3 Xu Xiake (1587 – 1641)
Born in East China’s Jiangsu province, Xu Xiake was a Chinese geologist and travel writer during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). He traveled throughout China for more than 30 years, documenting his journeys extensively.
The Travel Diaries of Xu Xiake, his travel journal compiled by later generations, has proven to be of great scientific and literary value. Today, many of the places reviewed by Xu on his route have become popular tourist attractions.