What forms of travel existed in ancient China, and what was the symbol of the birth of tourism?

It is said that during the period of Yao and Shun, the world was flooded. Under Shun's instruction, Dayu was appointed to control the floods. Yu surveyed mountains and rivers and traveled all over Kyushu. Based on the survey, he used the "drainage" method to make floods flow into lakes and seas along dredged rivers. Yu may be the earliest traveler in our country.

King Mu of Zhou during the Western Zhou Dynasty, according to legend, ordered Zaofu to drive a chariot drawn by eight horses to carry him over the Kunlun Mountains and thousands of miles westward to the Kingdom of the Western Queen. "The Biography of Emperor Mu" records this story. King Mu of Zhou can be said to be the first real tourist in our country.

Zhang Qian went on a mission to the Western Regions and entered the Hexi Corridor from Shaanxi, experiencing many hardships. There were 100 people on the mission for 13 years, but only two came back. He went on two missions to the Western Regions and established friendly relations with some countries in the Western Regions. From then on, friendly missions and caravans continued to go out, establishing a "Silk Road" connecting Eurasia.

Zheng He’s seven voyages to the Western Ocean were the earliest and greatest voyages in the world. He has traveled abroad seven times, to Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and as far away as the east coast of Africa and the Red Sea coast. Zheng He's voyages were unprecedented in scale, number of people, and wide area at that time.

Xu Xiake’s travel notes are familiar to everyone. He successively traveled to Mount Tai, Mount Song, Mount Huashan, Mount Heng, Mount Wutai, etc. in the north. Travel south to famous mountains such as Huangshan Mountain, Lushan Mountain, Tiantai Mountain, Putuo Mountain, Yandang Mountain, Wuyi Mountain and Luofu Mountain.

Xu Xiake made a systematic scientific investigation of mountains and rivers, covering most of China. He was the first person in the world to investigate and study limestone landforms and make detailed records. He was a great traveler and geographer.

To answer your second question:

China’s tourism symbol is a horse treading on a flying swallow.

There are three reasons why it can become a graphic symbol of China’s tourism industry.

First, it symbolizes China’s unstoppable tourism and bright future.

Second, horses have been a very important tool in our country since ancient times and are a symbol of progress. Tourists can enjoy traveling in China.

Thirdly, its unique status among bronzes also symbolizes China’s thousands of years of glorious cultural history. In October 1983, the horse stepping on the flying swallow was designated as the Chinese tourism symbol by the National Tourism Administration.