Did people in ancient times want to travel? It was harder than reaching the sky!

Hello everyone, welcome to History and Culture. Many friends who love history have probably asked themselves this question in their hearts. In ancient times, what was it really like for someone to set out on a long journey? Was it actually very difficult? From today's perspective, travel seems like the most ordinary thing in the world. Buy a train ticket, book a flight, pack your bags, and off you go. Even crossing provinces or countries is just a matter of how much time it takes. But if we turn the clock back a few hundred or even a thousand years, we realize that, for the ancients, leaving one's hometown was not an everyday activity. It was more like a major decision that required careful weighing of pros and cons. In ancient times, even traveling just a hundred li, about 50 kilometers, to the neighboring county town, could, for many people, be a journey full of uncertainty. There were no fast means of transportation. No clear maps or navigation. And certainly no well-developed safety and security systems. In many dynasties, ordinary commoners even needed official permission just to leave home. So today, let's shift our perspective together. Step into the lives of the ancients. And see how many invisible thresholds they had to cross just to leave the familiar land they knew. The first huge hurdle they faced was the enormous preparation cost before setting out. In ancient times there were no cars, high-speed trains, or airplanes. Overland travel relied basically on walking, riding horses, or horse-drawn carriages, while water travel depended on boats. Whichever method it was, it meant a long and extremely slow journey. Zhuangzi, in the chapter, Free and Easy Wandering, Xiaoyaoyu, put it very plainly. For a journey of a hundred li, one must prepare grain the night before, for a journey of a thousand li, one must start gathering provisions three months in advance. This wasn't an exaggeration, it reflected the real-life experience of the ancients. In an agrarian society, grain production was limited, and ordinary families often barely had enough to eat. If they had to set aside a large amount of grain as travel provisions, it meant the family would have to tighten their belts for the coming period. Moreover, these dried rations were bulky and heavy, extremely inconvenient to carry, and prone to getting damp or moldy if they spoiled along the way. It was as good as running out of food entirely. Later, as the monetary system gradually matured, people could exchange grain for copper coins or silver, which seemed more convenient to carry on the surface. But the problem wasn't truly solved. Along the road, you had to spend money on food, lodging, transportation by cart or boat, and sometimes even pay extra fees at checkpoints. All these miscellaneous expenses added up to an almost unbearable burden for ordinary commoners. This is precisely why, in ancient times, very few people could travel freely at will. Those who could were either from wealthy gentry families with land and property, or scholars preparing for the imperial examinations, who might receive family support, or enjoy certain institutional privileges. For the vast majority of ordinary peasants, unless something special happened in their hometown, they rarely left the place where they were born in their entire lifetime. If that was already the case for men, women's travel was even more restricted. In traditional thinking, a woman's sphere of activity was strictly confined to the household and the village. Traveling alone over long distances was often seen as improper and unreasonable. Moreover, women generally did not have to perform corvée labor, nor participate in official affairs. So they naturally lacked legitimate reasons to go out. For many women in ancient times, the radius of their entire life's activities might be only a few li around the village. Some never even set foot in the county town. If the issue of money and grain could still be overcome through sheer determination, then the next real tests of willpower were the road conditions and natural environment. In ancient times, road conditions were generally poor. Except for the official highways connecting the capital to various regions, which were relatively flat. Most roads were just dirt tracks. On sunny days they were dusty. On rainy days they turned into mud. If heading to remote areas, crossing mountains, ridges, and dense forests was practically routine. Historical records mention a case like this. An official from a remote region was ordered to go to the capital. He originally planned to arrive in the autumn of that year. But ended up arriving only in the spring of the following year. The reason was simple. While passing through mountainous areas, he missed a relay station. And wandered lost in the mountains for a long time before finding his way out again. Even an experienced official with some institutional support could face such delays. How much more so ordinary commoners with no experience. The challenges posed by nature were everywhere. In summer one had to endure scorching heat and swarms of insects. In winter, biting cold winds and blizzards. A sudden downpour or mountain flood. Could force the journey to a halt. Relay stations were limited in number. And mostly concentrated along major official roads. If you missed one, you had to spend the night in the wilderness. In sparsely populated areas. Any unexpected situation could leave a person in dire straits. Even more worrying was the issue of health. Medical conditions in ancient times were extremely limited. What we now consider minor illnesses. Could then lead to serious consequences. Once someone fell ill during the journey. There were no proper clinics. And suitable medicine was hard to come by. Under the strain of long-distance travel. The body was already in a fragile state. And many people had to turn back halfway. Or never return to their original life at all. Besides the natural environment. Security issues were another major hidden danger on the road. Ancient times had no modern-style public security system. The control of local authorities. Often extended only to towns and major roads. In remote areas. Order depended more on self-protection. Certain key transportation routes, mountains, and rivers. Were frequently haunted by outlaws. Who specifically targeted passing travelers. Such incidents appear quite often in historical stories and local legends. Some people set out merely hoping to change their living environment. Only to meet misfortune along the way. For these reasons, many families preferred to stick to their small plot of land. Rather than easily let family members travel far. Moreover, even after overcoming the practical difficulties of funding, road conditions, and safety. There remained a more invisible barrier. The official restrictions on travel. Starting from quite early dynasties. In order to maintain social order and agricultural production. The court implemented systems to control population movement. If ordinary commoners wanted to leave their registered place of residence. They had to report the reason to the authorities. And obtain the corresponding permit. These permits went by different names in different dynasties. But their essence was always a travel permission. Without one, leaving one's hometown without authorization was considered a violation. For peasants, obtaining such permission was not easy. In the eyes of the government. Their primary duty was to till the land and ensure the food supply. Unless they had clear reasons such as visiting relatives. Conducting business, or taking examinations. Applications were often rejected. So the carefree, dashing travelers we see in poetry and literature. Were actually extremely rare special cases. They were either from privileged backgrounds. Or lived in periods when regulations were relatively relaxed. Or received support from local officials. For most ordinary people. No permit meant no freedom to leave at will. Of course, people of different social statuses. Faced varying degrees of difficulty when traveling. Merchants might hold a business permit. But they still had to deal with various inspections and fees along the way. The journey was far from easy. Scholars rushing to take the imperial exams. Represented one of the few forms of long-distance travel encouraged by the system. Yet the hardships they endured were still beyond our imagination. Officials had relatively better travel conditions. But they had to strictly follow regulations. Any delay could bring trouble instead. Travel by water might seem faster, but it was no easier. Boats were heavily affected by weather. Navigation conditions were limited. And river channels were complicated. Every water journey required careful planning as well. As some historians have commented. For the ancients, going out was not a relaxing or enjoyable experience. It was something that required repeated deliberation. They often had to prepare for a long time for a single trip. And bear all kinds of unpredictable risks. Precisely because of this. Most people chose to stay rooted in one place. And cherished the life they had. But that wasn't mere conservatism. It was the most rational way of survival under the real conditions of the time. And it is precisely these small, accumulated bits of history. That have made the freedom to travel the everyday reality we enjoy today. This is the History and Culture channel. Liking and subscribing are the greatest help and support to us. Thank you everyone and see you in the next time.