From Dione Chen writing in the Museum of Underwater Archeology site:

“The Free China is a historic century-old Chinese sailing vessel on the verge of extinction.  An authentic Fujian junk used during the first half of the 20th century to transport fish and contraband, the Free China has a rich and colorful past.  The junk is possibly the oldest Chinese wooden sailing vessel of operable condition in existence—and the last of its kind.

The Free China junk made international headlines in 1955 when an inexperienced crew of five Chinese fishermen and one American diplomat beat the odds to make a transpacific voyage from Taiwan to San Francisco.  The voyage was an inspiring story of chutzpah, determination, adventure and spirit that was a source of great pride by Chinese on both sides of the Pacific, and significant interest by mariners and the general public in America.

An Urgent Request for Help