王韜為中國近代化運動改革先驅，1862年因上書太平天國事件遭清廷通緝，流亡海外22年。1867-1870年，他接受英華書院院長理雅各邀請，赴歐協助譯書，此趟歐陸之旅，為中國文化知識菁英第一次以自由身份對歐洲的實地考察，別具開創意義。在旅行途中，王韜體驗了大量西方物質文明的劇烈衝擊，旅行相關記錄《漫遊隨錄》卻於遊歐後約20年（1887年）方於上海《申報》館發行的《點石齋畫報》上連載刊出。這部遊記除了記錄歐遊見聞外，也描述了歐遊以前的江南之行與上海、香港旅居生活。面對舊有知識體系無法盡述的新奇物質文明，王韜以大量傳統中國意象堆疊出迷離模糊的新物質樣貌，此種認知框架也消解掉物質本身的異國色彩，「光怪陸離，難于逼視」的抽象感嘆是他另一種慣用的詮釋手法，兩種書寫習慣的結合，使得《漫遊隨錄》的異域物質形象看似清晰、實則難辨。物質文化同時也反映出作者的自我形象，王韜堅持於異國以博帶寬袍的中國儒者裝扮現身，象徵自我認同的文化價值，故里之遊所強調的蓮、梅、松三種植物意象，則暗喻自我的君子形象；以物出發，行旅既久，王韜逐漸朝向制度、思想層面的探索，體認物質背後的文化、政治、經濟、社會、教育……等多元意涵，建構出具有層次轉換的書寫方式，使得此趟旅行更為精采深刻。

Wang Tao was the reformation forerunner in China's modernization movement. In 1862, he objected to the Taiping Rebellion and was then wanted by the Qing government. He spent the following 22 years in exile. From 1867-1870, while at Ying Wa College, Wang Tao accepted Dean James Legge's invitation to go to Europe to assist with translation of books. He was the first Chinese intellectual who could unofficially travel to Europe in late Qing. In his unique travels, Wang Tao experienced the dramatic impact of Western material civilization. In 1887, he serialized his travelogue ”Selections from Jottings of Carefree Travels” on the Dianshizhai Illustrated Journal issued by the Shanghai Shen newspaper. This personal memoir includes not only the record of his travels to Europe, but also describes his trip to Jiangnan and stays in Shanghai and Hong Kong before going to Europe.Because the old knowledge system could not describe Western material civilization accurately, Wang Tao used traditional Chinese imagery to highlight the blurred and fuzzy appearance of the new material. This cognitive framework incorporated the exotic colors of the material. His alternative to the usual interpretation was to use the technique of abstract amazement, such as ”It is bizarre and difficult to watch intently.” The combination of these two writing habits made the foreign material images in ”Selections from Jottings of Carefree Travels” seemingly clear, but also hard to determine. Creating the material images through Wang Tao's writing techniques made his memoir splendid and profound. His memoir also reflects the author's self-image. Wang Tao insisted on wearing Chinese Confucian dress in foreign countries because it reflects Chinese cultural values. In his hometown tour, he emphasized ”three kinds of plants” imagery - the lotus, plum, and pine - which is a metaphor for himself, the image of a gentleman.With more travel time, Wang Tao gradually turned towards exploring the institutional and ideological levels of society. He recognized the diverse implications derived from cultural, political, economic, social, and educational differences.