Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "fujian"

Sailing across the Seas: Fujian and the West by Weiwei Wu

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


China has been involved in maritime trade since the 1st century BC. Trading overseas took on greater importance during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 to 907) and their vessels sailed on what came to be known as the Maritime Silk Road (MSR). Sailing Across the Seas utilizes photographs, artifacts, and architecture with brief textual explanations to review the people, advancements, and cultural exchanges that played significant roles in maritime trade. The hope is that by studying the past, we can bring new life to the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road.

This title is one in a series (Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road edited by Xie Bizhen) and it focuses on a region in southeast China that has played a central role in overseas trade. One of the most important ports was Quanzhou, which was both the embarkation and debarkation locus of the MSR. From the second half of the 10th century through the 13th, Fujian shipbuilders utilized the latest advances in their vocation to build the best vessels and their seamen implemented the latest technology in navigation. The MSR upon which they sailed permitted cultural exchanges with other countries, be they as near as Japan or Korea or as far away as Africa, Europe, and America. For example, Zheng He made seven such voyages while Europeans sent missionaries who wrote about life in China and introduced Western religion and ways to the Chinese.

The book is divided into six sections. The first covers early voyages, which includes one that predates Marco Polo’s travels, and Christianity’s spread. The second part explores colonists, merchants, and trade commodities, while the next section discusses the conflicts and battles that impacted trade and China. The fourth part focuses on disputes arising from religions, both Western intrusions and the spread of Neo-Confucianism in the West. Tea and coolies are the principal focus of the fifth section. The final section examines people, especially those involved in interactions between East and West and Fujians who helped to spread their knowledge to other countries.

Sailing Across the Seas is beautifully illustrated and packs a wealth of introductory information. At times, the text doesn’t read as smoothly as it could if written by a native English speaker, but there is sufficient information provided for readers to get the point. One helpful feature that is missing are dates; at present, one must look up a dynasty name or a specific fact to determine when events happened. A bibliography is provided and even though there is no index, paging through the book and reviewing the table of contents makes it easy to find specific information. Wu does a commendable job providing opposing viewpoints, and it’s refreshing to view China and Fujian from a perspective not usually encountered in Western maritime literature.


(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adultpirat...)



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Across the Sea: Fujian and Southeast Asia by Yuan Zhang

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Silk Road was a land route that established trade between China and Europe. Imperial China also traded with eleven countries in Southeast Asia via the sea, with Fujian being the principal Chinese point of contact with foreigners. These routes were part of the Maritime Silk Road, and this volume of the Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road series examines trade within this network of countries.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), Governor Wang Shenzhi lays the groundwork for Fujian to play a central role in overseas trade, but the earliest trading ventures between China and Southeast Asia date back to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). The port of Fuzhou will play such a key role that it becomes one of three where trade with foreigners is permitted by imperial decree. Admiral Zheng He will begin his seven treasure expeditions from Fujian beginning in the 15th century.

Trade is not one-sided; instead, Chinese go to other countries and mariners of those regions come to China. Copper, iron, and ceramics are traded for currency, jewelry, and spices. Zhao Rushi writes about these cultural exchanges in A Description of Barbarian Nations, Records of Foreign People, just as medieval travelers Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta write of the port of Quanzhou. Gunarata, a monk from Funan (Cambodia), becomes the first to visit Fujian to translate Buddhist scriptures and preach. Over time, emigrants leave China to establish communities in Southeast Asian countries, bringing with them their artisanship, their literature, and their art, as well as techniques for planting sugarcane and building with brick.

There are times when the emperor decrees sea bans against maritime trade with foreigners, which give rise to pirate merchants who engage in smuggling and plundering. One of the most powerful is Zheng Zhilong and later, his son Zheng Chenggong.

There are a few drawbacks to this book. One is the price, but the information provided is unique and rarely found in other English volumes. Consistency in measurements (kilometers versus miles) and the inclusion of dynastic dates would help to better orient readers unfamiliar with Chinese history.

Even so, this series is an engaging combination of narrative and illustration that depicts the history of the Maritime Silk Road and Fujian’s participation. Each volume can be purchased separately, and Across the Sea includes portraits, sample pages of historical documents, architecture, boats and ships, archaeological artifacts, agricultural products, temples, and statues. I am particularly intrigued by artwork showing native costumes, such as those of Bantam and Chinese merchants. Equally fascinating is the information about tea and the history of its exportation, as well as religious beliefs of Chinese who venture overseas. Anyone seeking an introduction to the Maritime Silk Road, and Fujian’s roles in Imperial Chinese maritime history, is richly rewarded in this book.

(Review originally posted at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-expl...)



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By the Wind: Fujian and Northeast Asia by Jinhong Zhang

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sometimes, it helps to comprehend the past in order to improve the future. This is the premise behind the Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road series edited by Xie Bizhen. By the Wind examines one aspect of this history – the maritime trade between the province of Fujian, China, and Korea and Japan, ties that date back to the early years of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE). The mountainous terrain of Fujian makes the sea a natural point of egress and ingress, which is why Fujianese merchants venture near and far aboard ships.

The earliest exchanges between Fujian and Northeast Asia document the sea routes that lead to thriving ports and renowned shipbuilding, especially during the Tang Dynasty (7th to beginning of 10th centuries). During the 900s, Fuzhou and Quanzhou become the principal ports involved in foreign trade. Among the goods purchased by those living on the Korean Peninsula are ivory, lacquerware, musical instruments, porcelain, tea, and wine. The Japanese favor books, copper coins, medicine, silk, spices, and stationery. Fujian merchants import folding fans, mercury, sulfur, swords, and timber from Japan, while Korean ginseng, horses, and weapons are in demand.

Commercial goods are not the only items that travel to and from Fujian and its trading partners. Buddhist monks sail back and forth, recording religious, cultural, and legal observations. Scriptures are translated and temples are built. Jianzhen sails to Japan six times. Duhou Xingshi, author of the four-volume The Five-cloud Collection, spends thirty-four years there. These monks show the Japanese how to prepare tea, which in turn becomes key components in their rituals. Ideas, customs, and printing techniques are among the other exchanges that occur.

There are periods when maritime trade experiences disruptions. Unrest in 14th-century Japan leads warriors and peasants to invade and plunder the coastal regions of Korea and Fujian, which significantly impacts Fujian socially and economically. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, some Chinese emperors mandate bans on trade with foreigners, which gives rise to smuggling in Fujian.

The book does have a few weaknesses. For example, there is a lack of consistency in capitalization. Assumptions are sometimes made regarding the familiarity of readers with Chinese history and culture. The mention of dynasties without actual dates is one example of this. Another is the reference to tea frying, something I had never heard of even though I enjoy drinking tea.

The strength of this volume is the wealth of information on Fujian during the Imperial period of Chinese history. Although it isn’t presented in great detail, what is shared serves as a good introduction on a variety of topics related to maritime trade, much of which is unfamiliar to English readers. Equally compelling are the illustrations, which allow readers to glimpse the rich history and culture without being able to explore either firsthand. I particularly enjoy the array of ships and close-ups of ship models that allow me to visually study the differences between vessels from Fujian, Northeast Asia, and Europe. I also like the ancient nautical charts, such as Nautical Charts of the Imperial Envoys to Ryukyu drawn by Zhe Henian and the double-page spread of a dragon dance in front a temple devoted to Mazu, the Chinese goddess of the sea.

As with the other titles in the series, By the Wind is a stimulating and immersive overview of Fujian’s role in the Maritime Silk Road, specifically as it regards China’s commercial and cultural exchanges with Korea and Japan.

(Review originally posted at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-expl...)



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Fujian in the Sea: Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road by Shuoxuan Chen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


During the 1st century BCE, Chinese sailors venture from Guangdong to India. They don’t seek to establish trade relations between the two countries. They seek luxurious treasures and an elixir of immortality for the emperor. Economic development will not become of prime importance until the Bureau of Foreign Shipping is established, and Fujian is well-situated geographically to play a key role in overseas trade and the transportation of envoys and passengers between China and foreign countries.

The mountainous terrain of Fujian insures that the seven tribes living there favor the sea as their primary means of livelihood and sustainability. The forests provide shipwrights with the resources needed to establish flourishing shipyards where the best and most technologically advanced vessels of the day are built. With water covering half of the province, waterways provide the main source of transportation from one location to another, connecting major rivers like Min, Jin, Jiulong, Ting, and Mulan to the sea. In time, corruption, strife, and unrest within Imperial China cause members of the Eight Families of Fujian (Chen, He, Hu, Huang, Lin, Qiu, Zhan, and Zheng) to venture beyond the shores of China, and the Maritime Silk Road is key to this trade and emigration.

Just as people leave China, so do foreigners visit the country via Fujian, allowing for the exchange of culture and information. New crops – corn, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and tobacco – are introduced in China, while the manufacture of lacquerware and porcelain, the production of paper, and the smelting of iron are just some of the processes shared with other countries. Europeans such as Catholic priests Matteo Ricci and Giulio Aleni share their religious beliefs during their visits to China. The Chinese introduce the compass and gunpowder to Arabs, who teach astronomy, math, and medicine to the Fujianese. What both sides come to realize is that they possess similarities and differences, which lead to both greater understanding and controversy.

Fujian in the Seais part of the Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road series edited by Xie Bizhen. It presents a fair portrait of Fujian’s maritime history and participation in maritime trade, although there are a few occasions where only the Chinese view is presented. What makes both this title and the series unique and of value to maritime and Chinese history collections is that they present glimpses into China and especially Fujian that Western readers rarely see. The inclusion of photographs, artifacts, pages from historical documents, and ancestral halls with the narrative unify the information presented to showcase the important role the Fujianese have played throughout China’s maritime history. It emphasizes that there is more to commerce and the Maritime Silk Road than just trade goods.

(Review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-expl...)



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Echoes across the Sea: Fujian, Persia, and the Arab World by Yuling Ding

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Trade between East and West was facilitated by Chinese, Persian, and Arab merchants, comprising key components of the Maritime Silk Road. This volume of the Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road series examines the interactions and connections by sea between this region of the world and Fujian, China, which first started during the Tang Dynasty of Imperial China (AD 618-907). (Earlier exchanges took place via land as far back as the Han Dynasty.)

Described as being of “eight mountains, one river, and one field,” Fujian played a key role in maritime trade because most people were forced to venture asea to make their livings and to survive. (2) The first chapter explores this maritime tradition and includes photographs of early artifacts, such as boat coffins and the remains of a Han canoe. Fuzhou became renowned for shipbuilding, while Quanzhou served as a key port that welcomed foreign travelers to China. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), ships sailed to and from this city and fifty-eight other countries. One section of the chapter is devoted to the various types of vessels that the Fujianese utilized, such as the niaochuan, a boat with a bow resembling a bird’s beak and eyes painted on either side. The photographs and other artwork clearly demonstrate the differences between these crafts. The work and quality of Fujianese shipwrights made them ideal for the building of naval ships and for those that sailed to faraway shores, such as Admiral Zheng He’s fleet, a model of which is included in this chapter.

The second chapter focuses on the mosques erected in Fujian by Muslim immigrants. They serve as evidence of the close cultural ties between China and the Middle East. One of the earliest is Qingjing Mosque, built in 1009 and the only one that still exists to showcase Central Asian medieval architecture. Many photographs take readers to the most historically important mosques. While places of worship are the focus of the second chapter, the third examines Islamic tombstones. Their inscriptions provide insights into the lives of those who journeyed to and lived in Fujian. Two disciples of Muhammad from the 7th century are buried in Quanzhou.

Chapter four looks at Muslim families who settled in Quanzhou, including the Pu (known for perfume), the Ding (including Ding Gongchen, an expert in military firearms who authored a number of studies on the subject), and the Guo (sea traders and fishermen). These families’ architecture best shows the intertwining of Islamic and Chinese cultures.

The fifth chapter delves into trade commodities and tributes. Persian and Arab merchants bring with them incense, such as frankincense (used ritualistically and to aid medicinally). Pepper, or black gold, is a spice used to flavor food or help cure ailments. The Chinese export cinnamon, musk, and rhubarb. Among the plants introduced to China are jasmine, henna, narcissus, and aloe. Tribute items include ivory, tortoiseshell, and pearls. Another important aspect of culture exchange pertains to etiquette and customs of daily life, such as murals, festivals, Arabic calligraphy, and the hijab that women wear. Also covered is the production and trading of Fujianese porcelain, whose importance is evidenced in the 2007 discovery of the Nanhai One shipwreck.

A key feature of this book is the inclusion of dates, rather than simply identifying dynasties or centuries. The artwork of ships is amazing, although some lack translations of the Chinese that appears with the illustrations, such as on that of the Xiamen Ship. (I believe these identify ship parts, but that is only an educated guess.) Also of importance is that this volume includes more narrative than in other books in the series and the English translation is seamless. The authors felt it important enough to include details about when boats sail and how long trips take – tidbits that are rarely included in many works, but which are of interest to some readers. This title also includes one of the most extensive lists of references. Echoes Across the Sea is a fascinating window into China’s maritime world and how cultural exchanges with other countries affected its own evolution and history.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Ding-Lin.html)



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From Sea Routes to Silk Roads: Fujian and the Ryukyu Kingdom by chen xie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In 1372, King Satto of the small island kingdom of Ryukyu (Okinawa) wished to formalize his country’s relationship with China. Fujian sailors had begun trading with the island for many years, but now the king desired to establish diplomatic ties and become a tributary state. This formal relation continued until 1879, when Japan annexed the island.

From Sea Routes to Silk Roads – part of the Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road series – focuses on the connections between Fujian, China and Ryukyu. The port of Quanzhou provided the link, although Fuzhou later became the point of embarkation and debarkation for diplomatic missions. Details about these exchanges provide intriguing information about the envoys who visited Ryukyu. For example, those sent between 1403 and 1425 “had committed crimes and were punished to guard the borders.” (22) Scrolls depict in art what the narrative highlights.

Another outgrowth from these relations is that Fujianese shipwrights lend their expertise to Ryukyu, which allows the islanders to build “a thriving maritime trade known as Wan Guo Jin Liang (a bridge to all countries).” (16) The authors include fascinating facts and illustrations of Fujian shipyards and imperial mission ships known as fengzhou, as well as some traditions that seafarers practice when navigating from one place to another and the sea gods they believe in, such as Lady Linshui and the Sea Dragon King. The Fujian Bureau for Foreign Shipping manages the trade, and some architecture pertaining to this exists today. Whether for tribute or trade, merchants deal in sulfur, whetstones, kelp, copper, pepper, and products from logwood trees. Craftsmen share their knowledge and products, such as lacquerware and textiles.

The book contains a wealth of black-&-white and color illustrations that include maps, photographs, paintings, sample documents, and artifacts that show the connections between Fujian and Ryukyu. Among these are the Wan Guo Jin Liang Bell (1458) and pages from Shun Feng Xiang Song, an early chart depicting the sea route that Fujian sailors create during the days of the Song and Yuan emperors. Within the Forbidden City are items of tribute from Ryukyu, which originally come from other countries, such as Japanese armor and swords.

Of course, trade often leads to immigrants, and one section of this book is devoted to the thirty-six families from Min (China) who move to Ryukyu. There, they establish communities that become their home away from home and integrate the two cultures. People from Ryukyu also travel to China, and evidence of their time in the empire can be found in Fujian’s cemeteries. In addition, cross-cultural evidence is presented in each other’s cuisine.

From Sea Routes to Silk Roads is an engaging introduction to one facet of the Maritime Silk Road. Specific details are presented here that are absent from other books in the series, and sometimes in greater depth. Although impossible to display one long scroll that is currently held in Japan, the authors feel it important enough to subdivide the scroll so readers can view and study the segments across nine pages of what a Chinese diplomatic corps of the period looked like upon arrival in Ryukyu. This volume is one of the most thorough and insightful presentations in the series that happily avoids weaknesses found in its other titles.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Xie-Lin.html)



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