title 
Work Boat World

Chinese Junks On The Pacific: Views from a Different Deck

Marjorie Gerlinger
Author: Hans K. Van Tilbury
Publisher: University Press of Florida

From Baird Maritime

As China has become increasingly united, rich and powerful, even greater numbers of Westerners have become interested in and are studying Chinese culture.

One aspect of that culture involves naval architecture and shipbuilding. Most particularly that focuses on the development of the vessels that Westerners have chosen to call junks.

This usefully detailed but rather north-American centric book examines the development of Chinese ships from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries. It interweaves that with records of voyages of junks from China to north America albeit they involved vessels operating as yachts.

An eccentric choice of subject perhaps, but an important one that highlights both the impressive technical development of Chinese vessels and their far-ranging voyaging achievements.

It is important that some Americans at least are aware of the strength of China's maritime heritage.

Ordering information:

University Press of Florida
Gainsville, USA

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