As an important venue for the 600th Anniversary of Zhenghe's Expedition to the West Seas, the Zhenghe Treasure Ship Ruins Park has been constructed in Nanjing, a historical city in east China's Jiangsu Province.
The park is divided into three regions by three artificial lakes. On the eastern square is a replica of the Tiju Temple, the managing center of the shipyard. The temple is rebuilt in the style of the office building in the Ming Dynasty. The hall of treasures is in the temple, exhibiting the gifts and tributes from the countries Zheng He had been to during the voyages. Outside the temple there is a 11-meter-high observation post for the supervisors.
From north to south, the park consists of four regions showing respectively the Zheng He Culture, the marine technology, the production in the shipyard and the life of the ancient ship-makers.
A 200-meter-long corridor of steles in the Zheng He Culture Region marks the routes of Zheng He's expeditions as well as tells the stories about the foreign envoys visiting China during the Ming Dynasty.
In the region that shows the marine techniques, tourists can try measuring the speed of wind and of the ship on large models of ancient ships as if they were cruising the ocean with Zheng He's men.
In the simulative producing section of the shipyard, different work shops with models of workers are presented to show how a ship comes into being from a piece of wood.
The buildings in the south are dormitory of the workers. The congregation spot, the tool house, the salary issuing office and the drill ground where the sailors were trained are all recreated in accordance with the historical records.
The park will open to tourists in July.
(CRI.com June 16, 2005)
