Tianjin University establishes database for rebuilding ancient ships

Co-hosted by Tianjin University Ocean Media Laboratory and Ningde Jiaocheng district, the opening ceremony of the ancient ship reconstruction program was launched on June 8.

TJU Ocean Media Laboratory is a cross-subject platform for data analysis of ocean videos all over the world, and presents TJU's research findings in ocean construction.

Taking advantage of the current rebuilding of ancient ships and utilizing the data obtained from the process of rebuilding, TJU Ocean Media Laboratory and the Association for the Study of Watertight Capsules in Chinese Treasure Ships, a type of large wooden ship in the fleet of admiral Zheng He, will carry out research on the ship technology of ancient China and promote it utilizing new media.

Workers are busy rebuilding the ancient ship. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The ancient ships of the Southern Song Dynasty(1127-1279) are witness to the development of the Maritime Silk Road and the deep friendship between Chinese and other peoples around the world. They also constitute one type of rediscovered ancient ship that used watertight capsule technology, which is a milestone in maritime history and is of great importance to many academic fields, including history, politics, and economics.

The ancient ship reconstruction program will utilize a series of archaeological findings including including the profile of Song Dynasty wrecks discovered near Houzhu port, Fujian province and Huaguang Reef, Hainan province.The well-honed skills, navigational techniques and inventions of ship building from the Song Dynasty will be reproduced. The two ancient ships rebuilt will set sail along the Maritime Silk Road once again, pass by the Headquarters of UNESCO, and demonstrate their watertight technology in the modern era.

Workers reconstruct the hull of the ancient ship. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Traditional colorful decorations are painted on the ship. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The "Watertight Capsule" was a significant invention of ship building in ancient times. Cabins were divided by partitions, and became watertight capsules, cutting off their connections with the cabins next to them. The principle was applied to Zheng He's fleet to strengthen the ships and allow them to slice safely through the sea. With the seven voyages of Zheng He's fleet, the watertight capsule technology spread all the way to Europe and was gradually adopted by shipbuilders around the world.

A worker saws the wood for rebuilding the ancient ship. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Ningde still functions as an important harbor on China's stretch of the Maritime Silk Road, and has also inherited the skills needed to build Chinese treasure ships. The original shipbuilders started their work from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties and the work has continued for 23 generations up to today. Passed on in an orderly way for 650 years, "watertight capsule technology" was selected as a national grade intangible cultural heritage item in 2008, and was selected for UNESCO's "list of intangible cultural heritage urgently needed for protection" in 2010. Time will witness its further passing on from generation to generation, and exhibit China's efforts to protect its cultural heritage.