendril of their windy influence is captured by the linguistic evolutions of the region. Much like the Oceanic weather that predominantly wafts in from right-to-left, CJK (Chinese, Korean and Japanese), can be read horizontally or vertically, pointing to the ways culture mirrors geography.
By exploring antique maps of East Asia we can learn a lot about the climate trends, provinces and trade routes that shaped the region into what we recognize today. These maps also illustrate the way East Asian worldview (philosophy and conception story of the world) influences their cartographical approach and embellishments. In this article we’ll take a look at the work of Sekisui Nagakubo, Ino Tadataka, and Yamane Akisato to experience the world as they sensed it.
fig. 2, Map of Yan Zhi Fang, 1857, Sekisui Nagakubo
Archiving the Qing Dynasty: Sekisui nagakubo Map collection
Born in the Taga District of Ibaraki on December 8th, 1717, Sekisui Nagakubo was an important Japanese geographer/cartographer and Confucian Scholar who begins our exploration.
He’s considered by some to be the ‘Founder of Modern Japanese Geography’ due to his use of modern navigational tools as well as including longitude and latitude lines. His life is extraordinary in that it was through his balanced pursuits of both Spirit and Scholarship (having studied Medicine under Suzuki Matuse & Nagoe Nankei and studied with Japanese Astronomers) that he was elevated to Samurai status in 1767 in Nagasaki.
Sekisui’s work predates the maps of Ino Tadataka by at least 45 years. Ino is another famous Japanese Cartographer who had this to say in reference to one of Sekisui’s most famous maps of the Archipelago:
“It really is astonishing that Sekisui from Mito was able to create such a good map while only sitting” (quoted from “Fûken Komiyama: kaihô nissatsu” in “Inô Tadataka Research” by Sachiko Maeda).
fig. 3, Map of Yan Zhifang, 1857, Sekisui Nagakubo
Although Sekisui’s maps, (fig. 2 and 3) were published to the mainstream in 1857 by Iba House Jibei, they were created much earlier, since he died in 1801. This historic map collection depicts colorful illustrations of Eastern China, throughout Qing Dynasty. The maps depict the same region but are stylized to reflect the borders, rulers, 8 waterways between China and Japan, and even elemental anecdotes, throughout generations. Sekisui’s intention was to preserve Eastern Asian history in these maps so that future generations would not forget the nuances of their homelands. Some of my favorite details of this map are of the paths of the rivers and how they’re simplistic yet reminiscent of nimble tree branches. They reach inland, extending well beyond the color coded territory and into provinces that appear to be of less political importance. There are markings that share information about wind patterns and climate, likely for navigational purposes, guiding ships where to dock, decompress, and unload.
The etchings featured in this incredible collection reminds us that this labor of love is crafted by hand and foresight. The skill, recall, and stillness this demands may be extinct in modern mapmaking approaches, where the industry is widely digitized. The way the characters float along the page, guiding the eyes, translating tone and feeling to a questioning soul like myself, introduces us to the world of eastern China. Welcoming us to the delicate social fabric of the land, its inhabitants, and inspiring a future cartographer like Tadataka to craft his own maps of Eastern Asia with even more accuracy.
fig. 4 Map of Japan, 1821, Ino Tadataka
stewarding the land: Ino Tadataka’s map of japan
Where Sekisui Nagakubo’s maps served better as road maps for everyday use, Ino Tadataka’s maps were so accurate they were largely used for military operations. Tadataka’s Map of Japan (fig. 4) was published 36 years before Sekisui’s posthumous collection cited above, but Sekisui’s influence was cemented as local legend and inspired Tadataka’s approach. He finally began his surveying process as an elder after spending much of his life as a wealthy Merchant, Scholar, Samurai, and Steward of his village. Over a span of 17 years and 10 surveying expeditions (and approx. 24,854.848 miles), Tadataka finally finished his map in 1821. Ino’s map of Japan was so accurate it was used for over 100 years after its completion.
fig. 5, Complete Atlas of Japan, 1837, Ino Tadataka
Tadataka’s surveying approach combined both traditional methods (line and crossing methods) as well as astronomical observations to ensure absolute precision. Great cartographers are dedicated to learning the land across seasons, moon phases, and circumstances. They understand that the land reveals itself differently depending on the moment. Waiting for the environment to reveal its curves and features when it is ready to is a dance that they become fluent in. Perhaps Tadataka drew from his spiritual practices as a Samurai or the stories of Sekisui’s patience to inspire his own work on night’s when he was frustrated or ready for the work to be complete. Perhaps it was the land itself that told him what to listen for as a result of being isolated in his work. Whatever the reason for his patience, let us remember that his attentiveness is a great act of service to his nation and the world. This form of patriotism can’t be contained by political allegiance, it is a selfless commitment with a result that has withstood the test of time.
fig. 6, The Solar System, 1906, Yamane Akisato
Colors of the wind: Yamane Akisato's map of the oceans and wind currents
I imagine that the compounding works of Sekisui and Tadataka in some way furthered the imagination of Yamane Akisato. I envision that the stories he may have heard about wind and ocean spirits looked colorful in his mind’s eye as he held the hand of a caregiver and walked the roads defined by Tadataka; holding on to those colors and remembering them for when he bloomed as a mapmaker.
The irony is never lost on me when I’m researching a cartographer and can find nothing on their life, other than the work they’ve left behind. Such is the case of Yamane Akisato, a Japanese cartographer whose 1906 1st edition collection is absolutely stunning. From detailed maps of the Globe, to beautifully stenciled images of ocean currents and mountain ranges, Akisato’s work has contributed greatly to expanding my mind (and hopefully yours).
Figure 6 is a color map of the world’s Ocean currents and Wind patterns projected with longitude and latitude lines. Like Sekisui, Akisato’s map highlights an underlying theme amongst East Asian cartographers and their relationship with the air element as a trade route worthy of being charted. The accompanying page (right side of fig. 1) shows a diagram of the Solar System and Luminaries. The above and below of having these images side by side, is a visual aid that guides the audience in confronting the atmosphere and scale of our natural world.
Per the publisher’s notes:
1st. edition atlas, published in 1906 (Meiji 39). Includes 14 color maps, some double page, with uncolored drawings and description of each area, 59 black and white maps of the world and cities. Includes text, index and gazetteer in Japanese, some city maps also in Chinese. Bound in colorful pictorial covers with title in English and Japanese. "Nakamura , Shobido" printed on the back cover.
fig. 7, front and back cover of New Atlas & Geography Table, 1906, Yamane Akisato
fig. 8, Korea, 1906, Yamane Akisato
This appears to be the sole publication where Akisato’s work is featured. It also features detailed sketches of cities such as Chicago, Bucharest, New Orleans, Cairo, Montreal, and more. Figure 8 is a colorful map of Korea and its provinces accompanied by a page that expounds on the animals and architecture found in the region. Other pages in the publication go into great detail about the geographies, flora, and fauna, of varying continents. It’s truly a comprehensive work of the geography at the turn of 20th century.
Sekisui Nagakubo, Ino Tadataka, and Yamane Akisato’s cartographical contributions remind us that what persists, long after we are gone, is the quality of our work. They are not only windows into our personal lives, but they are time capsules of the world we walked in. Whatever field you are pursuing, pursue it fully and without ideals of perfectionism. The point is to create something that can be built upon or disproven. The point is to create something that persists.
The point is to create.
All the maps featured in this Article are available for purchase here as fine art prints reproduced on high quality Hahnemuhle German Etching Paper and Moab Paper.
Bibliography
Sekisui and his work as a Geographer
Mapping a Nation: Japan’s Most Famous Cartographer, Inō Tadataka
The Pioneer who mapped Japan: Ino Tadataka’s 17 year-walking Journey
