| 摘要: | 明代文人徐弘祖（1587－1641）二十二歲便開始到處旅遊，足跡遍及中國十六個省區等，是中國著名的旅行家、文學家、地理學家。不畏艱辛從事地理實察，並據景直書完成《徐霞客遊記》，其過程及《遊記》成書的價值是值得肯定。徐弘祖一生對功名利祿不強求，卻為地理實察付出畢生心力。中國傳統士人皆無法擺脫「科舉制度」，因為科舉入仕成為士人最基本的生命情調與社會出路。但弘祖卻能掙開科舉牢籠，為自己的人生選擇另一條道路。 本文的研究方向以論述徐弘祖個人的特質、社會交遊及地理學成就為主。筆者認為弘祖將一生奉獻給山水，多係時勢所驅。弘祖本身對科舉入仕不感興趣、癖愛輿地之學、又天性樂觀、不怕艱辛，再加上晚明政治腐敗、官場文化敗壞、商品經濟發達、旅遊文化興盛，以及受到父母親及友人的鼓勵與協助等。因此天時、地利、人和各方條件所配合，成就徐弘祖登山臨水的契機，展開地理實察探險。 弘祖不僅對山水地貌、植被生態進行深入的觀察與描述，也能具體描繪所到之處的人地關係、產業發展、聚落建築。並能科學性分析、歸納地形與氣候的關係、推論河流的外營力作用、記載火山作用與地形等。且勘正地方志書的錯誤，且對中國的石灰岩地貌進行科學性、系統性的研究，所測量的石灰岩洞穴皆能有準確性的實察數據。另外，弘祖編纂的《雞足山志》也成為後人修志的範例。弘祖的地理學成果不僅對明代地理學發展具有重要貢獻，也成為近代地理學發展的先驅。Xu Hong Zu (1587-1647) of the Ming Dynasty started to travel everywhere when he was 22 years old, and his footprints had covered 16 provinces of China. He was well-known as the Chinese traveler, writer, and geographer. He worked so hard to deal with the travel records and then completed “Travels of Xu Xiake” by recording what he saw and heard. All the process and the value of compiling this book is worthy of approval. Xu Hong Zu in his life wasn’t eager for high official positions and riches, but devoted every effort to the travel records. The Chinese literati are unable to get rid of “the imperial examination system” because serving as government officials by passing the examination becomes their necessary choice and career. However, Hong Zu can free himself from the imperial examination, and choose another way of his own life. This research mainly discusses about Xu Hong Zu’s personal traits, his ability to make friends, and his geographic achievement. The author thought it is an inevitable trend that Hong Zu devoted all his life to the scenery. Hong Zu himself is not interested in attending the imperial examination, but loves the study of the land. He is optimistic but not afraid of the hardship. In addition to the political corruption of the late Ming Dynasty, the bureaucratic collusion, the development of the commodity economy, the tourism prosperity, as well as the encouragement and assistance by his parents and friends and so on. Being at the right place at the right time and with the right person achieves the moment that Xu Hong Zu climbed over mountains near the water and launched his exploration in the geographic observation. Hong Zu not only deeply observed and described the scenery landform and the vegetation ecology but also specifically depicted the relations between the place and the people, the industrial development, and the village buildings. He was capable of the scientific analysis, inducing the relations between the landforms and the climate, inferring Exogenetic process that shapes the land by rivers, as well as recording the volcanism and landform, and so on. He collated and corrected mistakes in local gazetteers, and carried out scientific and systematic researches of the karst landform in China, and was able to acquire the accurately real data from the limestone caves , which were measured. Moreover, “Chorography of Jizu Hill”（雞足山志） which was compiled by Hong Zu has also become the model for later generations to revise the local gazetteers. Hong Zu’s geographic achievement is not only the great contribution to the development of Ming Dynasty’s geography but also the pioneer of the development of the modern geography. |
