Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE)
traditional crafts
UNESCO Intangible Heritage
Southeast China
active
The watertight-bulkhead technology is a traditional Chinese shipbuilding technique where the hull is divided into watertight compartments using transverse bulkheads. This innovation, developed in Fujian over 1,000 years ago, prevents a ship from sinking if one compartment is breached. The technique was crucial for the Maritime Silk Road and contributed to Zheng He's treasure fleet. Construction uses local fir and camphor wood with iron nails and chunam caulking.
Skills & Techniques
Mortise-and-Tenon Joinery expand_more
A traditional Chinese woodworking technique that connects wooden components without nails or glue, using precisely carved interlocking joints.
Steps
- Select and season high-quality timber (traditionally Chinese fir)
- Measure and mark the joinery points
- Cut the mortise (socket) using chisels
- Shape the tenon (projecting piece) to match precisely
- Test-fit and adjust until the joint is tight
- Assemble without glue — friction and compression hold the joint
Tools
axe, chisel set, ink marker (modou), hand saw, plane, mallet
Materials
Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata), cedar, pine
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