JNS Yao Jin
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 Yao Jin flies the traditional flags of the Yao Kingdom on Jindanese Heritage Day at Jindao Harbour in 2017
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| History | |
|---|---|
 Jindao
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| Name: | JNS Yao Jin |
| Namesake: | Yao Jin |
| Ordered: | 19 August 1697 |
| Builder: | Guanyu Shipyard |
| Cost: | $235,000 |
| Laid down: | 4 December 1697 |
| Launched: | 22 January 1700 |
| Maiden voyage: | 10 April 1700 |
| Homeport: | Jindao Harbour |
| Nickname(s): | Great Yao |
| Status: | In active service |
| General characteristics (as built, 1697) | |
| Class and type: | Atakebune |
| Displacement: | 1,800 tons |
| Length: | 276 ft (84 m) |
| Beam: | 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m) |
| Draft: | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sail (five masts, ship rig) |
| Speed: | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement: | 400 (1701) |
| Armament: |
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JNS Yao Jin, also known as Great Yao is a wooden-hulled, iron-armoured, five-masted atakebune and flagship of the Jindanese Navy (which comes under jurisdiction of the Xiaodongese Navy), where it serves as its only active service ship. Named after Yao Jin, the first king of the Yao Kingdom of Jindao, she is the world's oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat, having being launched over 300 years ago. Launched in 1700, she participated in many of the wars against the Euclean powers under the Toki Dynasty that resulted in many unequal treaties being signed between Toki and the Euclean nations. She was designed by Xi Guanyu at his personally-owned Guanyu Shipyard and is the only ship of her type. Guanyu designed the ship to be more heavily armoured and more heavily armed than the typical Xiaodongese ships of the period.
Yao Jin is most notably remembered for her actions in the Xiao-Estmerish War of 1761, where she sunk three Estmerish ships in a single battle using her 30-pounder long guns, far above the usual poundage for Coian long guns at the time. The sinking of the Estmerish ships, the EFS Ashcombe, EFS Redwing and EFS Oak, considered far better technologically, is revered in Jindao as is a celebrated day for Yao Jin, 27 September.
Yao Jin was removed from active service in 1909 by Gaullica to be more compatible with their modern navy, but the public adoration surrounding her 1761 feats saved her from being scrapped. She was held at Guanyu Shipyard until 1912, where she was designated as a museum ship as assigned the homeport of Jindao Harbour. She completed a tour of Xiaodong and Jindao between 1913 and 1916, visiting a total of 35 ports around the area. On her 300th birthday, in 2000, she was given the nickname Great Yao and toured much of Coius, while also being designated as the flagship of the Jindanese Navy. In 2007, a statue commemorating her 1761 feats was unveiled outside the Jindanese Heritage Museum in Laoshizhai.