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SCMP Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history and modern power: Sheng-Wei Wang

8 May 2026 We have presented many of Dr Sheng-Wei Wang’s academic presentations and showcased her published works. While these are important to furthering scholarship, Dr Wang also understands that knowledge is something to be… 

An Ancient World Map Depicts Korea in 1433, Long Before the Arrival of the First Europeans

As Autumn (or Spring for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere) approaches and school begins for many, Dr Wang has found new information to learn in the coming year. In history classes, Dr Wang’s new discovery shows that the map, Kunyu Wanguo Quantu 《坤輿萬國全 圖/坤舆万国全图》, by Matteo Ricci continues to derive from Chinese sources – this time in regards to the Korean peninsula. As with her previous findings, the information is not of Europeans sources as the Eurocentric history once led us to believe. Below is a sneak-peek at her up-coming work on the Korean peninsula!