Becauseoftheinfluence of Dark Learning, at that time, the realm of Taoism wasembodiedwith sweeping and vague symbolization in the description of hills and rivers.
To 15th and 16th Century scholars, the period following antiquity - the so-called "dark ages"- had almost succeeded in obliterating classical learning forever.
These maps, which primarily adorned the world's churches and other places of power and learning, succeeded in returning mapping to the dark ages, getting much wrong and gleefully so.