Title: Nearly 30 Years of Searching for Ancient Maps of the Great Wall: An Interview with Li Xiaocong, Emeritus Professor at Peking University
By Zeng Yue
Li Xiaocong, an emeritus professor in the Department of History and the Center for the Study of Ancient Chinese History at Peking University, has dedicated nearly three decades to the quest for ancient maps of the Great Wall, traveling from China to the Netherlands, the Vatican, and Italy.
What does the pursuit of the Great Wall as depicted in ancient maps mean, and how have its geographical and cultural connotations evolved over the years? Professor Li recently shared his experiences and insights in an interview with China News Service in Beijing.
**CNS Reporter:** You have devoted a large part of your career to studying ancient Chinese maps, and you’ve traveled extensively, particularly exploring how the Great Wall is represented in historical maps. Can you walk us through that journey?
**Li Xiaocong:** My fascination with the Great Wall began in my youth. I distinctly remember biking for hours to reach the Badaling section during middle school. Now, at 77, I still feel that connection.
My serious exploration of ancient maps featuring the Great Wall began over 30 years ago. In 1991, I made my first international trip to examine Chinese ancient maps housed in European collections. While in the Netherlands, I stumbled upon two articles about the Great Wall. One mentioned a valuable painted map residing in the Lateran Basilica in Rome; the other, by British scholar M. J. Meijer, also referenced this map and included a black-and-white image.
Compelled to investigate, I traveled to Rome in 1992, only to find out that the collection from the Lateran Basilica had been moved to the Vatican Library in the 1960s. Although the staff there couldn’t confirm the map’s current status due to a lack of cataloging, I left hopeful that it remained hidden away.
While in Italy, I had the opportunity to meet esteemed sinologist Giuliano Bertuccioli, who informed me about a collection of ancient Chinese maps at the Italian Geographical Society. With his assistance, I accessed their catalog and, though I didn’t find the Great Wall map, I uncovered two valuable map sets from the Ming Dynasty related to the Great Wall: the “Datong Town Defense Map” and the “Gansu Town Defense Overview,” both pertinent to military defense along the Wall.
In 1994, I returned to Italy as a visiting scholar. This time, I meticulously documented titles of Chinese maps in the Italian Geographical Society’s collection and revisited the Vatican Library. Armed with new leads, I also consulted the director of the newly established Vatican Museum of Anthropology.
During one visit, the director led me into the basement, where, to my astonishment, he unrolled a long scroll—revealing the Great Wall map I had been on a quest for! It illustrated a route from Jiayuguan, extending through various locations along the Wall, ultimately ending at Datong.
Based on the painting’s characteristics, I deduced that the map dated back to the Qing Dynasty. It lacked latitude and longitude markers and employed traditional Chinese painting techniques that combined perspective views. Although it bore no title, numerous faded labels were present, indicative of how Qing maps typically annotated locations, contrasting with the Ming tradition of including place names directly on the map.
After thorough research, I discovered that this map was used during Emperor Kangxi’s expedition against the Mongolian leader Galdan, marking the path he took to check on his troops in Ningxia along the Great Wall with red lines.
Fast forward to 2019, when I visited an exhibition titled “The Beauty of Cultural Heritage – Chinese Artifacts from the Vatican Museum” at the Palace Museum in Beijing. To my surprise, the Great Wall map was on display, recognized as a key artifact. Although the exhibition featured it partially unrolled, I managed to combine photos taken in 1994 and 2019, finally creating a complete image of the Great Wall map.
This experience encapsulates my academic journey. I’ve spent over 30 years studying the Great Wall as seen in ancient maps.
**CNS Reporter:** When did the Great Wall first appear on Chinese and world maps, according to your research? What is the importance of exploring ancient maps of the Great Wall?
**Li Xiaocong:** Maps vividly capture the Great Wall and its fortifications, showcasing how people in centuries past interpreted and represented it. As primary historical sources, ancient maps of the Great Wall complement the textual records, forming an invaluable collection for understanding this iconic structure.
The earliest surviving Chinese map featuring the Great Wall is the 1136 stone-engraved “Huayi Tu,” created during the Northern Song Dynasty, although it’s uncertain if earlier maps depicted the Wall.
The representation of the Great Wall on foreign maps can be traced back to East-West exchanges. In the 16th century, a reproduction of the “Map of the Ancient and Modern Landscape” arrived in Europe, marking it as the earliest known Chinese map of the Great Wall on the continent. Following that, various foreign missionaries further clarified how the Wall was depicted in maps, notably in works by Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci, whose “Complete Map of the World” illustrated the Ming Great Wall.
These ancient maps reveal how people understood and represented the Great Wall not merely as a military structure but as a reflection of cultural perspectives and historical impressions. Whether depicting the entire trajectory of the Wall, specific sections, or detailing its defensive installations, they authentically depict its significance as both a geographical and conceptual boundary.
**CNS Reporter:** Beyond China’s Great Wall, we also have Hadrian’s Wall in Europe. Are there any connections or resonances between the two? How has the geographical and cultural significance of the Great Wall shifted from ancient times to the present day?
**Li Xiaocong:** The construction of walls marks a significant advancement in human civilization. The building of the Great Wall was a testament to human ingenuity during a particular social development phase.
Over 2,000 years ago, as the Great Wall was being constructed in China, the Romans were erecting Hadrian’s Wall in Europe. Both structures share similarities in design, defensive capabilities, and their effects on local societies.
Beyond their military implications, both walls were strategically situated along natural and climatic boundaries, differentiating agrarian and nomadic lifestyles. In a broader context, the Great Wall was meant to mitigate conflicts between differing ways of life and to promote orderly trade and the exchange of goods.
However, a key distinction lies in the material civilization represented by the European wall, which halted progression after the Roman Empire’s collapse, while the Great Wall of China continued to be significant until the Qing Dynasty. In China, wall-building efforts reflected aspirations for unity and order during periods of strength—combined with the nomadic pastoralism that facilitated the rise of a unified state. This represents both the national will and the spirit of the people.
The Great Wall embodies the Chinese spirit of unity, resilience, and determination, alongside a contemporary ethos of peace, openness, and inclusivity. I once hiked the Great Wall with a foreign friend and asked why it’s called “the Great Wall” instead of “the Long Wall.” His insight was enlightening: every Chinese person is like a brick in that wall; while each individual’s role may seem small, together they create a structure of greatness and strength.
