A fascinating survey of the Southern China coasts, probably drawn up at the Imperial Court for the use of the regional coastal commanders in the latter part of the 18th or early 19th centuries. Coastal surveys such as these have their prototypes in the 16th century, and the persistence of traditional cartographic forms, such as the mountain landscapes, persisted long after European methods of map-making and map symbols had been introduced to China by the Jesuits in the late 17th century. Such a survey, of which this is one portion, would made been made to give a comprehensive view of the coast for administrative and military purposes. Under Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1735-95), there was considerable rebellion and unrest particuarly in the south west of China, and under his son Emperor Jiaqing (r. 1796-1820) the unrest escalated, and the coasts were soon were infested by pirates, who through their organization and numbers were able to hold the Imperial fleet at bay. A coastal survey such as this would have been an essential tool of administration and office, while the emphasis on replaceable silk labels with harbour information reflects the uncertainty and insecurity of shipping along the coasts