USS Kongo (WS-164)

Formerly the UES Kongo WS-164, United Earth Ship Kongo. A Sojouner class warp cruiser of the early 22nd century She was the first ship to offically enter Starfleet from Earth, and the First ship ever to sail under the UFP banner. NCC numbers where not introduced until starfleet began to contract for ships to be built.

Name background
The USS Kongo is named for Mt. Kongo, or Kongo-zan, a mountain not far south of the old capital of Japan at Nara. The word "kongo" was the Japanese pronuncation of the Chinese translation of vajra in Sanskrit. The vajra was originally the thunderbolt of the god Indra. Later in esoteric, Tantric, or vajrayona Buddhism, the vajra symbolized supernatual powers that could be obtained through esoteric rituals. In the sexual symbolism of Tantrism, the vajra was also associated with the male organ. On the other hand, kongo could also mean a jewel or a diamond, or hard as a diamond. So, appropriately, Kongo as the name of a ship could imply the great power of a thunderbolt or the hardness of a diamond.


 * This article is written in the Epiphany Trek continuity.