Ship model, is inherited, but also carry forward

A ship model is a meticulously scaled-down replica of a real ship, accurately capturing its shape, structure, color, and even interior details. Due to its faithful reproduction and exceptional craftsmanship, a ship model embodies the rich maritime culture and holds significant value for collectors. A carefully curated collection of ship models can vividly depict the history of a shipping company or brand.

The ship model plays a significant role in the preservation of boat culture and navigation history. Evidence suggests that human navigation has a history of 10,000 years, while ship models reflecting these activities date back 5500 years. In ancient times, ship models were crafted from materials such as asphalt, clay, and wood to serve as burial objects and sacrificial offerings, symbolizing people's aspirations for happiness and their reverence and gratitude towards the gods. The discovery of wooden and pottery ship models from the Western Han and Eastern Han dynasties in southern China after 1949 indicates that China's shipbuilding technology had already reached an advanced level over two thousand years ago.

The provinces and cities along the east coast of China have designated the restoration of ancient Chinese ships and the preservation of ancient ship model making skills as projects for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. They have also identified the inheritors of these projects, demonstrating the recognition by local governments and cultural management departments of the importance of preserving Chinese culture.

The production of modern ship models in China began in the late 1950s, when the second product design room of Shanghai Mechanical and Electrical Bureau (the predecessor of 708 Institute) hired skilled artisans from various fields such as watchmaking, gold and silver jewelry crafting, and shipbuilding to develop new products. The production process of these ship models is guided by naval architects and strictly follows the construction procedures of real ships at a scaled level. The influence of gold and silver jewelers and watchmakers can also be observed in certain aspects, such as gold-plated outfitting parts (anchors, chains, windlass, propellers), silver-welded metal materials, and precision machining using watch lathes.