The junk is the history and pride of the Chinese fleet. World boats: from gondola to junk that conquered any water expanse

Although this vessel is considered traditionally Chinese, for a long time it was popular not only in China, but also in the waters of Southeast Asia, being widespread in Japan and Vietnam. In the famous Vietnamese bay you can still see these traditional boats, now used exclusively for tourist purposes.

According to Chinese legends, the first junk was created by the semi-mythical ruler of China - Fu Hsi, who was called the “Heavenly Emperor”. According to legend, he gave his people secret knowledge that contributed to the formation of a powerful Chinese civilization.

Therefore, it is not surprising that many peoples of Southeast Asia saw the elegant Chinese junk as a living creature - frightening and fascinating, with its own character. Researchers believe that the first junks appeared somewhere around 1000 BC, so it is quite fair to call them one of the most ancient.

Features of the Chinese junk

The literal translation of the name of this Chinese boat means nothing more than “ship”. Among other traditional boats, the junk stands out with its slightly lowered, almost rectangular bow and wide, raised stern, and a massive rudder replaces the keel on this vessel.

The sails for such a vessel (most often either 3 or 5 masts) were made of mats and secured to bamboo yards in the form of a quadrangle. Possessing an unusual shape resembling a fan, similar to it, they could easily be rolled into a scroll if necessary.

The heavy reed mat used to create the junk's sails affected the speed of the vessel's movement across the water, but at the same time could withstand even the strongest gusts of wind without damage. Later, the mats were replaced with cloth, which significantly increased the speed of these Chinese boats.

On many ships, if there were 4 masts, there could be additional ones, on which more sails could always be placed. At the same time, the traditional Chinese junk was equipped with many special mechanisms and winches, which made it easy to control all the sails even with a small crew of the vessel.

Japanese junks, most often used for transporting goods, although in many ways resembled traditional Chinese ones, had significant differences in the availability of masts. The Japanese usually installed one central mast on their ships, onto which a narrow rectangular sail was attached, and one removable one at the bow of the ship.

The junk usually had a flat bottom, and its sides were decorated with traditional designs with fearsome dragons and other mythical creatures. Such originality made this Chinese vessel completely different from the usual European vessels plying the seas, and at the same time the most recognizable among other traditional boats. However, there were up to three hundred varieties of Chinese junk.

Conquering any water expanses

Chinese junks were distinguished by excellent stability and maneuverability, so they could easily plow through any waters. This vessel can be described as designed for river-sea transition, with a greater emphasis on river conditions. Nevertheless, even though such ships did not develop high speed, they managed to reach the coast and India. In the Middle Ages, Chinese junks were used for long sea crossings in military campaigns. The length of such ships was at least 40 m.

One of the most famous junks is the Hong Kong Khayin. In the mid-19th century, she became the first Chinese boat to round the Cape of Good Hope and anchored in the port of New York, from where she continued to England, where Queen Victoria herself stepped aboard this ship, unusual for European eyes.

Modern junks

Although the junk is one of the oldest ships, it still remains relevant in many countries of Southeast Asia, although it is most often used for tourism purposes. The design of these traditional Chinese boats has hardly changed, but the comfortable conditions have become much greater, and innovative technologies are increasingly being used in the development of such vessels.

Modern junks in some regions of Vietnam are like floating houses for local residents and original hotels for tourists. Most often, junks are inhabited by fishermen who can calmly engage in their main fishery. Many owners of such floating houses prefer to settle near large cities. For example, in Hong Kong alone, about 12 thousand Chinese live on junks.

Not everyone has heard the word "junk". But those who heard it for the first time are probably wondering what it means. Few people know that a junk is a traditional Chinese ship, which has a number of significant differences from representatives of European shipbuilding. The difference is noticeable both at first glance and upon further study of this unusual ship.

Characteristic appearance

With so many characteristic features, the junk is probably the most recognizable ship in the world and at the same time unique, since it has very little in common with the traditional European ships used in most countries. However, there were many varieties of this ship - according to some sources, more than 300.

Story

This name, which resembles a traditional American name, is derived from the Malay word djong, which is a corruption of a South Min dialect word meaning "ship". In other words, a junk is a ship, which, in essence, is what it is.

An ancient legend says that the first ship of this type was created by the Heavenly Chinese Emperor Fu Hsi. He lived back in the 29th century BC and was known for giving the inhabitants of the country secret knowledge that contributed to the development of civilization. It is not surprising that the Chinese junk is revered by the peoples of the Far East and Southeast Asia as some kind of living creature with disposition, character and charm. However, some historians are inclined to believe that the first junks appeared around 1000 BC.

Despite the fact that China was less interested in exploring remote parts of the ocean than many other countries, the first sea vessel appeared here. And it was a junk. Its stability allowed it to maneuver in open waters of any size, but its speed remained rather low.

Unusual sails

For some, the most notable feature of a junk is its unusual hull, while others primarily pay attention to the sails. The masts on such a ship are usually from three to five. Horizontal bamboo poles are placed on them, which serve as holders of unusual sails. Their general appearance resembles a fan - both externally and in terms of the folding system.

At first, the sails were made of reed mats, which made them very heavy, so the junk at that time was not suitable for fast sailing. But there was no need for this either. But the strength of the material allowed the sails to withstand gusts of even the strongest winds. Later, the mat was replaced with fabric, which increased the speed and maneuverability of the vessel.

At the end of the 13th century, China was visited by the Venetian merchant and traveler Marco Polo. He compiled a detailed description of the original Asian ship and was simply amazed that on some junks, in addition to the existing four masts, it was possible to install spare masts, allowing several more sails to be deployed.

War junks

What is a junk for the Chinese? Often this is a transport or merchant ship. Much less often it was used for military purposes. Historians note this interesting fact: in the 16th and 17th centuries, Portuguese, Dutch and Japanese pirates appeared off the Chinese coast. Instead of mobilizing troops and driving them away, the Chinese turned to ancient treatises that provided recommendations for this eventuality. Not finding an answer to their question, the people of China decided to leave everything as it was.

However, what is a junk if not a ship ideal for warfare? The stability of the vessel made it possible to install on it from 5 to 7 12-pound guns and a special bulwark that protected it from bullets and arrows. At the same time, the crew number reached 200 people, and the displacement was 200 tons.

Japanese junks

The junks created in the Land of the Rising Sun were somewhat different from the Chinese ones, including in appearance. First of all, the curvature of the sides and the stern, raised high above the water, hanging over the steering wheel, stood out.

Unlike the Chinese one, the Japanese junk is a ship with only one central mast, on which there is a narrow rectangular sail. Another small, inclined mast was located at the bow of the ship and could probably be retracted if necessary. Another feature of the Japanese junk is that the beams - the beams that form the base of the deck - protruded beyond the ship, thereby increasing the usable space for cargo.

Modernity

Despite the fact that the junk was invented more than 3 thousand years ago, it still remains relevant. The main reason is the perfect design, providing stability, spaciousness and maneuverability in shallow water. For many years, the ancient ship has remained virtually unchanged, even now it is still the same medieval junk. The photo clearly shows how few differences there are between an ancient and a modern ship.

Currently, the poor population of some parts of China are forced to live on junks, which is much cheaper than buying a home. The ship provides fishermen with food and shelter, making it a fairly popular place to stay. Owners of junk houses prefer to settle on rivers near large cities. The population in such floating villages can reach up to 80 thousand people, as, for example, in the city of Canton. There are also quite a lot of Chinese living on junks in Hong Kong - about 12 thousand. In addition, junks are now used to attract tourists.

The very first boats on earth were dugouts: in some countries such boats are successfully used to this day. Then other, more advanced models began to appear: longships, gondolas, sampans. They were painted in bright colors, had painted faces or carved figures on the bow or stern, some even had a motor. In the summer season, when the boat turns into the most pleasant form of transport, we reviewed photographs of traditional boats of all varieties and selected the most interesting of them.

(Total 34 photos)

1. Venice, Italy. In the 18th century, several thousand gondolas floated along the city’s canals. At the same time, the shape and size of boats were legislated. They haven't changed since then.

2. Hong Kong. Every summer, Hong Kong holds a traditional dragon boat festival.

3. Essaouira, Morocco. The only people working in the town are the fishermen, who on their bright blue boats (there are hundreds of them at the pier!) go to sea as early as five in the morning.

4. Lake Titicaca, Bolivia. The reed boats on which the aborigines sailed on the lake became the prototype for Thor Heyerdahl's famous reed raft.

5. Thailand. Thai longtail boats are very maneuverable.

6. Crete, Greece.

7. Myanmar. Villagers near Inle Lake operate the oar with their feet rather than their hands.

8. Jakarta, Indonesia. Local fishermen sell all their catch to the Sunda Kelapa market, located in the oldest port of the capital of the same name.

9. State of Goa, India. Traditional Indian boat on the Goa beach.

11. State of Goa, India. For stability, narrow boats are equipped with a “float”.

12. Mexico City, Mexico. Pleasure boats, which today take tourists along ancient canals dug by the Aztecs.

13. Japan. Nagatoro are small river boats designed to transport goods and people.

14. Maldives. Dhoni boats are used for short trips. The locals have long since improved them by installing a diesel engine.

15. Ecuador. These dugout boats are made from solid wood. The work takes approximately 3-4 weeks.

16. Bali, Indonesia.

17. Bali, Indonesia. Traditional narrow Balinese boats are equipped with hollow bamboo trunks on the sides for stability.

18. Porto, Portugal. These boats are used to transport new wine down the Doro River to Porto and the Villa Nova de Gaia area.

19. Camiguin Island, Philippines. The boat used in the islands is called "dhoni".

20. China. The Chinese boat sampan is a flat-bottomed boat whose name means “three planks.”

21. Malta. In any harbor on the island you can see boats painted in a certain way.

22. Malta. Eyes are always painted on the bow of boats, which are designed to protect fishermen from various dangers. These are believed to be the eyes of Osiris.

23. Malta.

24. Varanasi, India. Many boats are painted blue and blue. In Hinduism they are considered divine.

25. Hong Kong. Aqua Luna is a vintage pirate boat with hand-woven sails.