Ancient Chinese Navigation Manual Reveals South China Sea Heritage

BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 9 July 2026 - Ten years after the South China Sea arbitration, CGTN has published an article exploring the story of the Genglubu – a handwritten navigation manual that guided generations of Hainan fishermen long before GPS, shedding light on a chapter of South China Sea history unfamiliar to many outside the region. The documentary Genglubu: Charting the South China Sea delves into this ancient manual, which recorded routes, compass bearings, and sailing distances, enabling fishermen to navigate reefs, islands, and open seas. The film follows the fishermen who crossed the sea, the families who preserved their knowledge, and a maritime tradition that connected China with Southeast Asia and beyond.

To outsiders, the Genglubu looks like a secret code. A single line of fourteen Chinese characters can contain an entire sea route: departure point, direction, destination, distance, and estimated sailing time. The documentary features veteran fishing boat captains like Wang Shitao, who first went to sea at age nine and survived two typhoons that killed his entire crew. Wang Shubao, another captain, noted that “children and brothers should never sail on the same boat,” reflecting the sea’s dangers. Research on the Liang Family Genglubu reveals routes extending to Singapore, Malacca, and Indonesia, showing Hainan fishermen’s role in regional maritime trade. Some manuscripts contain mountain-and-water charts with sketches of coastlines, compass bearings, water depth, and sea conditions. International law scholar Anthony Carty notes that “the Americans and the British produced their own navigational records, which identify the Chinese as being engaged very heavily in fishing on these islands and other forms of economic activity.”

Today, satellites, weather stations, and lighthouses have transformed navigation, but the purpose remains the same: helping sailors travel safely and return home. Genglubu: Charting the South China Sea traces a maritime tradition shaped by generations of ordinary people. It is a story of navigation, memory, and resilience, one that forms part of the shared maritime heritage of Asia. The documentary challenges the assumption that the Genglubu was only about the South China Sea, highlighting its broader regional connections.