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This is only
a draft conceptual plan and preliminary proposal.
For all interested parties to discuss, exchange views and
hoping that we all can strike a balancing in between:
- Excavation
of Shipwrecks, Recovery of Artifacts, Preservation of Underwater
cultural property, Promotion and Education of this world
and national heritage.
-
With the continuation of these excavations, recovery and
preservation activities of underwater cultural property.
- Now
the questions are:
(a) Who should do it, to invest,
to launch this cultural development and education project?
(b) Where the fund come from...?
From UNESCO, International Organizations, Corporate sponsorship,
Private Donation and Contribution, or through mutual understanding
and win-win arrangement via public auctions conducted by
world auction houses, like Sotheby's & Christie's, or
through all parties acceptable exchange programs of negotiable
instruments for funding and financing purposes?
Brief
Introduction:
- East
Indiamen: The East India Companies were formed in early
of 17th century to develop the valuable and commercial trade
between Europe and Orient. The two maincompanies were the
English Company (EEI), founded in 1600, and the Dutch Company
(VOC) founded in 1602. Later on, French, Swedish, Portuguese,
Danish Companies also joined and started trading. East India
Company traders used large ship known as East Indiamen to
carry their wares and goods. Main attraction of the East
was its spices; pepper from Sumantara and India, cinnamon
from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), cloves from Moluccas, known as
Spice Islands, balsam from jaya, Precious stones, crystal,
carpets from Surat and India; Persian silks and perfumes;
Chinese porcelain, commodities, herbs, tea, etc.
- Chinese
Silk Road: Chinese merchants have been accomplished seamen
since 13th century. Exports from China remained remarkably
consistent throughout hundreds of years. On the outward
journeys, Chinese merchants junks carried gold, silver,
porcelain, speciality teas, lacquer-ware, silks, ginseng,
rhubard, saddles, sabres, etc. These were traded for precious
items such as ebony, ivory, camphor wood from Champa (Soutt
Vietnam), coral and rhinoceros horn from Sumantara; germs
and pearls from Sri Lanka (Ceylon); areca nuts, tin, sago,
tigers, crocodiles from Malacca (Melaka); ambergris, cowrie
shells, coconuts from Maldives; opium and rosewater from
Aden on Arabian peninsula. Nothing exemplifies this Chinese
supremacy and strength more dramatically than the seven
expeditions made between 1405 - 1433 by the General Cheng
Ho, on behalf of the Ming Dynasty Emperor Yung Lo. The size
and scope of the expeditions, had over 30,000 men in 300
ships, 62 of which carried treasures, most of them were
soldiers, but also interpreters, meteorologists. Businessmen,
clerks,cooks, doctors, naturalists, specialist caulkers,
a typical round trip took nearly two years, covering 24,000
km (15,000 miles)
- Prime
Objective of EVA Group:
(a) To construct a world museum, first of its kind in this
region, museum under 3 meters deep water, only stuffed with
wrecks and artifacts excavated from Paracel Islands, aged
at 13th - 18th century, will be constructed at Dragon Gulf
Cyber Park, which located at 1,200 hectares landbank, with
500 hectares 3 lakebank (30-40 meter deep). Based in Haikou,
Province of Hainan, PRC, where a JV Project of EVA stationed
at.
(b) To build a unique "China Export Trading Items Museum"
with all wrecks and artifacts excavated from sunken shipwrecks,
around the Paracel Islands, aged 13th - 18th century.
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