《坤舆万国全图》主要地理已经被证明是来自完成于1430年左右的中国世界地图（已佚），而不是1602年利玛窦根据西方地图绘制的。利用词源学与方言学破译《坤舆万国全图》上的鸟名，证明中国首先到达澳大利亚和美洲。在《坤舆万国全图》地球南端绘有鹦哥地，按照地理位置，应是澳洲。澳洲未被发现以前，欧洲的地图有鹦哥地，但发现后反而改用别的地名。欧洲历史上不产鹦鹉，鹦鹉早就在欧洲绝迹，除地图外，没有第一手文献证明欧人在16世纪发现鹦哥地。中国自汉朝以来到清朝历代均有采集、黉养、崇尚鹦鹉的习惯，尤其历代帝王均有从外国进口鹦鹉，文献注明鹦鹉产地。通过文献、风俗、地图，和各方面的比较，《坤舆万国全图》和《三才图会》中的《山海舆地全图》上的鹦哥地，不可能是西方命名的，而是中国人命名的。又根据《坤舆万国全图》有关厄墓鸟在南洋的记载，厄墓以乌鸣命名，以汉语南方方言注音。欧洲初期对此鸟的命名实从中国词汇误译，以后方更正。表示明代中国在1430年代即了解澳洲、南美洲。美洲原住民普遍对英国殖民者称美洲火鸡为furkee，英文turkey为furkee读写之误。美洲原住民只对外人用此词。火鸡是明代人对鹤驼的称谓。通过语源学分析中国及欧洲各国对火鸡的称谓，结论是furkee即中国南方方言火鸡（forgai或fuigee），此词由明代传入美洲。中国对这几种亚洲、澳洲、美洲不会飞的鸟的名称和描述，意味着在15世纪的中国与澳大利亚和美洲早有交通，比哥伦布出航早70年。%Kun Yu Wan Guo Quan Tu （ Map of Ten Thousand Nations on Earth, hereby ab- breviated as KYWGQT） has been demonstrated to be based on a lost Chinese world map drawn in the 1430s rather than based on European world maps by Matteo Ricci in 1602.Using etymology and dialectology of bird names labeled on KYWGQT, it is proven that Chinese first arrived in Australia and the Americas. The continent labeled as Parrot Land at the southern part of KYWGQT is geographically determined to be Australia. Australia, initially labeled as Parrot Land on European world maps, was renamed after it was discovered. Long been extinct in Europe, parrots are historically not indigenous to Europe. Other than the maps, no primary European literature is available to demon- strate European discovery of Australia in 16th century. On the other hand, China has a- bundant literature of collecting, raising pet parrots from Han Dynasty to Qing dynasties, particularly by the emperors. Records show that China has been importing and identif- ying parrots from foreign countries. According to the literature, customs, KYWGQT and Shan Hai Yu Di Quan Tu （amap in the Ming dynasty Pictorial Encyclopedia ＂San Cai Tu Hui＂）, Parrot Land is a name given to Australia by Chinese, not by Europeans. According to KYWGQT, the bird name ＂emu＂ labeled near Malaysia on the map, is named according to the bird call based on southern dialect in China. European names of this bird were misspelled based on different Chinese dialects. It was only corrected much later. Emu in Australia, cassowary in Southeast Asia and rhea in South America were erroneously called by the same name ＂emu＂ by Ming Chinese, showing that they had knowledge of Australia and South America in the 1430s. The native America bird ＂turkey＂ is in fact a transcription error of ＂furkee＂, a name used by Native Americans while explaining to English colonists. ＂Furkee＂ is phonetically similar to ＂forgai/fui- gee＂, a name given to cassowary by Ming Chinese speaking southern dialect. Native A- mericans only use ＂furkee＂ for this bird when dealing with foreigners, implying that they learned it from foreigners, viz. the Chinese visitors in Ming dynasty. Thus, the term ＂furkee＂ is introduced by the Ming Chinese to American natives. From etymology and description of these flightless birds, China had communication with Australia and the Americas in the 15th century, some 70 years before Christopher Columbus.
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