Li Shizhen and Bencao Gangmu
Li Shizhen (1518 - 1593) was born in Qichun of Huguang (in today's Qichun, Hubei province). He was a well-known medical specialist and pharmacologist. Influenced by his family, he was deeply interested in medical treatment and decided to devote himself to the art of healing. At the age of 24, Li Shizhen formally began to make treatment. Due to his diligence, his leechcraft was excellent and cured many complex diseases.

Noticing that the classical works on medicine contained many mistakes and obscurities, Li determined to write a definitive materia media.

He read many medical books, and also paid close attention to site visits and collecting herbs. He spent 30 years on his work, which he completed at the age of 60. His book, titled Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Media) contains details of over 1,800 kinds of herbs and other medicinal materials, 10,000 prescriptions and over 1,000 illustrations. It was the most scientific description of traditional Chinese medicine of its time, and is still used today. It has been translated into several major languages.

Xu Guangqi and Encyclopedia of Agriculture
Xu Guangqi (1562 - 1633), born in Shanghai, studied astronomy, mathematics and the art of making firearms under Matteo Ricci, an Italian missionary. He made great contributions to the introdution of Western natural science to China and to develop science in China, including scientific agriculture, as embodied in his Encyclopedia of Agricuture.

In his book, with a scientific approach Xu summarized traditional Chinese technologies, such as agricultural tools, soil, ittigation and fertilization, etc. He also introduced the irrigation works in Europe. There are pictures, endorsements, and illustrations in his book. Rich in content, it was regarded as one of the best of the ancient Chinese Encyclopedia on agriculture.

Song Yingxing and Exploitation of the Works of Nature
Song Yingxing (1587 - 1666), born in Jiangxi, was one of the scientists of late Ming Dynasty. Among the many books he wrote, his Exploitation of the Works of Nature was the most influcential. Its contents cover almost every aspect of social and economic life of China in the 17th century, and it was praised as the technology encyclopedia of that time.

Xu Xiake and Xu Xiake's Travels
Xu Xiake (1586 - 1641), born in Jiangsu, was an eminent traveler and geographer of the 17th century. Puzzled by conflicting references in books of geography, history and travels, he decided to investigate for himself. From the age of 22, Xu Xiake spent 30 years traveling all over China. He recorded his observations in diary form in his Xu Xiake's Travels.

This book is still of great importance of the study of Chinese geomorphology, hydrology, distribution of animals, plants, mineral resources. etc.