China in Western Maps

Based on the first comprehensive study of all Western printed maps of China until 1735, this talk will first show how to look at old maps using examples of the HKUST rich map collection, then will explain how Europeans maps of China changed over time and what they can teach us about the history of Europe and China and their entangled relationship. It will also tell some of the unique stories that made possible these visions from another world, stories marked by scholarly breakthroughs, obsession, missionary zeal, commercial sagacity and greed. 

About the Speaker:

Marco Caboara is the Manager (Digital Scholarship and Archives) at the Lee Shau Kee Library, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. As manager of the Archives he is also in charge of the Library Special Collections, most prominently of the Antique Maps of China Collection.   

He studied in Italy, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Beijing and Hong Kong, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington, Seattle with a study of the linguistic features of Classical Chinese Bamboo Manuscripts. He has been a Research Fellow at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Studies, Uppsala, Sweden.  

He has just completed a comprehensive carto-bibliography of Western printed maps of China from 1580 to 1735, published by Brill and has presented the earliest stages of the book project at major international map conferences in Amsterdam, Berlin, Macau and Shanghai. 

Registration: 

https://lbcube.hkust.edu.hk/ce/index.php/event/9069/

Note:

This is a recognized event in the “Self-directed Experience” component of CORE1905: Behavioral Foundations of University Education: Habits, Mindsets, and Wellness. You need to attend the event in full to get 1.0 hour.

Photos will be taken during the talk.

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the talk for registration.