Ship model of a Chinese junk (Chongqing) - life boat, ‘hongchuan’, red boat
Beschreibung
Ship model of a life boat, the so-called ‘hongchuan’ or red boat. The origin of this type is situated in 1854 when the rich businessman Li Yonggui raised money to build three life boats and had them painted red. The government supported this initiative, which remained effective until World War II. The characters on the stern identify the ship to be ‘a red life boat of the municipality of Chongqing in Sichuan’. The life boats operated near dangerous rapids of the Chang Jiang. Each ship had one helmsman and four crew members.
Model built of wide planks and transverse bulkheads. Flat bottom. Long, rising, slightly broadening swim head. Almost straight flaring board. Fore cuddy board with deck, followed by an open hold. Behind the mast beam a high superstructure with revolving doors and two open-worked windows. Behind the deck house a deck with a somewhat higher after cuddy board. Mast with cotton cloth, trapezoid sail.
length: 87.5 cm (geheel) width: 19.2 cm (geheel) height: 87.2 cm (geheel) height: 21.2 cm (onderdeel) length: 87.5 cm (onderdeel) width: 18 cm (onderdeel) height: 6.5 cm (onderdeel)
