Imperial Chinese Navy

The Chinese Imperial Navy came into existence from 1132 during the Song Dynasty to the end of the Qing period in 1912. Prior to 1100s, Chinese naval ships were not organized into a uniform force. After 1911, it was replaced by the Republic of China Navy and then the People's Liberation Army Navy after 1949.

[edit] Ranks

Pre-19th Century ships were wood and of various sizes.

fu po (warship) - 19th C ships
hai hu or sea hawks
combat junks
lou chuan - ships of the Ming dynasty
mengchong or covered swoopers (蒙衝): leather-covered assault warship - ships of the Three Kingdoms period
river boats - Song Dynasty
tower ships
yu ting or patrol boats
zhan xian or combat junks
zou ge or flying barques

Following the First Opium War, the Qing improved their naval fleet with modern ships from Europe:

Dinghai - as Admiralty HQ during the 12th Century
Canton (Guangzhou) - fleet base of the Qing navy in the late 19th Century
Foochow Arsenal, near Fuzhou (1866—1884) - fleet base of the Qing navy and naval yard and School of Naval Administration in the late 19th Century; ancient shipbuilding centre
Shanghai - fleet base of the Qing navy in the late 19th Century
Tianjin - fleet base of the Qing navy in the late 19th Century and home to the Tianjing Naval Academy
Liugong Island (1888) - birthplace of the Qing navy and base from 1888 to 1898; later served as Royal Navy base until 1930
Weihaiwei - naval port