本文阐明我国近代地学家丁文江立足于近代科学原理以实地考察的印证为根据,对徐霞客及其《游记》作了准确中肯的评价,从而确立了该书在中国科技史和世界科技史上的应有地位。

Xu Xiake (1587-1641) was a famous tourist and geographer in Ming Dynasty in China, The book "Travelling of Xu Xia ke" with the accurate description of limestone landforms in South west China is one of the most outstanding works in the world.Ding Wenjiang (V.K. Ting 1887-1936) was a pioneer in the field of the modern geo-science in China and made g eat contributions in the studying of Xu Xiake.Based on scientific principle and investigation, he precisely and pertinently appraised Xu Xiake and his Dairy of Travelling and made people recognise the scientific values of "Travelling of Xu Xiake" from the viewpoint of modern geo-science, so that the Travelling has been put on the right position in the scientific and technologic histories of China and the world as well. Ding Wenjiang pointed out that Xu Xiake sought the knowledge with the spirit of the diligent, extreme hardship and difficulties and simulated young people to learn from him, he answered some foreigners with the prejudice against China, which reflected his patriotic standpoint.Ding had made great break through in his "A Chronicle of Xu Xiake" and "Travelling of xu Xiake",the latter one includes the poems and recorded data, which equaled a copy of "Xu Xiake collected works". This is an excellent book for the readers and the researchers on Xu Xiake and his Travelling. In fact,the work done by Ding represents the great result of research on Xu Xiake in a period.