During the past few centuries, the most famous Chinese tourist was Xu Xiake. He spent his life in travelling, from South China up to the North West border, through high mountains and Inimeuse Rivers, through many adventures in his journey.
There were many tourists in the past, but most of whom were only in enjoyment for themselves, never writing down for the sake of passing to the next generation. He travelled into the high mountains where no road for human to walk, only road for animals to pass. But, he risked his life by climbing to the cliffs and rocks in order to know the geography knowledge of that famous mountain.
In the night, he wrote down what he had seen from the adventures he risked under a dim light of an oil lamp. Such information are now in the books of geography today, either in the school text books or in the books which are specially for guidance to the people who are interested in travelling.
Xu was born in a rich family. When he grew up, he need not to work for his living, but instead as his hobby was in travelling, he started his journey from his home in South China up to the remote boarder in North West China. For expense, to him it was not a problem because his home was rich.
Xu was born in 1587, died in 1641. He lived in this world only fifty four years. It was really a pity that he died at his prime years. We could imagine that the cause of his early death was entirely due to his exhaustion in travelling, not enough food to eat, not sufficiently time to sleep, not proper cure when he was sick. What he left to us is the record of geography of China which is so precious to us now?