Junk

sailing ships · Chinese history · ocean travel

Flat bottoms rule. Unlike European ships with curved bottoms, junks had flat undersides that let them sail in shallow rivers and coastal areas without getting stuck.

Watertight rooms inside. Junks had special walls called bulkheads that divided the ship into separate compartments, so if one section leaked, the whole ship wouldn't sink.

Advanced steering system. The central rudder (a flat part under the ship that steers it) hung straight down and was much easier to control than the side rudders used on other old ships.

Built to last forever. Chinese shipbuilders used iron nails and clamps instead of just wooden pegs, making junks stronger and able to sail for decades without falling apart.

Ships for everything. Junks weren't just for one job, they carried cargo, carried families as houseboats, took people on pleasure trips, and some grew big enough to cross entire oceans.