An inheritor of ancient boat making techniques

Located at Haicheng town, Longhai city, the port of Yuegang looks much similar to any quiet small village along the coastline. But some cargo ships in the river serve as a reminder of its glorious history as a major commercial port of Fujian during the mid-and late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

At that time, Yuegang had direct trade contacts with 47 countries and regions such as Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea. There is no doubt that the traditional wooden boat making industry was booming in the area.

Zheng Shuitu, 58, the inheritor of the old boat building techniques, is in charge of Zongxing Shipyard near the port, which has a history of more than 100 years. His family started to make wooden sailing vessels as early as the Ming Dynasty. Until the 1910s, these sailing ships would travel to domestic and overseas ports including Singapore and the Philippines.