Five Ancient Shipwrecks Found in South China Sea

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 03, 2001

Five Ancient Shipwrecks Found in South China Sea

A 12-member archaeological team with the state research center of underwater archaeology recently discovered five ancient shipwrecks in the sea close to Dongshan county of southeast China's Fujian province.One of the five shipwrecks has been determined as an international trade vessel navigating during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

A 12-member archaeological team with the state research center of underwater archaeology recently discovered five ancient shipwrecks in the sea close to Dongshan county of southeast China's Fujian province.

Lin Guo, the team leader said that judging from the number and age of the pottery items discovered in the ten-day search, one of the five shipwrecks was an international trade vessel navigating during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Zhang Wei, director of the state research center of underwater archaeology, said that the team located the five wrecks' positions by means of high-tech sonar sensing devices. The success of this operation means more such explorations can be carried out in the future, he said.

The archaeologists will study the relics discovered in the wreckage and compare them with pieces found at other on-ground excavations to clearly determine their use and possibly gain more information about the ships that sank, he added.

The waters off Dongshan are part of the South China Sea and have been strategic military locations throughout history. The spot gained notoriety for its harsh underwater terrain which led to numerous boat accidents.

As a result of those shipwrecks, the area is rich in undersea archaeological resources, said experts in the field.

Zheng He: The World's first navigator

Speak of the world's first navigators and the names Christopher Columbus or Vasco da Gama flash through a Western mind. As early as over 1,000 years ago, Chinese commercial ships started to call at the Port of Jidda. In the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He, who led fleets to what was then called "West Sea" seven times.

In 1405, Zheng was chosen to lead the biggest naval expedition in history up to that time. Over the next 28 years (1405-1433), he commanded seven fleets that visited 37 countries, through Southeast Asia to faraway Africa and Arabia. In those years, China had more vessels afloat than all the rest of the world, and by far the biggest ships of the time. In 1420 the Ming navy dwarfed the combined navies of Europe.

Zheng He's first fleet included 27,870 men on 317 ships, including sailors, clerks, interpreters, soldiers, artisans, medical men and meteorologists. On board were large quantities of cargo including silk goods, porcelain, gold and silverware, copper utensils, iron implements and cotton goods. The fleet sailed along China's coast to Champa close to Vietnam and, after crossing the South China Sea, visited Java, Sumatra and reached Sri Lanka by passing through the Strait of Malacca. On the way back it sailed along the west coast of India and returned home in 1407. Envoys from Calicut in India and several countries in Asia and the Middle East also boarded the ships to pay visits to China. Zheng He's second and third voyages taken shortly after, followed roughly the same route.

In the fall of 1413, Zheng He set out with 30,000 men to Arabia on his fourth and most ambitious voyage. From Hormuz he coasted around the Arabian boot to Aden at the mouth of the Red Sea. The arrival of the fleet caused a sensation in the region, and 19 countries sent ambassadors to board Zheng He's ships with gifts for Emperor Yong Le.

In 1417, after two years in Nanjing and touring other cities, the foreign envoys were escorted home by Zheng He. On this trip, he sailed down the east coast of Africa, stopping at Mogadishu, Matindi, Mombassa and Zanzibar and may have reached Mozambique. The sixth voyage in 1421 also went to the African coast.

Emperor Yong Le died in 1424 shortly after Zheng He's return. Yet, in 1430 the admiral was sent on a final seventh voyage. Now 60 years old, Zeng He revisited the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and Africa and died on his way back in 1433 in India.

The first navigator, Sanbao, had sailed the longest distance of anyone in the world. He created a set of 24 surprisingly accurate navigation maps. He brought back many important discoveries including products of Renaissance Europe. His voyages contributed to economic and cultural exchanges between China and other nations, and he opened up sea routes for East-West trade just as Zhang Qian and Xuan Zang had opened up land routes.

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