Objectives  In the transferring process from the modern society to the post-modern society, information is transmitted via We Media, in which the maps that are made by public users and map enthusiasts is not at high accuracy, and the expressions of the maps are diversified. WeMap is a kind of public-made maps, aiming to improve the map expressions to avoid the problems generated due to the lack of spatial cognitive knowledge, and to focus on the expressions of the map users' subjective information. Unlike the traditional maps, WeMap aims to express geographical features and phenomena from multiple perspectives and dimensions. This paper examine the origins of the above characteristics from the postmodern philosophy perspective.

  Methods  Metaphoring maps and language, taking postmodern philosophical methodologies such as embodied cognitive view, prototype category theory and decentralism of cognitive linguistics as tools, this paper critically analyzes and reconstructs the fundamental problems including spatial cognition, information classification and cartographic expression of traditional maps, and forms the conceptual framework of WeMap with the characteristics of postmodern philosophy.

  Results  WeMap cognitive process model was proposed, consisting of two processes: Map making process which can be summarized as mental image-image schema-prototype- category-geographic knowledge-WeMap, and the map reading process which can be described as visual representation-visual feature-semantic and spatial relationship-cognitive map-spatial analysis-spatial behavior. The cognitive hierarchy model of WeMaps may be classified into six levels (from IS1 to IS6) by the image schema. IS1 is suitable for most of public users who own the basic body image schema and it corresponds to the lowest cognitive ability, while IS2, IS3, IS4, IS5 and IS6 correspond to more advanced cognition abilities. The information classification of WeMap coincides with prototype category theory which can be realized according to the principle of achieving commonness with prototype and compatibility with category. WeMap advocates pluralism which embodies in fuzzy map projections, various forms of map symbols, and even the opposite generalization standards compare to traditional maps.

  Conclusions  WeMap is a new map form in the era of We Media whose cognitive model, classification principle and map expressions coincide with the ideas of embodied cognitive view, prototype category and decentralism of postmodern philosophy. The philosophical basis of traditional map is more inclined to metaphysical mechanical objectivism. Although it recognizes the role of human cognition in map making and use, the human here refers to map experts. Maps can only be developed under the design of map experts, which is difficult to give full play to the linguistic potential of maps. Map theories, such as adaptive maps and crowdsourcing maps, have begun to pay attention to the transformation of their philosophical basis, emphasizing the transfer of the main body of cartography and map use from map experts to public users, but they are still limited by the design knowledge and ability of map experts. WeMap aims to put map experts and public users on an equal position, fully respect the individual geospatial cognitive needs and habits of each map user, the decentralization of WeMap conforms to the development trend of human post-modernist philosophy.