Xu Xiake's last trip was in 1636, when he was fifty-one years old. This time he mainly traveled through the southwest region of my country, reaching Tengyue (now Tengchong, Yunnan) at the junction of

Xu Xiake's last trip was in 1636, when he was fifty-one years old. This time he mainly traveled through the southwest region of my country, reaching Tengyue (now Tengchong, Yunnan) at the junction of China and Myanmar. He returned to his hometown in 1640. He fell ill soon after returning to his hometown. During his illness, he also looked through the rock specimens he collected. Before he died, he was still holding tightly the two stones he brought back during the inspection.

Xu Xiake’s love for the motherland, love for science, and the spirit of courageously climbing up the scientific career are worthy of learning by future generations forever.

2. Magellan.

Magellan (Magellan, Ferdinand), a famous Portuguese navigator and explorer, successively sailed for Portugal (1505-1512) and Spain (1519-1521) Adventure. Depart from Spain, sail around South America, discover the Strait of Magellan, and then cross the Pacific Ocean. Although he was killed in the Philippines, his ship continued westward back to Spain, completing the first circumnavigation of the world. Considered the first person to sail around the world.

Magellan was born into a noble family and joined the Portuguese navy to fight in India in 1505. Although Portugal successfully fought on the east coast of Africa and the west coast of India, thereby breaking the Muslim power in the Indian Ocean and seizing maritime trade control points from the Arabs, it failed to control Malacca, and its achievements were far from perfect. For this reason, he participated in the battle to capture Malacca in 1511. The wealth of the East flows into the ports of the Western world through Malacca. Portugal controls the Strait of Malacca and holds the key to Malaysian waters and ports. But there was also an expedition to the Spice Islands, the wealth-producing Moluccas. Therefore, he made a reconnaissance voyage in December 1511. After arriving at Banda Island, he brought a batch of spices and returned to Lisbon in 1512. The following year, he accompanied the army to attack the Moroccan fortress of Asamoor. He was injured and became lame for life. After returning to China in 1514, he twice appealed to the king for promotion and an increase in annuity, but was rejected both times.

In 1517, Magellan went to Spain with the cosmologist Francesca, gave up his Portuguese citizenship, and served King Charles I of Spain. In 1518, he served as captain of the expedition fleet and set out to open a new route to the Molucca for Spain. Magellan was confident that he could find a strait from the Atlantic Ocean to the southern sea. The fleet set sail on September 20, 1519, with 270 sailors from 9 countries. It arrived in Tenerife on September 26 and continued its voyage to Brazil on October 3; it anchored off the coast of Guinea. On November 29, we sailed to 27 leagues southwest of Cape St. Augustine (1 league is about 5 kilometers). After bypassing Cabo Frio, the fleet arrived in the Bay of Rio de Janeiro on December 13. Arriving at the port of St. Julian's in March of the following year.

After suppressing the rebellion initiated by the Spanish captains, the fleet left the port of St. Leon on August 24, 1520. The fleet continued southward. When it rounded Virgin Point on October 21, it arrived at 52°50 South Latitude. They branched off into the strait they were looking for (later named after Magellan). Arriving at the western end of Tao Gorge, there were only three ships left in the fleet. Entered the "Southern Sea" on October 28th. The back sea area is calm and calm, and is called the "Pacific Ocean". The crew endured the torture of hunger, and with the help of the Peruvian current, under Magellan's ruthless decision, they embarked on the great voyage across the Pacific.

On December 18, the fleet sailed northwest from the coast of Chile, and only sighted land on January 24, 1521, possibly Puka Puka in the Tuamotu Islands. On February 13, we crossed the equator at 158 ??degrees west longitude, and on March 6, we landed on Guam in the Mariana Islands for the first time, getting fresh food for the first time in 99 days. Set sail on March 9, heading southwest. Later, he landed at Massawa in the present-day Philippine Islands and found Spain's first ally in the Pacific. In Cebu, local rulers and their officials were converted to Catholicism. Less than two months later, Magellan was killed on April 27 while fighting locals on Mactan. After Magellan's death, only two ships reached the Moluccas, and only the Victoria returned to Spain in September 1522 under the command of Elcano. There were 17 other Europeans and 4 Indians who survived. Elcano returned from the Pacific Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope to the Atlantic Ocean, proving that the Earth is round.

Magellan’s outstanding contribution lies not in the circumnavigation of the world itself, but in his bold belief and outstanding command of this undertaking. He was the first person to sail across the Pacific from east to west. With his voyage of more than three months, he changed the popular concept at the time: East India could be reached in just a few days by sailing west from the New World. The Magellan fleet's circumnavigation proved in practice that the earth is a round body. No matter whether it is from west to east or from east to west, there is no doubt that it can circle our planet and return to the same place. This will always be an indelible and great achievement in human history.