Page 94 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

3 The Investigation and Preliminary Analysis of Nan’ao … 61

3.3.2 The Transportation of Jingdezhen Exported
Porcelains on Perspective of Nan’ao No. I Shipwreck

After the Longqing (##) period (AD 1567–1572) in Ming Dynasty, the Yuegang
("!, cresent) seaport of Zhangzhou was of!cially authorized as the only seaport
for legal international trade during the sea ban of Ming Dynasty. The Nan’ao
No. I shipwreck which had been loaded a great amount of exported ceramic of
Jingdezhen kiln was located at sea region not far from the south of Zhangzhou and
identi!ed as originated from Yuegang seaport. The contents of this shipwreck show
us important information of the maritime transportation of Jingdezhen ceramics by
Zhangzhou seaport.
Jingdezhen situates in the hinterland of China, from which the porcelains should
be transported to the coastal seaports in Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong before
exporting to oversea countries during ancient times. The traditional routes for the
transportation of Jingdezhen ceramic included three routes from Poyang Lake ("
!") water system to coastal region of southeast China (Peng 2011). The !rst route
was to Fuzhou ("!) seaport in the estuary of Minjiang river. This route went
upstream along Xinjiang (##) river as a branch of Poyang Lake, turned south and
got to upper reaches of Mingjiang (##) river system by Dahu Pass (!!$) at the
boundary of Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, then went downstream from Minjiang
river to Fuzhou seaport. The second route was to Ningbo (&$) seaport in the
estuary of Qiantangjiang ("!#) river, which went eastward along Xinjiang River
to Hekou (%') town in Qianshan (#") county, then by land road to the cities of
Quzhou (!!) and Jinhua (!%) in the upper reaches of Fuchunjiang (###)
River, went downstream of the river to the lower reach of Qiantangjiang and got to
Ningbo. The third route was to Guangzhou ($!) seaport in the estuary of Pearl
River Delta. This route went upstream of Ganjiang ("#) river and reached Dayu
("$) county, crossed the Meiguan (!$) Pass at the boundary of Jiangxi and
Guangdong provinces, entered Beijiang ((#) river as upper reaches of Pearl River
and went from the river to Foshan (%") city and Guangzhou. These traditional
outbound routes system of Jiangxi developed for hundreds of years from North
Song to Qing dynasties, were the main transportation ways for outbound exported
porcelains of Jingdezhen.
After the rising of Yuegang as the main legal seaport for international maritime
trade during sea ban period of Ming Dynasty, another outbound route of Jingdezhen
to Yuegang region which connected with Nan’ao island developed. The new routes
set from Poyang Lake and went upstream along Fuhe ("%) river to Guangchang
($$) county, then decentralized into three subways. The !rst one went through
Ninghua (&)) and Zhangping ("") counties, entered the upper reaches of
Jiulongjiang ()!#) river and flowed downward to Yuegang seaport at the
estuary of Jiulongjiang. The second one went to Changting ("&) county, entered
Tingjiang (&#) river and flowed downstream the Hangjiang (##) river to
Nan’ao island. The third one went through Ningdu (&$), Huichang (&$),
Wuping (!") and Zhenping (!") counties, entered and flowed downward to