Korean treasures : rare books, manuscripts and artefacts in the Bodleian libraries and museums of Oxford University / Minh Chung.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Rare books and manuscripts -- Ceramics -- Photography -- Scaphe sundials -- Weapons and other military artefacts.

"Many important and valuable manuscripts, rare books, and artefacts related to Korea have been acquired by donations throughout the long history of the Bodleian Library and the museums of the University of Oxford. However, due to an early lack of specialist knowledge in this area, many of these Korean items were largely neglected. This publication uncovers these treasures and presents them together in a single volume for the first time. Notable items include the court painting scroll of the funeral procession of King Yongjo (1694-1776); a presentation edition of a book given by King Yongjo to his son-in-law; a group of documents issued by Emperor Kojong (1852-1919) between 1885 and 1886 to confer various titles to his civil and military officials; a sundial made by the famous maker Kang Yun (1830-98) for Emperor Kojong; a ceramic dish made and signed by Princess Yi Pangja (1901-89) as well as a rare example of a suit of armour, an ornate helmet of the early sixteenth century, a general's quiver and arrows, and many more." -- Book jacket.

The Selden map of China :  a new understanding of the Ming dynasty / Hongping Annie Nie.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 66-69) and index.

A discovery in the library -- A cartographic work of art -- The history of the Selden map -- Ming dynasty maritime trade -- A new understanding of the Ming dynasty.

Dating from the seventeenth century at the height of the Ming Dynasty, the Selden Map of China reveals a country very different from popular conceptions of the time, looking not inward to the Asian landmass but outward to the sea. Discovered in the stacks of the Bodleian Library, this beautifully decorative map of China is in fact a seafaring chart showing Ming Dynasty trade routes. It is the earliest surviving example of Chinese merchant cartography and is evidence that Ming China was outward-looking, capitalistic and vibrant. Exploring the commercial aims of the Ming Dynasty, the port city of Quanzhou and its connections with the voyages of the early traveller Zheng He, this book describes the historical background of the era in which the map was used. It also includes an analysis of the skills and techniques involved in Chinese map-making and the significance of the compass bearings, scale and ratios found on the map, all of which combine to represent a breakthrough in cartographic techniques. The enthralling story revealed by this extraordinary artefact is central to an understanding of the long history of China's relationship with the sea and with the wider world.