The National Palace Museum Northern Branch launched a brand-new exhibition in September titled &ldquoConnecting the World: Ancient Maps and Transportation Routes.&rdquo Among the exhibits, a map titled &ldquoMap of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands,&rdquo drawn around 1722, has garnered considerable attention. The map reveals that the Taipei Basin was completely submerged in water at the time, consistent with the description of a &ldquovast lake with no boundaries&rdquo in Yu Yonghe&rsquos Qing dynasty travelogue Bihai Jiyou.The "Map of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands," drawn around 1722, depicts the Taipei Basin completely submerged in water (Image/Source: United Daily News website).

In the modern era dominated by technology, we are accustomed to using smartphone maps and navigation systems. But how did people in ancient times identify directions and reach their destinations? The exhibition showcases ancient maps and books that include &ldquoDaoli Maps&rdquo featuring roadways and mileage information. Although these ancient maps cannot match the real-time convenience of modern navigation systems, they provide diverse formats such as merchant travel guides, detailed imperial travel route maps, frontier maps, and local administrative route maps, all rich with information.

The &ldquoMap of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands&rdquo is one of the highlights of the exhibition. Compared to the Kangxi Taiwan Map preserved at the Taiwan Museum, this map depicts the main transportation route from Shama Jitou (now Maobitou) northward to the Daba Lisha Ferry Pier, which formed the major north-south road since the 17th century. 

In addition, the depiction of &ldquoKangxi Taipei Lake&rdquo on the map is another distinctive feature. The 1694 earthquake (the 33rd year of Kangxi) caused land subsidence and soil liquefaction, and typhoon-induced seawater intrusion led to the formation of a lake in the Taipei Basin, reaching a depth of 3 to 5 meters. Scholars speculate that the lake receded due to sedimentation over the next hundred years, becoming the present-day Taipei Basin and Tamsui River. &ldquoKangxi Taipei Lake&rdquo has only been found in a few ancient maps and remains an enigma. 

In 1697 (the 36th year of Kangxi), Yu Yonghe arrived in Taiwan from Fujian to extract sulfur and described the scene of entering Guandu from the Tamsui River in Bihai Jiyou, stating, &ldquoThe water flows rapidly and broadly, turning into a vast lake with no boundaries.&rdquo 

Although the ancient map in the exhibition is unsigned, according to Li Zongwan&rsquos postscript in the National Palace Museum&rsquos Long Coastal Map, the &ldquoMap of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands&rdquo is believed to be one of the two maps, &ldquoOcean and Taiwan,&rdquo drawn by the first circuit inspector of Taiwan, Huang Shujing, between 1722 and 1724. 

Curator Lu Xueyan stated that the exhibition features a special multimedia interactive installation titled &ldquoWalking on the Roads of Taiwan,&rdquo which integrates the &ldquoKangxi Taiwan Map&rdquo and the &ldquoQianlong Taiwan Map&rdquo with aerial dynamic images from Hsinchu to the National Palace Museum, allowing visitors to experience the ancient north-south roads of Taiwan. Additionally, the &ldquoTaiwan Is My Home&rdquo interactive area outside the exhibition hall, based on the Map of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, showcases local specialties and invites visitors to scan QR codes to fill out feedback forms, further enhancing interaction and resonance with the exhibition.