綿延生長

綿延生長

The Lingnan area has a long coastline, with many islands. Since ancient times, people of Lingnan have started sailing. Thanks to their advanced navigation technology and shipbuilding skills, Lingnanese kept discovering and conquering the ocean, and from offshore fi shing to oceanic trading, they gradually broadened their space of living. Thus, Lingnanese form the adventurous spirits and the customs of revering the ocean.

The Red Ships At Zhanglin Port In Qing Dynasty,150×100cm,by Feng Shaoxie,2014《清代?漳林港的紅頭船》，150×100，馮少協，2014年

嶺南海岸線漫長，島嶼眾多，在遠古時代，嶺南人就有航海的習慣。

憑借領先的航海技術和造船技術，嶺南人對海洋不斷探索、征服，從近海捕撈到遠洋貿易，一步步擴大著自己生存的天地。由此，嶺南形成敢于冒險的性格，以及敬畏海洋的民俗。

Live by the Sea

The ancient Lingnanese were good at sailing, especially at shipbuilding.

Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, Lingnan shipbuilding developed into a very mature wooden sailing technology. Until the Tang and Song Dynasties, the ships were already equipped with the most advanced compass needles, spindles, watertight compartments, rudders and so on. Ships departed from Guangzhou, went through the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean to countries along the Persian Gulf. The furthest could even reach the eastern African coast. In the Ming Dynasty,“Guang Ships”, which achieved a worldwide reputation, could hold more then 2000 persons and sustain stronger winds and waves. China, therefore, was able to be with Spain to create the brand new navigation history by developing a new transoceanic marine route from Guangzhou, by way of Manila, the Philippines, to Mexico in Latin America.

It's recorded that in the West Han Dynasty there was a phenomenon, “by Hepu and Xuwen counties south till the oceans, and then comes the vast state, which is Quadra kilometres' occupation of land”. The oldest Chinese marine Silk Road had then taken shape. According to the written history, the ambassador from the Roman Empire sailed directly to Guangzhou in the East Han Dynasty. Untill Tang and Song Dynasties, the longest route reached to coast of eastern Africa.

Living by the sea creates the adventurous spirits of the Lingnan people and forms the customs of revering the ocean. The life of fi shermen needs to be comforted to the catching seasons and the marine climates. So before sailing, they would like at fi rst to do “Sky Divination” and “Clouds Divination”. The fi rst launching of a ship or the sailing of a fi shing boat and the closing of fi shing nets needed a specially selected fortune hour and a lucky day. There are a lot of rituals in sailing, but most are for luck and good harvest. When chatting, making meals or grilling fi shes, for instance, people would say “shun“ (lucky), rather than “fan” (shipwreck). If fi shermen have fi sh on board, fi nishing the tail of a fi sh or breaking off the fi sh are both taboos, because they regard fi sh as their boats and the bottom of a boat is usually for controlling the rudder---breaking off represents the ominous shipwrecking. The head of a newly launched boat needs to point to the temple, and the boat can actually start off only after the fi recrackers. Then when good harvest comes, people will cook a sucking pig to worship the gods and give gratitude to them for their blessing.

The captain is the host on board, and everything on board should respect the wisdom of the captain. Others cannot say one more word. When having fi sh on board, in order to show respect, the head of the fi sh is left to the captain. These rules made by marine people make Lingnanese more team cohesive, more disciplined and honour the host with the highest authority.

歷史上，嶺南人擅長航海，尤擅造船。

早在秦漢時期，嶺南的造船業已進入木帆船時代。到唐宋時期，船上更擁有當時世界上最先進的羅盤針、轉軸、水密艙、錨等裝置，船隊可以從廣州經南海、印度洋，到波斯灣沿岸各國，最遠到達非洲東部海岸。由此，形成當時世界上最長的遠洋航線。明代，“廣舶”名揚天下，可容納2000余人，抵御更大的風浪。航海技術的發展，讓嶺南人很早開始對外貿易。據記載，西漢時期，就有“自合浦徐聞南入海，得大州，東西南北方千里”，形成中國最古的一條海上絲綢之路航線。東漢時期，已有記載大秦國（羅馬帝國）派遣使者直接航行到中國廣州。

海洋帶給嶺南人財富和闖蕩精神，也形成了敬畏海洋的民俗。漁民出海要“占天”“占云”，新船下海、漁船出海、合網都要擇選吉日良辰。說話時忌說“翻”，吃魚忌先吃魚尾，更忌將魚尾弄斷。新船下海要將船頭向著宮廟鳴放鞭炮后才能正式開船出海。捕魚豐收了，也要燒頭乳豬祭拜神靈，感謝神靈保佑。

舵公是船的主人，船上一切得服從舵公智慧，伙計們不能多嘴。在船上吃魚，一般魚頭都要留給舵公，以示尊重。嶺南人在海外闖蕩時，團隊意識強、次序森嚴，當家人有較高的權威，大約都跟這些海上生存形成的規則有關。

HUIZHOU 惠州

Huizhou has a 281.4Km coastline, with 140 isles and islands. The offshore of Daya Gulf is the provincial level natural conservation area for aquaculture.

Huidong Port has the national level natural conservation for sea turtles, and is also the only one in Asia. By the sea of Huizhou, the most typical spot is Xunliao Gulf.

惠州擁有大陸海岸線281.4公里，大小島嶼140個，大亞灣海域是省級水產資源自然繁殖保護區。惠東港口海龜自然保護區為國家級自然保護區，是亞洲大陸唯一的海龜自然保護區。惠州濱海景點代表當屬巽寮灣。

YANGJIANG 陽江

The coastline of Yangjiang is 341.5km. The city has 30 main islands. Near

Yangjian the shipwreck of “Nanhai NO.1” was found, which bought fame to the region. The Museum of Marine Silk Road was then built here. In addition,

Yangjiang has profound Matsu rituals, customs of the Dan people and a fi shing culture. Dongling Island is the most notable visiting spot by the sea.

海岸線長341.5公里，主要島嶼有30個。陽江打撈到的“南海Ⅰ號”沉船，讓陽江被譽為“海上敦煌”，更建成了全國最大的“海上絲綢之路博物館”。此外，陽江還有豐富悠久的媽祖、疍家習俗和漁家文化。陽江濱海景點代表是東陵島。

SHANTOU 汕頭

Shantou has a sea and island coastline totalling 471.5 Km. The local people turn to seafood for sustenance. The Chaoshan cuisine has 7 types of famous courses and appetisers, more than 300 kinds, each of which is based on seafood. Shantou is also a renowned hometown of overseas Chinese. Many celebrities are from Shantou, such as Li Ka-shing. By the sea of Shantou, the most visited site is Nan'ao Island.

汕頭市海岸線加島岸線共471.5公里。居民日常以海鮮為食，潮汕名菜小食7大類、300多種，樣樣離不開海鮮。汕頭也是著名的僑鄉，很多當年通過海洋走出去的名人，例如李嘉誠。汕頭濱海景點最具代表的當屬南澳島。

ZHANJIANG 湛江

Zhanjiang has the longest coastline in Guangdong Province. At 1556km long, it is also 1/10 of China's coastline. The ancestors there were afraid of wind and waves on the sea, so most of them worshiped the god of thunder and wished to have a dialog with him. Zhanjiang has abundant oceanic fi shery resources with more than 3000 types of fi sh which are famous for their big size, thick fl esh and great taste. The typical spot is Donghai Island.

湛江海岸線長達1556公里，約為全國的1/10，是全省之最。雷州半島人們自古害怕海洋風浪，所以大都崇拜雷神。湛江海洋漁業資源豐富，魚類多達3000多種，海鮮以肉厚個大鮮美聞名。湛江濱海景點代表是東海島。

ZHUHAI 珠海

Zhuhai, so-called “the city of a hundred of islands”, has altogether 146 isles and islands with a 604 km long coastline. It is the key city of the port of the Pearl River, and is a new style garden city with a beautiful reputation of being the “romantic city”. Dong'ao Island is the representative sight spot of Zhuhai.

珠海海岸線長604公里，大小島嶼146個，有“百島之市”的美譽。珠海為珠江口西岸的核心城市，新型花園城市，在中國有“浪漫之城”的稱號。珠海濱海景點代表東澳島。

LIVE BY THE SEA

Text by Lan Xiaojiang Translation by Bian Jiajin Photos by Quan Jing & Zeng Jian