The cover features the treasure ships of Zheng He’s voyages 600 years ago and the wooden sailing ship 'Sohar' used by the famous Omani navigator Abu Obeid in his successful voyage from Sohar to Guangzhou about 1,300 years ago, commemorating the millennium-long friendship between the two nations.
In November 1980, the Omani sailing ship 'Sohar', which follows the design of the old wooden ships, retraced the navigation path of the Omani navigator Abu Obeid (who came to China from Sohar (now Suhar) in around 750 AD and arrived in Guangzhou in July of the following year.
In December 1995, Oman funded the construction of the "Sohar" monument in Guangzhou. In January 2014, the "Sohar" reconstruction project was completed in Guangzhou. In May 2023, the Zheng He Monument was completed in Salalah City, Oman.
CONSTRUCTION
Its hull was constructed using traditional shipbuilding techniques, without iron nails, with coconut coir ropes binding the wooden planks. In November 1980, the Sohar set sail from Muscat and along the route of the Ancient Maritime Silk Road, arrived in Guangzhou in July 1981, becoming a symbol of the traditional friendship between China and Oman.
The vessel was named Sohar to commemorate the historic trading port of Sohar; the replica was built at Sohar Port, Oman's traditional shipbuilding base. The ship is a replica of the ancient vessel in which the renowned Omani navigator Obeid voyaged to China.
Abu Obeid
Abu Obeid sailed a two-masted, three-sailed wooden ship named Suhail , relying solely on wind power to cover nearly 10,000 kilometers at sea before reaching Guangzhou, China, after seven and a half months.
Sohar is about 22 meters long about 3 meters high, and about 7 meters wide, with a main mast about 25 meters high. Another account gives the hull of Sohar as 26 meters long, 6 meters wide, and a main mast 22 meters high. The ship is a two-masted or three-masted sailing vessel.
The construction of the entire vessel used about 7,500 coconut shells, and approximately 4 tons of coir rope were used for the rigging and mooring lines.
During the voyage, they reported their whereabouts to Muscat via radiotelegraph. The sailing ship followed the ancient route, passing through the Indian Ocean , the Strait of Malacca, and the South China Sea toward China. On June 11, 1981, Sohar departed Singapore and sailed for Guangzhou.
On September 13, 2018, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Oman, representatives of the Omani side and relevant leaders of the Guangzhou Municipal Government jointly attended the commemorative event for the Sohar monument held at Zhoutouzui Park in Guangzhou.
In August 2023, the commemorative envelope for the 45th Anniversary of China-Oman Diplomatic Relations adopted the patterns of Sohar and Zheng He's treasure ship, commemorating the millennium-long friendship between the two countries.
Zheng He
Zheng He is a Chinese navigator of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), visited Oman, including Dhofar, four times.
The Chinese Embassy in Oman in 2023 a completion ceremony for the Zheng He Monument in Salalah in Dhofar Governorate to commemorate the Chinese mariner who once traveled to the coast of Oman as well as the traditional friendship between the two countries. That event also marked the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Zheng is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished seafarers in Chinese history. He commanded the massive Ming Dynasty fleets to embark on seven expeditionary voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, and East Africa during the 15th century.
Designed by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, the monument draws inspiration from the graceful ocean waves and the bow of a ship, capturing the dynamic curves that vividly portray Zheng's fleet triumphantly sailing through wind and waves. The construction of the monument employed cutting-edge 3D printing technology, executed by the China Communications Construction Company.
The content is sourced from official Omani and Chinese reports and various media releases.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
