Documentary explores human narratives in the South China Sea

The film centers on three distinct voices: a fisherman, a scholar, and a scientist. Lu Jiabing, a fisherman from Hainan’s Tanmen Township, anchors the narrative in tradition, utilizing the Geng Lu Bu—an ancestral navigation guide—to trace paths established by generations of sailors. His account portrays the sea not as a zone of contention, but as a lived-in space defined by historical continuity.

Scholar Wu Shicun shifts the focus toward historical documentation, advocating for a perspective that recognizes the area as a shared maritime homeland. Complementing this, marine scientist Huang Hui addresses the physical reality of the region. She has led the development of a massive coral reef restoration project, positioning the sea as a site for urgent environmental stewardship and international scientific collaboration. Produced by the Voice of the South China Sea alongside the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, the three-part documentary seeks to shift the discourse toward regional stability and ecological renewal.