600-year-old Ancient Warship Found in China

Archaeologists have recently found a well-preserved ancient warship dated back to some 600 years ago, at a relics site in the ancient Dengzhou Harbor in Penglai, east China's Shandong Province.

This is the first discovery of a large ancient ship in China in over two decades.

The wooden ancient vessel, more than 20 meters long, is believed to be a warship from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), said You Shaoping, director of the Shandong Cultural Heritage Bureau, on Thursday.

The value of the ancient warship is yet to be determined by experts, said You, adding that it is similar to another ancient ship excavated not far away from the site about 20 years ago, but better preserved than that one.

In 1984, a warship of Yuan Dynasty was found in Penglai, and the ancient ship was the largest and best preserved ancient ship in China at that time.

The ancient ship, unearthed in 1984, is 28 meters long, 5.6 meters wide, and 1.2 meters high. The streamline warship was designed for fast navigation, said experts.

During the excavation of the ship some 20 years ago, a second ancient ship was found. But archaeologists buried it up again because half of the ship was covered by a local home.

Local government conducted a desilting project at the ancient harbor site this year. As residents of the site were relocated, archaeologists began to excavate the buried ship. To their surprise, the third, better preserved ship was discovered.

Experts said Chinese navigation in the Yuan and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties was relatively developed. The ancient Dengzhou harbor had been an important military harbor in north China 1,000 years ago.

The discovery of the ancient ships is of great importance to the research of China's history of warships and harbors, said experts.

Xinhua News Agency

Penglai

Penglai, originally uploaded by fish sea.

Penglai Pavilion, @ Penglai / Yantai Shandong

Penglai Pavilion, @ Penglai / Yantai Shandong, originally uploaded by NeoChaser.

Wang Luogao forest scenery

Located south of the the market town Shan Gaolin city village, in the Gushan area, a district of Penglai City, you can find unique scenery.
The mountain view compares like an eagle who spread his wings, the surroundings are bustling with vitality and vigor activity.
Gracefully showing wild flowers and thick rural sceneries, both with character and style.
If you have the opportunity to enjoy a walk during some spring day, you will breath the oxygene of the fresh atmosphere in the pleasant and generous ravine alley.

French Wine event in Penglai

After the hughe success of the first edition of the contest VINALIES CHINA 2005, the Œoenologists of France and VINITECH, the international fair of the equipment and services for the vine, the wines and the spirits, will organize on the 29th and June 30th, 2008 the VINALIES CHINA 2008 in Penglai-Shandong.

It's more than normal that the second edition of the VINALIES CHINA, will be held in China due to the fact that China is a large wine consuming country in Asia, and it's surely one of the most dynamic markets of the world.

The VINALIES CHINA, will organise a tasting contest in China, contest who is recognized by the OIV, the International union of the Πoenologists and the Federation of Big competitions. VINALIES CHINA has the ambition to continue the combat for the respect of the quality of the wine and the work of the vine with the wine producers of the whole world and to share their live wellness beyond borders.

With the support of the international major Chinese agencies, the VINALIES CHINA will constitute a valuable test for all of the participating wine producers and will be an ambassador of your products on the Chinese market.





For edition 2008 of the VINALIES CHINA, the prizes winners of the contest will profit from a referencing in the Chinese purchasing guide of the wines published by “Le Petit Futé” in partnership with the stores CARREFOUR established in China.

Approximately 500 samples coming from the whole world (1/3 of China – 2/3 of the rest of the world) will be tasted by blinded men, some 30 experts of different nationalities (10 Chinese and 20 originating in the other countries of the world) famous for their competence and their notoriety within the international wine level.

VINALIES CHINA intend to highlight the steps of maturation of the wines and distinguish those having reached a very high level of quality approaching the optimum of gustatory expression of their name or their origin.

The particpating wines of the contest can be found on the website of french Union of oenologists.