China is the center of the world in ancient maps

A world map over 400 years old, with China at the center, has just been displayed at the Library of Congress.

China Daily said, Matteo Ricci - an Italian missionary - drew a map in 1602 at the request of King Minh Than Tong. It is one of the two copies also kept in good condition. A collector in Japan kept it for many years before selling it to the James Ford Bell Foundation last October for $ 1 million. At that price, it became the second most expensive map ever sold. Since this is one of the most precious and perishable maps, it was printed on 6 large sheets of rice paper.

North America on the map of the Ricci missionary. Photo: AP .

According to the AP, the map is 3.65 mx 1.52 m in size. It denotes many areas of the world with drawings and explanations. Ricci names many countries in the Americas, such as Chih-Li (Chile), Estonia (Guatemala) and Ghana (Canada). The US state of Florida is described as "the land of flowers". Africa is noted as "the highest mountain range and the longest river in the world".

Ford W. Bell - one of the James Ford Bell Fund managers - told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the map displayed in the US Library of Congress is one of the two best-quality antique maps.

The map is printed on 6 large sheets of rice paper.

"Ricci is an extremely wise missionary. He places China at the center of the new world to recognize the importance of this country. Of course, Ricci was the first Westerner to go to Beijing. Quoc respected Ricci and he was buried in China, " Bell said.

There are no versions of Ricci maps found in China. The AP said that only a few copies were kept in Vatican libraries and collectors in France and Japan.