Chinese treasure ship
Treasure ships ( Chinese:宝船; pinyin: bǎochuán ) are among the largest ever built sailing ships and were built under the reign of Emperor Yongle in China in the early 15th century. These ships were 59-84 meters long and allegedly contributed up to 9 poles.
Chinese ocean-going vessels
The Chinese ocean-going ships was marked by junks. In addition to these flat-bottomed vessels there were probably isolated during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) and other large ocean-going ships that shared many design features with junks. In contrast to the junks, these vessels possessed a V-shaped hull and had a keel. In 1973, the wreck of a ship was found in Quanzhou, which is probably decreased by 1270. Two layers of cedar planking in carvel construction extend beyond the 13 departments along the almost 33 -meter-long keel, which it reached a comparable with European ships of the time variable. In the hold of the wreck were still spices and scented woods that are to come from East Africa. The research suggested that the Chinese of the Song period tried to imitate a foreign shipbuilding tradition. Apparently it was in these experiments, because this technique can no longer be detected after 1270, was therefore not accepted for the Chinese shipbuilding. Whether this construction but eventually had an impact on the construction of the treasure ships, is completely unknown and can no longer be reconstructed.
The date the only archaeological find, which actually pointing to the existence of the large treasure ships, was excavated in 1957 in the ruins of the Dragon River shipyard ( in Nanjing). There is a 11 m long stern of pine wood on which the rudder of the ship was secured. First, we considered this to be the proof of the extraordinary size of the treasure ships. However, Chinese maritime historian objected since then, that when you put the underlying Ming dynasty vessels, this stern could only belong to vessels of 45 meters in total length.
Method of construction
Regarding the construction of the treasure ships the source location is thin. Descriptions of the ships appear in travelogues of Chinese translator Ma Huan on the journeys of Admiral Zheng He. Even the texts of the Ming Emperor Yongle (1402-1424), see the ships mentioned. Pictures, eg on wood printing are obtained only from later centuries.
Treasure ships to have been from 100 to 138.4 m long, according to the current state of research do scientists but of a length 59-84 m from. The author Guan Jingcheng made in 1947 highlight the unrealistic numbers and estimated the treasure ships of 62 m in length. Joseph Needham, however, was of the opinion that the number of statements had possibly misunderstood and proposes 84 m. Xin Yuanou estimates the total length to 59 m, which is widely accepted by the research.
The above-water construction remembered with raised superstructure at the bow and stern strongly to the appearance of oversized junks. The bow was made of a square mirror, which was decorated with painted eyes and went under the water in the shallow hull.
In contrast with contemporary European ships had treasure ships ( junks by type) about a dozen waterproof departments. These transverse bulkheads occupied the entire hull height and had no hatches, so that each department was only accessible from above. This design made the hull very stable and secure. The weight of such a vessel is between 500 and 1,000 tonnes.
The rigging was according to Chinese tradition of masts with lug sails made of red silk, which were reinforced with bamboo woods. The up to nine masts were not in a row one behind the other, but partially offset side by side or diagonally. However, the traditional number of poles by many researchers is viewed critically, now it 's more of three to four masts (see picture above). Were armed ships with 24 bronze cannons to defend themselves against pirates and rebellious princes can.
It is questionable to what extent the treasure ships were really efficient sailing ships. Their size was used ( with 59 m ) primarily designed to impress foreign peoples and was not designed to make quick progress. Through its proportions, the treasure ships were slow and difficult to control, which is particularly adversely affected during storms. In addition, their maintenance was enormously expensive.
Bow side
Main deck
Rear side
Preserved stern ( Dragon River shipyard)
The expeditions of Zheng He
The treasure ships through the seven journeys of Admiral Zheng He 1405-1433, demonstrably led among other things to Africa and to various coasts of the Indian Ocean became known.
The end of the treasure ships
The end of State High Seas Fleet came in 1435 with the death of Emperor Xuande. The subsequent emperors took a turn towards the serious internal problems of the Empire ( Mongolian invasions and natural disasters) and watched the immense costs that engulfed the fleet, no concrete counterpart. In the ongoing struggle against the Wokou (Japanese pirates) declared Emperor Hongzhi in 1500 the construction of vessels of more than two masts to the crime, and in 1525, Emperor Jiajing even the destruction of all oceangoing ships, but this was largely not followed. Emperor Longqing lifted all restriction edicts in 1567 because of poor implementation and the negative consequences for the China trade relationship back on. But still, neither the State High Seas Fleet was revived, yet the junks ever built again, which were like the treasure ships longer than 50 meters. One reason for this should probably also the technical problems have been having oceangoing junks such length.
Comparison with Europe
Taking the favorite of the research dimensions 59-84 m length basis, then it can be said that the simultaneous European shipbuilding was to similar extents in the situation. The 1418 completed flagship Grace Dieu, the English king Henry V and its sister ships had with a 67 m the Chinese treasure ships comparable length.