Learning from foreigners to control foreigners is a famous proposition put forward by Wei Yuan in his book Atlas of Sea Countries. Later, it became the guiding ideology of the early Westernization Movement. Learn advanced military technology from foreigners to resist foreign aggression.

The Atlas of the Ocean quotes nearly 100 kinds of materials at home and abroad, and systematically introduces the geography, history and political situation of western countries, as well as the manufacture and use of many advanced technologies, such as steamboats, mines and other new weapons. The records of climate, products, transportation and trade, people's feelings and customs, culture and education, Sino-foreign relations, religion, calendar, science and technology are all more than those in previous books.

Creative background:

The Atlas of Sea Countries, written by Wei Yuan, an advocate of China's modern new ideas, was the most detailed monograph introducing the science, technology and historical geography of western countries at that time. The meaning of "Sea Country" in the title was overseas countries.