Chinese Fuchuan

Timeline

1. 1101–1301Quanzhou port · QuanzhouIn the Song and Yuan periods fuchuan were built in large numbers at ports such as Quanzhou and Guangzhou; watertight bulkheads and balanced rudder technology suited them to South China Sea and Indian Ocean routes, making them the main merchant ship type at the eastern end of the Maritime Silk Road.
2. 1411–1420Longjiang Treasure Ship Yard, Nanjing · NanjingIn this period the Nanjing and Fujian shipyards built Western Ocean fleets and coastal grain ships on the fuchuan tradition; multi-masted rigging and large fuchuan hulls supported Zheng He's third through fifth voyages and southeast-coast merchant shipping, forming the technological basis of Ming maritime power.
3. 1601–1801Southeast coast · Southeast coastAfter adjustments to the maritime prohibition policy, fuchuan still carried Min-Yue coastal trade and fishing transport; hull sizes grew smaller but traditional techniques such as watertight bulkheads persisted, until they gradually left mainstream shipping under competition from modern steamships and Western-style sailing ships.