An Exploration to Edition Identification of Ancient Chinese Maps

摘要

Among the Chinese ancient resources collections, map is one remarkable kind of it. How to identify the edition of the maps has become the important work of the collation. Based on the Compilation Program of "Ancient Chinese Maps Collected in Peking University Library", this article analyzes a large number of ancient Chinese maps, and summarizes four valuable methods of map edition identification. First, taboo clues can be taken as the guidance for identifying the edition year of ancient Chinese maps; Second, the toponymic evolution information is obviously an important analysis point in the textual research of editions; Third, edition identification through background investigation, such as background associated with map compilation history or thematic maps, even including divergent associated background investigation; Fourth, relevant important archives could also play a key role in the identification of edition year. In the conclusion, the author emphasizes that comprehensive clues shall be applied in an overall analysis and research for editions of ancient Chinese maps in actual collation work. It also showed that the textual research on maps highlights its own peculiarity while sharing some same features as that of ancient Chinese books. This work requires accumulated practical experience during the actual work, as well as constant learning to increase comprehensive knowledge.