福建省簡稱“閩”，地處中國東南沿海，以其獨特的地理優(yōu)勢和豐富的海洋資源而聞名。古語“閩在海之中，海為閩人田”生動描繪了福建與海洋的密切關系。福建人的生活與大海息息相關，不僅在生活上受益于來自海洋的豐富物產，還開創(chuàng)了璀璨的福建海洋文化。

Fujian Province， abbreviated as Min in Chinese， is located along the southeastern coast of China and is renowned for its unique geographical advantages and abundant marine resources. The ancient Chinese saying， “Min is in the sea； the sea is the field of the Min people，” vividly portrays the region’s inseparable bond with the ocean. The everyday life of the people in Fujian is closely tied to the sea. They have not only benefited from its rich resources but also developed a thriving maritime culture.

福建省歷來非常重視發(fā)展海洋文化，其歷史最早可以追溯到三國時期。當時的福建已經是吳國的造船基地，建安郡的侯官縣 （現(xiàn)在的福州）還設有“典船校尉”這一官職，專門管理官方造船。由此而開辟的“建安海道”是當時貿易往來的重要航道。此后的歷朝歷代，福建都是全國重要的造船基地。隋唐以來，福建奉行開放政策，沿海船運發(fā)達，船只往來晝夜不息，其中大船可致千石（此處的“石”是容量單位，讀作dàn）。宋元時期，經濟重心南移，福建成為全國造船業(yè)中心，盛況空前。明代，鄭和七下西洋，福建是其遠洋航行的起點和基地，起到了非常重要的作用。鄭和選擇福州長樂港作為艦隊的基地，前后28年時間里在此招募水手、訓練艦隊、修造船舶，留下了許多珍貴的歷史遺跡。鄭和從福建出發(fā)，創(chuàng)下了當時世界上規(guī)模最大、航線最遠的航海紀錄，將福建海洋文化推向高峰。

Fujian has always placed great importance on the development of its maritime culture， which dates back to the Three Kingdoms Period when it had already become a shipbuilding base for the Wu Kingdom. During this time， the Wu Kingdom set up the official title of “Dianchuan Xiaowei” in Houguan County （now Fuzhou） of Jian’an Prefecture to oversee the construction of state ships. The“Jian’an Sea Route，” opened during this period， became an important trade route. Since then， Fujian has remained a key shipbuilding base in China throughout various dynasties. From the Sui and Tang dynasties onward， Fujian adopted an open policy. Coastal shipping flourished， with ships traveling day and night， some with a capacity of over a thousand dan （about 100，000 liters）. During the Song and Yuan dynasties， as the economic center of China shifted southward， Fujian became the nation’s hub for shipbuilding， experiencing an unprecedented boom. In the Ming Dynasty， Zheng He1 led seven epic naval voyages， with Fujian playing a crucial role as the starting point and base for his expeditions. Zheng He chose Changle Port in Fuzhou as the base for his fleet， where he recruited sailors， trained crews， and built ships over the course of 28 years， leaving behind many valuable historical traces. Zheng He’s expeditions from Fujian set the world record for the largest fleet and the longest maritime route of the time， propelling Fujian’s maritime culture to its peak.

在海洋上通行，自然離不開船。福建海洋文化的載體是“福船”?！案４币话闶歉＝ㄑ睾Ｋ炷痉慕y(tǒng)稱，是中國四大船系之一，也是中國古代海船的主要船型。南宋名相呂頤浩就曾夸贊福船，認為福船是當時最好的船。福船以船體大、容量多和結構堅固而著稱，在海上行駛時穩(wěn)定性好、抗風力強，非常適合運載貨物遠途航行，代表了當時世界造船技術的先進水平。

Ships， essential for maritime travel， are the embodiment of Fujian’s maritime culture. The“Fu Ships” generally refer to the wooden sailboats built along the coast of Fujian， one of China’s four major ship types and a primary model of ancient Chinese seafaring vessels. The famous Southern Song statesman Lyu Yihao praised Fu Ships as the best ships of their time. Fu Ships are renowned for their large hulls， high capacity， and sturdy structure. They also represent the leading shipbuilding technology of their time， with impressive stability at sea and strong resistance to wind， making them ideal for longdistance cargo transport.

福建海洋文化中最璀璨的明珠非“海上絲綢之路”莫屬。海上絲綢之路是中國與世界其他地區(qū)之間海上交通的路線，形成于秦漢時期，在唐宋達到全盛，因其運送的主要大宗貨物是絲綢而得名。在福船的助力下，福建成為古代海上絲綢之路的重要起點，無數(shù)的絲綢、瓷器、茶葉、香料等物品從這里跨越海洋，遠銷海外。特別是福建泉州，其憑借海上絲綢之路的興盛而成為當時的“東方第一大港”。那時，世界各國的船只往來泉州進行商貿活動，盛況空前。如今，泉州海外交通博物館的鎮(zhèn)館之寶“泉州灣宋代海船”就是當時中外通商往來密切的寫照。這艘宋代海船是我國迄今為止唯一已出土的海外歸航古沉船。它曾經載著釉色晶瑩剔透的中國陶瓷、芳香四溢的茶葉出海，又滿盛異域的香料而歸，為豐富不同國家人們的生活作出了貢獻。在海上貿易輝煌的歲月里，不同國家的文化也沿著海上絲綢之路傳播，碰撞出文明互鑒的“火花”，留下了極為豐富的文化遺產。

The brightest jewel in Fujian’s maritime culture is undoubtedly the “Maritime Silk Road，” the maritime network connecting China with other regions of the world. It originated during the Qin and Han dynasties and reached its peak during the Tang and Song dynasties， named after the primary cargo —silk transported via this route. With the advanced Fu Ships， Fujian became an important starting point for the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Countless items， including silk， porcelain， tea， and spices， were shipped across the seas from here to distant shores. In particular， Quanzhou in Fujian Province became known as the “Largest Port of the East” due to the flourishing development of the Maritime Silk Road. Ships from all over the world sailed to and from Quanzhou for trade， creating an unprecedentedly bustling scene. Today， the treasured exhibit “Song Dynasty Maritime Ship from Quanzhou Bay” at the Quanzhou Maritime Museum vividly portrays the vibrant international trade of that time. This Song Dynasty ship is the only ancient shipwreck unearthed in China known to have sailed overseas and returned. It once carried China’s translucent porcelain and aromatic tea leaves to foreign lands and returned laden with exotic spices， contributing to the enrichment of people’s lives in different countries. Along with goods， cultures from various nations also spread along the Maritime Silk Road， sparking intercultural exchange and leaving behind a rich cultural heritage.

媽祖信仰是福建海洋文化的重要特征之一。媽祖歷來被福建及周邊地區(qū)的百姓看作海上的守護神。據(jù)文獻記載，媽祖原名林默，是出生于福建莆田的一名漁村女子。因為從出生到滿月，她一聲也不哭，父母便給她取名“林默”，世人又稱“林默娘”。成年后，林默識天文、懂醫(yī)理，善良正義，樂于助人。民間流傳她曾經點燃自己的屋子作為燈塔，幫助風浪中的漁民脫險回港。在一次海上大風浪中，林默因救助漁民不幸遇難，獻出了年僅28歲的生命。當?shù)匕傩辗浅１?，常常思念并感懷她的恩德，便在島上建起祠廟—湄洲媽祖廟來紀念她，它也成為海內外的媽祖祖廟。媽祖信仰中包含的和平、勇敢、友善等理念和價值取向，既是福建海洋文化的鮮明特征，也成為凝聚海峽兩岸、海內外華人的精神力量。

Another key element of Fujian’s maritime culture is the belief in Mazu， the guardian goddess of the sea for the people of Fujian and surrounding areas. According to historical records， Mazu was born into the Lin family in a fishing village in Putian， Fujian. It is said that she did not cry a single sound during her first month of life， so her parents named her Mo （meaning “silence”）， and she became known as “Lin Mo Niang” （Lady Lin Mo）. As she grew up， Lin Mo became knowledgeable in astronomy and medicine. She was kind-hearted， righteous， and always willing to help others. According to folklore， she once set her house on fire to serve as a beacon， guiding fishermen safely back to port through stormy seas. In one particularly fierce storm， she tragically lost her life at the young age of 28 while rescuing the fishermen. The local people were deeply mournful， often recalling her kindness with fondness. To honor her， they built a temple on the island — the Meizhou Mazu Temple， which has since become the ancestral temple of Mazu worship， both in China and abroad. The values and ideals embodied in Mazu belief — such as peace， bravery， and kindness — are not only a distinctive feature of Fujian’s maritime culture but also serve as a spiritual force that unites people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and Chinese communities worldwide.

從傍海而居開始探索海洋，到開辟古代海上絲綢之路，推動不同文明互鑒交融，再到發(fā)展海洋經濟尋求崛起，福建發(fā)展的每一步都離不開海洋的滋養(yǎng)，都浸染著海的印記。海洋，是福建發(fā)展故事中不可或缺的一部分，見證著這片福佑之地的成長與發(fā)展。

From settling by the sea and exploring the ocean， to opening the ancient Maritime Silk Road and promoting the exchange and integration of different civilizations， and later developing the maritime economy in pursuit of prosperity， not a single step of Fujian’s development would have been possible without the ocean’s nourishment. The sea is an indispensable part of Fujian’s development narrative and a witness to the growth and progress of this blessed land.

1 Translator’s note： A Chinese admiral， explorer， diplomat， and bureaucrat during the early Ming Dynasty.