Guangzhou was a major hub for Chinese maritime trade during the Six Dynasties, which resulted in the South China Sea Islands becoming part of the maritime Silk Road and repositories of numerous artifacts.
例如，六朝時期，廣州成為中國海上貿易的輸出大港，將南海諸島納入海上絲路的航線，因此也賦予了這些島嶼許多「古」味。