Page 19 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

Introduction xix

Macao, Keelung, and Nagasaki as the transiting seaports of galleon trade, Manila as
the general entreportting hub of galleon connecting the East and the West,
Hamatak, San Blas and Acapulco as the midpoint stops and destinations of galleon,
exposed rich and diversi!ed maritime cultural heritages, presenting a macro
panoramas of the Manila galleon trade well known as the New Maritime Silk Road
across the Paci!c during the sixteenth to nineteenth century. This co-authored
monograph not only revealed the magni!cent galleon navigation across Paci!c, but
also showed the exciting pictures of multicultural interactions between two sides of
Paci!c resulted from the maritime globalization.
We are grateful to all of the participants and contributors who come from both
sides of the Paci!c, working together and presenting these wonderful papers with
deep insights, promoting further understanding on the early pan-Paci!c navigation.
We dearly cherish the memory of our old friend and colleague and the senior
galleon archaeologist, Edward Von der Porten who worked with us closely in last
few years for promoting the research of galleon history, but unfortunately passed
away before the publication of this co-authored work. Heartfelt thanks to Mr.
Jianzhong Song, Deputy Director of National Center of Underwater Cultural
Heritage of China; Mr. Qisheng Fu, Director of Fujian Provincial Bureau of
Cultural Heritage; Mr. Kan Zhang, Director of History Department in Xiamen
University, who supported our meeting and presented their highbrow comments
after our discussions. We own our debt to the Center for Maritime Archaeology of
Xiamen University, which provided !nancial support and organized the meeting,
and Springer Nature which undertakes the publication of this proceeding.

Jianzhong Song