Nestled along Qionghai's coastline on Hainan Island, the China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea offers a deep dive into over 2,000 years of maritime history. This December 2025, visitors are greeted by ancient relics salvaged from sunken vessels dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 220).
Among the highlights are intricately crafted pottery, bronze ship fittings, and navigational stone tools that paint a vivid picture of early Chinese sailors charting these waters. Each artifact tells a story of long-distance trade routes, cultural exchanges, and the seafaring ingenuity that connected the Chinese mainland to distant shores.
Interactive displays and immersive VR reconstructions bring these sunken treasures to life, allowing global visitors to visualize ancient shipwrecks and the maritime Silk Roads of the past. Data from recent archaeological expeditions reveal that dozens of shipwreck sites around the South China Sea have yielded more than 1,000 artifacts, underscoring the region's pivotal role in early seafaring history.
CGTN's Xu Xinchen guides us through the museum's galleries, highlighting how these discoveries reshape our understanding of ancient navigation. For young global citizens, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders, the exhibition offers both historical depth and inspiration for modern-day exploration and innovation.
Whether you're an archaeology buff, a digital nomad planning your next cultural stop, or simply curious about the seas that connect us, the South China Sea Museum stands as a testament to millennia of human curiosity, trade, and connection.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
