Xu Xiake (1586— 164 1), whose real name is Hongzu and Zhenzhi, is a Xiake from Jiangyin, Jiangsu. Geographer, traveler and writer in Ming Dynasty. His 600,000-word Travels of Xu Xiake, written after 30 years' investigation, opened up a new direction for geography to systematically observe and describe nature. It is not only a geographical masterpiece that systematically inspects the landform and geology of the motherland, but also a tourism masterpiece that describes the scenic resources of China, and it is also a literary masterpiece with beautiful words, which has far-reaching influence at home and abroad. In recent years, regarding Xu Xiake as a saint, following in Xu Xiake's footsteps and visiting the great rivers and mountains of the motherland has become a brand-new fashion in China's tourism industry.

Influenced by the culture of an educated family, Xu Xiake was eager to learn and read widely when he was young, especially fond of local classics and local chronicles. The teenager has made a travel ambition that "a gentleman faces the blue sea and the sky is dark". Xu Xiake's travel career can be roughly divided into three stages:

The first stage is the preparation stage for traveling before the age of 28. Focus on the geographical and cultural heritage of the motherland, and visit Taihu Lake, Mount Tai and other places with great interest, without leaving any travel notes.

The second stage is the first stage from the age of 28 (16 13) to the age of 48 (1633), which lasted for 20 years and traveled to Zhejiang, Fujian, Huangshan and other famous mountains in the north, such as Songshan, Wutai, Huashan and Hengshan. But I only wrote one volume of travel notes, accounting for about one-tenth of the book.

The third stage is the last stage of tourism, from 5 1 year (1636) to 54 (1639). After four years, he traveled to the mountains and rivers in the south of the Yangtze River, such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Huguang and Yunnan-Guizhou, and wrote nine volumes of travel notes.

Xu Xiake's footprint covers 19 provinces, cities and autonomous regions. He was robbed three times and deprived of food several times, regardless of difficulties and obstacles. He still stepped forward and carefully recorded his observations. Until I entered Lijiang, Yunnan, when I couldn't walk because of foot disease, I still insisted on writing travel notes and mountain records, and basically completed Xu Xiake's travel notes of 600,000 words. 55-year-old (1640) local officials in Yunnan sent Xu Xiake back to Jiangyin by boat. 56 years old (164 1) 1 month died at home. The posthumous work was compiled into a book by Ji Huiming and widely circulated.