廣輿圖 (Guang Yu Tu: Enlarged Territorial Atlas) (1558) - Page 15

A historical woodblock printed map shows Shanxi province and its surrounding regions. The map is oriented with north at the top. A prominent grid covers the entire map area. A note in the title box states that each square represents 100 li, which is about 50 kilometers or 31 miles.

The map depicts administrative divisions including prefectures, subprefectures, and counties. It also shows major cities, stylized mountain peaks, and river systems. The Yellow River is clearly visible. It forms the western and southern borders of the province. Significant landmarks such as the Great Wall and various mountain passes are marked with gate icons.

To the west and north of Shanxi, labels include the Ordos Loop, Suide, and various military outposts. To the east are Zhending and Jingxing. The southern border is defined by the Yellow River and regions like Meng and Hui. Inside Shanxi, major centers such as Datong, Taiyuan Prefecture, and Lu are prominent.

Map of Shanxi: Each Square Represents One Hundred Li

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Shanxi West of the Mountains The name refers to the province's location west of the Taihang Mountains.

Yellow River The Great River original: "Huang He." This river defines the primary borders of the province to the west and south.

Taiyuan Prefecture The provincial capital The map uses the character "原" (Yuan) as a variant for the standard "原" in Taiyuan.

Datong Great Unity A vital military command post on the northern frontier near the Great Wall.

Fen River The Fen Waterway The principal river flowing through the central valley of Shanxi.

Qin River The Qin Waterway

Mount Wutai Five Terrace Mountain One of the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism.

Mount Heng Constant Mountain The Northern Peak of the Five Sacred Mountains of China.

Li A traditional Chinese unit of distance. In this period, one li was approximately 500 meters or one-third of an English mile.

The Great Wall The map depicts the Ming dynasty's fortifications along the northern border, separating the province from the northern territories and the Ordos Loop.

Ordos Loop He Tao literally "The River Loop," referring to the massive bend in the Yellow River.