The videos I watched became popular in ancient times

Maps have been an extremely important tool for production and life since humans entered civilized society.

Although modern technology such as satellite navigation is more convenient, ordinary people no longer need traditional maps.

However, cartography is still a subject that is constantly being studied in depth in modern science.

Surveying and mapping is an ancient science with a long history in China. Descriptions of surveying and mapping have existed since written records.

The drawing theory proposed by Pei Xiu developed the theory of Chinese cartography to a new level and had a profound and long-lasting impact on ancient Chinese cartography.

The Pei Xiu Award, established in memory of the founder of Chinese cartography, is the highest award in the Chinese cartographic community.

"Pei Xiu, courtesy name Ji Yan, was a native of Hedong during the Wei and Jin dynasties."

"Minister of the Western Jin Dynasty, famous geographer, pioneer of ancient Chinese cartography."

"In 223, Pei Xiu was born into a family of officials."

"Grandson of Pei Mao, the Minister of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and son of Pei Qian, the Grand Master of Imperial Households of the Cao Wei Dynasty."

"Thanks to her family's favorable conditions, Pei Xiu received a good education since childhood."

"With his natural intelligence, Pei Xiu was able to write good articles when he was eight or nine years old."

"When Pei Xiu was a teenager, he was already very famous."

"Pei Xiu's uncle, Pei Hui, was very famous at the time, and his home often had many guests visiting."

"Once, Pei Hui mentioned this clever nephew in front of guests."

"The guests took it to heart and went to look for Pei Xiu after leaving Pei Hui's house."

"Pei Xiu is young, but well-educated and well-mannered."

"I don't get shy when I meet guests, and I always answer questions."

"And his witty remarks made the guests laugh."

"Pei Xiu also took out the article he wrote and asked the guests to criticize it."

"Pei Xiu was also able to make a few well-reasoned arguments for different opinions, which aroused the interest of the guests."

"For a time, people praised Pei Xiu as a leader who came from behind."

"When Pei Qian celebrated his fiftieth birthday, his family invited several tables of guests, all of whom were Pei Qian's colleagues and famous people at the time."

"Pei Xiu's biological mother was of humble origin, and Pei Xiu's stepmother Xuan didn't take this concubine seriously at all."

"Xuan asked Pei Xiu's mother to come out and serve the dishes. The guests did not dare to neglect them and all stood up to greet her."

"After the banquet, Xuan immediately cleaned out the two upper rooms."

"Please ask Pei Xiu and her son to move in. From now on, I will never look down on her again."

"A few years later, General Guanqiu Jian admired Pei Xiu and recommended him to General Cao Shuang."

"He also praised Pei Xiu for his intelligence, extensive knowledge, strong memory, and filial piety to his elders."

"So Cao Shuang summoned Pei Xiu to be his subordinate."

"In 244, after Pei Xiu's father Pei Qian passed away."

"Pei Xiu inherited his father's title of Marquis of Qingyang Pavilion, and was soon promoted to the position of Huangmen Shilang."

"At that time, Emperor Cao Mao of Wei was studious and talented in literature. He invited Pei Xiu to the East Hall many times to discuss learning and writing together, and called Pei Xiu a scholar."

"In 249, the Gaopingling Incident occurred."

"Sima Yi and Cao Shuang fought, Cao Shuang was killed, Pei Xiu was implicated and dismissed from office."

"The Hedong Pei family was very powerful, but they were soon appointed as the Chief Justice."

"Pei Xiu served as Sima under Sima Zhao and participated in planning military and national affairs."

Li Shimin: Strictly speaking, Pei Xiu was also partly responsible for the disaster of the Five Barbarians' Invasion of China.

Since ancient times, the Chinese have been good at ingenuity and have a talent for engineering technology.

But unfortunately, although Chinese people are good at technology, they do not attach much importance to technology.

In order to solve the problem of transporting grain, Zhuge Liang invented the wooden ox and flowing horse.

This mode of transport is able to move slowly on its own and is very suitable for traveling on rugged mountain roads.

After Zhuge Liang, another great inventor emerged, this person was Ma Jun of Cao Wei.

Ma Junguan's job was not big and he had a lot of free time, so he devoted all his energy to inventing and creating.

Ma Jun once improved the loom and developed the compass car, which amazed the Cao Wei emperor and his ministers.

Later, Ma Jun discovered that farmers had difficulty in irrigation, so he invented the tipping cart.

This waterwheel uses human power to raise water from a low place to a high place. It has been used for more than a thousand years and has always played a huge role.

After Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition, Ma Jun was unwilling to make achievements only in civilian machinery, so he began to focus on researching military technology.

At that time, the repeating crossbow invented by Zhuge Liang caused great suffering to the State of Wei.

Afterwards, the imperial court gave the Zhuge Crossbow seized by the Wei army to Ma Jun for research.

Ma Jun believed that the Zhuge Crossbow was not perfect yet and that by modifying it, its power could be increased five times.

Later, Ma Jun made improvements to the repeating crossbow, which could fire fifty arrows in a row.

During the Battle of Guandu, a strategist invented a catapult specifically designed to counter Yuan Shao's arrow towers.

After research, Ma Jun believed that this catapult was too crude, with a short range and slow firing rate.

So Ma Jun added a wheel to the catapult, hung dozens of large stones on it, and used a mechanical device to turn the wheel so that it could throw the stones quickly and continuously.

However, the Cao Wei regime did not cherish Ma Jun's catapult, but instead found ways to mock him.

Pei Xiu enjoyed fame at a young age, and sometimes he couldn't help but think too highly of himself and look down on others.

Ma Jun designed and made a catapult for siege, which could continuously launch large stones into the distance.

Pei Xiu scoffed at this, mocking that the invention had no practical value, and started a debate with Ma Jun.

Ma Jun stuttered and his eloquence was far inferior to Pei Xiu's. He was speechless after being refuted and stopped talking afterwards.

Pei Xiu won the debate competition and was very proud and extremely happy.

In fact, Pei Xiu had no understanding of the principles of mechanics, and he won only by relying on his sharp tongue.

Because Ma Jun's catapult was not taken seriously, it was shelved.

Decades later, the Central Plains was in chaos and the Five Barbarians invaded China.

The Hu people's cavalry swept across the Central Plains, and the Central Plains became a racecourse for barbarians.

If Ma Jun's crossbows and catapults were still there, how could he be afraid of the Hu cavalry?

However, the elegant conversation that Pei Xiu advocated was of no use at all in the face of the butcher knives of the Hu people.

"In 257, Zhuge Dan launched a rebellion in Shouzhanchun."

"Sima Zhao personally led the army to attack, and Pei Xiu, along with Shang Shu Pushe Chen Tai and Huang Men Shi Lang Zhong Hui, followed him."

"When Sima Zhao led his army to attack, Pei Xiu followed the army, and Sima Zhao gave Pei Xiu the task of drawing the map."

"Pei Xiu carefully and accurately drew a map of Shu Han's military deployment and important facilities."

"Sima Zhao checked the local geography by comparing it with the map and found that the map drawn by Pei Xiu was accurate."

"While participating in military operations, Pei Xiu also often paid attention to observing the terrain, mountains, and rivers of various places, constantly enriching his map knowledge, and laying a good foundation for later compiling various maps."

"In 258, after the rebellion was suppressed."

"Pei Xiu gradually gained Sima Zhao's respect and was successively granted the titles of Marquis of Luyang Township and Marquis of Luyang County."

"Soon after, he was promoted to Shangshu Pushe, and his fief was increased by 1,000 households."

"In 264, the imperial court issued an edict to review and reform various legal systems."

"At that time, Xun Yi was responsible for formulating rituals, Jia Chong was responsible for revising laws, and Pei Xiu was responsible for revising the official system."

"Pei Xiu suggested restoring the five-rank nobility system, so more than 600 people from the rank of Cavalry Commander and above were conferred nobility titles."

"Pei Xiu was granted the title of Marquis of Jichuan, with a fief of 60 li and a fief of 1,400 households. The Jichuan Ruins in Gaoyuan County was the seat of the marquisate."

"At that time, Sima Zhao was hesitant in choosing his successor."

"I don't know whether to choose Sima You, my eldest son who has been adopted by my brother, or my own son Sima Yan."

"Pei Xiu later told Sima Zhao that Sima Yan had a high reputation among the people and had natural marks, so he definitely did not look like a minister. From then on, Sima Yan was chosen as the crown prince."

"In 266, Sima Yan became the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty."

"He appreciated and valued Pei Xiu even more, and appointed him as Shangshu Ling and Sikong." "Sikong was an official in charge of engineering, maps, and household registration."

"Pei Xiu was well versed in Confucianism, well-informed, and attentive to government affairs."

"When Sima Yan accepted the throne, he gathered all the ministers to give their opinions."

"Nothing Pei Xiu ruled against was against etiquette."

"Pei Xiu created court etiquette and displayed criminal laws, most of which were adopted and applied as examples."

"Pei Xiu was in office for four years and was known as a famous official in his time."

Su Shi: I have to say that Pei Xiu had a sharp eye. He could tell at a glance that Sima Yan was the best candidate for successor.

Sima Yi launched the Gaopingling Incident and usurped power from Cao Wei.

After Sima Yi's death, his eldest son Sima Shi took over and continued to hold power.

Because Sima Shi had no heir, Sima You was adopted by Sima Shi.

Sima Shi was Sima Yi's eldest son, which shows that the Sima family, including Sima Yi, very much hoped that Sima You would be the third-generation heir.

After Sima Shi died, his adopted son Sima You was young, only ten years old.

Therefore, Sima Shi handed over power to his younger brother Sima Zhao.

In his later years, Sima Zhao was hesitant about choosing an heir, not knowing whether to choose his eldest son Sima Yan or his second son Sima You.

At that time, Sima You's talent, fame and prestige were all superior to Sima Yan, but Sima Yan was not as good as his younger brother Sima You.

Although Sima You was Sima Zhao's second son, he was adopted by Sima Shi.

Legally speaking, Sima You was the descendant of Sima Shi.

Sima Zhao's power was inherited from Sima Shi.

Sima Zhao often told the world that the world he controlled was originally Sima Shi's.

Therefore, Sima Zhao was once very fond of Sima You and had the idea of ​​making Sima You his successor.

Sima Yan's biggest political enemy in his life was his younger brother Sima You.

When Sima Zhao was hesitant, he asked Pei Xiu, the astrologer, to read the faces of the two men.

Pei Xiu was impressed by Sima Yan's appearance as soon as he saw him, and he helped Sima Yan with advice.

So with Pei Xiu's support, Sima Yan successfully secured the position of crown prince.

At that time, Sima Zhao had already fallen in love with Sima You, and the balance had tilted towards Sima You.

At this most important moment, Pei Xiu's advice made Sima Zhao change his mind.

Without Pei Xiu's persuasion, Sima Zhao would definitely have chosen Sima You.

Facts have proved that Pei Xiu does have a good eye for people.

The smell of gunpowder in this battle for the crown prince was not strong. Sima Yan was successfully enthroned with the support of Pei Xiu, and Sima You did not have any rebellious thoughts.

After Sima Yan became emperor, he immediately appointed his younger brother Sima You as King of Qi.

Sima You was made the president of the military affairs, and he fulfilled his responsibilities as a subject throughout his life.

"When Pei Xiu was the Minister of Works, he was in charge of the government affairs of the court."

"He is also in charge of the national household registration, land, land taxes, maps, etc."

"At that time, someone painted a picture of the old world, which used 80 pieces of silk."

"Pei Xiu used a scale of about 1:180 to reduce the huge map to a 'Topographic Square Map' of about ten feet."

"Pei Xiu also clearly marked the famous mountains, rivers, lakes, towns and villages."

“Pei Xiu believed that the names of mountains and rivers in Yu Gong had been used for a long time and had been changed in later generations.”

"The commentators often make far-fetched statements and gradually confuse the issue,"

"So Pei Xiu collected and sorted out the old texts, omitting the doubtful parts."

"For places where the names existed in ancient times but are not used today, explanations are also given."

"He created 18 chapters of the Yu Gong Regional Map and presented it to Emperor Wu of Jin, who kept it in the secret library."

"Pei Xiu wrote a preface in front of the map, which discussed in detail the methods used to draw the map, which reflects Pei Xiu's outstanding insights in cartographic theory."

"Pei Xiu summarized the experience of ancient Chinese map making and proposed the famous epoch-making theory of cartography, the Six Principles of Cartography, in the preface to Yu Gong Regional Map."

"These are the six principles that must be followed when drawing a map, including scale, direction, distance, elevation, angle of inclination, and curvature and straightness (the curvature of rivers and roads)."

"These six principles are interrelated and mutually restrictive, and include the main issues in cartography."

"Pei Xiu's six principles of cartography have had a profound impact on the cartography of later generations, so Pei Xiu is regarded as the father of scientific cartography in China."

"On the seventh day of the third month in 271, Pei Xiu took Hanshi powder and immediately drank cold wine."

"The interaction between the drugs and the cold wine actually caused Pei Xiu to be poisoned and passed away."

"He was only forty-eight years old, and his posthumous title was Yuan, which means Duke Yuan of Julu."

"After Pei Xiu's death, Sima Yan issued an edict expressing his sorrow."

"Pei Xiu was intelligent and virtuous, behaved elegantly, assisted the royal family and assisted the country's administration, and his achievements were great."

"We were planning to rely on Pei Xiu to explain and implement various laws and set an example for the world, but unfortunately he passed away. It is a great pity."

"Pei Xiu has been extremely intelligent since childhood and has been highly admired."

"After he grew up, Pei Xiu was both a scholar and a warrior, and he followed Sima Zhao in battles and made great contributions."

"Pei Xiu strongly supported Sima Yan's ascension to power, and was highly regarded. The system he established did not violate etiquette."

"It's a pity that he accidentally took Hanshi powder and passed away unexpectedly. It's regrettable."

Xu Guangqi: It can be said that Pei Xiu is the founder of Chinese cartography theory and has influenced Chinese cartography for more than a thousand years.

Pei Xiu's life was quite prominent in politics.

In addition to his political achievements, Pei Xiu's most important achievement was his great contribution to map making.

The six principles of cartography proposed by Pei Xiu have had a huge impact on map making in later generations.

In Pei Xiu's theory, the relationship between scale orientation and distance is explained in detail.

The ratio reflects the proportion of area and length and width, and the accuracy determines the relative orientation relationship between the landforms.

Daoli is used to determine the distance between two places, and high and low refers to the relative height.

Fangxie refers to the ups and downs of the ground slope, and Yuzhi refers to the conversion of the actual height ups and downs and the distance on the map.

Pei Xiu believed that the six aspects of cartography were interrelated and extremely important in map making.

If a map only has graphics but no resolution, it is impossible to compare and measure the distance between the actual site and the map.

If the drawing is to scale, the accuracy is not taken into consideration.

Then the map accuracy is acceptable in this area, but there will be deviations in other places.

If you have directions but no roads, you won't know how far apart the settlements on the map are, just like mountains and seas blocking the way.

If you know the distance but don't measure the height, you won't know the steepness of the mountain.

The distance of the journey will be inconsistent with the actual situation, and the map will not be accurate enough and cannot be used.

These theories influence each other, but they are not made up out of thin air.

When Pei Xiu reached the peak of his political power, he thought that he should make some achievements in other areas and leave some wealth for future generations.

During his long accumulation of knowledge, Pei Xiu knew that there was a book called "Yu Gong" which recorded some mountain and river place names as well as specific walking routes.

However, Pei Xiu believed that recording only through text was too one-sided, and that the specific mountain and river routes would change with the passage of time.

Pei Xiu then used "Yu Gong" as a reference and actual survey as a basis to draw a brand new map "Yu Gong Regional Map".

The eighteen chapters of "Yu Gong Regional Map" are the first historical atlas of China, and they pioneered a completely new method of drawing.

All the mountains, rivers, lakes, swamps, plains and plateaus in this map were drawn after field surveys.

This map is the culmination of Pei Xiu's map-making theory, covering almost all the basic theories in cartography.

This detailed and precise map provided great convenience for people's travel and military marches in later times.

It is also because of Pei Xiu that China's map-making technology has never lagged behind the West.

Pei Xiu's map-making theory influenced later generations, and the map-making and surveying in the later Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties were deeply influenced by Pei Xiu.

Before the introduction of Western mapping technology into China, Pei Xiu's mapping method had always been the standard followed by Chinese map drawing. (End of this chapter)