A newly discovered manuscript offers a new glimpse into the endeavors behind a famous ancient map of Korea which is regarded as the greatest cartographic achievement before the modern period.

The manuscript, unveiled by the National Library of Korea on Monday, is believed to be one of several early drafts drawn by 19th century cartographer Kim Jeong-ho before he carved the “Daedongyeojido” on woodblocks in 1861. 

“Daedongyeojido,” or “The Detailed Map of the Great East,” is considered one of the defining masterpieces representing the Joseon period (1392-1910), with its accuracy and details favorably compared to modern maps made with advanced surveying equipment and techniques.

In the map, Kim divided the peninsula into 22 sections from north to south, with each section covering about 47 kilometers (north-south) by 31.5 kilometers (east-west).

Each section is printed as a single foldable booklet for maximum portability. When all 22 booklets are connected, they cover the entire peninsula creating a complete map that is 6.7 meters wide and 3.8 meters long.

Prior to producing the original “Daedongyeojido,” Kim drew drafts in various sizes and forms in search of the appropriate format for the map. It is said that Kim traveled to all the corners of the peninsula by foot and climbed several mountains to see the full landscape in order to perfect his map.

Until Monday’s disclosure, only three different versions ― made up of 14, 18 and 23 booklets ― were known to exist.

The new discovery is one piece ― the ninth booklet ― of another version comprised of 11 booklets total.

This 215-centimeter-by-60-centimeter section covers present day North and South Gyeongsang provinces and North Jeolla Province, including the cities of Jeonju, Gwangju and Andong.

“It is most likely that this part of the manuscript was drawn by Kim Jeong-ho prior to making the original ‘Daedongyeojido,’” said Lee Ki-bong, researcher at the library. “As an experimental piece to perfect the map, this manuscript provides an in-depth and new outlook to study Kim’s cartography.”

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)