Li Bingcheng
A large number of ancient geographical books is preserved in Dunhuang Manuscripts and Documents. In the light oi their contents the books can be divided into 3 parts:(1) the ancient local chronicles, including the localrecords of the whole country (3 volumes) and the local records of a part of the districts of northwest China (11 volumes). (2) the ancient travelling records, including the records towards Shiyuh (8 volumes). the records towards Wutai Mountain (5 volumes), and the records throughout the country(1 volume); (3) the miscellaneous geographical books, including the books with regard to the water conservancy (2 volumes) and the books about the scenic spots and historical sites in Dunhuang (2 volumes).These ancient geographical books are one part of the most precious books in Dunhuang Manuscripts and Documents. They have the extremely important academic value on the research of historical political geography,military geography, economic geography, folkways geography, traffic geography, urban geography, agricultural geography, physical geography, religious geography, toponomy and local chronicles. They are the extremely valuable legacies of Chinese ancient geography.