Japanese boat name 6 letters. Traditional boats: junk. Characteristic appearance
The very first boats on earth were dugouts: in some countries, such boats are successfully driven around to this day. Then other - more advanced models began to appear: drakkars, gondolas, sampans. They were painted in bright colors, got painted faces or carved figures on the bow or stern, some even had a motor. In the summer season, when the boat turns into the most enjoyable mode of transport, we reviewed the photos of traditional boats of all types and selected the most interesting ones.
(34 photos total)
1. Venice, Italy. In the 18th century, several thousand gondolas sailed along the canals of the city. At the same time, the shape and size of the boats were legislated. They have not changed since then.
2. Hong Kong. A traditional dragon boat festival is held in Hong Kong every summer.
3. Essaouira, Morocco. The only people who work in the town are fishermen, who, in their bright blue boats (there are hundreds of them at the pier!), Go to sea at five in the morning.
4. Lake Titicaca, Bolivia. The reed boats, on which the Aborigines sail on the lake, became the prototype of Thor Heyerdahl's famous reed raft.
5. Thailand. Thai longtail boats are very maneuverable.
6. Crete, Greece.
7. Myanmar. Villagers near Inle Lake use their feet to paddle instead of using their hands.
8. Jakarta, Indonesia. Local fishermen take all their catch to the Sunda Kelapa market located in the oldest port of the capital of the same name.
9. State of Goa, India. Traditional Indian boat on the Goa beach.
11. State of Goa, India. For stability, narrow boats are supplied with a "float".
12. Mexico City, Mexico. Pleasure boats, on which tourists today ride along the ancient canals dug by the Aztecs.
13. Japan. Nagatoro are small river boats designed to carry goods and people.
14. Maldives. Dhoni boats are used for small walks. The locals have long since improved them by installing a diesel engine.
15. Ecuador. Such dugout boats are made from solid wood. The work takes about 3-4 weeks.
16. Bali, Indonesia.
17. Bali, Indonesia. Traditional narrow Balinese boats have hollow bamboo trunks on the sides for stability.
18. Porto, Portugal. These boats are used to transport young wine down the Doro River to Porto and the Villa Nova de Gaia area.
19. Camiguin Island, Philippines. The boat used in the islands is called dhoni.
20. China. The Chinese boat sampan is a punt, whose name means "three boards".
21. Malta. In any harbor on the island, you can see boats painted in a certain way.
22. Malta. Eyes are always painted on the bow of boats, which are designed to protect fishermen from various dangers. It is believed to be the eyes of Osiris.
23. Malta.
24. Varanasi, India. Many boats are painted blue and blue. In Hinduism, they are considered divine.
25. Hong Kong. Aqua Luna is an antique pirate boat with hand-woven sails.
Not everyone has heard the word "junk". But those who heard it for the first time are probably wondering what it means. Few people know that the junk is a traditional Chinese ship that has a number of significant differences from the representatives of European shipbuilding. The difference is noticeable both at first glance and upon further study of this unusual ship.
Characteristic appearance
Due to such a large number of characteristic features, the junk is probably the most recognizable vessel in the world and at the same time unique, since it has very little in common with the traditional European ships used in most countries. Nevertheless, there were many varieties of this ship - according to some sources, more than 300.
History
The name, which is reminiscent of a traditional American name, is derived from the Malay word djong, which is a distortion of the South Minh dialect word for ship. In other words, a junk is a ship, which, in fact, it is.
An old legend says that the first ship of this type was created by the Heavenly Chinese Emperor Fu Hsi. He lived in the distant 29th century BC and was known for giving the inhabitants of the country secret knowledge that contributed to the development of civilization. It is not surprising that the Chinese junk is revered by the peoples of the Far East and Southeast Asia as some kind of living creature with disposition, character and charm. However, some historians are inclined to believe that the first junks appeared around 1000 BC.
Despite the fact that China was less than many other countries interested in exploring the remote parts of the ocean, the first sea vessel appeared here. And it was a junk. Its stability made it possible to maneuver in open waters of any scale, but the speed remained rather low.
Unusual sails
For some, the most notable feature of a junky is its unusual hull, while others primarily pay attention to the sails. There are usually three to five masts on such a ship. On them are horizontal bamboo poles, which serve as holders of unusual sails. Their general appearance resembles a fan - both externally and by the folding system.
At first, the sails were made of reed mats, which made them very heavy, so the junk at that time was not adapted for fast sailing. But there was no need for this either. But the strength of the material allowed the sails to withstand the gusts of even the strongest wind. Later, the mat was replaced with cloth, which increased the speed and maneuverability of the vessel.
At the end of the 13th century, China was visited by the Venetian merchant and traveler Marco Polo. He compiled a detailed description of the original Asian vessel and was simply amazed that some of the junks could be fitted with spare ones in addition to the existing four masts, allowing a few more sails to be deployed.
Military junks
What is a junk for the Chinese? This is often a transport or merchant ship. Much less often it was used for military purposes. Historians note an interesting fact: in the 16-17th centuries, Portuguese, Dutch and Japanese pirates appeared off the Chinese coast. Rather than mobilizing troops and driving them away, the Chinese turned to ancient treatises to advise on this. Not finding an answer to their question, the people of China decided to leave everything as it is.
However, what is a junk if not a ship ideal for military action? The stability of the vessel made it possible to install on it from 5 to 7 12-pounder guns and a special bulwark that protected from bullets and arrows. At the same time, the number of the crew reached 200 people, and the displacement was 200 tons.
Japanese junks
Dzhonki, created in the Land of the Rising Sun, were somewhat different from the Chinese, including externally. First of all, the curvature of the sides and the stern raised high above the water, hanging over the steering wheel, stood out.
Unlike the Chinese, the Japanese junk is a ship with only one central mast, on which a narrow rectangular sail is located. Another small mast was tilted at the bow of the ship and could probably be retracted if necessary. Another feature of the Japanese junks is that the beams - the beams that form the base of the deck - protruded beyond the vessel, thereby increasing the usable space for cargo.
Modernity
Despite the fact that the junk was invented over 3 thousand years ago, it still remains relevant. The main reason is the perfect design for stability, spaciousness and maneuverability in shallow water. For many years, the old ship has practically not changed, even now it is still the same medieval junk. The photo clearly shows how few differences there are between an old and a modern ship.
Currently, the poor in parts of China are forced to live on junks, which is much cheaper than buying a home. The boat provides food and shelter for fishermen and is a popular place to stay. Junk house owners prefer to settle on rivers near large cities. The population in such floating settlements can reach up to 80 thousand people, as, for example, in the city of Canton. In Hong Kong, there are also quite a few Chinese people living on junks - about 12 thousand. In addition, junks are now used to attract tourists.
Although this ship is considered to be traditionally Chinese, for a long time it was popular not only in China, but also in the waters of Southeast Asia, being widespread in Japan and Vietnam. In the famous Vietnamese bay, you can still see these traditional boats, now used exclusively for tourist purposes.
According to Chinese legends, the first junk was created by the semi-mythical ruler of China - Fu Hsi, who was called the "Heavenly Emperor". According to legend, he gave his people secret knowledge that contributed to the formation of a powerful Chinese civilization.
Therefore, it is not surprising that many peoples of Southeast Asia saw in the elegant Chinese junk a living creature - frighteningly bewitching, with its own character. Researchers believe that the first junks appeared somewhere around 1000 BC, so they can rightly be called one of the most ancient.
Features of the Chinese junky
The literal translation of the name of this Chinese boat means nothing more than "ship". Among other traditional boats, the junk is distinguished by a slightly lowered bow of an almost rectangular shape and a wide raised stern, and a massive rudder replaces the keel on this vessel.
Sails for such a vessel (most often either 3 or 5-masted) were made of a mat and fixed on bamboo yards in the form of a quadrangle. Having an unusual shape, resembling a fan, similar to him, if necessary, they could be easily rolled up into a scroll.
The heavy reed mat used in the creation of the junky sails affected the speed of the vessel's movement through the water, but at the same time it could withstand even the strongest gusts of wind without damage. Later, the mats were replaced with cloth, which significantly increased the speed of movement of these Chinese boats.
On many ships, with 4 masts, additional masts could exist, on which more sails could always be placed. At the same time, the traditional Chinese junk was equipped with many special mechanisms and winches, which made it easy to control all the sails, even with a small crew of the ship.
Japanese junks, used most often for the transportation of goods, although in many ways resembled traditional Chinese ones, but in the presence of masts they had a significant discrepancy. The Japanese usually installed one central mast on their ships, on which a narrow rectangular sail was attached, and one removable one on the bow of the ship.
Jonka usually had a flat bottom, and its sides were decorated with traditional designs with terrifying dragons and other mythical creatures. Such an original made this Chinese ship completely unlike the usual European ships plying the sea, and at the same time the most recognizable among other traditional boats. However, there were up to three hundred varieties of Chinese junks.
Who conquered any expanses of water
Chinese junks were distinguished by excellent stability and maneuverability, so they could easily plow any water. This vessel can be described as designed for river-sea crossing, with great emphasis on river conditions. Nevertheless, even though such ships did not develop high speed, they managed to get to the coast and India. In the Middle Ages, Chinese junks were used for long sea voyages in military campaigns. The length of such ships was at least 40 m.
One of the most famous junoks is the Hong Kong "Kheiin". In the middle of the 19th century, she became the first Chinese boat to circumnavigate the Cape of Good Hope and anchored in the port of New York, from where she continued her journey to England, where Queen Victoria herself stepped aboard this unusual for a European look.
Modern junks
Although the junk is one of the oldest vessels, it still remains relevant in many countries of Southeast Asia, although it is most often used for tourist purposes. The design of these traditional Chinese boats has hardly changed, but the comfort conditions have increased, and innovative technologies are increasingly used in the development of such boats.
Modern junks in some regions of Vietnam resemble the floating houses of local residents and original hotels for tourists. Most often, fishermen live on junks, who can calmly engage in their main trade. Many owners of such floating houses prefer to settle near large cities. For example, in Hong Kong alone, about 12 thousand Chinese live on junks.
