| Great to get such a quick response Jian Shuo. Now to answer George. The map actually has a marker at the top pointing to NORTH and with the Bei character , BUT it was where South should have been:-). Not simply a matter of the map being upside down on the wall, it was simply incorrect no matter how you view it. The second map was also not correct in the sense that viewing it and turning right would get you in the correct direction, you had to turn left because it was wrong in sense and position. Not fully convinced about the winds bit (yet). In Mahjong the set up initially makes the Great Wall in a square and the relative position of the walls is also with East wall at the dealer and North wall to his left etc. And George's explanantion should then cause Jian Shuo's East wind to become a West wind! Incidentally Chinese diesel railway locomotives are all Dong Fengs (east winds). So the east wind must certainly have a strong emotional meaning. On my trips to China I have been known as "Map Man" to my friends. Next time I'll be even more interested in the maps! |
Why Maps in Shanghai are Upside Down?