What did The Six Principles of Cartography look like?

A documentary theory, not a single physical artifact. The maps drawn under its principles are lost, but the theoretical framework of the Six Principles has been transmitted through history.

How did The Six Principles of Cartography work?

Survey the terrain → select scale according to fenlü → determine orientation by zhunwang → measure distances by daoli → correct for topographic relief, slope, and path curvature on projected distances using gaoxia, fangxie, and yuzhi → produce a grid-square map (jili huafang).

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The Six Principles of Cartography

The world's earliest complete scientific cartographic theory: fenlü (scale/proportional measure), zhunwang (orientation), daoli (distance), gaoxia (topographic relief), fangxie (slope), and yuzhi (curvature/straightness).

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Scientific Principle

Proto map projection: projecting the spherical Earth's surface onto a plane. Uniform scale. Terrain correction: converting slope distance to horizontal distance (trigonometric cos θ adjustment).

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The Six Principles of Cartography

Scientific Principle

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