A new CGTN documentary, Genglubu: Charting the South China Sea, explores the story of the Genglubu—a handwritten navigation manual that guided generations of Hainan fishermen long before GPS, satellite navigation, or modern weather forecasting. The documentary sheds light on a little-known chapter of South China Sea history, highlighting how this ancient manual helped fishermen navigate reefs, islands, and open seas using compass bearings, sailing distances, and sea routes recorded in cryptic Chinese characters.
The Genglubu, passed down through generations in the fishing community of Tanmen, Hainan Province, contains routes that extend beyond the South China Sea to Singapore, Malacca, and Indonesia, indicating that Hainan fishermen also participated in regional maritime trade. Zhao Jueqi of the China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea notes, "Hainan fishermen also took part in overseas trade." The documentary features veteran fishing boat captains whose lives were inseparable from the sea. Wang Shitao, who first went to sea at age nine and survived two typhoons that killed everyone else on board, reflects, "I love the South China Sea. I hate it. I miss it." Another captain, Wang Shubao, emphasizes the dangers with the saying, "Children and brothers should never sail on the same boat."
The documentary also examines how some Genglubu manuscripts contain mountain-and-water charts, combining sketches of coastlines with compass bearings, water depth, and sea conditions. These drawings helped sailors identify islands, reefs, and coastlines. International law scholar Anthony Carty notes, "The Americans and the British produced their own navigational records, which identify the Chinese as being engaged very heavily in fishing on these islands and other forms of economic activity." Today, while satellites and lighthouses have transformed navigation, the Genglubu represents a maritime tradition shaped by generations of ordinary people—a story of navigation, memory, and resilience that forms part of Asia's shared maritime heritage. For more on this story, visit the CGTN article at CGTN: Navigating the South China Sea Before GPS.
