Introduction

Daedongyeojido (Map of the Great East) is a map of the Korean Peninsula created by a cartographer and geographer named Kim Jeong-ho (ca. 1804- ca. 1866) in the late Joseon Dynasty. This woodblock-printed map was first produced in 1861, and its second edition was printed in 1864 with revisions. The entirety of Joseon-era Korea is divided into twenty-two sections from north to south. Each section is provided as an album that can be folded accordion-style for easy storage. When the twenty-two albums are unfolded, they form a map of the entire country measuring roughly 3.3 meters in width and 6.7 meters top to bottom. 

The large-scale Daedongyeojido map provides a wide variety of information not just about physical geographical features like mountain ranges and waterways, but also anthropo-geographical elements such as administrative and military facilities. The information is simply marked with signs and symbols for convenience in production and use. Daedongyeojido was printed using woodblock printing technique that facilitates mass production and distribution. It was, therefore, the most widely utilized map during the Joseon Dynasty.

A diverse array of geographic information, such as the theory and methods of producing maps and notable regional geographical features contained in Dongyeodo, is transcribed on the second edition of Daedongyeojido produced in 1864.

Daedongyeojido (Map of the Great East) with Additional Information from Dongyeodo (Map of the Eastern Territory) | 

Joseon | 19th century