Sunday, June 25, 2023

Construction of Chinese Junks - New Resource Available

Pen and ink drawing of junk under construction with 6 men using hand tools
"Construction d'une jonque, Haute Yang tse", from Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 2: Construction de la Jonque  by L. Audemard 

Thanks to a contributor who wishes to remain anonymous, I am happy to present the first in a new batch of books about Chinese and Southeast Asian boats available for free download. The first title is Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 2: Construction de la Jonque, by frigate captain L. Audemard, published in 1959 by the Museum Voor Land en Volkenkunde and Miritiem Museum "Prins Hendrik", which have given us permission to post it here.

Audemard's work (i.e., "Chinese Junks: Junk Construction") joins The Junk Blue Book: A Handbook of Junks of South Vietnam, which has been available here for years, on a new page of downloadsWe will periodically add more titles to the new page, all made available by the same anonymous contributor.

I encourage anyone interested in the vernacular boats of Asia to take a look at Les Jonques Chinoises Vol. II. Even if you don't read French, the illustrations should make it well worth the visit.


Illustration comparing 9 types of rudders on junks

Lifting and steering mechanisms on two types of junk rudders
Two images from Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 2: Construction de la Jonque  by L. Audemard