Worcester's "Floating Population in China" Now Online

A Hong Kong "beggar boat" -- a sampan that is home to a family (Worcester, 1970, p.5)

Indigenous Boats is pleased to make available for free download The Floating Population in China by G.R.G. Worcester, with sketches by Doris Worcester. The scan was made available to us by the generosity of Alexey Shapovalov, a talented Russian model builder who mainly works on sailing vessels from China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. 

The full title of the work is a very descriptive handful: The Floating Population in China: An illustrated record of the junkmen and their boats on sea and river, accompanied by Some Chungking Types on the Upper Yangtze River. Although full of technical detail, like his other books on Chinese watercraft (also available for free download), The Floating Population is more concerned with the boat people and their water-borne activities, and Doris Worcester's lovely sketches give it an altogether more "personal" feel. Although sof the sketches seem to perpetuate negative Western stereotypes of Chinese people, it is generally respectful and appreciative of the culture of the time.

A Liu-p'eng ch'uan (six-mat) or Paper Boat, so-called because one of its typical cargoes is paper (Worcester, 1970, p.17).

Classification of Junks by Worcester - Free Download

Bow typology of Chinese junks, from A Classification of the Principal Chinese Sea-going Junks by Worcester (1948).

Continuing our series of free downloads of books about Asian watercraft, we are pleased to offer the useful A Classification of the Principal Chinese Sea-going Junks (South of the Yangtze), by G.R.G. Worcester, made available to us by a contributor who wishes to remain anonymous. The book was published by China's Inspectorate General of Customs in 1948. 

Focusing entirely on sailing craft, Worcester identifies 93 junk types in the area of study. Few of them are less than 50' (about 15m) LOA  and some are well over 100' (30m). His guide to identification relies on three main characteristics. In order of importance they are: bow shape; stern shape, and (surprisingly), decoration and color scheme, which, he says, are highly characteristic of the region in which each type is found. Also suprising is that he lists the rig as a characteristic of secondary importance, less significant in identification than color and decoration. His typology for the main bow types is shown above.

Each type is depicted on a two-page spread, with the left page bearing a profile drawing of the ship above the waterline, including its rig. The right-hand page is consistently formatted with details of design, locale, and usage, as shown in the example below.

Yencheng Trader-type junk, an example of the type descriptions in A Classification of the Principal Chinese Sea-going Junks by Worcester (1948).

Other books on Chinese and East Asian watercraft are available for free download on this page, including other works by Worcester.

Worcester's Upper Yangtze vessels - Free download

 

A river lifeboat, from Junks and Sampans of the Upper Yangtze (1940), by G.R.G. Worcester (Plate 9).

Junks and Sampans of the Upper Yangtze by G.R.G. Worcester (1940, published by the Inspector General of Customs of China) is now available for free download. It joins Worcester's other works on the traditional vessels of the Yangtze (Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze: Volume 1: Introduction: and Craft of the Estuary and Shanghai Area; and Volume 2:The Craft of the Lower and Middle Yangtze and Tributaries, on our page of downloads, where you'll find other books on Asian watercraft. The newest document was made available by an enthusiast who chooses to remain anonymous but to whom we are most grateful.

Like Volumes 1 and 2, the "Upper Yangtze" volume is a comprehensive survey of the traditional watercraft in the area under study, covering boat types, construction details, and fascinating descriptions of each boat type's design, history, and use. Worcester was an Englishman employed as a river inspector for China's Maritime Customs Service.

The Hung Ch'uan boat shown at the top, was a life boat. Dozens of these "red boats" (known as such for their characteristic color) were stationed along treacherous stretches of river, where they came to the aid of vessels in distress and saved hundreds of lives annually. The one shown measured 30' LOA by 7' beam. The characters on the flag identify its operator as "The Society for Rescuing Drowning People, Lower Section, Lungmenhao, South Bank, Chungking".

Tracking tackle and rigging, from Junks and Sampans of the Upper Yangtze (1940), by G.R.G. Worcester (Plate 4).

The second image shows the tackle used for tracking a boat upstream with a line made from braided strips of bamboo. The number of men hauling the tracking line could vary from one to hundreds, depending upon the size and weight of the boat and the speed and pitch of the current. Other illustrations in the book show sail rigs, rudder configurations, and comparative vessel profiles. It's well worth a look and a download. Enjoy!

Download Volume 2 of Worcester's Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze

Miao-Ch'uan boat, from Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze, Vol. 2, G.R.G. Worcester

Now available for free download is Volume 2 of G.R.G. Worcester's huge and detailed work, Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze: The Craft of the Lower and Middle Yangtze and Tributaries. It joins Volume 1 and other books on Asian watercraft on our page of free downloads. 

Among the hundreds of craft included are the lovely Miao-Ch'uan or Miao boat (above). The one shown, at 47' LOA, beam ~5', and depth 2', is a typical size for the type. Although slender and graceful, they are heavily built on eight bulkheads, for use in rapids. During downstream travel, control is maintained with the long bow sweep; to move upstream, the craft is tracked with a line fixed to the short mast. They were used to carry cargoes of beans, cotton, yarn, and gypsum, and by hog farmers to carry pigs, meat, manure and feed.

The tiny double sampan below, a little more than 5' long and 5' broad, was used by fishermen on calm waters, using a long-handled net to scoop up fish between the twin hulls. It was light enough to pick up and carry home at the end of the day.

Ichang "Water Shoes", from Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze, Vol. 2, G.R.G. Worcester

Download G.R.G. Worcester's "Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze, Vol. 1"

A skiff propelled by a yulow, or stern sculling oar. From Worcester, G.R.G., The Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze, Vol.1 (1947).

Now available for free download is G.R.G.Worcester's monumental study The Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze (1947), Volume 1: Introduction: and Craft of the Estuary and Shanghai Area. It contains lengthy descriptions of an amazing number of boat and ship types and dozens of plates of very clean construction plans similar to the one above, although most are of larger vessels. The Introduction details propulsion methods, rigging arrangements (like the image below), rudder configurations, anchors and other fittings.  

Details of spritsail rigging. From Worcester, G.R.G., The Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze, Vol.1 (1947).

Download Farrère and Fouqueray's Rare "Jonques et Sampans" Free

"Le Port de Saigon", from Jonques et Sampans, p.28 (of PDF)

 

Now available for free download is Jonques et Sampans by Claude Farrère and Charles Fouqueray. The valuable, hand-painted limited edition (500 copies) book, published in 1945, was scanned and made available to us by a generous enthusiast who wishes to remain anonymous. 

The text of Jonques et Sampans is in French and is less technical than the other books on our free downloads page. It describes watercraft in China, Indochina, and Singapore and is illustrated with dozens of beautiful watercolors.

 

Small craft in Hue, from Jonques et Sampans, p.75 (of PDF)

Download Audemard's "History of the Junk" Free

A Chinese ship shaped like a dragon. From L. Audemard, Les Jonques Chinoises, vol. 1, plate 29. 

And the first shall be last.

Now available for free download is the first volume of L. Audemard's 10-volume series, Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 1: Histoire de la Jonque (1957). Volumes 2-10 are also available on this page.

With the exception of the photographic portrait of Capt. Audemard, below, all the illustrations are from historical Chinese sources, like the one at the top of this post. Like the other volumes in the series, the book is in French.

The series was published by the Museum Voor Land en Volkenkunde and Miritiem Museum "Prins Hendrik", which have given us permission to post them. Scans were made available by a generous enthusiast who wishes to remain anonymous.

Capitaine de Frégate L. Audemard. From volume 1 of his series Les Jonques Chinoises.

Boats of Vietnam and China's East Coast - free book downloads

Vietnamese "three plank canoe" (i.e., sampan) of stitched construction, used in shallow and rocky tributaries of the Mekong River. From Audemard, Les Jonques Chinoises, vol. 10, plate 42.

Now available for download are two more volumes of the series Les Jonques Chinoises, by L. Audemard:

Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 9: Côtes Est (east coasts), 1970. 

Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 10: Indochine (Indochina [i.e., Vietnam]), 1971

Both are in French and full of wonderful illustrations showing the vast range of traditional watercraft types of these regions. For non-French speakers, Google Translate makes it easy enough to make sense of the text concerning any boat that piques your curiosity. 

The volumes were published by the Museum Voor Land en Volkenkunde and Miritiem Museum "Prins Hendrik", which have given us permission to post them here. Scans were made available to us by an enthusiast who wishes to remain anonymous. Several other volumes in this series are available on the same page; all are free downloads.

A fisherman's raft from the island of Amoy, built of 5-6 bamboo stems about 2m long, tied with cords of bamboo fiber. From Audemard, Les Jonques Chinoises, vol. 9, plate 78.

Watercraft on Lower Yang Tse River and China's Coast - Free Downloads

A duck hatchery boat. From Audemard, L., Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 6, Plate 76. See main text for further desription.

Three more volumes of the series Les Jonques Chinoises, by L. Audemard are now available in two free downloads:

Vol. 6: Bas Yang Tse Kiang, 1965. Tremendous variety of boats and ships on the lower Yang Tse. One of my favorites is the duck hatchery vessel illustrated above. Here's Google Translate's version of part of the description:

"These boats must be ranked among the most original designs in the chosen industry. They are found on most rivers and streams, along the sheltered coasts, mainly in the province of Kouan-tung where duck breeding is practiced with prodigious intensity for the sale of eggs which China exports in considerable quantity in all parts of the world.

"These are wide and spacious boats where the ducks occupy a privileged place under a vast shelter covered with mats extending over the greater part of the deck, while the owner and his family skirt aft, in a small hut. A slanted board at the front serves as a walkway for the ducks to descend into the water."

Vols. 7 and 8: Côtes Nord et Sud de la Chine, 1969. Two volumes published in a single tome. Volume 7 is junks of the north coast of China; Volume 8 is junks of the south coast. As might be expected, most of the vessels illustrated and described are ships, but there are a fair number of small craft too.

The volumes were published by the Museum Voor Land en Volkenkunde and Miritiem Museum "Prins Hendrik", which have given us permission to post them here. Scans were made available to us by an enthusiast who wishes to remain anonymous. Like the other volumes in this series, the books are in French.

Hiking out on a small, two-masted coastal vessel. It's interesting to see that not all "junks" are junk-rigged. From Audemard, L., Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 8, Plate 26. 

Audemard's Chinese Junks: Free Downloads of Two New Volumes

Crooked stern junk on the Yangtse River. Plate 30 from Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 5, Haut Yang Tse Kiang, by L. Audemard, 1963

Now available for free download are two more volumes of the series Les Jonques Chinoises, by L. Audemard:

Vol. 4: Description des Jonques, 1962. This volume is a statistical survey of junks in China -- where they were, in what numbers, of what capacity, etc. The only graphics are maps.

Vol. 5: Haut Yang Tse Kiang, 1963. This volume describes not only the boats themselves on the upper Yangtse River, but also pays considerable attention to their usage, including propulsion (especially man-hauling), sleeping arrangements, provisioning, etc. Many surprising vessel types illustrated, including stitched/sewn craft, dugout canoes, rafts, and the intriguing crooked-stern junk shown above. So many wonderful illustrations that it was difficult to choose only two for this post.

The volumes were published by the Museum Voor Land en Volkenkunde and Miritiem Museum "Prins Hendrik", which have given us permission to post them here. Scans were made available to us by an enthusiast who wishes to remain anonymous. Like the other volumes in this series, the books are in French.

Enjoy!

Preparing a meal on a junk. Plate 5 from Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 5, Haut Yang Tse Kiang, by L. Audemard, 1963

Decoration of Chinese Junks - Free Download

Decorative motifs on Chinese junks. From Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 3: Ornementation et Types by L. Audemard. Plate 60.

Now available for free download is Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 3: Ornementation et Types, by L. Audemard, published in 1960 by the Museum Voor Land en Volkenkunde and Miritiem Museum "Prins Hendrik", which have given us permission to post it here. Scans were made available to us by an enthusiast who wishes to remain anonymous. 

Like Vol. 2: Construction de la Jonque, which we posted last week, the work is in French but is worthwhile to anyone interested in traditional Chinese watercraft on account of its wonderful illustrations. And of course Google Translate is available to help non-Francophones understand the text. 

We plan to steadily add more resources to our page of free downloads of books about boats of China and Southeast Asia.

Launching ceremony for a small boat, with small ribbons inscribed with propitious text on the transom, and incense burning fore and aft. From Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 3: Ornementation et Types by L. Audemard. Plate 88.

Construction of Chinese Junks - New Resource Available

"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 downloads. We 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.

Two images from Les Jonques Chinoises, Vol. 2: Construction de la Jonque  by L. Audemard

Vatican boat model exhibit, Part 2

In a current temporary exhibit at the Vatican Museums, dozens of models of watercraft from numerous nations and cultures are presented to represent the diversity and interconnectedness of humanity. (See our previous post on this exhibit.) The models are displayed in glass cases (hence the poor quality of the photos that follow) with little explanatory material. 

We present our photos with the scanty information from the exhibit cards in quotation marks, and our own brief observations in parentheses. We invite readers to contribute additional information about any boat in the Comments. Only models representing craft from "outside the Western tradition" are included here. More images of other models from the exhibit will follow in a subsequent post. As always, click any image to enlarge.

"Japan: Sailing boat" (looks like it would be highly capable in surf)

"Indonesia: Sailing boat with outrigger" -- (actually two outriggers. Although the rig is set as a square sail, it appears to be hung asymmetrically on the mast and can probably be canted to form a kind of lugsail.)

"Philippines: Sailing boat with outrigger" -- (again, two outriggers. This is a banca, with a Western-style sailing rig.)

"Sri Lanka: Boat with fisherman" (We wonder if the model attempts to represent any real type of boat, or if it is purely fanciful, its shape dictated by the material available to the modeler. What's surprising and touching about this model is the paddler, who is modeled with a great deal of humanity.)

"India: Pirogue with rowers" (paddlers, actually)

"China: Boat for recreation" (and by that, we mean eating, drinking and sex.)

(background) "India: Pirogue with rowers" (again, paddlers in fact)

"Thailand: Royal boat" (identical exhibit cards for both models)

"China: Sea Junk" (The truncated bow and minimal rig are fascinating aspects of this model, which is certainly not meant to be an accurate representation.)

"Southeast Asia: River boat" (a sampan)

"China: Sea Junk with three masts"

"China: River boat"

"China: Dragon boat for racing"

(Nationality not identified)
Back row:
Left: "Raft for fishing with cormorants"
Center: "Houseboat with passenger and boatmen" (Error in labeling, as this open craft is clearly not a houseboat. The Italian label identifies it as a sampan with a passenger and a boatman)
Right: (label illegible in photo)

Front row: 

Left: "Houseboat with coxswain"
Center: "Houseboat with passenger and boatmen" (Error in labeling, as this open craft is clearly not a houseboat. The Italian label identifies it as a sampan with a passenger and a boatman)
Right: "Houseboat with fisherman"

"Samoa: Seven paddle canoe" (Noticeable similarities to a Samoan canoe in our post about Buckminster Fuller's model collection)

Buckminster Fuller's Model Boat Collection, Part 2

In this post we look at the remainder of Buckminster Fuller's model boat collection that was recently donated to Penobscot Marine Museum. See our previous post for the first half of the collection.

Chinese junk. Lightweight wood, possibly bamboo. This model has enough detail so that it might be possible to associate it with a specific type, even though some of the features are overly simplified (e.g., the capstan) and others appear to be out of scale. The rigging and the house, however, have received a good amount of care and seem to reflect accurate observation of a real vessel type. The masthead devices, if accurate, may help in identification. 

With the hull's extreme tumblehome, the vessel is clearly a bulk carrier, and the scale of the house indicates it's a fairly large one. I believe the deck planks, laid athwartships, would lift off on the real ship to facilitate loading and unloading. Three heavy wales at the waterline strengthen the hull and serve as fenders. The three-masted, fully-battened balanced lug rig is supplemented by one long sweep on each side, which I believe makes this a vessel intended for river/inland use.

Deck beams extend through the sides of the house. Housetops are made of woven material, probably meant to represent bamboo or palm leaf matting.

Details of mizzenmast, deckhouse, transom and the large balanced rudder of complex construction. 

Masthead device on foremast

Masthead device on mainmast (mizzen is similar).

Although there are many differences between the present model and this image of a Ma-Yang-Tzu junk from Ships of China by Valentin A. Sokoloff (not the least being the single mast of the Ma-Yang-Tzu versus the three-masted rig on the model), there are a number of similarities that indicate a possible relationship, including: heavy round cross-beams at deck level; sweeps on both sides; the capstan well aft of the bow; a barrel-backed deckhouse with a raised barrel-back coachroof; a tall athwartship "horse" (located over the deckhouse, forward of the coachroof on this vessel); red-topped pins sticking up from the transom; and a balanced rudder with an acute angle at its lower aft corner.
The Ma-Yang-Tzu is a river vessel, and the heavy cross-beams reinforce it and provide points of attachment for the tow line for upstream travel. The pins on the transom are for storing spare towlines.

Chinese seagoing junk. With its deep rocker and high gunwales, this model represents a seagoing junk. Much of the rigging is in disarray but otherwise the model is in good condition. Although some details are out of proportion (for example, the weight of the sail battens and of the rail around the aft deck), there may be enough accurate observation here to facilitate identification with a real ship type.  The color scheme on the sides, the design on the transom, the colorful pole-mounted device on the aft deck, and the shape of the oculus are especially promising in this regard.
The vessel is a three-masted rig with fully battened lugsails that have a distinctly ovoid shape. The foremast has a forward lean; the mainmast is approximately vertical; and the mizzenmast rakes aft. 

Stern details, including painted transom design, unbalanced rudder, and heavy wales at the waterline.  

There is a capstan aft of the foremast and a tall windlass at the aft end of the main deck, probably used for raising sails. Two tall “horses,” (please advise concerning the correct term in the Comments) one each aft of fore and main masts, appear to be tying-off points for running rigging. There are deck hatches fore and aft of the mainmast. 

"Horse" aft of mainmast;, windlass; crossbeams beneath the aft deck extend through the sides of the hull. Is the pole-mounted device on the aft deck a lantern or a symbol identifying the vessel's port of call or purpose? 

Small junk, China. This model, somewhat less detailed than the previous one, represents a smaller, simpler vessel. It has a single deck with lower gunwales and what might be termed a schooner junk rig, with two masts, the forward one shorter and raked sharply forward. The mainmast has a slight forward rake. Both masts are set with fully battened lugsails. The foresail has a straight, vertical luff and a moderate amount of roach to the leech. I believe the mainsail is similar. As on the previous model, the rigging is in disarray.
There is a capstan just aft of the foremast, and a windlass just aft of that. Also as on the previous model, there are deck hatches immediately forward and aft of the mainmast.

Bow detail. The bow transom is painted red. Atop it is a heavy beam tying the gunwales together and extending beyond them: perhaps fishing nets would be drawn over it?

One bow-backed deck shelter is covered with fabric, and a framework is present for a second shelter to be erected should the need arise. This makes me think this vessel is occupied by a family who would use it for small-scale commercial fishing and/or trading.

The rudder is unbalanced; the tiller is missing from the top of the rudder post. A crossbeam at the top of the stern transom is smaller in diameter than the one at the bow and does not extend beyond the vessel's sides.

I do not know the purpose of the horizontal beams on both sides of the vessel extending past the stern transom on this and the previous junk and on the raft that follows. They don't appear to serve as davits. If you know their purpose, please explain in the Comments. 

Bamboo Raft, Taiwan. This very touristy model, essentially a nicknack, was built of shell or horn and represents a seagoing bamboo raft of a type once used for fishing. It is believed that Micronesia was settled by people using vessels like this prior to the development of the outrigger canoe.

Heavy crossbeams at the bow and stern are etched with zigzag patterns to represent lashings to the craft’s main longitudinal members, which would have been bamboo stalks. The mast rests on a heavy step that serves as another crossbeam amidships. On the foredeck is a representation of a basket of elaborate shape, probably for keeping the day’s catch. The item on the aft deck might represent a basket-built dinghy, a deckhouse, or possibly a net. Oars are tied to tholepins on both gunwale rails. Whether they are for propulsion or steering is unclear.

A fully battened balanced Chinese lugsail is represented, but the model is entirely without rigging. The sail is inscribed “Taiwan” in English. Translations of the Chinese characters and explanations of the other symbols on the sail are welcomed in the Comments.

Thai Market Boat. The model represents a Thai market boat of the type used in the famous Bangkok floating market. Market gardeners bring their produce to the market in these boats and sell directly from them. The model shows the construction of this boat type fairly accurately. It is a plank-built boat of sampan construction, with wide planks laid on deep frames. An important function of the frames is to support the tall washstrakes. Boats like this are often built of teak, and the model may be as well.
Most photos of the Bangkok market show paddles being used for propulsion, but the model has a long oar or sweep that pivots on a waist-high post and that would be rowed in a standing, forward-facing position. Perhaps the oar is used for efficiency in open water, then removed in the close confines of the market, where a paddle then comes into play.
A teak Thai market boat very much like this model was restored by the Small Open Boats shop in Port Republic, Maryland.

The long overhanging square bow allows for easy boarding and loading/unloading over the bow onto a wharf or other walkway, and the metal strips would protect it, especially if that walkway were of stone or concrete. Given the crowded conditions in the floating markets, over-the-bow loading a more efficient use of limited wharf space than tying up side-to.

All the decks and floorboards of the model are loose and removable, notched to fit over the deep frames.

The boat is steered by an underhung transom rudder of elegant shape. We speculate that when the oar is in use, the oarsman or -woman might operate the beautifully-curved tiller with one foot.