Wonderworld Maps Connecting Longingness Beyond the Horizon

This is a world map that the Dutch cartographer Gerardus Mercator produced later the Ptolemaic System. It shows the regions from the Mediterranean to Northwestern Europe rather precisely. 

The fact that East Asia existed at the extreme end of the Eurasian Continent was perceived, and China was noted as the land of silk(Serica).

The best feature of this map is its depiction of Africa and Asia. 

The existence of East Asia is specified.

This is a world map that Münster produced using the Ptolemaic System. 

and sea monsters swimming under the sea around the sailing ships. 

In the area neighboring Australia, islands of myth, Grisonum and Calensuan are drawn. In the lower right corner, ‘Peaceful Sea(Mare Pacificum)’, meaning the Pacific Ocean, is marked.

Continents are marked as rough outlines. Of particular interest, the existence of the continent of America was new geographic information in those days, and it is shown placed on the left. 

This is the Map of Southeast Asia created by Ortelius, the author of the first modern atlas, Stage of the World(Theatrum Orbis Terrarum), in 1570. This map was created with a focus on Spice Island, where Europeans wanted to trade in spices. 

Mainland China is depicted relatively realistically, but Korea is not shown on the map.

Sea monsters named Balena, symbolizing whales, and mermaids named Sirens are drawn on the map, with the Sirens representing the enticement towards wealth in the East. It reflects the recognition that people perceived the sea as a scary place and East Asia as an unknown world.

The left of the map indicates the northern direction-where CHINA, COREA, and JAPAN are indicated. At the bottom of China, India and many countries in Southeast Asia are expressed in detail, and India and three countries in Northeast Asia are divided using different colors.

On the continents, animals, a range of mountains, sailing ships on the sea, and imaginary marine animals are also featured.

This map, drawn by Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius, is included as a double hemisphere map in the book The Voyage to the East Indies by Jan Huyghen van Linschosten. 

At the four corners of the map, the figures of a lady symbolizing each continent are drawn. From the top left, in a clockwise direction, they indicate Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, respectively. On the sea west of South America, marine monsters are depicted.

Japan is placed in a relatively exact position, and the Korean Peninsula is drawn in a long vertical line. Korea is marked as Korea(COREA) and Joseon(Tiauxem). However, there is an error on the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, and it's written as Hangzhou(Quinzai). 

This is an early map of China created by Jodocus Hondius in Amsterdam. On the map, the Great Wall of China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Burma(Myanmar), and so on are marked, and introductory information regarding the northwest coastal areas of North America is recorded. Monster fish are drawn on yet unknown Southeast Asian waters. Meanwhile, the mythic strait, the Strait of Anián(Anian Fret) is marked between Asia and North America. Early cartographers perceived this strait as a boundary between North America and Asia and a path to China from the 16th to the mid-18th centuries.

In the case of Korea, the country is depicted in a long shape, presenting an intermediate form between an Island and a peninsula. Korea is marked as Joseon(Tauxem) on the top of the map and Gorye(Corgi) on the bottom of it, and Jeju Island is marked as an island of thieves(Ilhas das ladrones).