2016年CRI Fishermen's bible in the South China Sea reflects harmony between man and nature

 

Tanmen is a small town that sits along the east coast of China's southernmost Hainan Province. With a history of more than 1,000 years, it's a renowned¹ fish market in China, as well as a well-known fishing port. 

81-year-old fishermen Su Chengfen has spent most of his lifetime on the sea.

"We started from Tanmen port, then sailed to Xisha and Nansha islands. We had no nautical² chart at that time, so we transcribed³ the "Geng Lu Bu"(更路簿) to guide us on the way. "

The guide Su Chengfen mentioned, "Geng Lu Bu", is a book of maritime⁴ routes that records names of islands, sailing direction, weather and distance. For centuries, fishermen learned about the climate and ocean currents from the Geng Lu Bu. The book also helped identify marine⁵ resources and locations good for fishing and living.

"Once you understand the Geng Lu Bu, you can become an experienced captain."

This sentence has been passed down from generation to generation among locals. Chinese fisherman's discovery of the South China Sea can be dated back 2,000 years ago during the Han Dynasty, which is also the earliest recorded mention of the sea in the world. They identified the oceans through watching the astrology and the color of the sea, and named the islands using local dialects. After centuries' exploring, the first "Geng Lu Bu" appeared in the early 14th century. 

Wu Shicun is the president of National Institute for South China Sea Studies.

"Geng Lu Bu, which has been handed down from the Ming dynasty, is a map formed in the process of Chinese fishermen sailing on the South China Sea. It can be considered as important evidence proving the Chinese people's development and management of the South China Sea as it detailed⁶ the routes, name of islands and reefs and fishing resources when fishermen conducted their fishing activities around the four archipelagos of the South China Sea and nearby waters. 

With accurate records of weather, oceans and island names, "Geng Lu Bu" is regarded as fishermen's Bible. Su Chengfen says Geng Lu Bu made it possible for fishermen to sail in the South China Sea, when they only had a compass.

Respecting and obeying the nature rules is the first thing local fishermen learn from "Geng Lu Bu". 

Over the centuries, fishermen in the South China Sea lived in harmony with nature using the guidebook left by their ancestors. Each winter, the northwest monsoon⁷ blew away Tanmen's fishing boats to the South China Sea, several months later, the southwest monsoon brought these vessels⁸ home, fully⁹ loaded with seafood¹⁰. 

Years later, the fishing boats have been replaced by modern boats, but the cultural tradition in the South China Sea remain unchanged.

Currently, their are 12 versions of "Geng Lu Bu" left in the world, recording¹¹ more than 200 routes, 7 transportation hubs and fishing centers of the South China Sea. In 2008, "Geng Lu Bu" was officially listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

1 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

2 nautical   

adj.海上的，航海的，船员的

参考例句：

• A nautical mile is 1,852 meters.一海里等于1852米。
• It is 206 nautical miles from our present location.距离我们现在的位置有206海里。

3 transcribed   

（用不同的录音手段）转录( transcribe的过去式和过去分词 )； 改编（乐曲）（以适应他种乐器或声部）； 抄写； 用音标标出（声音）

参考例句：

• He transcribed two paragraphs from the book into his notebook. 他把书中的两段抄在笔记本上。
• Every telephone conversation will be recorded and transcribed. 所有电话交谈都将被录音并作全文转写。

4 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

5 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

7 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

8 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

10 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

11 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。