Daomu Biji: Wu Xie’s Private Notes

Chapter 17: The Xisha Islands

The Xisha Islands, also known as Gem Islands, are one of the four major islands in the South China Sea. They consist of the Yongle Islands and the Xuande Islands. This group of large and small coral islands covers over a thirty thousand square kilometer sea area, and is beautiful and pure. [Note: Some people say there are more than five hundred thousand square kilometers.]

(See the below map of the Xisha Islands, pointing out the route from Qinglan Harbor to Yongxing Island.)

Xisha has been China's territory since ancient times. The Old Book of Tang recorded that the Chinese government began to officially manage the waters south of Hainan Island from the Tang Dynasty.

In ancient times, this place was called "A Thousand Miles of Changsha", and was the only route through the South China Sea. As early as the Sui Dynasty, China had sent envoys to Malaysia through the South China Sea, and the Tang Dynasty monk Yijing (1) also passed through here on his way to India. Merchant ships loaded with ceramics, silk, and spices sailed by here, so it was also known as the Maritime Silk Road.

Because its far from the mainland and inaccessible to people, the sea around the Xisha Islands is very clean, with a maximum visibility of forty meters. It has several kilometers of coral reefs, which makes it an excellent diving area.

From Wikipedia

Our destination is Bowl Reef.

(The map of the Xisha Islands is below, pointing out the route from Yongxing Island to Bowl Reef)

Ive looked for some information and found that there are many so-called Bowl Reefs in China, including Bohai Bay, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea. The main reason why its called Bowl Reef is simply because fishermen often fish out porcelain bowls near these reefs.

This is because most of the Bowl Reefs are submerged reefs that are located on the main sea routes. Most of the ancient shipwrecks are concentrated nearby, and a large amount of shipwreck materials are scattered. Based on this, I find that the name of the ancient reef is worthy of careful study. The only well-known ocean expedition I've heard of in China is Bowl Reef No.1 (2). Our destination this time will obviously be similar to that process.

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TN Notes:

(1) Yijing was a Tang-era Chinese Buddhist monk famed as a traveler and translator. His account of his travels is an important source for the history of the medieval kingdoms along the sea route between China and India. Wiki link

(2) A ship sank near Fujian Province, and it was discovered in 2005. Experts speculated that the sinking date of the ship was around the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. Lots of pieces of blue and while porcelain were found. The ship was then called Bowl Reef No.1.

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Translated by: Tiffany X

Edited by: merebear226

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