Essential historical document of Diaoyu Islands appears at auction

The Map of Ryukyuan Kingdom, from the Illustrated Outline of the Three Countries [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/Asianewsphoto]

The Map of Ryukyuan Kingdom, a picture from the book Illustrated Outline of the Three Countries written by Hayashi Shihei in 1785, will be for sale at the 2014 autumn auction of China Bookstore from Nov 28 to 29. The book is the earliest Japanese literature to mention the Diaoyu Islands, and the map - a surviving document from the history of China, Japan and Ryukyuan, is essential evidence proving China's ownership of Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands. The map is expected to sell for between 20,000 ($3258) and 30,000 yuan ($4887).