Page 114 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

82 C. Wu

them to surrender to serve the Ming empire. Yang and Dai took the order and Ru He sent
small boat at night secretly, receiving them. Then the Baisha Coast Guard learned the
method of making Freangi type cannon. They imitated Freangi type cannon by themselves
according to the report of Yang and Dai. (Yan 1993, pp. 321–322)
)
Chouhai Tubian (Illustration of Strategy of Maritime Affair, !""#""
recorded the utilization and content of the imitated weapons of Ferangi !rearms in
Ming Dynasty:

The technology of making Ferangi cannon originated in European countries of and was
transferred to China in the early Jiajing (!#, 1522-1566) period of Ming Dynasty.
Chinese people innovatively improved and re!ned it. (Deng 2007, pp. 901–902)
The improved type of Ferangi in China was called Wudi Shenfei Pao (%&'$#,
Invincible Supernatural Cannon) made by imperial army of Ming Dynasty. The cannon
including 3 cells which weights 750 kilograms. The usage and !ring method of the new
cannon is the same as Ferangi. (Deng 2007, pp. 905) (Fig. 4.8)
“The existence of pirates greatly depended on the !rearm cannons. So the imperial Coast
Guard army of Ming Dynasty also developed cannons to combat with the criminals in the
ocean. We set artilleries warships in front of command vessel to defeat the pirate boats.”
“The warship armed with Ferangi !rearm cannons was known as ‘centipede boat’ for its
shape, its pattern originated from southeast barbarians and it is special for carrying Ferangi
cannons. The cannons varied in size, as large as 500 and as small as 75 kilograms, with
strong power of smashing stone and metal.” (Deng 2007, pp. 876, 883)
Nan’ao ($#) No. 1 shipwreck site located at the eastern coast of Guangdong
was identi!ed as one of merchant junks outbound for Manila trade in late Ming
Dynasty. Besides a great amount of exported ceramics and the many timbers
investigated underwater, a western type cannon was salvaged (Sun 2012), proving
the historical record of “illegally equipping of !rearm cannon” by Yuegang mar-
itime merchants (Fig. 4.9). Another shipwreck site in Donggu (+() bay of
Dongshan ("!) county was investigated and some !rearm cannons were also

Fig. 4.8 The chart of imitated Ferangi Wudi Shenfei Pao in Ming Dynasty. Cited from Deng
(2007, pp. 905)