# CGTN: Navigating the South China Sea Before GPS

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/cgtn-navigating-the-south-china-sea-before-gps
- Published: 2026-07-09T16:40:00+07:00
- Author: Media OutReach

BEIJING, CHINA – [Media OutReach Newswire](https://www.media-outreach.com/) – 9 
July 2026 – Ten years after the South China Sea arbitration, CGTN has published 
an article exploring the story of the _Genglubu_ – a handwritten navigation manual
that guided generations of Hainan fishermen long before GPS, shedding light on a
chapter of South China Sea history unfamiliar to many outside the region.

 //www.youtube.com/embed/lp3ffBh4emk

 Before GPS. Before weather forecasts. Before satellite navigation.

 How did generations of Chinese sailors find their way across the South China Sea,
one of the world’s busiest and most challenging waterways?

 A new CGTN documentary, _Genglubu_: Charting the South China Sea, explores the 
answer through a little-known ancient navigation manual passed down for generations
of fishermen in Tanmen, Hainan Province. The _Genglubu_ recorded routes, compass
bearings and sailing distances, helping fishermen navigate reefs, islands and open
seas. The documentary follows the fishermen who crossed the sea, the families who
preserved their knowledge and a maritime tradition that connected China with Southeast
Asia and beyond.

 **The People Who Brought the _Genglubu _to Life**

 To outsiders, the _Genglubu _looks like a secret code. A single line of just fourteen
Chinese characters can contain an entire sea route: the departure point, direction,
destination, distance and estimated sailing time.

 “Generation after generation, Hainan fishermen rode the waves – not to rule the
sea, but to make their living from it.”

 Xin Lixue, Curator, China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea

 The documentary follows veteran fishing boat captains whose lives were inseparable
from the sea. Wang Shitao first went to sea at the age of nine. At twelve, his fishing
boat was caught in a typhoon. Everyone else on board died. Clinging to a piece of
floating timber, he drifted alone for three days. Four years later, another violent
storm struck. Once again, he was the only survivor. Yet each time, he returned to
the sea. Late in life, reflecting on decades spent sailing the South China Sea, 
he summed up his feelings:

 “I love the South China Sea. I hate it. I miss it.”

 Wang Shitao, fishing boat captain

 The sea demanded sacrifice even as it provided a livelihood. A storm or mishap 
could wipe out an entire crew.

 “Children and brothers should never sail on the same boat.”

 Wang Shubao, fishing boat captain

 **A Maritime Tradition Connecting Asia**

 The documentary challenges the common assumption that the _Genglubu _was only about
the South China Sea. Research on the Liang Family_ Genglubu _reveals routes extending
to Singapore, Malacca and Indonesia, showing that Hainan fishermen also played a
role in regional maritime trade.

 “Hainan fishermen also took part in overseas trade.”

 Zhao Jueqi, China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea

 Not every route was written in words. Some _Genglubu_ manuscripts contain mountain-
and-water charts. They combine sketches of coastlines with compass bearings, water
depth and sea conditions. These drawings helped sailors identify islands, reefs 
and coastlines and determine their position at sea.

 “The Americans and the British produced their own navigational records, which identify
the Chinese as being engaged very heavily in fishing on these islands and other 
forms of economic activity.”

 Anthony Carty, International Law Sholar

 Today, satellites, weather stations and lighthouses have transformed navigation
across the South China Sea. But the purpose remains the same: helping sailors travel
safely and return home. _Genglubu_: Charting the South China Sea traces a maritime
tradition shaped by generations of ordinary people. It is a story of navigation,
memory and resilience, one that forms part of the shared maritime heritage of Asia.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

![](//track.media-outreach.com/index.php/WebView/475226/36955)

**Source** : [CGTN: Navigating the South China Sea Before GPS](https://www.media-outreach.com/news/china/2026/07/09/475226/?rand=186006)

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