现存最早的一部尚有地图的图经—《严州图经》

图经也称方志，不过它是方志发展到一定阶段才出现的。秦汉时候，记述地区情况的史志，增加了地图，遂有图志或图经之称。关于图经的解释，大都认为经就是地图的文字说明，此说值得商榷。最早的一部图经是汉代的《巴郡图经》，惜已亡佚。今存唐代，（沙州图经》残卷、（西州图经》残卷和《元和邵县图志》，因图均不存，无从探讨经文与地图的关系。南宋的《严州图经》是现存最早的一部尚有地图的图经。虽然仅存一、二、三卷，幸而所附地图都在卷首，这是探讨经文与地图关系的珍贵史料。根据这三卷经文的记述与所附地图进行比较研究，可以认为经文不是地图的文字说明，而是记述地图所绘的地区之情况。

THE EARLIEST AVAILABLE TU JING WITH MAPS: YAN ZHOU TU JING

Tu jing is also known as local record; but the former only made its appearance when the latter had got developed and reached a certain stage. It was during the Qin-Han period (221 B.C. - A.D.222) when histories and records narrating and putting down the situation of districts were supplemented with maps that they came to be called to in zhi (records with maps)or tu jing . As for the explanation of in jing; most people hold that jing means no other than explanatory writing for a map; which is open to discussion. The earliest tu jing is the Tu Jing of Ba inn Prefecture of the Han Dynasty; but unfortunately it has been lost. Since the maps of the Tj Jing of Shazhou Prefecture (damaged);the Tu Jing of Xizhou Prefecture (damaged) and the Tu Jing of the Counties of Yuanhe Prefecture of the Tang Dynasty do not exist any more;it is impossible to discuss the relations between the jin wen and the maps in them. Northern Song Dynasty's Yan Zhou Tu Jing is the earliest extant tu jing with maps. Only vols. 1 - 3 of the work are still available;but luckily the maps in them are all attached at their beginning and are precious material for inquiring into the relations between jing wen and maps. A comparative study of what is narrated and recorded in the jing wen of the three volumes shows that jing wen is not the explanatory writing for a map; but an account of the situation of a district depicted in the map.