英国所绘1∶5万比例尺《华东》系列地图(1926-1946)及其价值

Great Britain 1∶50,000 Eastern China Map Series(1926-1946)and Its Value

近代西方国家在中国各地开展了大量测绘活动,绘制的各类地图具有重要的史料价值。长期以来,学界对英国在中国西部及对海岸线和主要内河航道的近代测绘活动较为重视,而对其在华东和华北地区进行的测绘活动,则关注较少。本文围绕英国所绘1∶5万比例尺《华东》系列地图(1926—1946)展开讨论,通过介绍其基本情况并探讨其绘制背景,试图揭示其在近代史研究和城市化研究中所具有的独特价值。该系列地图作为英国官方在上海、北京和山海关等地的测绘成果,不仅反映着当时测绘技术的变革,更与20世纪上半叶国际国内的政治环境息息相关。而该系列地图具有精度较高、比例尺适中、色彩鲜明、绘制精美等突出特点,不仅较为准确地反映了当时上海、北京及其周边地区的地理环境,而且便于进行计算机数字化,又与当代遥感影像数据契合度很高,有利于多源时空数据的构建和长时段城市化研究的展开。

The Western world carried out numerous surveying and mapping activities in various parts of China in modern times,and many of the maps drawn have important historical value.For a long time,more research attention has been paid to the modern surveying and mapping activities of Great Britain in Western China as well as China’s coastline and major inland waterways,while its surveying and mapping activities in East China and North China were studied much less.Here we focus on the 1∶50,000 Eastern China map series(1926-1946)produced by Great Britain.Through introducing its basic information and discussing the background,this paper proposes to reveal its unique value in modern history research and urbanization research.The map series,as the results of British official surveying and mapping in Shanghai,Beijing,and Shanhaiguan,not only shows the modern surveying and mapping technology,but is also closely related to the international and domestic political environment in the first half of the 20th century.This map series has outstanding features such as high precision,moderate scale,vivid colors,and exquisite drawing.It reflects the geographical environment of Shanghai,Beijing and its surrounding areas at that time and is feasible for automatic or semi-automatic digitization.The integration with remote sensing data facilitates the construction of multi-source spatiotemporal data and long-term urbanization research.