Color Broadside "Map of the Present Situation" from Dispatch -54 - DPLA - 50f91233c49ccdfea208071ad7676e60

Newer version of THE SITUATION IN THE FAR EAST (時局圖). Its author (Tse Tsan-tai, 1872-1939) depicted the western powers encroaching on China at the end of the nineteenth century in symbolic form. At the left "to be clear at a glance" (一目了然), at the right, "self-evident" (不言而喻). The bear representing Russia is intruding from the north, the bulldog head with a lion body representing the United Kingdom is in south China, with its tail around the Shantung peninsula (Wehai english colony was the seat of the British bulldog in the first version of the cartoon), the Gallic frog, is in southeast Asia, with an inscription "Fashoda", in reference to Fashoda Incident opposing Britain and France in Africa. The frog has the Hainan Island in its right hand, in reference to Guangzhouwan, and part of the Sichuan in its left hand. The bald eagle representing the United States is approaching from the Philippines (the U.S. had already invaded the Philippines at this time). On the eagle is written "Blood is thicker than water", a reference to U.S. Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall's saying in 1859. The symbolic Sun behind Japan spreads its rays across Korea onto China, while Japan fishes for Taiwan. Qing

Date

1872

Place

East Asia

Archive

U.S. National Archives (via Wikimedia Commons)

Type

map

Original size

3,915 × 5,532 pixels

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