Maps and Memory: Readings of Cartography in Twelfth- and Thirteenth-Century Song China

This essay traces the early history of the genre of the empire map in China, examines twelfth-century steles and printed maps ofthe Chinese territories, and analyses contemporary viewings and readings of mapsin this genre.It argues that such maps reached a much broader readershipofliterate elites over the course of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and acquired new political significance as maps became powerful symbols in debates concerning the pros and cons of negotiated peace. © 2009 Imago Mundi Ltd