Reading 10,000 volumes of books and travelling 10,000 li of roads to become knowledgeable and experienced

Reading 10,000 volumes of books and travelling 10,000 li of roads to become knowledgeable and experienced

This is an idea from a collection of essays by Dong Qichang (1555-1636), a painter and calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. He encouraged people to acquire knowledge and indirect experience by reading extensively, and to become aware of the true conditions in different places and broaden their horizons through personal experience by travelling to various places. A combination of theory and practice, direct and indirect experience, helps one become knowledgeable and capable and apply knowledge in practice.

At the opening ceremony of the China Tourism Year in Russia, held in March 2013, Xi Jinping talked about reading extensively and travelling widely. He said: The Chinese people have a tradition of reading and travelling. Tourism is a bridge to disseminate culture, exchange ideas, and solidify friendship. It is a major indicator of improved standards of living.

读万卷书，行万里路

“读万卷书，行万里路”，出自董其昌《画禅室随笔》，意为要努力读书，尽可能多地了解书本知识，掌握间接经验；同时要尽可能多地接触实际，丰富自己的亲身体验，开阔眼界、增进见识。只有理论与实际相结合，间接经验与直接经验相结合，才能既有真才实学，又能学以致用。

2013年3月，习近平在俄罗斯中国旅游年开幕式上引用“读万卷书，行万里路”，指出中华民族自古就把旅游和读书结合在一起，旅游是传播文明、交流文化、增进友谊的桥梁，是人民生活水平提高的一个重要指标。