Maps

Land-Taffel der Insel Sanciano. Grab-Statt des Heiligen Franc. Xaverii auf der Insel Sanciano.

Augsburg c1729

An unusual Jesuit map showing the islands approaching the Canton River and Macau. A cross on the Island of Sancian denotes the grave of Francis Xavier. Above the map is a ground plan of the chapel showing the gravestone of Francis Xavier. Sancian often appears on English maps as St John's Island. According to a secret Jesuit source in 1721 the French were planning to take over St John's Island, south of Macao, as a Naval base *.

From Stocklein's German translation of the Jesuit Letters, Neuer Welt-bott. The individual Stocklein maps and the Parts of the Neuer Welt-bott are increasingly scarce.

Christopher Dietell was an engraver of Vienna who engraved the maps for Joseph Stocklein. The map was originally drawn by the Jesuit Casper Castner (1655-1709) who was originally from Munich. He arrived in China in 1696 and worked on the Island of Sancian (Shang-chuen or St. John) and Fatshan near Canton. He was a specialist in navigation, astronomy and cartography. He wrote an interesting but rare work called, "Relatio Sepultrae Magno Orientis Apostolos. Francisco Xavier.

References

Spence, Jonathan D. The Question of Hu 1988.