Detail of the 1602 Ricci Map
The Ricci/Wentao world map was printed from six large woodblocks on scrolls of rice paper measuring five and a half feet by two and a half feet. When assembled, the viewer sees a map that is five and a half feet high by twelve feet wide! In addition to the physical world geography depicted, the map is filled with annotations and explanations.
Matteo Ricci and the Mandarin Zhong Wentao collaborated in making the map, combing Chinese and European geography. All the text on the map is written in Chinese. Made at the request of the Emperor Wanli, the map places China near the center of the world. The five continents and many countries are depicted, and trade products are described for many of them. For example, the southern continent of America is named "Parrot Country." Even though the country has many spices, however, notes the text, the people living there "are cunning and trade cannot be carried on with them."
Ricci describes "Kanata" (Canada) as a place where people eat snakes, spiders, ants and other creeping things. Florida is called the Land of Flowers. The text indicates that the world’s precious stones and valuables come from India, as well as fine cloth, gold and silver, spices, frankincense, etc. To the far north of Russia is a country where "the inhabitants are only one foot tall." The map thus provides a unique image of truth and fiction, of Chinese and western geography at a very special time in history.
Ricci’s masterpiece was presented at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
The map is now in the United States. It was presented, for the first time in North America, at the Library of Congress by Ford W. Bell, grandson of James Ford Bell and Trustee of the James Ford Bell Trust. The presentation took place on January 12, 2010 with a media event and a private reception. It was scanned while there, thus creating a permanent digital image available to scholars and students.
The "Impossible Black Tulip’s" Journey to Its Minneapolis Home
The permanent home of the Ricci map is the James Ford Bell Library at the University of Minnesota. It is currently be available for study.
To check out buzz about the map, visit this site created by U of M Libraries Communications Director Marlo Welshons. The first mention is dated December 16, 2009.