《明清时期游观文化的盛行与士大夫的旅游风尚》(局部)：清代名家徐扬绘制，描绘乾隆年间苏州繁华景象。常言“物是人非”，扩展视野、体验异地历史文化，是香港人的向往，每逢假期，离境口岸拥挤不堪。自七八十年代旅游业兴起，世界各地旅行团推销广告五花八门，有时候令人眼花缭乱。很多人以为旅游是当代产业，但意想不到的是，在明清时期旅游活动已相当兴盛。
文化讲座“明清时期游观活动的兴盛与建构”选取了几个有趣面向分享研究心得。他说：“在现代旅游业诞生之前，中国历史上就有各种各样的游观活动，具有类似现代旅游业的现代性特征。”明清平民百姓热衷于游观，而带动这股风气的是士大夫，他们使得游观文化成为士大夫文化不可或缺的一环。
若将明清时期的旅游放在世界史脉络中，与十六至十八世纪西方先驱相比较，更能突显晚明的特殊地位。
巫仁恕博士曾任大学兼任讲师，现在中央研究院近代史研究所副研究员暨南国际大学历史系兼任副教授，他专注于城市史和社会文化史，其成果集中在城市群众集体、物质与消费文化上。
农民生活超出村界
元宵节、中秋节等岁月佳节江南多城郊发展画船箫鼓聚集景点，如装潢美轮美奂画舫载人去江陵秦淮河。
庙会节庆显示多样化、频繁化及普及化，如《吴社编》记苏州城内祭祀五通神"五方贤圣会"期间提到除了城中主事外，还记载周边村落参与者称为"助会者"。
库房里的商品化发展
tourism handbook, travel guidebook, even travel packages were all available in the Ming dynasty. The development of tourist facilities was quite mature. Though thousands of years have passed, the operating methods are not very different from those of modern tourism.
Temples, restaurants, and teahouses provided services for tourists while combining tourism with food culture. In transportation support, boats and ships had dining equipment called "sand boat," "fire ship," or "Jiangshan boat." For entertainment and young girls serving customers on ships were called "nose smoke ship."
There also appeared package tours (PT). In Jiangnan region there were private organizations that formed pilgrim groups to go on a pilgrimage together; they paid one silver coin equivalent to zero point one jiao for two meals including round-trip tickets. The upper reaches of Tai Shan's pilgrimage in the Ming dynasty already had temples like travel agencies.
All aspects such as where to stay eat entertain run errands were taken care of which indicated that tourism industry combined with food industry closely collaborated.
Westerners praised Chinese tourist facilities earlier but later criticized them as backward.
From 16th century Jesuit missionaries noted China's road smoothness comfortability palanquin sophistication inn availability astonishingly impressed.
By 18th century European visitors' comments changed from admiration to disappointment criticizing China’s lack of innovation in shipping technology discomfortable palanquins unsophisticated traveler accommodations
Patronizing British coaches cleaner hostels Britain's ambassadors bluntly pointed out China lacked maritime breakthroughs roads neat but no outstanding features carriages less comfortable than British ones hotels though abundant yet uncleaner than Britain’s
Professor Pat said “Europeans early praise for China exaggerated aiming at stirring Europe reforming whereas China wasn't as beautiful as they described.”
Through words images presented landscapes often imbued with subjective cultural connotations. Beautiful scenery created by a particular cultural form is exemplified by Jiangnan.
In Jiangnan scholars left many poems records ancient sites famous scenic spots 'ten scenes' giving people an impression it was a popular destination after adding power it became well-known through imperial visits leaving behind related records poetry some scenic spots even bearing imperial calligraphy and bestowed plaques enhancing unknown or unfamiliar areas known only to literati making them famous.
"The travel industry since the early twentieth century has become an important social economic force also becoming a major symbol of modern society life however before modern tourism existed touring activities did exist proving this point." Professor Pat concluded.
