The Travel Notes of Xu Xiake

A noted traveler and geographer of the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Xu Xiake, also named Hongzu (1587-1641), was born in today´s Jiangyin of East China´s Jiangsu Province.

He studied the ancient classics as a small boy and learned to write the eight-part essay prescribed for the imperial civil service examination, but refused to take part in the imperial examination.
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