Tao is not ride a raft, Yu Hai. The ship is the tool of human exploration of the ocean, shipbuilding and navigation technology progress is the foundation of maritime trade, the same prosperous maritime trade also promoted the progress of shipbuilding and navigation technology.

The first human use of trees, bamboo, some are empty gourd and other natural floating tool as wading swim across the tool. Artificial floating tool is an important step towards the ancestors in boat manufacturing from the use of natural floating tool to. Archaeological evidence has begun to explore the ocean in early human use primitive canoe era.

According to the wrecks of archaeological materials, the Qin and Han Dynasties when the ship has to large-scale, diversified development, the emergence of ships to transition flat needle bottom, Han Jin southeast coast will have local authorities set up ship tun. Xu Jing in the Song Dynasty in the "sun and the Korea map" volume fourteen "passenger boat" recorded in the ancient ocean going ships "as flat as a scale, such as the edge of the lower side, your can cut her way through the waves also", this shows that deep water ships have appeared in the song dynasty. Deep water ships is by island off the coast of transoceanic navigation to the main technical security offshore sailing.

Maturation of shipbuilding technology in ancient China ocean going vessels used in the Song Dynasty are already forming, such as at least in the Six Dynasties, Lu Xunzao "watertight cabin" existing watertight compartment technology, balanced rudder technology Zhang Zeduan of the Song Dynasty painting "the painting scroll" already mature, the Tang and Song Dynasties more mature mast more sail technology, early wood and gravity Department of anchorage is also developing into wood stone claws anchorage.

The Song Dynasty ancient times four big ship have been mature, which Fu Chuan, shipyard similar, are pelagic deep-water ships. Coast in South China Sea Bird less sand, water depth reef, Fu boat shipyard are pointed bottom round or pointed bottom, deeper draft, bow taper, conducive to the central longitudinal waves, hull external keel strong, cabin peripherals transverse ribs and bulkhead, the hull using multiple packet plate, longitudinal attachment or step type protuberance shell plate on both sides of the bilge are set in different forms, these structures are in ship anti wave, on the rocks.

The shipyard for sharp end, Fu Chuan multi circle pointed bottom, relatively more suitable for Nanhai multi reef seaway.
"Nanhai No.1" may be a blessing to the ship or shipyard.

Ancient navigation technology can be used a few words to describe: Scull rudder differentiation control technology, "smooth" to "multi mast sail boat for Bamianfeng multi technology", "Wang sun line" to "Ocean Star drawing" and "quantitative technology of navigation compass by". In the process of Zheng He's voyages in navigation technology has been mature application, leaving had Ocean Star drawing navigation chart.