Lena Shoal Shipwreck

Discovery of the Lena Shoal wreck

The wreck was discovered by fishermen  off the waters of Busuanga, northern Palawan in 1996.  Artefacts amounting to more than 7000 were salvaged, comprising mainly blue and white from China Jingdezhen, some from Vietnam, relatively small quantity of green glaze (celadon)  ware from China Zhejiang Longquan, Thailand and Myanmar, and small number of brown glaze jars from Vietnam and Thailand.  Analysis of the ceramics placed the wreck as dating to late 15th century, during the reign of Ming Hongzhi period (1488 - 1505 A,D).

Zhejiang Longquan celadon plates

Thai Sawankhalok green glaze jarlets

Vietnam blue and white jarlets

Thai dark brownish glaze jar

The ship measuring approximately 24m was constructed in the hybrid South China Sea tradition, featuring bulkheads, a Chinese ship building feature but constructed from woods of Southeast Asian origin and with joints held by dowels, a typical Southeast Asian technique. Prior to imposition of the Ming Ban in 1371 A.D, such ship construction was unknown.  It is believed that displaced Chinese merchants who moved to Southeast Asia at that stage may have been the first to order ships built in this manner.

Historical developments which influenced and shaped 15th cent. ceramics production and trading networks

During Ming Hongwu reign, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang announced the imperial ban on private overseas maritime trade.  One of the main reasons for the policy was the trouble created by the Japanese pirates (wako)  along the coastal region from Zhejiang to Guangdong.  Trades with foreign countries were permitted only through the highly regulated and elaborate tributary system.  Hence, many foreign countries used the presentation of tributes as a pretext to conduct trading with China.  After the Xuande period,  several emperors of weak capability ascended the throne.  Corruption became rife and foreign countries found it too costly to conduct trade through the tribute system.  By the time of Chenghua/Hongzhi (1464— 1505 A. D) , the Ming ban had become ineffective and largely ignored. The tribute system which allowed some level of trade through official channel has essentially collapsed. For the first 6 years of Hongzhi reign, the court only received two tribute missions, from Champa and Siam, through Guangzhou. During Hongzhi reign, an official Qiu Jun (丘浚）appealed to the court to lift the ban on overseas trading. This was an indication of the general sentiments on the ground. It also suggested that the court's attitude and position towards the ban has also likely softened. There was rampant illegal overseas trade controlled by large syndicates operated by the rich landlords, merchants and corrupted officials. Apparently the overseas Chinese with entrenched wide trading network in Southeast Asia was an important partner in facilitating the distribution of the exports.   The temporary lifting of the ban during the reign of Zhengde (1505 - 1521 A. D) further boosted trade.  Although the trade ban was re-imposed during the reign of Jiajing, it was ineffective.

The Lena cargo is an important physical testimony of an important changing phase in the history of export of ceramics.  The predominantly cargo of Chinese ceramics was a clear indication that the Chinese had again emerged as the major player of the ancient ceramic trade.  During the later part of the 14th to 15th cent., the Ming ban had provided a golden opportunity for the Southeast Asia ceramic production centres in Vietnam, Thailand and subsequently Myanmar to fill the gap left by the Chinese. Some the wrecks salvaged by Mr Sten Sjostrand in the sea near Malaysia provided an important source of references on the types of Thai ceramics being exported and their chronological order.  Among the wrecks are Turiang (1370 A.D), Nanyang (1380 A.D), Longquan (1400 A.D), Royal Nanhai (1460 A.D), Xuande (1540 A.D) and Singtai (1550 A.D). During the earliest phase of late 14th century to early 15th Century, Vietnamese and Thai Sukhothai iron painted wares were the main export items.  Thai Sisatchnalai (Sawankhalok) potters started producing the celadon during the late 14th Centuryand it became key export items from the 15th century onward.  Production reached the peak by the mid 15th century.   The Vietnamese blue and white also became an important export items from about 1460-70 A.D onward. The Hoi an cargo dating to second half 15^th century is the most important Vietnamese wreck discovered with cargo consisted of mainly blue and white wares which impressed us with its wide variety of form and decoration.

From the Lena cargo, we noticed that Jingdezhen finally replaced Zhejiang Longquan as the dorminant exporter of Chinese ceramics. Essentially there was a major shift in consumer preference and aesthetic taste.  From its initial introduction during the late Yuan period, blue and white was primarily targeted at the overseas market.  But during the Ming period, Jingdezhen kiln enjoyed imperial patronage.  Blue and white was the key product of the Jingdezhen imperial kilns.  In the past, there was a general view that there was a disruption of production during the interregnum Zhengtong to Tianshun period as there was no porcelain ware with reign mark from that duration.  But recent archaeological excavations of the imperial kiln sites had uncovered substantial amount of  porcelain fragments attributed to that period. During the reign of Chenghua, the use of reign mark was re-introduced, and archaeological excavations revealed that production was large.

From Jingdezhen archaeological surveys and findings from the graves, it appeared that the usage of blue and white among the common folks were relatively low till the Xuande period.  There was increasingly higher demand after Xuande, and by the time of Hongzhi  blue and white was widely used by the common folks.     When Hongzhi took over, he recognised that sustaining a large imperial kiln production for the Palace was a big drain on the state finance.  He ordered imperial porcelain production to be drastically reduced.  As a result, the redundant potters were forced to find other means and avenues to support their livelihood.  They turned to production of wares to meet  local and  oversea demand.  The potters brought with them superior production skills and were instrumental in improving the quality and increasing the output of the folk kiln products. 

Blue and white wares from the Lena Cargo

The Lena cargo is of particular interest to those interested in late 15^th century Mid Ming Hongzhi Jingdezhen blue and white.  We can see some clear distinction between blue and white produced for local and overseas consumers.  There are many big plates, interior with a central motif encircled by floral scrolls fully occupying the rest of the inner surface.   There are also those with the motifs in lobbed medallions on intricate pattern ground. They are specifically designed to meet the aesthetic taste and local usage requirement of overseas consumers.  Very few such big plates were found from graves in China.  For the domestic market, the plate may have similar composition, a central motif but the floral scroll that encircled it tends to be more sparse.  As for the decorations for the bowls, there appeared to be less differences in domestic and overseas preferences.

 Besides the interesting range of compositions, there is also a rich repertoire of decorative elements.  We can also see the introduction of more vessel forms, such as elongated cover boxes and duck shaped dropper.

Some items such as the dishes with chilin and bowls with abstract cloud decoration revealed their long production cycle. In the Pandanan wreck dated to Mid 15th cent, there were also some dishes with chilin decoration.  In the Chinese academic circle, they are widely attributed to Xuande/Interregnum period. Apparently, they were still in production at least till the Hongzhi period.

Example of chilin decoration from my collecton

Example with abstract cloud from my collection

Following are some of the blue and white wares from the Lena cargo that were on display at the Philippines National Museum.

Plate with floral scrolls decoration

Plate with rare central decoration of pot of flower in garden setting

Plate with floral scrolls

Plate with motif in lobbed medallions

Ewer decoration with floral scrolls

Water dropper in the form of two ducks

Elongated cover box

Another cover boxes with floral decoration

Ewer with missing spout

Bowl with well-drawn floral decoration

Small cover box with cover missing

Small jarlets with cover

Small cups,2 with sanskrit character, 1 floral decoration

Concluding Remarks

The Lena cargo preserves an important body of trade ceramics which is important in helping us understand the changing product mix at an important turning point in the history of ancient ceramics trade.  Blue and white from Jingdezhen has emerged as the most preferred ceramics for daily use. It also heralded the triumphant return of Jingdezhen and from then entrenched itself as the dominant supplier of the trade ceramics for the next 400 years.

Written by : NK Koh (10 Apr 2020)