《耶鲁藏中国山形水势图》初解

Tentative Research on China..s Appearance of Mountainous Region and the Flow of Water Chart in the Collection of Yale University

中华民族有悠久的航海历史,与其他航海民族一样绘制有自己的航海图。但我国古代的航海图与西方的航海图不同,它是一种与针路簿互为表里的“舟子秘本”,即明钞本《顺风相送》及清钞本《指南正法》等针路簿中所记载的“山形水势图”。以往由于未能识得“山形水势图”为何物,故有学者认为,“我国古代时期的水道图、海道图、针路图等,都是为航海服务的,故都是属于航海图”①。

In 1974,Mr.Li Hongqi discovered a set of Chinese ancient charts in Sterling Memorial Library of Yale University.This set of charts,which had been stolen by British during the Opium War in 1841,has aroused interests among domestic and overseas scholars in recent years.And the scholars started a comprehensive discussion about the charts.Through data processing and interpretation,this paper proves that this set of charts was used as the appearance of mountainous region and the flow of water chart during the sailing vessels period??Because the set of charts is collected by Yale University,and was belonged to China,the paper suggests to name it as China??s appearance of mountainous region and the flow of water chart in the collection of Yale University??Furthermore,this paper compares the charts with Shun Feng Xiang Song,the sailing routes book in Ming Dynasty??As a result,the paper believes that the set of charts was the appearance of mountainous region and the flow of water chart absented in Shun Feng Xiang Song??Thus,the paper reveals the secret of how Huo Chang navigated the sailing vessels based on sailing routes books and the appearance of mountainous region and the flow of water chart during the sailing vessels period.