What stories can historic maps tell?

This official map of Longsheng County in Guangxi Province from 1846 reveals significant insights into governance and social dynamics. In the north, barracks with large numbers of soldiers are closely clustered, aimed at controlling the rebellious Miao and Dong minorities. In contrast, the south, home to the more submissive Yao and Zhuang minorities, features only small sentry posts primarily used for mail delivery.

The map reflects two distinct governance strategies toward minority groups, offering a glimpse into the historical relationship between the state and society, as well as the interactions among local communities.

“Genealogies on the development and structure of the lineages for which they constituted the charters,” said Freedman Maurice.

For the Yao people, these charters are inscribed on their tombs and embedded in their ritual texts, in addition to the genealogies themselves. They recite these charters when offering sacrifices to their shared ancestors at their tombs during the Qing Ming Festival. These shared ancestors serve to unite their descendants.

In reality, it is the "descendants" who unite themselves by asserting a shared lineage, often based on their common interests. They construct images and stories of their ancestors that align with their own social roles. For example, Yao descendants helped the Qing government suppress local rebellions—just as their ancestors, according to legend, killed a rebellious general in service of the emperor in ancient times.