[Dual Purpose New Map of Beijing]
Detailed map of Beijing from the early 1950s.
Out of stock
Description
This vibrantly lithographed map is titled ‘Dual Purpose New Map of Beijing’ and was issued around 1953, according to the manuscript dated dedication in the upper right corner. Capital of the newly established People’s Republic of China (1949), the city was in a period of tremendous growth and modernization at the time of publication. The image depicts only a small fraction of the city today, which has expanded to five ‘rings’, rather than the two shown.
Bright colors distinguish various city districts, with the imperial palace directly in the center. Bus and streetcar lines are highlighted in red. Four insets along the bottom of the sheet show a detailed plan of the Imperial Palace, the Beijing Botanical Gardens, and Behai Park, as well as a map of the Beijing suburbs. Additional manuscript annotations on the verso list various historical facts about the city, going back to its origins as a capital in the Yuan dynasty.
Map Details
Publication Date: c. 1953
Author: Song Chong Yue?
Sheet Width (in): 14.9
Sheet Height (in): 20.9
Condition: A-
Condition Description: Faint damp staining visible along the top of the sheet. Very light scattered spotting and soft creases along old fold lines. Manuscript annotations in the upper right and on the verso (otherwise blank).
Out of stock