Encountering Zheng He at Sea

Author: Fang Zhongfu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Bypassing the Cape of Good Hope, the world's greatest navigator, unveiling the curtain of the human "Great Age of Navigation," opening the Maritime Silk Road of China, and solving the mystery of Zheng He's fleet. Commemorating the 600th anniversary of the voyages of Zheng He, the pioneer of the human "Great Age of Navigation" (1405-2005)! "It is not only a highly valuable academic work but also a literary read with exquisite language, and an excellent textbook for promoting the ancient civilization of our country!" Reading Encountering Zheng He at Sea is like listening to two maritime culture scholars recount the story of Zheng He and his treasure fleet. Six hundred years ago, Zheng He, under the order of the Ming Emperor Zhu Di, led the treasure fleet on seven voyages to the Western Oceans, marking the beginning of the human "Great Age of Navigation." Today, Chinese maritime culture scholars Fang Zhongfu and Li Er have spent years delving into ancient texts and visiting historical sites to re-examine this glorious history and tell stories about Zheng He's voyages that are little-known to the public.
Encountering Zheng He at Sea is based on historical records and facts, revealing the latest research findings on Zheng He. It combines historical accuracy with readability and is accompanied by over 30 historical images, uncovering many mysteries surrounding Zheng He's voyages. Zheng He of China, Henry of Portugal, and Christopher Columbus of Italy are all renowned for their maritime explorations, but who was the first to round the Cape of Good Hope? In this book, the authors state clearly: The human "Great Age of Navigation," centered on exploration, spanned the 15th to 17th centuries. Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty and his treasure fleet kicked off the era of maritime exploration. Later explorers, such as Henry of Portugal, came 15 years after Zheng He, and Christopher Columbus came 87 years later. The reason Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty became the greatest navigator in human history is closely tied to the "tribute trade" of the Ming Dynasty.
Moreover, ancient Chinese people had already crossed the seas in rafts. Zheng He inherited and carried forward their spirit, fulfilling his childhood dream of exploring the oceans. The authors use substantial evidence to prove that some maritime works claiming the Chinese were "unaccustomed to navigation" are incorrect. China is the birthplace of maritime culture, and Zheng He is the greatest navigator in the world.
Using extensive historical records, the authors argue that Zheng He's oceanic expeditions differed fundamentally from those of later maritime expeditions by other nations. Zheng He's voyages to the Western Oceans involved a fleet of over 200 ships and more than 27,000 personnel. The ships included treasure ships, warships, transport ships, and others, with the treasure ship being the largest. People say Zheng He's fleet went "to the sea in search of treasures," and the name of the treasure ship originated from this. However, the treasure ships carried Chinese fine arts such as porcelain and silk when they set sail and returned with spices and rare animals. The Ming court's "tribute trade" and its foreign policy of "promoting harmony and softening the distant" were widely spread across the world by Zheng He's fleet. As a result, there were "uninterrupted visits from envoys" and specialized departments for maritime trade, such as the "Shibo Si."
During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, foreign trade flourished rapidly. Trade was mutually beneficial. Zheng He's fleet opened the "Maritime Silk Road," allowing China's blue-and-white porcelain craftsmanship to spread to the West, while Western glassblowing techniques were introduced to China. The influence of the fleet on world culture also included Buddhism, Islam, and Taoism. Zheng He's maritime expeditions to the Western Oceans strengthened the connections and friendly relations between countries worldwide.
The King of Brunai, accompanied by his family and 150 attendants, came to China for tribute. This was a major event at the time. Unfortunately, the king died of illness in Nanjing, and the Ming Emperor "observed a three-day mourning," giving the king a grand burial in Nanjing. The gratitude of the foreigners toward the Ming envoy Zheng He is evident in the "Three Treasure Temples" built on the other side of the ocean.
Why did the Ming Dynasty's maritime efforts, which had brought human maritime exploration to its peak, suddenly stop? Therefore, reading this book holds certain implications for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The authors spared no effort in describing Zheng He's fleet sailing across the boundless seas, using water sounding to determine their position, "star observation" and the magnetic compass to judge their direction, and observing celestial phenomena to cleverly harness monsoon winds to speed up their journey. These prove that Ming Dynasty maritime technology was world-leading.
The Zheng He Navigational Chart, drawn from Zheng He's seven voyages, is invaluable both in practicality and academia. It is a precious legacy in the history of human navigation and has greatly enriched geographical literature. The cover features a reconstruction of Zheng He's treasure ship.