Xu xiake, also named Hongzu (1587 ~ 1641), and born in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, was the noted traveler and geographer of the late Ming Dynasty. He refused to take Part in the imperial examination, but devoted himself to travelling all over the country. He had been to most Parts of China. He visited 19provinces in all. He explored and noted down the geographical features of these regions, making an arduous journey, braving the hardships and dangers.

He recorded his exploration in the form of diaries, which were published as "Xu Xiake You Ji" by his descendants.His striking scientific achievements are: his categorization of karst landforms, which is 130 years earlier than that of the Europeans; the confirmation that the Jinsha River is the main source of the Yangtze; the confirmation of the source of the Zhujiang River.

"You Ji - the travel notes" is not only a true record of the trip, but an encyclopaedia in geology, a masterpiece in literature and history. It deserves the praise as "a unique book in history", "a pearl in the Chinese cultural treasure house".

Zhang Qian(?-114BC)

Zhang qian was born in Hanzhong,Shaanxi province.A Chinese explorer of the Han dynasty, the first man to bring back reliable information of the lands in central Asia to China.

In 138 BC, with a task of creating relations with the Yue-chi people against Xiongnu, Zhang Qian was dispatched to the Western Regions by the emperor of the Han dynasty Wudi. Unfortunately, on the way to the Western regions, he was captured by the Xiongnus as hostage. Detained by Xiongnus for about ten years, Zhang Qian finally found a chance to flee. After escaping and continuing the journey, Zhang Qian eventually found the Yue-chi in Northern India. However, satisfied with their life, the Yue-chi refused to form an alliance against the Xiongnu. On the return journey, Zhang Qian and his delegation were captured by another tribe, and it was not until 125 B.C. that they returned to China. Though he failed to achieve a military alliance with the Yue-chi, he was well acquainted with the geography, people, customs and cultures of the 36 kingdoms of the Western Regions. The Han emperor was interested in what they had seen and sent more expeditions to west.

In 119 B.C., with 300 men, 10,000 sheep, extra mounts and quantities of gold and silk, Zhang Qian set off on his second trip. Attempted to seek alliance with Wu-sun people, Zhang Qian traveled Dunhuang, Loulan, Kucha, then the capital of Wu-sun kingdom in the Ili River. His missions to the west led to the formalization of trade, especially the silk trade, between China and Persia. Zhang Qian died in 113 B.C.

Zheng He (1371-1435)

Columbus sailed to America in St. Maria (eighty-five feet) in 1492. Zheng He sailed from China to many places throughout South Pacific, Indian Ocean, Taiwan, Persian Gulf and distant Africa in seven epic voyages from 1405 to 1433 ,some 80 years before Columbus's voyages.For 28 years, he traveled more than 50,000km and visited over 30 countries.

Zheng He flag "treasure ship" is four hundred feet long - much larger than Columbus's.In the drawing below, the two flagships are superimposed to give a clear idea of the relative size of these two ships.

Zhenghe constructed many wooden ships, some of which are the largest in the history, in Nanjing. Three of the shipyards still exist today.

Zheng He is arguably China's most famous navigator. Zheng He died in the tenth year of the reign of the Ming emperor Xuande (1435) and was buried in the southern outskirts of Bull's Head Hill (Niushou) in Nanjing.

In 1985, during the 580th anniversary of Zheng He's voyage, his tomb was restored. The new tomb was built on the site of the original tomb in Nanjing and reconstructed according to the customs of Islamic teachings, as Zheng He was a Muslim.

At the entrance to the tomb is a Ming-style structure, which houses the memorial hall. Inside are paintings of the man himself and his navigation maps. To get to the tomb, there are newly laid stone platforms and steps. The stairway consists of 28 stone steps divided into four sections with each section having seven steps. This represents Zheng He's seven journeys to the West. The Arabic words "Allah (God) is great" are inscribed on top of the tomb.