Li Daoyuan (simplified Chinese: 郦道元; traditional Chinese: 酈道元; pinyin: Lì Dàoyuán; 466 or 472 in Zhuo County, Hebei – 527) was a Chinese geographer, writer, and politician during the Northern Wei Dynasty. He is known as the author of the Commentary on the Water Classic (Shuijingzhu), a monumental work on China's geography in ancient times.Li Daoyuan used his position as an official with business in different places to carry field investigations. He is known to have visited the area...

The Annotations on the Waterway Classic (Chinese: 水经注; pinyin: Shuǐ Jīng Zhù) is a work on the ancient geography of China, describing the traditional understanding of its waterways and ancient canals, compiled by Li Daoyuan during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD). The book is divided into sections by river, each described with its source, course, and major tributaries, including cultural and historical notes.The work is much expanded from its source text, the older (and now lo...