1879 Jesuit Pfister Map of the Kiang-Nan Vicarate, Jiangnan Province (Shanghai), China

A rare c. 1879 French Jesuit missionary Aloys Pfister map of the Kiang-nan Vicarate, corresponding to the former Jiangnan Province (江南), China, produced by the Xujiahui Library (Zi-ka-wei), just outside of Shanghai. The map presents the state-of-the-art mission cartography of the vast Kiang-nan Vicarate, pointing out even small villages - all taken directly from first-hand missionary accounts.

A Closer Look

The map illustrates the French Jesuit-run Kiang-nan Vicarate, an apostolic territory roughly corresponding to the former Jiangnan Province (江南), China. The map includes the major Chinese cities of Shanghai (上海市), Suzhou (苏州市), and Nanjing (南京市), among others. The Grand Canal appears winding from the north, while dotted lines illustrate significant roads. Differing symbols indicate village sizes, from major cities (Fou) to small villages (Tsen). A legend in the lower right features a dictionary of transliterated Chinese geographical terms. Shanghai is identified as a 'Fou' along the Huangpu River, but is notably smaller than nearby Suzhou and Nanjing. The Xujiahui (Zi Ka Wei) Mission house is noted in manuscript just southwest of Shanghai. A note attributing the map to Aloys Pfister, also warns against making copies - suggesting that the information contained within was both sensitive and tightly secreted.

Kiang-Nan Mission

Based in Nanjing, the Kiang-nan Mission was established by French Jesuits in the lower Yangtze River region of China, encompassing areas around modern-day Shanghai and Jiangsu province. During the 19th century, amidst the backdrop of the Qing Dynasty and increasing Western influence, the Jesuits in Kiang-Nan worked not only to spread Christianity but also to engage in cultural exchanges. Known for their educational and cultural approach, Jesuit missionaries contributed to scientific and intellectual advancements by introducing Western sciences, mathematics, and astronomy, while also learning from Chinese cultural and philosophical traditions. With deep roots in a region dominated by the treaty ports of Nanjing and Shanghai, the Kiang-Nan mission was well-protected and suffered few of the anti-foreign attacks that marked missionary work elsewhere in China. The thriving mission nonetheless came to an abrupt end in 1949 with the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Provenance

The map bears two library stamps, confirming it was deaccessioned by a German Jesuit library sometime in the 1980s. The library stamp remains in the lower left, and its mark appears in the lower right. It is difficult to decipher but reads 'Prov. Germ. S. J.', resolvable to 'Provinciae Germaniae Bibliotheca Scriptorum Societatis Jesu', perhaps located in Cologne. We have seen numerous other maps with the same stamps, all very rare, many unique manuscripts, so the deaccession must have been significant. A German dealer acquired the deaccessioned maps, and pieces with similar marks occasionally appear on the market, representing all parts of the world.

Publication History and Census

Alois Pfister initially drafted this map at the Xujiahui Library (Zi-ka-wei), near Shanghai. It appears to have been printed by Imprimerie Benderitter, St. Malo. We note just one other example, located at the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften.