Phoenix Voyage Diary

Author: Zheng Hao / He Mingli
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Three men with distinct personalities, a small and sturdy sailboat, 8 months, over 13,000 nautical miles following the footsteps of Zheng He. Typhoons, giant waves, high temperatures, intense sun exposure, seasickness, cold (assault rifles), and the Southeast Asian Century Tsunami—each experience was endured. Towards the ocean, despite the hardships, trials, and dangers, "A true man bravely stands at the forefront of the tide!" Only those who have experienced it can truly feel the unique joy, intoxication, tranquility, and clarity of sailing. Only those who have experienced it can proudly say, "A life without experiencing the sea is incomplete."
To commemorate the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's voyages to the West, Phoenix TV launched a sailing expedition. Three individuals drove a single-masted sailboat named Phoenix, riding the winds and waves across the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, passing through 20 countries and regions, covering nearly 13,000 nautical miles. The team faced trials in their lone sailboat—typhoons, giant waves, high temperatures, intense sun exposure, seasickness, and even cold (assault rifles). The most thrilling experience was surviving the Southeast Asian Century Tsunami, as Phoenix was in the epicenter and near Andaman Island. The allure of the ocean and the team's perseverance allowed Phoenix to set sail and break through the waves time and again, completing this remarkable feat.
During the voyage, the team kept extensive diaries and took numerous on-the-spot photographs. Every challenge, every extraordinary experience, was recorded in vivid and authentic language. Reading these diaries allows us to follow the authors on their 13,000-nautical-mile journey, to trace the footsteps of Zheng He 600 years ago, and to experience the spiritual trials and the elevation of life.