By outdoor-nature-child.com On October 25, Liu Linshuang, a member of the standing committee of the Quanzhou Municipal Committee and the Minister of the Publicity Department, remarked on the historical significance of the Song Dynasty ship unearthed in Quanzhou Bay, stating, “In 1974, archaeologists uncovered a Song Dynasty ship that had lain dormant for over 700 years, astonishing the world.” He emphasized that five decades later, this ancient maritime vessel has become a bridge connecting China to the world, transmitting messages of peace, friendship, and progress.
The city of Quanzhou launched a series of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Song Dynasty ship, featuring the grand opening of the exhibition titled “Half a Century of Protection—50 Years Since the Unearthing of the Song Ship in Quanzhou Bay.” This exhibition highlights the unique charm of Chinese boat culture and the rich heritage of maritime civilization.
The Quanzhou Bay Ancient Ship Museum, located within the Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, showcases the Song Dynasty ship and its accompanying artifacts discovered at the Houzhu Port in 1974. As the only ancient wooden sailing ship returned from overseas that has been excavated in China, the Song Dynasty ship serves as a crucial artifact for studying China’s maritime trade, historical economic and cultural exchanges with foreign countries, and the history of shipbuilding in China.
Over the past 50 years, the Song Dynasty ship has played a key role in promoting domestic and international exhibitions, academic exchanges, cultural heritage protection, and science education, contributing significantly to Quanzhou’s reputation as a City of World Heritage and attracting global attention.
During the event, the Quanzhou Cultural, Broadcasting, and Tourism Bureau signed a cooperation agreement with the Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Institute of Peking University, aimed at showcasing and explaining the historical significance and precious value of Quanzhou’s ancient architecture. Additionally, the Quanzhou Municipal Government signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the China Center for International Cultural Exchanges to position Quanzhou as a world-renowned tourist destination and enhance its international influence.
The Quanzhou Maritime History Museum also collaborated with key research bases on traditional Chinese medicine cultural relics and Beijing Forestry University to establish “Research Centers for Foreign Medicinal Artifacts” and “Scientific Bases for Monitoring and Protecting Wooden Artifacts,” marking a new chapter in cultural heritage protection and research. Huang Wuzhi, a witness to the ship’s excavation, along with his son Huang Dongwei, donated a handcrafted model of the Song Dynasty ship to the Quanzhou Maritime History Museum.
The father-and-son duo, from a family of shipbuilders in Quanzhou, expressed that the excavation of the Song Dynasty ship greatly influenced their work. In honor of this occasion, they created a ship model themed around the Song ship, preserving ancient techniques like watertight compartments, fish-scale overlaps, and multiple planks, which are at risk of being lost. They hope to carry forward these ancient shipbuilding skills and demonstrate the significance of maritime history and culture.
Additionally, an academic seminar titled “Sunken Ships and Ports,” along with a commemorative conference for the 50th anniversary of the Song Dynasty ship’s discovery, is scheduled for October 26. This gathering will bring together experts and scholars from both domestic and international backgrounds to discuss topics such as ancient shipwrecks and port development, the protection of sunken ships, and the origins of shipbuilding technology, as they collaboratively explore new pathways for cultural heritage protection.