The sails used for the expedition, Hsu said, may one day become a cultural relic since younger generations of boat builders are no longer interested in learning the traditional craft.
More than 20 craftsmen worked 10 hours a day for the past two years to complete the junk, which is 15.8m long, 4m wide and weighs about 20 tonnes. It is equipped with a 54-horsepower engine, GPS and satellite phone. Designed to sail under wind power at a speed of no greater than 13m per second, the junk will operate seven to eight nautical miles off the coast. Covering 100 knots a day for one and a half to two years, it will carry its crew to the South China Sea, the Strait of Malacca, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Peninsula and Tanzania, the farthest point of Zheng's seven voyages that took place between 1405 and 1433.
"The journey will take us to over 40 ports in 20 countries Zheng's fleet visited 600 hundred years ago. We will visit the monuments and relics Zheng left in countries such as Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, documenting the changes with photography, film and journals and leaving the records for generations to come ... . We may travel a bit farther than Tanzania because after all, it is the eighth voyage under the name of Zheng," Hsu said.
Having spent the past two years documenting junk-building on Hainan Island and learning sailing skills from books and experienced fishermen, Hsu sailed the junk back to Taiwan along with two captains earlier this year. The 12-day, 1,000-knot journey was itself a rare activity since offshore sailing has yet to become popular in Taiwan.
Planning to circumnavigate the island on a "good luck" trip beginning next Wednesday, Hsu is waiting to muster an adequate crew. "It was expected that we would run into difficulties recruiting, not only because the trip is long, but very few people are interested in offshore sailing in Taiwan and China," Hsu said.
The current plan is to select a dozen crew members who will take turns aboard the junk so there will always be a six-member team onboard. The real training begins during the first four months of the journey when the sea is less perilous. For people who wish to participate in the unique expedition without making a serious commitment, positions are open between ports to let guests have a taste of the sea for a few days.
Believing there is a need for adventure and exploration in each and every society, Hsu said he will leave future expeditions to younger generations after the sea voyage and redirect his energy into promoting local offshore sailing.
"To enter the world of exploration, you must let go of all of life's securities and go after something that you may never have. To me, the decision on how you want your life to be is in your hands" said the veteran explorer.
For those interested in joining the once-in-a-life-time expedition, visit SEE Taiwan's bilingual Web site at www.zheng-he.org or call (02) 2933-6075.
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