This study examined the Southern and Northern Dynasties(南北朝時代) related history maps(歷史地圖) including Chinese history atlas(中國歷史地圖集) published after the 20th century. The study provided an opportunity to look into Chinese people’s academic interest in the history and geography of China and its border regions and ancient Chinese people’s view of the world and concept of space. That is because the analysis of history map does not simple work to observe a map but extremely difficult work to read the map producer’s intention reflected in surfaces, lines and dots on the map.
The Southern and Northern Dynasties in China, the subject of analysis of this study, lasted from the establishment of Liu song(劉宋)(420) until the period marked by the struggle of three rival nations: Beiji(北齊), Beizhou(北周) and Chen(陳). The territory covered in this study with regard to the Southern and Northern Dynasties included main China and its neighboring countries in Northeast Asia. The researcher accessed a total of 15 Chinese history atlases to analyze historical geographic situations of the Southern and Northern Dynasties
First of all, the Southern and Northern Dynasties related maps in history atlases described how each Chinese dynasty expanded or lost its land though war over time. That is, the maps showed the changes in each nation’s borders. This explained why an absolute majority of maps in history atlas constituted border maps and situation maps(疆域ㆍ形勢圖). Most maps showed little difference in the description of borders between Southern and Northern Dynasties, but displayed significant difference over situations and borders between China and its neighboring countries. While Bei chao(北朝)’s northern border was set along the Rou ran(柔然)’s or 突厥(T? jue)’s borders, borders of several ethnic groups in northern China were clearly specified or very simply marked compared with Song(宋) and Ji(齊) dynasties. The borders of Koguryo(高句麗) and other northeast region were overall left out or recognized differently depending on history map. China’s western border which was shared by He x?(河西) was described similarly on several history maps, but the borders and conditions of nations located in Tuyuhun(吐谷渾) and western He x? were different depending on history map.
The map producer’s intention was reflected in Chinese history atlases produced in China, Taiwan, and Japan. Thus, subtle differences of perception were found among history maps. Surfaces, lines and dots on the maps were not simple map signs, but comprehensive outcomes that reflect political, economic and social cultural ideology.