Elegant 1853 map of China by the eminent British cartographer, James Wyld. <br><br>This influential map was first published in 1840, and was updated and reissued into the 1880s. It shows China divided into 24 Provinces (including Taiwan and Korea), and extends to show the surrounding countries of Tibet, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, and Burma (Myanmar). <br><br>The map is incredibly detailed and at the time of publishing, most, if not all, European maps of China were still mostly based upon 18th century Jesuit missionary surveys. There is a comprehensive listing of the Provinces, their population size, and lightly etched on the map, a road network is seen connecting the major cities across the country. Several annotations feature across the map; the length of the Great Wall of China (1500 miles), the length of the Great Imperial of Treasure Canal (600 miles), and another remarking that “The sea is rapidly receding from the Coast of Leao-tong and Petche-li”.<br><Br>The requirement for such a detailed English map becomes apparent when you look at the date it was published, 1853. The First Opium War (1839-1842) and Second Opium War (1856-1860) were a series of bitter military conflicts between the Chinese Qing Dynasty and the British (and from 1856, the French) that began as a trading dispute and an attempt by China to supress the illegal importation of opium by the foreign traders. Both wars resulted in foreign powers gaining huge commercial access to the country; Hong Kong Island became British Territory, and 5 treaty ports in Shanghai, Ningpo (Ningbo), Foochow (Fuzhou), Amoy (Xiamen) and Canton (Guangzhou) were established.<br><Br>Original colour. Framed. [SEAS3212]