An Austrian-American explorer, scientist, linguist, photographer, and writer, Joseph Francis Charles Rock, travelled extensively through Tibet, Yunnan, Gansu, and Sichuan provinces in China for more than 25 years.
An
Austrian-American
explorer
,
scientist
,
linguist
,
photographer
,
and
writer
,
Joseph
Francis
Charles
Rock
,
travelled
extensively
through
Tibet
,
Yunnan
,
Gansu
,
and
Sichuan
provinces
in
China
for
more
than
25
years
.
In 1924, Harvard sent Joseph Francis Rock on a treasure hunt through China's southwestern provinces-the Wild West of their day.
In
1924
,
Harvard
sent
Joseph
Francis
Rock
on
a
treasure
hunt
through
China
's
southwestern
provinces-the
Wild
West
of
their
day
.
But gold and silver weren't his task: Rock, a splendid botanist, just wanted to fill his bags with all the seeds, young trees, and small bushes he could find.
But
gold
and
silver
were
n't
his
task
:
Rock
,
a
splendid
botanist
,
just
wanted
to
fill
his
bags
with
all
the
seeds
,
young
trees
,
and
small
bushes
he
could
find
.
He collected 20,000 pieces of different pl ants for the Arnold Arboretum altogether.
He
collected
20,000
pieces
of
different
pl
ants
for
the
Arnold
Arboretum
altogether
.
Botany, though, was just one of Rock's strengths.
Botany
,
though
,
was
just
one
of
Rock
's
strengths
.
He also took hundreds of photos of the Naxi, a tribe in Yunnan province, recording their now-lost way of life for both Harvard and National Geographic, and took notes for a 500-page dictionary of their language.
He
also
took
hundreds
of
photos
of
the
Naxi
,
a
tribe
in
Yunnan
province
,
recording
their
now-lost
way
of
life
for
both
Harvard
and
National
Geographic
,
and
took
notes
for
a
500-page
dictionary
of
their
language
.
His hand-drawn map of his travels through China's "Cho-Ni" area, in the Harvard Map Collection, includes more than a thousand rivers, towns, and mountains shown in both English and Chinese, and was so well made that the U.S.government used it to plan attacks from planes in World War II.
His
hand-drawn
map
of
his
travels
through
China
's
``
Cho-Ni
''
area
,
in
the
Harvard
Map
Collection
,
includes
more
than
a
thousand
rivers
,
towns
,
and
mountains
shown
in
both
English
and
Chinese
,
and
was
so
well
made
that
the
U.S.government
used
it
to
plan
attacks
from
planes
in
World
War
II
.
In declaring his successful return under the headline "Seeking Strange Flowers, in the Far Reaches of the World," the Boston Evening Transcript ran a large photo of the daring explorer wearing a woolly coat and fox-skin hat.
In
declaring
his
successful
return
under
the
headline
``
Seeking
Strange
Flowers
,
in
the
Far
Reaches
of
the
World
,
''
the
Boston
Evening
Transcript
ran
a
large
photo
of
the
daring
explorer
wearing
a
woolly
coat
and
fox-skin
hat
.
It was said that in discussing his heroism including hair-raising escapes from death either from mountain slides, snow slides or from robber armies, he waved the idea away as if it was of no importance.
It
was
said
that
in
discussing
his
heroism
including
hair-raising
escapes
from
death
either
from
mountain
slides
,
snow
slides
or
from
robber
armies
,
he
waved
the
idea
away
as
if
it
was
of
no
importance
.
The Arboretum and Rock separated from each other after 1927 mainly because his trip cost Harvard a fortune-about $900,000 in today's dollars.
The
Arboretum
and
Rock
separated
from
each
other
after
1927
mainly
because
his
trip
cost
Harvard
a
fortune-about
$
900,000
in
today
's
dollars
.
Fortunately, what he brought back remains, including amazing photos and his great stories.
Fortunately
,
what
he
brought
back
remains
,
including
amazing
photos
and
his
great
stories
.
An Austrian-American explorer, scientist, linguist, photographer, and writer, Joseph Francis Charles Rock, travelled extensively through Tibet, Yunnan, Gansu, and Sichuan provinces in China for more than 25 years.  In 1924, Harvard sent Joseph Francis Rock on a treasure hunt through China's southwestern provinces-the Wild West of their day. But gold and silver weren't his task: Rock, a splendid botanist, just wanted to fill his bags with all the seeds, young trees, and small bushes he could find. He collected 20,000 pieces of different pl ants for the Arnold Arboretum altogether. Botany, though, was just one of Rock's strengths. He also took hundreds of photos of the Naxi, a tribe in Yunnan province, recording their now-lost way of life for both Harvard and National Geographic, and took notes for a 500-page dictionary of their language. His hand-drawn map of his travels through China's "Cho-Ni" area, in the Harvard Map Collection, includes more than a thousand rivers, towns, and mountains shown in both English and Chinese, and was so well made that the U.S.government used it to plan attacks from planes in World War II.  In declaring his successful return under the headline "Seeking Strange Flowers, in the Far Reaches of the World," the Boston Evening Transcript ran a large photo of the daring explorer wearing a woolly coat and fox-skin hat. It was said that in discussing his heroism including hair-raising escapes from death either from mountain slides, snow slides or from robber armies, he waved the idea away as if it was of no importance.  The Arboretum and Rock separated from each other after 1927 mainly because his trip cost Harvard a fortune-about $900,000 in today's dollars. Fortunately, what he brought back remains, including amazing photos and his great stories.