A historical woodblock map titled "General Map of the Unified Empire" depicts the territory of the Ming Dynasty. Administrative provinces appear as names within rectangular boxes. Natural features include stylized mountains, the Great Wall along the northern border, the Yellow River, and the Yangtze River. The sea to the east and south shows a pattern of repetitive waves. Numerous labels along the coastline identify the presence of maritime raiders, often called Japanese pirates. A vertical inscription on the right side describes the vast reach of the empire.

General Map of the Unified Empire

Northern Frontier and Border Defense

These labels run from the northeast to the northwest along the Great Wall and the northern borders.

• Helan Prefecture original: "合蘭府"; a region in the northeast, near modern-day Heilongjiang.
• Korea original: "朝鮮"; the Joseon Kingdom, a close tributary ally of the Ming.
• Yalu River
• Kaiyuan
• Liaoyang
• Guangning
• Shanhai Pass The strategic point where the Great Wall meets the sea.
• Jizhou
• Xuanfu
• Datong
• Yansui
• Ningxia
• Gansu
• Jiayu Pass The westernmost terminus of the Great Wall.

The Provinces and Administrative Capitals

In the original woodblock print, these administrative regions are enclosed in rectangular boxes to distinguish them from natural landmarks.

The Capital Jingshi; the primary capital at Beijing.
Shandong
Henan
Shaanxi
Nanjing The secondary, "Southern Capital."
Zhejiang
江西 Jiangxi
Huguang A massive province later divided into Hubei and Hunan.
Sichuan
Fujian
Guangdong
Guangxi
Yunnan
Guizhou

Major Geographic Features

• Yellow River
• The Great River Dajiang; the Yangtze River.
• The Great Ocean
• Guanzhong Literally "Within the Passes," the fertile heartland of Shaanxi.

Coastal Defense and Security Threats

The map features specific annotations along the coast regarding the Wokou, or "dwarf pirates," who were a major security concern for the Ming government.

• Pirates in the seas of Dengzhou and Laizhou
• Pirates in the seas of Suzhou and Songjiang
• Pirates in the seas of Western Zhejiang
• Pirates in the seas of Ningbo and Taizhou
• Pirates in the seas of Fujian
• Pirates in the seas of Guangdong
• Pirates of Zhangzhou
• Pirates of Chaozhou
• Maritime Barbarians original: "海虜"; a derogatory term for foreign raiders or unauthorized sea traders.

Internal and Southern Regions

• Miao People Refers to the ethnic minority groups in the mountainous southwest.
• Bandits of Mount Damao A reference to localized unrest or insurgent groups in the southern mountains.

Wokou (倭寇): Often translated as "Japanese Pirates," these were multi-ethnic groups of maritime raiders, including Japanese, Chinese, and Southeast Asian sailors, who raided the Chinese coast during the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Unified Empire (Yitong): A political concept signifying a realm united under a single virtuous ruler. In cartography, it implies the completeness of the Ming Emperor's dominion.