This woodcut, printed in three colors on mulberry paper, was drawn by Felmish born Jesuit missionary to China Ferdinand Verbiest, who was also a mathematician and astronomer. The map shows Verbiest's prognostication for the lunar eclipse of March 25, 1671, which the emperor wanted six months in advance in order to notify the regions of the empire in time. The scroll shows the phases of the eclipse in 17 drawings -- one for each province, and illustrates his attempt to show the superiority of European science over traditional Chinese beliefs.
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