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China, with its vast 9.6 million square kilometers and the most diverse geographical features found on any continent, remains one of the least explored nations in history. This isolation is deepened by a culture that has remained largely self-contained, making the Chinese one of the most mysterious and least understood peoples on Earth. So, who throughout China’s 5,000-year history—whether native Chinese or foreign visitors (waiguoren)—has possessed the resolve and courage to explore such an immense and enigmatic land?
10. Jorge Alvares
While the Spanish and British have forged powerful legacies across the seas, the Portuguese also played a critical role in global exploration, notably as the first Europeans to reach China. The territory of Macau, still a Portuguese enclave off China's southern coast, was established as a result of Jorge Alvares’ 16th-century trade expeditions to China.
9. Fa Xian
In 399, Fa Xian, a Chinese Buddhist monk, embarked on a remarkable decade-long pilgrimage that took him from China to Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka in search of sacred scriptures. His extraordinary journey was later chronicled in the extensively titled book, 'A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms Being an Account by the Chinese Monk Fa-Hien of his Travels in India and Ceylon in Search of the Buddhist Books of Discipline.'
8. Joseph Rock
A botanist with a passion for exploration, Joseph Rock spent more than two decades immersing himself in the lives of the indigenous tribes of West China. Starting in 1920, Rock traversed Tibet, Yunnan, and Sichuan provinces, dedicating himself to research and discovery. To fund his expeditions, he wrote articles about China for National Geographic. His remarkable contributions earned him flowers and mountains named in his honor, and he became the inspiration for the term 'Shangri-La,' coined by author James Hilton.
7. Sir Robert Hart
In the mid-19th century, British military officer Robert Hart arrived in China during a period of intense rebellion, as the empire was teetering on the brink of collapse. Hart ultimately rose to the position of Inspector General of Chinese Customs and became an advisor to the Qing Dynasty's Manchurian court. Remarkably, Hart remained in China for the next fifty years! For his unwavering support of the Qing Dynasty, he was knighted by the British government and is now regarded as one of the most famous foreigners in Chinese history.
6. Gan Ying
Chinese military ambassador Gan Ying was dispatched in 97 AD to Rome, to report on that empire’s customs and military practices. Gan never actually reached Rome, due to obstacles set up by Middle Eastern rivals, but his journey as far as the Persian Gulf, a new record for the Chinese, helped later dynasties prepare for future expeditions.
5. Tom Carter
In 2006, American travel photographer Tom Carter set out to explore all 33 provinces of China, inadvertently breaking a record. After two years and 56,000 kilometers on the road, he became the only foreigner in history to traverse such a vast expanse. His journey was meticulously documented in his book, “CHINA: Portrait of a People,” widely regarded as the most extensive photographic collection of modern China ever published by a single author.
4. Kublai Khan
As the grandson of the infamous Genghis Khan, Kublai ruled the Mongol Empire for over three decades, expanding it into the largest and longest-lasting empire in world history. Known as the Fifth Great Khan, he made history as the first non-Chinese ruler of all of China, a feat achieved through a series of brutal 13th-century battles fought on horseback. During this time, he also befriended the Venetian traveler Marco Polo, who is said to have played a role in the Mongols' conquest of China.
3. Xuan Zang
This revered Chinese Buddhist monk is credited with bridging Chinese and Indian cultures. In 629, Xuanzang embarked on a monumental journey, crossing China, Central Asia, and India on foot, with the mission of collecting religious texts from these regions. Upon returning to China in 645, he brought back vast knowledge of these previously uncharted lands. Xuanzang is immortalized in China’s legendary work, “Journey to the West,” which continues to be adapted for television.
2. Marco Polo
No list of Chinese exploration would be complete without the famous name of Marco Polo. While there is ongoing scholarly debate over whether Polo actually set foot in China, as he claims in his memoir, “The Travels of Marco Polo,” the undeniable fact is that, in the 14th century, the Venetian traveler and his mercantile family helped establish the Silk Road trade route between Europe and Asia, which forever altered the course of history.
1. Mao Zedong
Although Mao Zedong, the so-called “Great Helmsman,” is widely known for his influence and infamy, he doesn't claim the top spot on this list. This is because, despite his fame, Mao is better remembered as a figure of destruction rather than exploration. His notorious ‘Long March’ across western China was more of a military retreat than an exploration, though it was bravely carried out. However, historical records reveal that Mao himself never actually participated in the march but was carried in a sedan chair by his followers, who tragically died from exhaustion. Still, Mao's efforts did pave new paths, earning him the third position.
