Novus Atlas Sinensis 1655

Novus Atlas Sinensis 1655

Martino Martini (1614–1661) was a Jesuit missionary, historian, and cartographer from Italy who is famous for his work in China. He left Europe in 1640 and arrived in the Portuguese settlement of Macau on the Chinese coast, where he began studying the language and geography of China. He arrived during a turbulent time in Chinese history, when the empire was infected with civil war, but managed to navigate the treacherous political waters of the time, changing his dynastic allegiances, and even his dress, as necessary. He travelled extensively through both Europe and China, but is best remembered as the father of Chinese geographical science. He was the first person to make a rigorous, systematic, objective, and scientific study of Chinese geography and culture and is highly regarded by modern scientists and Sinologists. His most important work is the Novus Atlas Sinensis, which first appeared in 1655 as part of volume 10 in the Atlas Maior by Joan Blaeu (1596–1673). It consists of 17 colored maps that are both extremely detailed and artfully depicted, and include depictions of the Chinese people and their dress. This is considered today to be the founding document of the modern geographical study of China.