持仪观海——马戛尔尼使团对清代中国的初访与科学测绘

The Macartney Mission’s First Visit to Qing China and Its Scientific Surveying and Mapping

在近代中国和世界发生交流的时期,英国马戛尔尼使团来华拜会乾隆帝的活动尤为引人注目,这是欧洲首次向中国派出正式代表团,是两国层面的交流活动。使团历经漫长的航海到达中国海岸,然而随团成员的组成和沿途见闻、航线和海岸的测绘活动却一直隐含在访华的表面活动之中。使团对亚洲的向往与测绘,在很大程度上厘清了他们未曾到达的海域。借用成熟的科学测绘术和绘画记录,中国北部海域和内地的地理图示,已在英国人的视野和图绘之中,这场有关国家交流和贸易的朝觐活动虽然最后未能达成期望的目标,但是却为日后英国人再度来到中国奠定了重要基础。

During the period of exchanges between China and the world in modern times,the activities of the British Macartney mission to visit Emperor Qianlong in China were particularly eye-catching.This is the first time that Europe has sent an official delegation to China,and it is an exchange activity at the level of both countries.After a long voyage,the mission arrived at the coast of China.However,the composition of the members of the mission,its observations along the way,its surveying and mapping activities of routes and coasts have always been hidden under the surface activities of its visit to China.The missions longing for Asia and mapping largely clarified the waters they have not reached.Using mature scientific surveying and mapping techniques and painting records,the geographical illustrations of China’s northern waters and the mainland have been brought into the vision and mapping of the British mission.Although this visit in terms of national exchanges and trade failed to achieve the desired goal,it has laid an important foundation for the British to come to China again in the future.