This introductory chapter traces the origins of geography to the earliest stages of human civilization, emphasizing its role as one of the most ancient sciences. It examines how geography evolved from a survival tool into a discipline that actively shapes and transforms the environment. The chapter explores the development of historical geography in China, highlighting milestones such as the establishment of the Yu Gong Society and the launch of The Chinese Historical Geography journal in the 1930s. It underscores the significance of historical geography in analyzing the dynamic interactions between human activity and the environment over time. The chapter concludes with an overview of the book’s fifteen topics, which cover a wide range of subfields, including settlement, territorial, physical, agricultural, political, transportation, military, and urban geography.