On the early morning of May 19, Xu Xiake, revered by later generations as the “Saint of Travel,” stepped out of the west gate of Ninghai, Zhejiang, and embarked on his journey to Tiantai Mountain. Four hundred years later, on May 19—the third China Tourism Day—visitors from both China and abroad flocked to the ancient mountain trails once trodden by Xu. Activities such as retracing the “Xiake Ancient Trail,” continuing the “Xiake Diary,” visiting the “descendants of Xiake,” and taking on the “Xiake Challenge”... people are commemorating this great historical traveler, geographer, and writer in various ways.
Ancient Trails Bearing Millennia of Culture
According to research, this tourist route located near the mysterious 30th parallel north is connected to many significant cultural events throughout history.
Nearly 1,800 years ago, the Taoist master Ge Xuan came here to develop a sacred mountain and trekked along winding mountain paths to reach the Guoyun Cave on Huading Mountain, where he planted ancient tea; 1,600 years ago, Xie Lingyun, the father of landscape poetry, traveled through Tiantai Mountain and brought the ancient Huading tea down to Xiayadi in West Lake, Hangzhou, giving rise to today’s world-famous Longjing tea; 1,400 years ago, Master Zhiyi, founder of the Tiantai sect of Chinese Buddhism, ascended Tiantai Mountain, practiced asceticism for ten years in pursuit of enlightenment, and ultimately overcame his inner demons at the Scripture-Worshipping Platform on Huading Mountain, attaining profound realization; on the early morning of May 19, 1613, Xu Xiake began his journey to Tiantai Mountain, and now May 19 has become China Tourism Day.
The ancient trail that Xu Xiake walked on was first blazed by the Eastern Jin Dynasty poet Xie Lingyun, who cleared paths through the forest, and later became part of the Tang Poetry Road traversed by over 400 renowned Tang Dynasty poets. It connects the finest highlights of Tiantai Mountain tourism.
Today, these well-preserved trails have become a popular cultural tourism route among hikers and a wide range of visitors. Ms. Pan, a local resident, specially brought her son along on the trip, reciting Tang poems while sightseeing, keeping the young boy thoroughly engaged throughout.
“Travelers” Follow in “Xiake’s” Footsteps
Many scholars believe that Xu Xiake’s path was not just a travel route but also one of culture, wellness, and inspiration.
Starting on May 19, 400 years ago, China’s earliest “traveler” Xu Xiake, carrying a backpack and walking with a bamboo staff and straw sandals, trekked across China for half of his life. He compiled the beautiful landscapes of the nation into one volume, providing invaluable material for China’s geography, tourism, and cultural heritage.
The pursuit of “Xiake Culture” has become a trend among modern travelers. On May 18, Tiantai County in Zhejiang hosted a series of events including retracing Xiake’s route and weight-bearing speed competitions, attracting enthusiastic participation from over a thousand tourists. “Back then, Xu Xiake didn’t have cars and carried heavy loads—maybe he looked something like me right now?” joked participant Xiao Chen, wiping sweat from his brow, drawing laughter from his companions.
Xu Zhenqing, the 10th-generation descendant of Xu Xiake, was invited to join the trip and reflected on his ancestor’s journey. “I hope that visitors here can experience the beauty of China, its divine mountains and rivers, further promote the spirit of Xu Xiake, and carry forward the fine traditional culture of China!”
“During my ancestor’s decades-long journeys, he faced multiple instances of starvation, was robbed three times, and lost all his money and belongings—but none of this shook his determination,” said Xu Zhenqing. By the time he returned from Yunnan and Guangxi, he could no longer walk. After concluding this four-year expedition, he passed away the following year. “His life was one of perseverance and dedication to science, inspiring us to overcome any difficulty.”
“Trendy Vibes” Fuel the “Xiake Fever”
Frugality, interaction, online games, microblogs... these trendy terms have also added fuel to the “Xiake Fever.” All festival activities of this year’s Tiantai Mountain Tourism and Culture Festival were conducted online. Officials stated that this move aimed to cut costs, promote a new ethos for tourism festivals, and marked the first time Tiantai introduced “integrity” and “frugality” culture into tourism.
The innovative concept of “online gaming in tourism” has also captivated many visitors. To allow tourists to more vividly experience Xu Xiake’s journeys, Tiantai launched an online challenge zone for the “Xiake Ancient Trail.” The trail was transformed into a game map, with each scenic spot featuring a question about Tiantai Mountain. Players answer correctly to advance, eventually exploring all scenic areas. The game includes scenic introductions, dining, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, shopping information, and offers attractive prizes.
On May 11, Tiantai County launched the “Xiake Challenge” APP game on Weibo. Its simplicity, fun, and attractive rewards drew the attention of numerous Weibo users. By the morning of May 19, the official Tiantai Tourism Weibo account had grown to 422,843 followers, ranking second in the travel keywords category on Sina Weibo’s Hot Topics list.
The “Travel Diaries of Xu Xiake” is both a scientific treatise and a literary masterpiece. How can people today continue writing this grand work? The local area launched the “Chinese Writers Visit Tiantai” and “Continuing the Tiantai Mountain Travel Diaries” campaigns, attracting the participation of many writers and literature enthusiasts. In collaboration with the China Writers Association, the event will invite renowned authors to Tiantai for creative inspiration, with travel essays published in supplements of national media. Additionally, Tiantai Mountain will launch microfilm submissions, “Discover Tiantai” online influencer tours, and other activities to engage general visitors.
During his travels, Xu Xiake also received help from many kind-hearted people. Yu Changjie, Secretary of the Tiantai Tourism Commission, stated that to promote the spirit of helping others in Tiantai Mountain culture, Tiantai Mountain scenic spots offered half-price tickets on May 19 and 20. All ticket revenue from those two days, plus 1% of the second half of the year’s ticket income, will be donated to the Ya’an disaster area.