A picture exhibition of "Geng Lu Bu", a traditional Chinese navigation log, of the South China Sea kicked off in Hainan Museum, Haikou on Wednesday.

Those pictures exhibited show that the South China Sea has been China’s territory since ancient times, and China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters.

"Geng Lu Bu" originated in early Ming Dynasty, over 600 years ago, and prevailed in Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It is an ancient navigation log complied by Chinese fishermen based on their sailing experiences and in turn used for navigation.

Aiming to promote the historical significance and cultural value of the guide book, the exhibition, consisting of about 200 pictures, demonstrated the historic course and the current outlook of the South China Sea.

According to the "Geng Lu Bu", the islands in the South China Sea and the adjacent waters were firstly found, developed and named by Chinese. The guide book records the routes, circulation flow and marine products of each island and reef.

Updated by captains of each generation, the description of the "Geng Lu Bu" is almost identical with the situation nowadays.

The guide book also proved that the coverage of Chinese fishermen from Sanya, Wanning, Lingshui, Lingao and other parts of Hainan province once covered the Guangdong seacoast, Beihai, Hainan seacoast, the Indo-China Peninsula, Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands.

As a cultural form, "Geng Lu Bu" witnessed generations of Chinese existence in the South China Sea which is inherited by the Chinese people from their ancestors.

The description of “Geng Lu Bu”, archaeological discoveries, and historical documents all prove China's sovereignty over the islands in the region and their adjacent waters.

The five-day exhibition was hosted by the Publicity Department of CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and local media outlets.