The Retro Journey

The Precious Expedition Notes of Prominent Young Explorer Jiang Ye: Documenting the Silk Road and Reconstructing Ancient Routes Through Northwest China 知名青年探险家姜野探访丝绸之路的珍贵笔记，一部复原西北大地古代行走路线的探险笔记 On the vast lands of Northwest China, historical sites from successive dynasties shine like stars across the sky. The passage of time has transformed once-flourishing cities and their inhabitants, but it has never diminished the passion explorers, past and present, hold for them. In May 2020, explorer Jiang Ye embarked on a journey through the Northwest-a mix of trekking and cycling that spanned two years. He traveled through Gansu, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang... his footsteps extending across the Hexi Corridor, both banks of the Yellow River, and the northern and southern regions of the Tianshan Mountains... covering one million meters on foot and seven million meters by bicycle... personally visiting over 100 ancient sites along the Silk Road. In his expedition notes, he wove together his explorations of historical relics, local customs, and folk traditions along the Hexi Corridor, the Yellow River, and the Tianshan Mountains with his firsthand experience of the long-standing and brilliant Chinese civilization nurtured in this vast land. Through his writing, he pays heartfelt tribute to generations of compatriots who have dedicated themselves to and labored in this region. 在广袤的西北大地上，历代遗址灿若繁星，沧桑岁月改变了曾经的城池人烟，却没有改变古往今来的探险家们对它们的热爱。 2020年5月，探险家姜野用徒步加骑行的方式开启了西北的旅行，历时两年，他走过甘肃、青海、内蒙古、宁夏、陕西、新疆......足迹遍布河西走廊、黄河两岸、天山南北......徒步里程100万米，骑行里程700万米......实地探访丝绸之路上的古迹100余处......写下了一份珍贵的探险笔记。在这部笔记中，他将自己对河西走廊、黄河两岸以及天山南北的历史古迹、风土人情、民俗民风的探访，放置于对西北大地上悠久灿烂的中华文明的亲身体验之中，向在这里奉献与耕耘的一代又一代同胞，捧上了自己的敬意。