Chinese Sailing Ship

Timeline

1. c. 200–900China's southeast coast · ChinaChina's coastal shipbuilding industry gradually developed bulkheads, multi-masted rigging and large ocean-going hull types, laying the technological foundation for later sailing ships on the South China Sea.
2. c. 1111–1120Quanzhou port · Fujian ProvinceBetween 1111 and 1120 sailing ships plied the South China Sea from ports such as Guangzhou and Quanzhou, carrying porcelain, silk and copper coins to Champa and the Arab states; they were the core transport of Song maritime trade.
3. c. 1127–1400South China Sea to Indian Ocean route · Indian OceanAfter the Southern Song settled in the southeast, maritime trade flourished; sailing ships grew in size and range, the Malacca Strait became a key passage, and Chinese ship technology influenced Southeast Asian shipbuilding traditions.
4. c. 1400–1900China's coast · ChinaUnder fluctuating maritime prohibition policies and competition from Western steamships, traditional sailing ships declined in ocean trade but remained in long use along the coast and in fisheries.