1. Introduction
The South China Sea and its surrounding waters are located at the intersection of the Pacific and Indian Ocean, connecting East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean along the sea passage, although reefs throughout, frequent typhoons, but can yet be regarded as the ideal place for navigation activities, the sea Silk Road is also the most critical part of the maritime Silk Road. The paper is on the basis of a variety of historical data for the Beidu Gulf coastal Silk Road, through the use of Beibu Gulf route, scale and frequency of the investigation, the basic recovery of the history of Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road, and the change of the regional shipping center, hope this study can reevaluate the history of the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road in the South China Sea maritime Silk Road and position.
2. Before the Sui and Tang Dynasties: The Beibu Gulf Maritime Silk Road gradually sprouted
The formation of the coastal Silk Road in the Beibu Gulf can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty. In the thirty-third year, “the people named Guilin, Xiangjun and Nanhai” [1]. Lu Liang namely now Lingnan, three counties like county border package have parts of northern Vietnam, the central government wants to local effective jurisdiction, establish a solid traffic connection is an important premise, and qin had repeatedly sent to the sea, shows that the qin dynasty has mastered certain offshore navigation technology and knowledge, so although the lack of records about the qin dynasty offshore Silk Road, but the above content can be concluded, about in the qin dynasty, today has established certain traffic links between Guangxi and Vietnam. After a brief interruption at the end of the Qin Dynasty and the early Han Dynasty, in the fifth year of the Western Han Dynasty (112 BC), Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty sent four troops to attack the South Yue. In history, “He then settled the land to Nanhai, Cangwu, Yulin, Hepu, Jiao, Jiuzhen, Japan, Zhuhai and Daner County.” Among the nine counties, Jiaocheng County Long, namely Hanoi, Vietnam; Jiuzhen County Xupu, namely today’s Vietnam Qinghua; Rinan County West Volume, namely today’s Vietnam Shunhua. After setting up nine counties in the South China Sea, Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty immediately began to manage the principles of the South China Sea. The envoys of the Han Dynasty contacted the Southeast Asian countries by sea. “Book of Han·Geography Records” records, “since Japan, South Barrier, Xuwen, Hepu ship can be May, there is Yuan country, and the ship can be April, a city Lu no country; and ship can be more than twenty days, Chen left the country; can walk more than ten days, there is fu Gan Du Lu country. Since fu ganLu Lu ship can be more than February, there are yellow country, folk slightly and zhuor kind. Its state is vast, with registered permanent residences, many foreign bodies, since the Emperor Wudi are presented. There is a translation, that belongs to the yellow men, and the people into the city pearl, bi displaced, strange stone foreign body, gold, miscellaneous zeng and to. The country is food for coupling, barbarian ships, transfer to it. Also for profit and trade, plagiarism and murder. And bitter meet the storm drowned, not a few years also. Big bead to surround 2 inches below... In the south of the Yellow River, there is no country, and the Chinese translation has since returned” [2] [3]. Mr.Feng Chengjun said: “The traffic between China and the South China Sea should be very ancient, but the book can only be traced back to the Book of Han · Geography Annals.” The earliest description of the Offshore Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf is in the Book of the Han Geography (See Figure 1 and Figure 2), although the geographical location of the countries is varied, we can see the general view of the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf of the Han Dynasty. Emperor, navigation technology and shipbuilding technology were not developed, the ships were only the coastline, and the Qin and Han dynasties’ ships were small, could not carry enough to maintain months of fresh water and food, in coastal areas must be intermittent docking, necessary supplies, to avoid or supplement the waves in the Beibu Gulf coast many natural harbor and city provides natural shelter for coastal navigation, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road in the emperor generation initially formed.
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Figure 1. Maritime trade transport ships in the Beibu Gulf region during the Han Dynasty (Referring to the Han Dynasty Culture Museum in Hepu, China).
Figure 2. The Northern Gulf Maritime Silk Road during the Han Dynasty (Map drawn by the author’s team based on historical data).
After the initial formation of the Offshore Silk Road in the Beibu Gulf, it first served as the official military operation in the early Eastern Han Dynasty. In the seventeenth year of Jianwu in the Eastern Han Dynasty (40 AD), the women led the local indigenous rebellion, jiuzhen, Rinan, Hepu three counties responded, more than 60 cities in the south of the Five Ridges were conquered and became king, huge. Emperor Guangwu ordered Ma Yuan to send troops to suppress the rebellion. It was recorded in the Biography of Ma Yuan: “General Fu Fubo, with Liu Long, the marquis of Shule, and Duan Zhi, the general of the building ship, attacked the south. The army to Hepu and Zhi disease soldiers, Zhao aid and its soldiers. Then the edge of the sea, with the mountain publication road more than a thousand miles.” In the historical materials, “to Hepu”, “into the sea” and“along the mountain ” are the description of the marching route of Ma Yuan regiment, it can be seen that Ma Yuan used the initially formed Beibu Gulf Offshore Silk Road in this campaign. The Ma aid regiment was formed by a mixture of land and water armies, carrying “more than 2000 building ships and more than 20,000 soldiers.” The mixed formation of the land and water armies determines that the marching route of the Ma aid regiment can only be “marching into the sea”. In the process of “following the mountain road” of “bordering on the sea”, it can be regarded as the dredging of the coastal Silk Road in the Beibu Gulf. Today, there are still many legends about Ma Yuan in the ancient sea canal along the Beibu Gulf, such as the Qinzhou Ancient Canal, the Imperial City Ao Ancient Canal, the Tanpeng Canal, etc., which can more or less find stories about Ma Yuan. The coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf, which took shape in the era of Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty, was improved in the military action of the Ma Aid Regiment. The large-scale military action of the Ma Yuan department also showed that the transportation capacity of the offshore Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf has been considerable, marking the formal formation of the offshore Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf [4].
During the Three Kingdoms, The Three Kingdoms, the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the political situation in the Central Plains was turbulent and wars were frequent. The coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf was further developed in this period, which can be seen in many historical materials of this period, and the number of historical materials of the period reflecting the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf in this period was far ahead of generations. The uses of the Beibu Gulf Offshore Silk Road also tend to be diversified:
First, the scholars moved south, and the officials went to hold their posts. In The Annals of The Three Kingdoms, The Book of Shu and The Biography of Xu Jing, “I touched the sea with Yuan Pei and Deng Zixiao, and went to Jiaozhou in the south. Experience the country of East Ou, Fujian, Yue, through thousands of miles, see no Han, drift thin storm.” The Book of Southern Qi·Zhang Rong Biography also contains “(Zhang Rong) for the seal stream order...floating sea to Jiaozhou” [5] [6]. Jiaozhou Prefecture governance is located in today’s Hanoi, Vietnam, Xu Jing, Zhang Rong to Jiaozhou mainly uses is the Beibu Gulf coastal Silk Road.
Second, the official military operations. In the fifth year of Emperor Huang Wu (226 AD), Shi Xie, who had ruled him for 40 years, died of illness. Dai Liang, the governor of Sun Quan, and Chen Shi, the governor of Cochin, entered the country, and Sun Quan ordered Lu Dai to lead his troops to attack him. The Annals of The Three Kingdoms·Wu Shu·Lv Dai Biography records that “Dai then asked for his emblem of sin and supervised three thousand soldiers to float to the sea in the morning and night…Carry out, through Hepu, with good advance.” The state of Wu divided the east of the river for generations, and the water army was superior in the Three Kingdoms, and had the ability to sail offshore. Obviously, Lu Dai’s march route also used the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf.
Third, the diplomatic envoys to pay tribute. After Lu Dai fought the rebellion of the scholars and Hui, he re-established the tributary relations of the Southeast Asian countries. In history, “(Lu Dai) sent the nationalization of the Xuan, helped the south, Linyi and Tang Ming, and sent envoys to pay tribute” [7]. During the Three Kingdoms period, there was no major breakthrough in shipbuilding technology and navigation technology, and the navigation mode was still mainly offshore navigation. The tribute of Southeast Asian countries naturally used the offshore Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf formed before.
Fourth, the bandit, the rebel army intrusion. In the seventh year of the reign of Yixi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (411 AD), more than one thousand people of the remnants of the Lu Xun rebel army fled to Jiaozhou. The biography of Lu Xun in the Book of Jin recorded that “Xun Nai attacked Hepu, and attacked Jiaozhou” [8] [9]. The Book of Song, Du Hui Du Biography also stated that “Lu Xun broke Hepu, radial traffic.” The main force of the rebel army was composed of the water army, history says that thousands of ships in the heyday of its ministry, Du Huidu and Lu Xun rebel decisive battle is also in the coastal areas, it is not difficult to conclude that Lu Xun by Hepu attack Jiaozhou route is also using the Beibu Gulf coastal Silk Road.
To sum up, it can be seen that in the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the use frequency of the offshore Silk Road in the Beibu Gulf increased greatly, and the use changed from a single military use in the Qin and Han Dynasties to diversified military, civil and diplomatic purposes. In addition, in the “songbook state county, state records” for the state county, capital Jian Kang mileage only “water” geometry, don’t remember land traffic, such as the state “Kyoto water ten thousand”, nine true “Kyoto water ten thousand eighty”, south “to Kyoto water sixteen hundred and ninety” [9], show that this period of Beibu Gulf county and capital jiankang traffic is given priority to by sea, and sea traffic must use after the formation of the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road.
3. Sui and Tang Dynasties: The Beibu Gulf Maritime Silk Road Was Further Developed
The Offshore Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf in the Sui and Tang Dynasties continued the good development momentum of the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, and entered an unprecedented period of great development. Its uses were more diversified. Civil, military, diplomatic, economic, cultural and other uses can be strongly proved in historical records.
First, for civil use. In the second year of the Tang Dynasty (675 AD), Wang Bo, the first of the early Tang Dynasty, wanted to cross the South China Sea to Jiaocheng to save his father. However, he “died in the water during the voyage.” In the first year of the Dragon (AD 705), Shen Quanqi for political struggle in exile Huan state, exile left a lot of and the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road related poetry, “away with du member outside careful ridge” [10]: “south floating sea where, north Hengyang wild goose several groups of”, and “sea into the dragon”: “beidou mountain hang, the south wind sea rush”, etc. During the reign of Yuan He, Yuan Che and Liu Shi went to their father of Annan Province. “As for Hepu County, Lianzhou, they boarded the boat and wanted to cross the sea. Will offset the toe, Yizhou in Hepu shore” [11]. It is not difficult to see that the above several people have used the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road in the process of crossing the toe before.
Second, on the military side. During the year of Dew (679-680 AD), Li Sixian, the leader of Annan, rebelled and killed Liu Yanyou. Feng Yuanchang, then the governor of Guangzhou, “led his soldiers to the Jinan Sea” to suppress it. At the beginning of the New Dynasty, Mei Xuancheng, the leader of Annan, rebelled and called the “Black Emperor” and captured Annan Prefecture. Xuanzong ordered the general Yang Xu to go to Lingnan and take the “Fubo Old Road” [12], captured Mei Xuancheng by surprise and put down the rebellion. Xiantong years (AD 860-874), nanzhao captured Annan, reinforcements gathered lingnan, logistics difficulties, known as “struggling”, “the army”, reinforcements commander and static navy governor high pain “and to Guangzhou feed difficult, pain from its waterway, to wide, many boulders, is offering workers, method to it. Since the boat is no stagnation, there is no lack of Annan reserves, so far.” No matter the “Fubo old road” that Yang Si Xu passed through, or the waterway that Gao Pian “surrendered to Guangzhou”, it is obvious that the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf is no doubt [13].
Third, in the diplomatic and economic aspects. After the initial development of the Han, Wei and Southern Dynasties, the Southeast Asian countries were closely connected with the Lingnan region, whether tribute or trade, all taken by sea. Xu Shen, then the governor of Lingnan, said on the table: “When the vassal states came to the market, strange beads, hawksbill, incense and rhinoceros all floated from the sea, chang tribute was for, did not dare to add, and merchants to Rao” [14]. The Southeast Asian countries in the Tang Dynasty, they had not yet mastered the advanced shipbuilding and navigation technology, so it was difficult to carry out ocean navigation. It was the most convenient and safe to naturally access the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf.
Fourth, the culture aspect. Tang dynasty and Southeast Asian countries cultural exchange main carrier is the monks in the South China Sea, according to the net tang monk records, tang dynasty west monks through the sea through the beibu bay coastal Silk Road, we recorded as follows: “Ming Yuan mage, yizhou qing city people also...vibration south tour, in toe, bulge whale wave...”, “yi lang lawyer, yizhou Chengdu people also. With the same state monk Zhi An, and the name of the first Xuan, both to Ulei, with the merchant...”, “Tan Run master, Luoyang people, gradually south, at the toe...”, “Dao Lin master, Jingzhou Jiangling people also... Guship south Ming, cross the copper column and Li Lang Jia...”, “wise teacher, Jingzhou Jiangling people. Ship to line, to occupy the wave...to the bronze column, interest on the scene and return to the tang”, “zhi hong lawyer, Luoyang people...and intangible Zen master to Hepu, long pan cang ming....”, “the zen master, so, is expected to cross, to the wave...”, seen in the“toe”, “wu lei”, “Hepu”, “ma Yuan bronze pillar”, etc., are the west to take the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road strong proof [15].
Lianzhou, namely Hepu County in the Qin, Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties, and now Hepu County in Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, had been an important hub and transit station of the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf before the Tang Dynasty, the regional shipping center of the Beibu Gulf, and the springboard for the military strikes on Annan and Nanzhao in the Han and Tang Dynasties. In the historical records of the Beibu Gulf before the Tang Dynasty, nearly 90% of the near navigation activities passed through Hepu, and a large number of cultural relics of the Han and Tang dynasties were also preserved along the Nanliu River in Hepu County. During the Han and Tang dynasties, Hepu port had superior location conditions, wide water depth, avoiding wind and waves, easy docking, and a vast economic hinterland. It was an important port for domestic material distribution and foreign trade at that time, had a special position in the Beibu Gulf region and even the whole of Lingnan, and was the most prosperous port and trade center on the South China Sea Silk Road. On this issue, the academic community has already reached a consensus, so it is not discussed here [16]. It is worth mentioning that during the reign of Xiantong in the late Tang Dynasty, after Gao Pian recovered the counties in Annan, in order to solve the logistics problem of the garrison in Annan, he ordered Lin Ling and the Hunan Army to lead more than 1000 soldiers to clear the reefs of the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf, focusing on the waters of Qinzhou and Fangchenggang in Guangxi. History said: “From Annan to Guangzhou, the river canal stem danger, many boulders, Pian raised work, by the boat ji an, pay” [17] [18]. History as a Mirror also states: “From Annan to Yong and Guang, on the sea road, Gao Pian, the governor of Jinghai, dug it, and the grain transport was not stagnant.” The whole Tang Dynasty recorded Pei Xing's “Tianwei Wei diameter new chisel Shanghai tablet”, a detailed record of the matter. On April 5 of the ninth year of Xiantong, he held shovels and forks, prepared grain, carved sharp axes, and cut stones. Is the stone firm and stubborn, plate and thick, and the hand is folded, cong force engraved mallet. “After the completion of the project,” the danger of toe, as on ice. Song Dong sand share, ploughing its lian. Female retting bay of the stone, gushing its boiling. The foot of the mountain, overnight is turbulent. Boat people calendar, hair from the cold. Now, the smooth road, no longer through the danger [19]. Today, there is a remnant of an artificial canal between Tanpeng Village and Tanxi Village, Jiangshan, Jiangshan Township, Fangchenggang City, Guangxi, which is called “Tianwei Yao” by contemporary people, and the “Tianwei Road” dug by Gao Pian is suspected to be this. Since then, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road ships don’t have to bypass the south of jiangshan peninsula, can arrive directly through Tan Peng Canal arrived in Qinzhou port, both shortened the voyage and avoided the rocks, Qinzhou port ushered in the unprecedented opportunities for the development of, for, the Song and Yuan period Beibu Gulf regional shipping center qin lian location left an opportunity.
4. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties: The Status of the Beibu Gulf in Imperial Trade Significantly Increased
Since the end of the Tang dynasty, the Hexi Corridor successively, into Tubo, huihe, xixia, the land Silk Road was interrupted, the Central Plains dynasty and foreign countries mainly through the maritime Silk Road, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road also presented prosperity, but due to the realization of the ocean navigation, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road in the Song dynasty to maritime Silk Road, status than before. The latest underwater archaeological report shows that 30 shipwrecks in the 9th and 14th centuries have been found in the South China Sea and surrounding waters [20]. Among the 30 sunken sites reported, none are located in the Beibu Gulf, directly indicating the decline of the coastal Silk Road in the Beibu Gulf during the Song and Yuan dynasties. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, the records increased significantly compared with the previous generation. Today, the records are as follows:
In the fifth year of Taiping Xingguo (980 AD), a crusade against Lihuan, a “by Lianzhou” [21]. In the first year of Duangong (988 AD), Li Du, as a deputy envoy, “did not reach Jiaozhou, but died in the Taiping Army” [22]. In the first year of Chunhua (AD 990), Song Hao and Wang Shi were on a diplomatic mission to Annan, “from Haikou into the sea, through the wind waves, experienced danger, through half a month to the white vine” [23]. In the sixth year of Xianping (AD 1003), Huang Qingji led more than 450 people [24]. In the eighth year of Xining (AD 1075), Annan invaded in two ways. Ruan Changjie’s troops “led the water army out of Yong’an and attacked Qin and Lian” [25]. In the twenty-sixth year of Shaoxing (AD 1156), Li Yi and Guo Ying from Annan paid tribute “by the qin” [26]. In the first year of Chunxi (AD 1174), Yin Zisi, an emissary from Annan, returned to China and “returned from Qinzhou waterway” [27]. From the 24th year of the Yuan Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty (1287 AD), when the Yuan attacked Annan, Fan Ji and WMa “attacked them from the sea road and more than 400 ships through Yushan, Doumen and Anbang” [28].
As far as the above historical materials are concerned, it is obvious that all the Beibu Gulf coastal routes, but compared with the previous generation of the Beibu Gulf coastal routes, the following changes have taken place:
First, the use tends to be a single one. In the third year of the later Jin Tianfu (938 AD), Jiaozhou Wu Quan proclaimed himself king. Since then, northern Vietnam completely separated from the Central Plains dynasty and became an independent state. Since then, the Northern Song Dynasty and AnNan evil, frequent war affected the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road business activities, and the Song and Yuan period used the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road maritime activities mainly military and diplomatic, mostly and Song and Yuan dynasties and annan war, and related, few historical records about civil, economic, cultural and other aspects.
Second, the service object is single. Due to the revolutionary breakthrough of shipbuilding technology and navigation technology, long time and long-distance ocean sailing possible, by Guangzhou Southeast Asian ocean route developed rapidly, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road for the Song and annan war between the two countries security greatly reduced, coupled with the political and economic status of Guangzhou in the lingnan region, Southeast Asian countries tribute route across the South China Sea via Hainan into Guangzhou island, and thus active in the Beibu Gulf coastal Silk Road ship for the two countries, historical account of basic does not involve in Southeast Asian countries.
Third, the shipping center transfer. Obviously can be seen from the historical records, the Song and Yuan periods of navigation mostly in Qinzhou transit station, before the Song dynasty is most in lian (han hepu county) transit, in this paper selected historical statistics, sui and tang dynasties Beibu Gulf offshore navigation by hepu transit accounted for 87.8%, to the Song and Yuan period by hepu transit fell to 25%, by the proportion of Qinzhou transit rose to 75%, marked the Qinzhou officially replace lian become the primary hub of the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road, the Beibu Gulf region shipping center also completed at this time.
The reasons are, first of all, Hepu Port was abandoned in the late Tang Dynasty, and Qinzhou Port has the advantage of the port because of Gao Pian’s dredging. No matter the channel conditions, berthing capacity or port pool conditions, the location conditions of the port are far beyond the previous Hepu Port [29]. Second, broader economic hinterland, the Yuan dynasty set up a nationwide mission system—Station Red, Qinzhou north arrived in Guilin and then into the central plains, east leizhou, qiongzhou to Guangzhou, northwest by Nanning states into Guizhou, Yunnan, cheap near no stand red setting, makes the cheap and the mainland access degree is greatly reduced. Finally, Qinzhou was the only Zhengzhou on the border between Song and Annan, connected with the land and sea of Annan, and was the first barrier for the Song regime to resist and counter Annan. During the period of the truce, the two countries also formed the custom of landing from Qinzhou. Under the comprehensive effect of these factors, Qinzhou replaced Lianzhou to become a new regional shipping center in the Beibu Gulf.
5. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties: Silk Continued to Thrive along the Coast of the Beibu Gulf
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the central government to annan, cheng gong dao set clear provisions, the annan angel can only by land by Guangxi Pingxiang entry, ZhanCheng angel is restricted in Guangzhou, affected by the policy of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road quickly die, visible in the history of official envoy and commercial trade is rare, into main routes used for folk smuggling activities, the Qinzhou in the Song and Yuan dynasty period Qinzhou also decline at this time, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road is still used, is not abandoned. After Guangzhou goes to Qinzhou and Lianzhou by land, it can enter Annan by sea. In the Book of Reading History, the Guangdong Sea Road is as follows: “If the Guangdong Sea Road starts from Wuli Mountain in Lianzhou, and the north wind is smooth, it can reach the Haidong Prefecture for one or two days. If the coastal shore to travel, then Wullei Mountain to Yongan Prefecture one day, White Dragon Tail two days to Yushan Gate, another day to Wanning Prefecture, Wanning one day to Temple Mountain, Temple Mountain one day to Tun Zu patrol, and two days to Haidong House” [30]. As can be seen from these records, people are very familiar with the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road. Qinzhou annals also recorded: “longmen river: east longitude tooth mountain, wu lei head and hepu, west longitude chong fall, Zhou Dun and cross wing state”, “wu lei ridge: this ridge alone mountains, stand out of the sea and close, west at sea east mansion in the slim, constant at this point, smell every offering”, “rush river: in the state for southwest 60, origin gushing down village mountain, hong, phoenix two jiang note in the sea, merchant moored have quay”, “freshwater bay: west tooth mountain, east wu ray ridge. There are boulders beside it, fresh water out of yan, hence the name. Boat draw water here” [31]. It shows that the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was still used. The commerce and trade between Qinzhou and Annan had a long history, and the government also banned it. The Ming and Qing dynasties, people have mastered the ocean sailing, and Guangzhou in this period is the only legalization of the treaty port, the official nature of the envoy and tribute in this period landed by Guangzhou, annan had request still by Qinzhou, but rejected by the Qing government strict words, combined with Guangzhou-city ocean route short time, the advantages of high security, completely replaced the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road.
In this period of military action, the biggest difference from the predecessors was less sea. In the fourth year of Yongle (1406) of the Ming Dynasty, Annan was “attacked against Annan” [32]. The main army did not pass through the sea, and the sea route was mainly used to transport military rates. Yongle four years, the new city hou Zhang Fushuai division levy cross toe, floating shipping rates. In the 14th year of Yongle (1416), Zhang Fu, the general officer of Jiaotoe, wrote: “From Tianya Yi, Qinzhou, Guangdong, through owei Port to computer, Fotao, from Wanning County to Jiaotoe, mostly by waterways” [33]. Jiajing, to use troops Annan, Lianzhou governor Zhang Yue played from the Guangdong sea road into the road of the toe: “from the leizhou Guanling boat, the first two days can reach the Haidong House, from Qinzhou Tianya Ting Maowei port Li Uleihai, Bai Longwei, Yumen Mountain to reach the Wanning state, degree can be seven stops” [34]. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty recorded the route of the route:“First, it is the right way; first, from the sea of Qinzhou, Guangdong province to the East Prefecture of the Tang Dynasty; first, from the Lotus beach of Mengzi County, Yunnan Province to Annan to Taojiang, which is the way of the Ming Mu Sheng” [35]. As can be seen from the above records, although the Ming and Qing Dynasties still used the coastal Silk Road of the Beibu Gulf, they did not deploy the main force, but used it to transport logistics materials. In order to face the threat of overseas hostile forces to the regime, the Ming and Qing dynasties attached great importance to the construction of coastal defense. According to incomplete statistics, Lianzhou Fuyi 4, Pu 44, flood 75, pier 19. Although the main purpose of these infrastructure was to stabilize the coastal defense, it promoted the development of the Beibu Gulf coastal Silk Road to a certain extent.
Ming and Qing dynasties in the Beibu Gulf coast important city of Qinzhou, lian had repeatedly by pirates, bandits, pirates and hostile forces, for the Ming and Qing dynasties sent many times, in the process of calm, the understanding of the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road is more clear, Yu Dayou, an outstanding military general of the Ming dynasty, wrote “The story of Jiao Li Tu”, “When Lian and Qin set sail for Yushan, the winds of the east, the south, and the north would be all right, but the west would sing the sail, so that every day there would be five or six or seven parts of a hyacinth, and only three days’ journey would be needed, and if the wind reached 80 or 90 minutes, they would have to drop anchor and wait for the wind to settle before moving on”, “Longmen port in the water depth without sand, can berth more than a thousand boats”, “dental mountain outside, there are two stone pier, boats to avoid. Outside the stone pier, there are three sandbars, the tide is seen, the surplus is not seen, the ship, is bad. Three continents are close to the east and west two doors, the east gate is wide, and the waves are flat. From this out abroad, that is, to the west. In case of strong wind, there is an Australia in the northeast of the continent, all around the wind can be avoided, but only can accommodate more than 30 ears. If the wind is quiet, by the state dun Diaoyutai south, and the white dragon tail, into the sand door, turn east to enter the state. This port can berth many ships, and the wind on all sides is not enough. To go to Wanning state, the white dragon tail, Shamen west line, into Yushan, Wanqiao Mountain port, boats can be moored everywhere. This has a small port in the Wanning state, the west of the mountain, for the city, waterway about more than ten days also... since then to the xinan waterway, three days over the mountain, for the Haidong mansion, turn out of the Nanshan, for Yuntun state...”, such a detailed route record, for the Ming and Qing dynasties generals in the process of the production of the route map provides detailed intelligence, but also for the Beibu Gulf coast people-to-people exchanges and exchanges in the future [36].
6. The Recovery of the Beibu Gulf Offshore Silk Road in the New Era
Qinzhou port is located at the top of the South China Sea, as early as 1924 Sun Yat-sen pointed out the “founding strategy”: “Qinzhou at the top of the Tokyo Bay, the southernmost coast of China, the city west of Guangzhou, four hundred miles in west of Qinzhou, will choose this port to sea, than Guangzhou can reduce twenty times, but that save four hundred miles, in Sichuan, Yunnan and Guangxi of a word, its economic benefit is not small. Only Nanning thinks that the inland river commercial port is closer to the hinterland than Qinzhou, but it cannot be used as a port. Therefore, the direct export of trade still takes Qinzhou as the most frugal place”. Under natural conditions, Qinzhou Port is surrounded by land on three sides and to the sea in the south, with a large tidal range, less back silt, wide port and water depth, which is a natural sheltered port. In terms of cultural conditions, Qinzhou Port, backed by the southwest and facing Southeast Asia, is the shortest and fastest passage to the sea in southwest China. Qinzhou is the coastal transportation hub of Guangxi, and the land transportation network is perfect, which provides the possibility for the linkage of river, sea, land and three transportation. “Since the twelfth five-year” plan, with the establishment of China-ASEAN free trade area and “Belt and Road” national strategy, Guangxi autonomous region government to build Qinzhou port into a regional international shipping center slogan has gradually become a reality, Qinzhou port reproduces the prosperity of the Song dynasty era is no longer a dream, the Beibu Gulf offshore Silk Road recovery is just around the corner.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to our team members for their contributions. We have collected a lot of relevant historical materials in cities such as Nanning and Beihai, which have been very helpful for the in-depth study of this article.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.