Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms

original: 海國圖志 (Haiguo Tuzhi)

This cover introduces one of the most influential works of the 19th century in East Asia. Compiled by the scholar Wei Yuan (1794–1857) and first published in 1842, the Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms was a direct response to China's defeat in the First Opium War. Wei Yuan famously advocated for "learning the superior techniques of the barbarians to control them," making this book a cornerstone of the Qing Dynasty's attempts at modernization and maritime defense.