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The focus of the
YM Oceanic Culture & Art Museum's second
floor exhibition is on the promotion of maritime
culture to introduce to the general public
the beauty of ships and their history of development.
In 2005, Phase I saw the "Ancient Boats
Special Exhibition" put on display followed
later that year by the Phase II "Journey
of Exploration - Ancient Ships Special Exhibition"
introducing ship designs from before the 14th
Century. In 2006, the "War and Exploration
- The Age of Discovery Special Exhibition"
presents the ships of the 14th ~ 16th Century,
taking the history of developments in ship
design another step forward. Ever since Marco
Polo returned home with the richest and treasures
of the mysterious Orient, Europe had abounded
with tales of unknown lands, new trade routes
and great riches. These drove explorers to
take to the seas in search of new opportunities,
ushering in a new age of war and adventure.
The exhibition also gives visitors the chance
to fire the cannon aboard the English warship
"Revenge" as well as take the helm
in following the routes of Columbus, Magellan
and de Gama. |
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The Age of Discovery for the East and West
- 1300~1600 AD |
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Advances in technology and transportation
mean that very few places on earth remain
unexplored today. Yet 500 years ago Western
civilization only knew of the existence of
Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa and
the Middle East. Some had heard of India
and China, but they did not know how to reach
those places by sea. Though the
"Travels of Marco Polo" described
a route to China via the Persian Gulf, the
Middle East
had by then fallen under the control of the
Muslims. This meant they controlled the
trade routes between the East and the West.
To survive, the seafaring people of the
Iberian Peninsula began searching for a route
to the Orient, ushering in the Age of
Discovery.
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Mr. Huang Chi-Chun, an amateur artist living
in
Fuhsing Township in Chunghwa County, has
dedicated over thirty years of his life to
the
construction of the first and only temple
in Taiwan
made from shells. Mr. Huang achieved this
amazing feat by himself and paid from his
own
pocket for the entire project, and it is a
statement
of his persistence and faith in his personal
ideals.
The immortal tower of the shell temple was
so
painstakingly detailed and unique that the
shell
temple has attracted visitors and tourists
from afar to take photographs of it as mementos.
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| The amazing thing about Mr. Huang's shell
temple is that it is made purely from coral
and shells only. Furthermore, the design of
the shell temple is a reflection of Mr. Huang's
in depth understanding of architectural features
of temples in Taiwan and his unique creativity
that goes against the basic principles of
construction. This is why the shell temple
is not only magnificent as a temple, it also
has a unique aesthetic touch that makes it
different from ordinary temples.Over the years
of undivided devotion, Mr. Huang has managed
to construct two models of the shell temple
and a model of a San Ho Yuan from coral and
shells. One can see the superb craftsmanship
and the incredible amount of effort poured
into each one of these. You are bound to be
surprised by the amount of detail in these
models and we are proud to feature Mr. Huang's
San Ho Yuan model in this show. Apparently,
he created the masterpiece in order to make
up for not being able to live in a house made
from shells. |
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Western Ships - Magellan's Victoria
Influenced by the Travels of Marco Polo, Magellan
was drawn to the riches of the East. He believed
that the earth was round so as long as they
sailed directly due west from Europe, they
would end up in India where there was plenty
of gold and spices. With the support of the
King of Spain, Magellan began his voyage to
circumnavigate the globe. He and his crew
went around the southern tip of modern-day
South America to reach the Pacific Ocean.
There he landed on Cebu island in the Philippines,
though he did not survive to return to Spain.
Magellan's exploration opened for Europe the
route to the East, bringing the two cultures
closer together.
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The Age of Discovery in the West |
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From the early 15th Century to the mid-16th
Century, the thirst for exploration of the
peoples of the Eurasian continent drove them
to venture forth across the endless oceans.
There their white sails and sun-drenched decks
took them to rich lands, unknown
frontiers and endless riches. Guided by their
religious devotion and supported with the
resources of their nation, the explorers began
to gradually piece together the jigsaw of
the world map and expanded their horizons.
1.Exploring Unknown Frontiers
At the beginning of the 15th Century Europeans
had insufficient geographical knowledge
to draw a complete map of the world, so they
mainly relied on speculation. The journeys
of the explorers gradually revealed the shape
of the world to them, enriching their geographic
understanding.
2. The Search for Spice
Spices are made from special parts of plants
and are used to process foods - e.g.
pepper, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. People
first preserved food by drying or salting,
then added spices to make the food taste better.
This meant spices were worth their weight
in gold. With the land routes to the East
becoming blocked, Europeans developed the
sea routes instead to look for a new way of
reaching the Spice Isles.
3. Improvements in Navigation Techniques
Improved shipbuilding methods allowed ships
to sail further and more accurately. The introduction
of devices such as the compass and sextant
allowed sailors to fix their positions with
improved accuracy. This enabled them to navigate
more safely and efficiently.
4. Spreading of Religion
The West's devotion to religion was one of
the factors behind the European drive for
exploration. They passionately sought converts
around the world, leading to many missionaries
traveling aboard the ships to spread their
faith to the East.
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Ships of the East and West |
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Ming Dynasty Trader
The Ming Dynasty Trader was a fast cargo vessel
used during the Ming Dynasty. It was often
employed for expeditions to Southeast Asia
and protectorates to the east. In 1492 the
Kingdom of Okinawa built their own copies
of the ship, and called it the "Sanyuan Ship".
Between the early 14th and 15th Century, after
the people of Okinawa learnt how
to build ships and navigate the seas, they
used their light and nimble ships to serve
as
go-betweens while Japanese pirates raided
the surrounding coasts. This made them the
hub of commerce in East Asia and brought them
great wealth. Today in Okinawa these
are known as "Treasure Ships" and
considered a symbol of good fortune.
Ming Dynasty Junk
Westerners referred to the ships used by the
Chinese in the 17th Century as the "Junk".
These Chinese flat-bottomed sailing ships
were also recorded in Japanese literature.
In
the Encyclopedia Britannica they also provided
the following description: "The Junk is a
traditional Chinese sailing vessel of uncertain
origin still in widespread usage today. It
features a raised stern and protruding bow
with up to five masts. The masts are fitted
with securely attached cross-sails made from
linen or bamboo slats. Each sail is built
like
a Venetian blind so one pull suffices to open
or close the sail. The giant rudder is aligned
with the keel or middle of the ship. The hull
is made from thick planks that divide the
ship transversely and longitudinally for added
strength. By the beginning of the Middle Ages
Chinese Junks could be found in Indonesian
and Indian waters."
The discovery of new routes and continents
triggered an age where wars for supremacy
were fought across the seas. Ships replaced
horses as the main tool of conquest, with
the sophistication of their design determining
success or failure. During the Ming Dynasty
China was able to built the "Treasure Ships"
that Zheng He had led expeditions to the South
Seas with. A ban on all sea trade however
led to the shipbuilding industry's demise,
so the ships became smaller, lower quality
and less numerous. Between the Sung, Yuan,
Ming and Qing Dynasties China used the wooden
"Junks" to carry out overseas trade. Junks
were either single mast or double mast, with
those having more than two masts referred
to as double-masters. Only double-masted junks
were ocean going.
Zheng He's Treasure Boat
Zheng He was a Chinese navigator of the 15th
Century who led seven giant expeditions
to the southern oceans over a period of 28
years. His feat not only demonstrated the
might of the Ming Empire and brought in tribute
but also marked the high point of
China's naval history.
Among Zheng He's fleet, the largest was the
Commander's Ship. It was also referred to
as the Flagship, and was the personal ship
of the Zheng He, the fleet's commander.
Based on contemporary research, this ship
was a 6000 liao vessel. In today's measurements,
it had a displacement of around 500 tons and
could carry 500~600
people.
Columbus' Fleet
With the support of Spain, Columbus began
his search for new continents. With the
Santa Maria (his flagship), the Nina and Pinta,
he first discovered Haiti then between
1492 and 1502 crossed the Atlantic four times
to discover the Americas. His achievement
made him one of the greatest explorers in
history.
Columbus's Fleet - the Nina
The Nina was one of the ships selected by
Spain for his first journey west. Sturdily
built
with a good turn of speed, it sailed for at
least 25,000 miles under Columbus' command.
It was also the sole survivor of Columbus'
second expedition to the west in 1495 when
they ran afoul of a hurricane in the West
Indies. Today it is considered one of the
greatest small ships in maritime history.
The Pinta
The Pinta was a caravel fitted with lateen
(triangular) sails that had been donated to
Columbus by the city of Palos. Columbus' second-in-command
Pinz?n captained the ship, but after completing
the first westward voyage it disappeared from
the history books.
Columbus' voyage marked the beginning of the
Age of Discovery. The opening of new sailing
routes changed the direction of world history.
The focus of sea trade switched from the Mediterranean
to the coastal regions of the Atlantic.
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