Ten years after the South China Sea arbitration, CGTN has published an article and documentary exploring the story of the Genglubu – a handwritten navigation manual that guided generations of Hainan fishermen long before GPS. The Genglubu recorded routes, compass bearings and sailing distances, helping fishermen navigate reefs, islands and open seas across one of the world's busiest waterways.
The documentary, Genglubu: Charting the South China Sea, follows the fishermen who crossed the sea, the families who preserved their knowledge, and a maritime tradition that connected China with Southeast Asia and beyond. According to Xin Lixue, curator of the China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea, "Generation after generation, Hainan fishermen rode the waves – not to rule the sea, but to make their living from it."
Veteran fishing boat captains like Wang Shitao, who first went to sea at age nine and survived two typhoons that killed everyone else on board, reflect on their decades at sea: "I love the South China Sea. I hate it. I miss it." The sea demanded sacrifice, as noted by Captain Wang Shubao: "Children and brothers should never sail on the same boat."
The documentary challenges the assumption that the Genglubu was only about the South China Sea. Research on the Liang Family Genglubu reveals routes extending to Singapore, Malacca and Indonesia, showing that Hainan fishermen also played a role in regional maritime trade. Zhao Jueqi of the China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea stated, "Hainan fishermen also took part in overseas trade." Some manuscripts contain mountain-and-water charts combining sketches of coastlines with compass bearings, water depth and sea conditions, helping sailors identify islands and coastlines.
International law scholar Anthony Carty noted, "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, satellites and weather stations have transformed navigation, but the purpose remains the same: helping sailors travel safely and return home. The documentary traces a maritime tradition shaped by generations of ordinary people, forming part of the shared maritime heritage of Asia.
