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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… 

Highlights From the 5th Cross-Strait Academic Forum on “The Age of Exploration and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road” in Xiamen, China

The 5th Cross-Strait Academic Forum on “The Age of Exploration and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road” (November 21-23, 2025, Xiamen, China) has successfully concluded, with approximately 70 participants and 40 papers presented. Dr. Sheng-Wei… 

Highlights From the 2025 Commonwealth of World Chinatowns Conference (Ancient Maritime Silk Road to the Cosmos)

The 2025 Commonwealth of World Chinatowns Conference (Ancient Maritime Silk Road to the Cosmos) in Penang, Malaysia has successfully concluded with Dr Wang’s appearance on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of September 2025. During this… 

Dr Wang’s Up-Comming Appearances on 3rd, 4th & 5th September 2025

We are pleased to announce that on the 3rd of September 2025, Dr Sheng-Wei Wang will be a presenter at the 2025 Commonwealth of World Chinatowns Conference (Ancient Maritime Silk Road to the Cosmos) in Penang, Malaysia (link to programme here). At 3:45 PM, Dr Wang will be presenting her work featured in her latest book, Chinese Global Exploration in the Pre-Columbian Era: Evidence from an Ancient World Map (2023).

New Asia Currents: NAC Focus adds Dr. Wang’s work

We are pleased to announce the New Asia Currents: NAC Focus has added four new webpages featuring Dr Sheng-Wei Wang’s work on pre-Columbian Chinese voyages.

NAC Focus archives editorial projects on specific subjects to supplement the 2025 release of New Asia Currents. New Asia Currents outlines their editorial purposes, audience and objectives here. These include publising projects for people interested in “Frontiers of Art, Science & Human Civilisations”.

An Ancient World Map Depicts West and Central Asia in 1433

As fall approaches and the leaves change, most of us look forward to the start of the holiday season. Meanwhile, Dr Wang has been busy studying the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu 《坤輿萬國全圖/坤舆万国全图》once more to demonstrate that… 

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!