Museum of Nanyue King – Sailing the Seas Part 2 Guangzhou and Maritime Silk Road

In this post in the series, we examine the role Guangzhou played and developed across the river of time. Guangzhou is linked to the ocean through Pearl River or Zhujiang 珠江. And this waterway has been an important international port since Qin Dynasty.

港通四海 Ports Connecting the World

26 cities across China came together apply for UNESCO Cultural Heritage status for being part of the Maritime Silk Road. This exhibition was a collaboration of the museums of these cities, with a focus of how they became par of the Canton story.

The ancient Maritime Silk Road dated before Qin Dynasty, was opened up in the Qin and Han Dynasties, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and peaked in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

All kinds of relics excavated from shipwrecks along the trade winds witnessed the prosperity and development of the Maritime Silk Road, the exchange and collision of different cultures, and the historical and cultural heritage of the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

秦汉 Qin-Han Dynasties

During the Qin and Han Dynasties, trade on the South China Sea gradually emerged, and spices, glass beads and other trade products from Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Asia began to enter China through the Maritime Silk Road, as evidenced by many cultural relics unearthed in Guangzhou, Beihai and other places.

Panyu and its Significance

Panyu 番禺 was the ancient name of Guangzhou according to many historical annals, and from relics unearthed from the tomb of Nanyue King Wen, this was confirmed for the first time. And in the same tomb was a Persian silverware box that would not have came from China. This linked the ancient seaport to the Western world.

金花泡 Gold Buttons

金【西汉南越国时期】南越文王墓出土 南越王博物院藏 Gold, Nanyue period of the Western Han Dynasty (203-111BC), excavated from the tomb of Nanyue King Wen, Museum of the King of Nanyue Collection

Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, the coastal area of Lingnan has developed into a bridgehead for maritime trade. After the unification of the Nanyue Kingdom, it developed from Panyu Port in the early days to Panyu 番禺, Xuwen 徐闻, Hepu 合浦, Xianglin 象林, Lu Rong 卢容, Xijuan 西卷, Longzhan 龙编 and many other ports after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The Central Government set up coastal fortifications (关、檄、障塞) and custom offices.

Products from Overseas

Studies on about relations between the Roman and Chinese empires have mainly concentrated on textual sources and rarely looked into the archaeological evidence and it is widely accepted that the two realms had only indirect contacts.

Furthermore, mosaic purple glass Roman bowls made from the same soda-lime silica glass, have been uncovered at sites in China. Bowls of this type were popular across the Mediterranean during the first century and reached China via Silk Roads trade.

This glass ring is composed of medium calcium, aluminium and potassium glass, which is presumed to be produced in Myanmar.

Additionally, at the eastern port of Nanjing, Roman glass has been uncovered in tombs from the Eastern Jin (317-420 CE) period. Later, pieces of Sasanian (224-651 CE) glassware from the Iranian Plateau were brought to China via the overland Silk Roads and these spread to the north of China before reaching Japan via maritime routes.

Archaeological excavations have revealed imported glass eye beads, which were considered valuable objects, across South East Asia in the Philippines, Thailand, Java, Sumatra and Borneo. In South China, glass beads have been found in not only the tombs of nobles but also in those belonging to regular citizens.

Although glass did not play as important of a role in arts and crafts in China when compared to ceramics and metalwork, glassware was imported to China from regions to the West during the late Spring and Autumn period (771-403 BCE). Imported glass can be identified in the archaeological record by its composition, typically soda-lime glass, which differs from that which was later produced in the region itself.

玛瑙、红玉體、玻璃珠饰 Agate and Glass Bead Necklaces

项链【西汉后期】1999年广东广州内环南田路出土 广州市文物考古研究院藏 Necklace, Late Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD), Guangzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology Collection

The ancient people often listed pearls and agate as “jewellery”. Agate is a colloidal mineral, mainly composed of silica. Historical books from pre-Song dynasty recorded agates were from the Roman Empire in the West and ancient states in South Asia.

Hepu does not produce agate locally, but there are many agates relics excavated. These exquisitely made agate relics reflect the close connection between Hepu and overseas transportation and trade in the Han Dynasty.

唐宋 Tang-Song Dynasties

The earliest recorded history of the Maritime Silk Road was in Tang Dynasty’s “Seas Journeys from China”《皇华四达记》by Jia Dan 贾耽. In it it was written that seventh route was from the southeast of the realm, a sea route from Guangzhou called “广州通海夷道” (“Guangzhou Sea Route to the Foreigners”) will lead one to Southeast Asia, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Northeast Africa and Persian Gulf.

Local Maritime Management Before Sui Dynasty

Overseas trade occupied a dominant position in the history of China’s ancient maritime trade development. The country set up special institutions to manage the increasing trade volume. Although there was a prototype of the maritime trade management agency in the local area before Sui Dynasty, the first national level agency was the establishment of the Maritime Trade Bureau 市舶司 in the Tang Dynasty. Since then, it has experienced many forms such as market trade 市舶贸易, tributary trade 朝贡贸易, commercial trade 商舶贸易, etc.

碑刻《南海神广利王庙碑》拓本 The Steele Rubbing “South China Sea God Guangli King Temple Monument”

纸【唐】广州博物馆藏 Paper, Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Guangzhou Museum Collection

此碑刻于唐元和十五年 （820年），碑文由韩愈撰写，内中记载了岭南节度使、广州刺史孔戣（kui）自元和十三年 (818年） 起连续三年亲祀南海神之事。碑文中 “海事”一词在中文文献中首次出现。

Maritime Trade Bureau 市舶使 during Tang Dynasty

唐宋时期，海上丝绸之路兴盛，海外贸易增，专事海贸管理的市舶使（司）应运而生。最初设立市舶使的初衷是：外国来的船只多了，需要有个人管管，别出什么乱子，另外也得有个人充当皇帝的耳目，亲自去盯紧了，看看外国商人都带来什么奇珍异宝，给皇室搜罗回来。

唐高宗显庆六年(661年)，于广州创设市舶使，派专官充任，总管海路邦交外贸。唐玄宗开元二年（714年），朝廷在广州设置市舶使，管理海上贸易。

明州发给遣唐使学问僧最澄的牒、批文（复制品）Mingzhou Issued Pass and Permission to Visiting Monk Zuideng (Replica)

纸【原件唐贞元二十年（804年）】宁波博物院藏 Paper, Original from Tang 20th Year of Zhenyuan Reign (804 AD), Ningbo Museum Collection

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Silla (Korea) and Japan sent envoys to China to send tributes and collect gifts. In the Tang Dynasty alone, Japan sent 19 missions to China. There are often students and visiting monks in the Mission. This customs clearance permit, like a modern person’s travel visa, recorded the visit of Rev Zuideng 最澄 of Japan going to Tiantai Mountain to study Buddhism through Mingzhou (modern day Ningbo) in the 20th year of Zhenyuan.

Maritime Trade Bureau 市舶司 during Song Dynasty

宋太祖开宝四年（971年），朝廷在广南路的广州港设立了第一个管理外籍船舶与对外贸易机构一市舶司。此后，福建路的泉州、两浙路的明州、 杭州、 秀州、温州、江阴军，以及京东东路的密州等区域先后设立市舶管理机构。

明州市舶司签发的公凭（复制品）Public Certificate Issued by the Maritime Trade Bureau of Mingzhou (Replica)

纸【原件北宋】宁波博物院藏 Paper, Original from Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD), Ningbo Museum Collection

Merchant ships going to Korea and Japan in the Song Dynasty can only proceed with a certificate be issued by the Bureau 市舶司 in Mingzhou 明州. This Certificate was issued to Li Chong 李充, a Quanzhou businessman, in the Northern Song 4th Year of Chongning Reign 崇宁四年 (1105 AD). Li Chong was reminded of the laws and regulations he should abide by, and bill of materials he shipped to Japan for sale, including silk, white linen, etc.

Spread of Buddhism During Tang-Song Dynasties

The traders not only brought their good; they also brought along their religious believes. Built in 1023 during the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279), Asoka Pagoda in Haiqing Temple, Lianyungang, is about 40 meters (about 131 feet) high. It was a sign of eastward spreading of Buddhism via the ancient Silk Road.

Asoka was an Indian emperor who converted to Buddhism after a vicious war with a king in the eastern part of the country. According to Buddhist records, Asoka collected all the parts of Buddha’s sarira, divided them into 84,000 parts, and stored each one of them in a pagoda-shaped shrine. Then he sent the sacred relics to different parts of the world. China is considered to have 19 of them.

明清 Ming-Qing Dynasties

A 12-volume annal “East-West Ocean Study”《东西洋考》written in the Ming 45th year of Wanli Reign 万历四十五年 (1617 AD) by Zhang Xie 张燮 listed 116 types of taxable goods imported from Zhengzhou Yuegang Port 郑州悦港, that included manufactured goods, fabrics, leather goods and minerals. During the Ming Dynasty, East Ocean 东洋 referred to South China Sea and Japan Sea, and West Ocean 西洋 referred to Southeast Asia and further.

明清以来外贸航运体制的演变

明代郑和下西洋的壮举，开启了明帝国乃至整个古代中国官方海外贸易的鼎盛时期。与此同时，继明隆庆元年（1567 年） 开海以来，在活跃的私人海上贸易和西方商业扩张势力东进的双重推动下，督饷馆与相应的饷银制度发展起来，成为传统市舶贸易趋向瓦解后形成的新型对外贸易体系，开启了清代迄今新海关体系之先河。

高20.5、口径17.7、腹径31厘米。琉球炉，原为连云港市法起寺“镇寺之宝”。该铜炉记述了清代中国与琉球友好交往的一段佳话，是清代琉球国八品巡官毛朝玉赠谢海州知州师亮采的礼品，是我国現存极少关于与琉球交往的文物。

此炉质地为紫铜，造型古朴简洁，给人以威严庄重之感。缺口下方正中刻有”琉球炉”三个较大的繁字，左右两边分别刻有”朝议大夫知海州事，韩城师亮采题”和“嘉庆丙子秋月”两组竖行篆字。另有71字隶书记述了此炉的来历。此外还有”三品金，一瓣香，航海来今波不扬”的繁字题刻。该铜炉是反映清代中国与琉球友好关系的重要物证，对于中外交流史的研究有着较高的参考价值。

郑和下西洋 Zheng He’s Expeditions

Admiral Zheng He 郑和 (aka Cheng Ho, 1371-1433 AD) was a Chinese Muslim eunuch explorer who was sent by the Ming dynasty Emperor Yongle 永樂 (r. 1403-1424 AD) on seven diplomatic missions to increase trade and secure tribute from foreign powers.

“三保老爷” 香炉 “Ma Sampo” Temple Incense Burner

石【清】南澳县海防史博物馆藏 Stone, Qing Dynasty (1636–1912 AD), Nan’ao County Maritime Defense History Museum Collection

明代航海家郑和的小字 “三保”，“乡民祭拜明代航海家郑称“三保老爷”。广东汕头南澳是郑和远洋必经之地，潮汕地区现存有纪念郑和下西洋的遗址-三保公庙。

His travels may not have brought much success in terms of new trade or lasting tribute to the imperial court but the knowledge, ideas, and exotic goods he brought back home – from jewels to giraffes – created an interest in foreign countries and a realisation of their wealth which contributed to China’s increased role in world trade in later centuries. Even if his wake was not immediately followed, Zheng He had shown the way.

According to the current research of historical ship construction, the water displacement of 5,000 Liao ships should be more than 10,000 tons. That’s a huge ship, 139 meters long and 56 meters wide.

The Crew of Zheng He

民国 Since 1911

The Chinese Maritime Customs Service was a Chinese governmental tax collection agency and information service from its founding in 1854 until it split in 1949 into services operating in the Republic of China on Taiwan, and in the People’s Republic of China. From its foundation in 1854 until the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1911, the agency was known as the Imperial Maritime Customs Service. Strangely, it was headed by foreigners until 1950, when Chiang Kaishek retreated with the Nationalists to Taiwan.

The Chinese Diaspora

The term “overseas Chinese” is mostly associated with the first period of migration (the 1850s–1950) after mass migration from China began during the mid-19th century. During this period, the main destination for South Chinese emigrants was Southeast Asia.

一溪目汁一船人， 一条浴布去过番。

钱银知寄人知返，勿忘父母共妻房。

潮汕经典童谣《过番歌》

过番三件宝（市蓝、水布、甜粿）Three Items for Going Overseas (Woven Basket, Cotton Linen, Sweet Cake)

编织品【近现代】汕头樟林古港博物馆藏 Cane, Modern, Shantou Zhanglin Ancient Port Museum Collection

This is a part of history that is very close to my family story. My dad came from Teochew (currently Chaozhou City) and the experience of coming to Singapore was similar to this. The woven basket functioned as a luggage. This is not a joy ride, and space on the boat was limited, so it carried only the essentials. The cloth was actually a product from Southeast Asia, but was brought back and copiued for its versatility. And the sweet cake was a very lasting and high calorie food for the long trip.

潮汕地区是著名的华侨之乡，分布在全世界各地的潮籍华侨、华人的人数几近于潮汕本土的潮人人数。潮汕人把出国谋生叫做“过番”，把漂洋过海、外国谋生的人称为“番客”，这些人在长期漂洋过海的实践中创造了丰富多彩而具有鲜明地方特色的习俗。

In the next post, we will look at the different ancient ports along the Maritime Silk Road.

About Museum of Nanyue King 南越王博物馆 (MNYK)

Officially known as Western Han Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum 西汉南越王墓博物馆, MNYK is always on the top list of things to do in Guangzhou for archaeological lovers and Chinese history and culture enthusiasts.

The museum was firstly opened to the public in 1983 and renovated in 2010. Inside the museum, you can find the original site of the tomb, more than 1,000 pieces of rare treasures unearthed from the tomb and a collection of ceramic pillows donated by Mr. Yeung Wing-Tak. Those elegant artefacts will take you to the exquisite life of Nanyue State 2,000 years ago.

Nanyue King Museum 南越王博物馆
广州市越秀区中山四路316号
Tel : +86 (020) 36182920（王墓展区）, +86 (020) 83896501（王宫展区）

Opening Hours: open all year around from 9:00am to 17:30pm (on 28th February and 31st August of every year, it will be closed for maintenance), except every Monday.

Visited Jan 2022