The Journey of Xu Xiake (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Xu Hongzu (Ming) Shi Nianlin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Xu Xiake (1585-1641) was a Ming Dynasty traveler, geographer, and litterateur. His name was Hongzu, styled Zhenzhi, and styled Xiake. He was from Jiangyin, Nanjing (now part of Jiangsu). From the 35th year of the Wanli reign (1607), he embarked on travels and explorations, covering half of China. In the 10th year of the Chongzhen reign (1637), he entered Guangxi via Hunan in the intercalary fourth month. In one year, he traveled through over 30 counties in the prefectures of Guilin, Liuzhou, Yulin, Nanning, and Qingyuan, covering more than 3,000 miles. He paid close attention to exploring famous scenic spots,,, and local customs, leaving detailed records and analyses. In the third month of the 12th year of the Chongzhen reign, he took the route of Nandan to continue his explorations in Guizhou and Yunnan. In the 13th year of the Chongzhen reign, he returned home due to illness. He wrote "The Travel Diary of Xu Xiake," a 200,000-word work. Among them, "The Western Journey in Guangxi" (20,000 words) specifically records his travels, observations, and analyses in Guangxi, being one of the earliest records of karst landscapes in the world. "The Travel Diary of Xu Xiake" is the first comprehensive and systematic scientific record of karst landscapes in the world, twenty centuries earlier than the writings of the German geographer Naumann. It is also an encyclopedic work in geology. It includes studies, records, and interpretations of river sources and hydrology, records of geothermal phenomena, vivid descriptions of rare hot springs and gas springs, and specialized introductions and descriptions of administrative divisions, transportation, and place names. The records in "The Travel Diary of Xu Xiake" are detailed, reliable, and accurate, making it highly valuable scientifically. The renowned British science historian Dr. Joseph Needham said, "His travel diary reads more like the work of a 20th-century field survey record than that of a 70th-century scholar," giving it high praise.