The Sino-Centric World Map of Giulio Aleni

The extent to which the Jesuit missionaries adapted to Chinese culture is demonstrated by the maps of the world that they made in which – contrary to the then and now standard Euro-centric model – Europe is on the periphery and China is at the centre.

Giulio Aleni (1583–1649), Wàn Guó Quán Tú [Mappa completa dei Diecimila Regni] (Sino-centric map of the world), 1644; source: Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense, Braidense, AB. XV. 3.