The Delights of Roaming Afar Summary and Analysis

Shen Fu begins his writing about travel talking about how fortunate he has been to see both refined and natural wonders, and about how one person's impressions of a place may be very different from another's. He starts when he was a boy, and he was sent to Shanyin to study with his father's friend. While he is there, he is able to go to Ho mountain in his free time. He describes the Water Garden and the stone bridge to the Land Garden there, and is unimpressed. He regrets that he had more fun making bamboo explode and echo in the mountains than going to certain historical sites to which he has been so close. When his teacher moved them to Hangchou, Shen Fu was able to see the scenery of the...