Page 99 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

Chapter 4
A Historical Review
on the Social-Cultural Impact
of Yuegang-Manila Navigation
on the Ancient Chinese Civilization

Chunming Wu

Yuegang (!!), the crescent seaport of Zhangzhou (!!, Chincheo), is located at
the estuary and lower reach of Jiulongjiang (!!!) river which is the second
largest river in Fujian province—the most famous maritime cultural center and
flourishing region of oversea navigation of southeast coast of China. Yuegang as a
smuggling seaport emerged originally in the early Ming and thrived in the late Ming
Dynasty (!") under the maritime ban and tribute system, continued its prosperous
maritime transportation after Quanzhou ("!, Zaitun, Cuchincheo) which had
been one of the most important seaport in Chinese medieval age.
During 16–18th centuries, Chinese junks from Yuegang bounded out massively
for Manila to trade with Spanish galleon merchants (Fig. 4.1). Yuegang became
one of the most important transiting terminals for Manila galleons’ cargo trade in
mainland eastern Asia. Yuegang was not only an essential exporting seaport
transferring Chinese cargoes for Spanish galleons and American continents, but
also the most important entrance for the new products, innovative technology and
exotic artifacts introduced into China by galleons and junks. These exotic products,
new techniques and foreign cultures from America and Europe changed the
social-cultural landscape and daily life of the ancient China, provided assignable
contribution to the development of Chinese pluralistic integrating culture.

C. Wu (&)
The Center for Maritime Archaeology, Xiamen University, Fujian, China
e-mail: wu_chunming@hotmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019 67
C. Wu et al. (eds.), Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaports and Early Maritime
Globalization, The Archaeology of Asia-Paci!c Navigation 2,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9248-2_4