Moma Liangshan

Chapter 130 Learn from the West, Strive for Self-Improvement

Wang Hao thought to himself, "Before the Industrial Revolution, during the Age of Exploration in the West, the design and construction of wooden sailing ships reached their peak. The largest European sailing ships, represented by galleons, had a displacement of approximately 500 to 1500 tons. Galleons were dual-purpose vessels; equipped with cannons, they became warships; laden with cargo, they became merchant ships. After the discovery of the New World, both Spain's main warships and treasure fleets used galleons of around 1200 tons. However, with the rise of England, Spanish treasure fleets returning from the Americas were repeatedly attacked, and the attacks escalated..." The momentum was escalating. Finally, Spain, having reached its limit of tolerance, dispatched its invincible Armada to attack the British mainland. England, then a small nation, could only hastily meet the attack with its main fleet of galleons, each around 500 tons. Ironically, the Spanish Armada suffered heavy losses due to the sheer size and lack of maneuverability of its ships, resulting in a resounding British victory. This war of the century marked the beginning of the decline of the Spanish Empire and the rise of the British Empire. Sitting in the carriage, gazing at the shimmering waters of Jiaozhou Bay, Wang Hao couldn't help but think of the war between Spain and England five hundred years later.

Thinking of this, Wang Hao recalled Zheng He's six voyages to the Western Ocean and the treasure ships that have been the subject of much debate in later generations, and asked, "Which is stronger, shipbuilding in Fujian or Jiangsu and Zhejiang?" Di Gongkao replied, "They are about equal!" Wang Hao did not speak immediately, but pondered whether Di Gongkao had answered truthfully: "The pinnacle of ancient Chinese sailing ships should be the treasure ships of Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean, which are the Fujian ships among the three major ship types: sand ships, Fujian ships, and Guangdong ships. The names of these three ship types are all related to their place of origin: sand ships came from Chongming, Fujian ships from Fujian, and Guangdong ships from Guangdong." "East. Zhejiang lies between Chongming and Fujian, so why are there no surviving ship types there?" Just as Wang Hao was puzzled, a hypothesis came to mind: "The Jingkang Incident completely shifted the center of the Song Dynasty's rule to the south, and coupled with the Mongol invasion more than a century later, it was inevitable that the Song Dynasty's shipbuilding industry would further shift south. The Yuan Dynasty's more than a century of rule nearly brought Chinese civilization to its knees. Later records about ancient Chinese sailing ships mostly date from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Therefore, Di Gongkao's statement about them being roughly equal should not be an exaggeration at all!"

Wang Hao smiled and said, "Fujian has no large rivers, but it has a vast ocean. Do the ships produced there have any unique features?" Di Gongkao replied, "Yes!" Wang Hao was very surprised, completely unexpected that Di Gongkao would answer so confidently, and said, "I would like to hear the details!" Di Gongkao said, "Because of the barrier of Wuyi Mountain, although Fujian is adjacent to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the local customs are completely different. It is densely populated and has limited land, even more so than Zhejiang, which has seven parts mountains, two parts water, and one part farmland. Moreover, Zhejiang has little farmland but has mulberry trees, and with convenient water transportation, the people's lives are relatively prosperous." At this point, Di Gongkao hesitated and stopped. Seeing this, Wang Hao said, "We're all on the same side, so please speak frankly!" Di Gongkao said, "However, the situation in Zhejiang has completely changed since the establishment of the Hangzhou Yingcheng Bureau!" Wang Hao smiled helplessly and said, "I completely understand what you mean, but I'm willing but unable to do so!" Everyone sighed, and Di Gongkao continued, "In order to make a living at sea, the people of Fujian had to build suitable ships. Moreover, the people of Fujian went to sea to survive, while the merchants of Mingzhou went to sea only to make a profit. I'm sure you can understand the difference!" Wang Hao nodded and said, "So, the difficult living environment led the people of Fujian to develop special skills in shipbuilding and navigation?" Di Gongkao replied, "Exactly!"

Wang Hao continued, "Are there any special features of Fujian ships compared to Mingzhou ships?" Di Gongkao replied, "Mingzhou ships have flat bottoms, while Fujian ships have pointed bottoms; this is the direct difference in their outlines." Wang Hao was secretly pleased, thinking, "It seems that the prototype of the Fujian ship has already appeared at least in this era." He asked, "What are the advantages and disadvantages of flat-bottomed and pointed-bottomed ships?" Di Gongkao said, "Flat-bottomed ships have a shallower draft, are faster, and can dock more freely. Pointed-bottomed ships have a deeper draft, can carry a larger load, and are more resistant to wind and waves, but are slower and can only dock in deep-water ports." Wang Hao then asked, "Between flat-bottomed and pointed-bottomed ships, which is more durable?" Di Gongkao... Di Gongkao said, "There's no significant difference in durability!" Wang Hao then asked, "Could you possibly buy a pointed-bottom seagoing vessel from Fujian?" Di Gongkao replied, "A pointed-bottom seagoing vessel is the economic lifeline of a family; I'm afraid no one would be willing to sell it!" Wang Hao looked regretful. At this moment, Di Chunqiu said, "Gongkao may not be able to, but you, young master, can!" Wang Hao asked in confusion, "Why?" Di Chunqiu said, "In the short term, you, young master, are an official; in the long term, you are not only an official but also a relative of the emperor. Fujian is mountainous and far away, making a living is not easy. If you, young master, could personally go to Fujian, I'm afraid those local clans would rush to seek refuge with you. At that time, you would have all the people you need, so why would you be afraid of not having a ship?"

Wang Hao pondered, "The basic structure of the galleon has been clearly recorded in later generations. With Di Gongkao's talent and my guidance, I shouldn't have any trouble building it. However, the design of the Fujian ship was lost after the Ming Dynasty. With my limited knowledge, even with the help of the entire Jiaozhou shipyard, it might be of little use." Wang Hao said, "Then let's make arrangements in Jiaozhou and head south to Fujian."

During the banquet, Wang Hao announced his plan to travel south to Fujian. Chen Song said, "The matter of trade with Liao is urgent. If you go to Fujian, young master, I'm afraid you won't be able to return for a while." Wang Hao shook his head and said, "Since it's trade, it should naturally be handled by the trading company. Besides, the longer the situation in Liaodong drags on, the more advantageous it will be for us." Lin Chong pondered for a moment and said, "The war between Jin and Liao is raging, and judging from the current situation, Liao has little chance of turning the tide. No matter how hard the Shu princess works to govern, her Liaodong is just a detached force in the entire war between Jin and Liao, and will never play a decisive role." Wang Hao didn't speak, but looked at Di Chunqiu. Seeing this, Di Chunqiu spoke up, "Emperor Tianzuo was absurd and reckless. He annihilated 700,000 Liao troops at Huanglong Prefecture. At that time, Liao's fate was already sealed. Therefore, I completely agree with Instructor Lin's opinion." Chen Song, already bound to Wang Hao's chariot, had no choice but to obey, saying, "If the trading company wants to grow, Eight Immortals Wine and woolen cloth alone are far from enough." Chen Song was Eunuch Chen's stepson, and in terms of background alone, he was still no weaker than himself. He said, "I can guarantee you that within a year, the trading company will definitely obtain Liao's warhorses!"