Unit 6  Reading for writing 2

Exploring the unexplored

1  In 1640, a man was seriously ill. He had to end the last trip of his life. Back home, people asked him, “You spent your whole life on the road. Do you regret it?”

2 “I walked through many fantastic places in China,” he replied. “People say I’m as great as Zhang Qian and Xuanzang. So I have no regrets at all.” This man was Xu Xiake, the greatest traveller in Chinese history.

3  From an early age, Xu dreamed of visiting China’s seas and mountains. But at the time, it was very difficult to travel far. This didn’t stop him, however. At 22, he set out on his life’s journey. He travelled for about 30 years, and achieved his dream.

4  Xu made many geographical discoveries during his journey. Once, he visited Mount Huangshan. People then thought Tiandu Peak was higher than Lianhua Peak. To find out the truth, Xu climbed both peaks. He discovered that Lianhua Peak gave a wider view, so it must be higher. He was right!

5  Xu recorded his travel experiences in his diary. This later became Xu Xiake’s Travel Notes. Thanks to this book, we can learn about China almost 400 years ago. “Exploring the unexplored” is the best description of Xu’s life.