Retracing mountains of spirited exploration
New book meticulously re-creates the 34-year-long journey of a geographer 400 years ago, bringing ink illustrations, research and highlights from his own travelogue into a comprehensible text, Yang Yang reports.
By Yang Yang | China Daily | Updated: 2026-07-20 09:47
Lushan, located in northern Jiangxi province, is a renowned Chinese scenic area. Xu arrived in Jiujiang on Aug 18 and began his ascent from Lushan's northern slope with friends the following day. After five days of exploration, he departed from Kaixian Temple on the southern slope on Aug 23, having visited all the major scenic spots.
His journey was driven by a spirit of adventure and discovery, so he avoided the main roads. To reach the summit of Hanyang Peak, Lushan's highest point, he navigated through grass and thorns. While investigating the Sandie Spring, he traversed a rocky stream bed, where round stones were slippery and sharp rocks pierced his shoes.
He visited Shimen (stone door) twice, took detours to thoroughly explore Wulao Peak, and often viewed many scenic spots from different angles to ensure he fully captured their beauty.
Lushan Mountain is a typical horst-block mountain, uplifted by the Himalayan movement millions of years ago, said geologist Liu Jiaqi at the book launch ceremony.
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