Museum Updates
Three ancient boats shed light on Beijing's early river transport
Updated: Nov 2, 2026
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Ancient boats from nearly 2,000 years ago have resurfaced in Beijing! Three shipwrecks dating from the Han to Jin dynasties (206 BC–AD 420) have been discovered along an ancient course of the Yongding River in Fengtai district, Beijing. The flat-bottomed wooden vessels are the largest and best-preserved ancient inland-waterway boats found in northern China. Seal-script inscriptions reading guan (meaning "official") on the hulls suggest the boats were used for official purposes, offering rare evidence of ancient river transport.
