Chapter 1 Introduction
Once we heard of a place we have never visited, filled with sublime landscapes, vast fields, magnificent cities, and charming villages, it is natural for us to feel a yearning to experience it personally. To satisfy this desire, the best course of action is undoubtedly to prepare adequately, pack our belongings, and set out on a journey to explore. However, if circumstances prevent us from traveling and fulfilling our wanderlust, what then? In that case, we might consider an alternative method that provides some relief: to read the travel accounts of those who have already visited these beautiful sights. If we consult the writings of these experienced travelers, they will surely inform us of the breathtaking mountains and rivers in a particular locale, the expansive plains, and the essence of both cities and villages. They will vividly describe how stunning certain landscapes are, the grandeur of the endless fields, the magnificence of urban centers, and the elegance of rural retreats. If the travelogue is well—written, it will additionally provide information on the distances between locations, the changes in scenery from one place to another, the feature of a mountain's ridges, the sources of rivers, the causes of these plains and fields, and the historical trends regarding the rise and fall of certain cities, towns, and villages.
Chapter 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 1
Chapter 2 The First Period: From the Primordial Age to the Shang Dynasty ......................................20
Chapter 3 The Second Period: From the Zhou to the Qin Dynasty ........................................................27
Chapter 4 Volume One of the Third Period: the Han Dynasty ...............................................................70
Chapter 5 Volume Two of the Third Period: From the Three Kingdoms to the Sui Dynasty ...........116
Chapter 6 The Fourth Period: The Tang Dynasty ..................................................................................218
About the Translator
Chen Yuanli (陈元骊) received her Ph.D. in Education from University of Alberta, Canada. She is Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Guangdong Ocean University(广东海洋大学), China. Her research areas include TESOL, teacher education and development, cultural inheritance and innovation. She is the translator of five books on education, language and culture, literature, and fisheries, and the author of some academic papers. The translation of this work was supported by the Guangdong Ocean University Research Initiation Project (No.: 060302162402) (广东海洋大学科研启动费资助项目).