This paper is finished on the purpose of writing an article of astronomical map for “Near-Modern Chinese Map Annals”, and we take a systematically study on the outstanding achievements of Chinese ancient astronomers in founding the "Theory of Sphere-Heavens", manufacturing “Armillary Sphere”, implementing astronomical observation and astronomical geodetic survey, and creating astronomical maps. The earliest recorded “Star table” was created by "Shi Shenfu" during the warring states period before in the 4th century B.C.; then, “Zhang Heng” created "Theory of Sphere-Heavens" and made the first “Turn Leaky Armillary Sphere” in the world during Han Dynasty in the 2nd century; Zhang Sui completed the national astronomical geodetic survey at 13 spots across China and is the first one who calculated the 1° arc length of local meridian at latitude 34° north to be 110.6 kilometers during Tang Dynasty; and Guo Shoujin” implemented "Universal Measurement" and "Leveling" during Yuan Dynasty. The ancient Chinese astronomical map discovered so far including: “the astronomical figure on a paint box cover in the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng in Sui county before the warring states period of China " which is created in 433 B.C.; “the start figure on the tomb murals indicating four quadrant symbols and 28 lunar mansions” which is created in the Western Han Dynasty in Xi’an city, Shaanxi Province; the "DunHuang star map" which contains more than 1350 stars and is created during 705-710 A.D.; the “Suzhou stone carving astronomical map" which contains more than 1440 stars and is created by “Huang Chang” in 1190 A.D.; the "constellation chart of crossing seas” which is created by Zheng He in 1405-1433 A.D.; the "Star Barrier Figure" which contains 1812 stars and is created by “Xu Guangqi” in the early 17th century; and the “total star map on the north and south sides of equator” which contains 1876 stars and is created by “Verbiest” in the mid 17th century. In a word, the ancient Chinese astronomical geodetic results provided foundation for global positioning, and the “circular methods” of ancient astronomical map are similar to the “azimuthal projection”, which greatly improved and enhanced China's traditional cartography. The scientific methods of making the astronomical map with “circular” showed the excellence of “Traditional Cartography Family”, and made important contribution in the process of developing Chinese traditional cartography.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.