Research center of "Geng Lu Bu" founded in south China's Hainan province

The research center of "Geng Lu Bu", manual of sea routes created by Chinese fishermen more than 600 years ago, was founded in south China's Hainan Province on Wednesday.

The research center has more than 20 academic staff.

Geng Lu Bu, which was passed down from generation to generation among Chinese fishermen, was a navigation guide for the South China Sea.

It not only records the features and oceanic conditions of the islands in the South China Sea, but contains the history of the sea, ship building technology, names the islands, marks their locations and identifies reefs, shipping lanes and fisheries.

"Geng Lu Bu is an encyclopedia of the South China Sea," said Gao Zhiguo, former director of the China Institute for Marine Affairs under the State Oceanic Administration. "It is also evidence that the South China Sea Islands are China's inherent territory."

Before 1970s, almost all the old captains in Hainan had the book. Due to the popularity of navigation instruments, fewer and fewer fishermen have used the book since then, said Zhou Weimin, a professor with Hainan University.

Only a few copies of the book still exist while the old captains and fishermen who could understand the book have passed away gradually, therefore, it is in dire need of protection, according to Zhou.

The research center will collect existing copies and put them under protection and preservation, establish a museum for the book and build a database. Endi