Xu Xiake
In addition to alchemical theory posed above, later Chinese writers such as the Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen (1518–1593 AD) wrote of mineralogy in similar terms of Aristotle's metaphysical theory, as the latter wrote in his pharmaceutical treatise "Běncǎo Gāngmù" (本草綱目, "Compendium of Materia Medica", 1596). Another figure from the Ming era, the famous geographer Xu Xiake (1587–1641) wrote of mineral beds and mica schists in his treatise. However, while European literature on mineralogy became wide and varied, the writers of the Ming and Qing dynasties wrote little of the subject (even compared to Chinese of the earlier Song era). The only other works from these two eras worth mentioning were the "Shi Pin" (Hierarchy of Stones) of Yu Jun in 1617, the "Guai Shi Lu" (Strange Rocks) of Song Luo in 1665, and the "Guan Shi Lu" (On Looking at Stones) in 1668. However, one figure from the Song era that is worth mentioning above all is Shen Kuo.