Sailing into a New Golden Age 

After Zheng He鈥檚 many maritime expeditions, the importance of Southeast Asia became more imperative than ever to China. This event was a major turning point in transportation and communications. It meant the scope of communication on land had been expanded to include the oceans. The highly developed techniques of sailing and shipbuilding in China were very important contributions to the world of transportation. In the past, horses and carriages were needed when people exchanged information and this was done only on land. But when people began to communicate by sea, advanced shipbuilding techniques were required. That is why this must be seen a major turning point and step forward in human history.

At the end of the 15th century, the Chinese government altered its maritime policy. As a result, seafaring came to an end and nautical records of navigation and shipbuilding plans were burnt and destroyed. Since that time the Chinese shipbuilding industry began to stagnate. Luckily, the heritage of Chinese shipbuilding techniques still made its mark and was recognized by historians, as a premier maritime pioneer and leader.

Wan Ming, Director of Chinese Academy of Social Science

Why did Chinese shipbuilding techniques gradually lag behind the West? In my opinion, the Industrial Revolution in the West, particularly the invention of the steam engine, prompted great development in science and technology there. While in China, there was no momentum to force this development. In the end, China got left behind.

From the 1860s, both China and Japan embarked on building new navys. Shipbuilding techniques in both countries were at a low ebb, so the Chinese government, just like Japan, invested large sums of money to buy the most modern warships from the West.

In 1894, the Sino-Japanese War broke out. China lost that war. During a sea battle Chinese sailors of the Beiyang Fleet fought a desperate battle. Running out of ammunition, the鈥淶hiyuan鈥rammed the Japanese battleship 鈥淵oshino鈥 Finally, the 鈥淶hiyuan鈥 with 252 sailors on board, was torpedoed and sunk.

In fact, the result of the war was predictable. The poorly equipped Chinese navy like the ship the 鈥淶hiyuan鈥led to that defeat.

After the war, China attempted to modernize its industry. But modern industry in China lagged far behind the West. It was not fully developed until the founding of new China in 1949.

On April 15th, 1960, the Dongfeng, the first ocean-going cargo ship of tens of thousand tons designed and made by China launched its virgin sail from Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard Factory, which was a new milestone in the development of the Chinese shipbuilding industry.

The Dongfeng was built in the 1960s when China was experiencing its most difficult period of economic difficulties in international trade caused by import and export blockade exerted by the Western powers.

Wang Bohe, Engineer of Former Ship Engine Department of Science and Technology Bureau

When 鈥淒ongfeng鈥was first built, my colleagues and I were so excited and proud. It was entirely a 鈥渕ade in China鈥ship. With the spirit of hard work and independence, we produced our own equipment and material. And we had our own technicians too. I still remember the day 鈥淒ongfeng鈥was completed. I was on a train back from Shanghai. Hearing the news, I burst into tears.