Meet Zheng He in Shanghai

Author: Fang Zhongfu / Li Erhe (editors)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Bypassing the Cape of Good Hope, the world's greatest navigator, unveiling the curtain of the human "Great Age of Navigation," opening up the Maritime Silk Road of China, and solving the mystery of Zheng He's fleet. Commemorating the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's six voyages to the Western Oceans (1405-2005)! "It is not only a highly valuable academic work but also a beautifully written literary read, and an excellent textbook for promoting ancient Chinese civilization!" 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, commissioned by 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 Erhe, after years of research, have revisited ancient records and explored historical sites to retrace this glorious history and tell the lesser-known stories of Zheng He's voyages.
Encountering Zheng He at Sea is based on historical records and facts, revealing new findings in the study of Zheng He. It combines academic rigor with readability and is accompanied by over 30 historical illustrations, uncovering many mysteries surrounding Zheng He's navigation. Zheng He of China, Henry the Navigator 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 a key section of the book, the authors state clearly: The human "Great Age of Navigation," centered on exploration, spanned the 15th to 17th centuries. Zheng He and his treasure fleet of the Ming Dynasty in China kicked off this era of exploration. Later navigators, such as Henry the Navigator of Portugal, came 15 years after Zheng He, and Christopher Columbus came 87 years later. Zheng He's status as a pioneer in global navigation is closely tied to the Ming Dynasty's "tribute trade."
Moreover, ancient Chinese people had long been crossing the seas in rafts. Zheng He inherited and advanced this spirit, fulfilling his childhood dream of exploring the oceans. The authors provide substantial evidence to prove that some maritime works claiming that the Chinese were "unaccustomed to navigation" are incorrect. China is the birthplace of maritime culture, and Zheng He is the world's greatest navigator.
Using extensive historical records, the authors argue that Zheng He's naval expeditions differed fundamentally from those of later countries. Zheng He's voyages to the Western Oceans involved fleets of over 200 ships and more than 27,000 crew members. The ships included treasure ships, warships, transport ships, and others, with the treasure ships being the largest. The name "treasure ship" originated from the popular belief that Zheng He's fleet went "to the sea in search of treasures." However, the treasure ships carried Chinese porcelain, silk, and other cultural treasures abroad and returned with spices, rare animals, and more. The Ming court's "tribute trade" and its diplomatic strategy of "promoting harmony and softening distant peoples" were widely disseminated by Zheng He's fleet. This led to a continuous flow of visiting envoys and the establishment of maritime trade departments called "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 naval expeditions strengthened ties and fostered friendly relations among nations worldwide. The visit of the King of Borneo, accompanied by 150 family members and attendants, to China as a tribute was a major event at the time. Unfortunately, the king died of illness in Nanjing, and the Ming Emperor mourned him for three days, giving him a grand burial in Nanjing. The gratitude of the foreigners toward Zheng He, the special envoy of the Ming Dynasty, is evidenced by the "Three Treasure Temples" built in the distant ocean.
Why did the Ming Dynasty's maritime endeavors, which had reached the pinnacle of human navigation, suddenly halt? Therefore, reading this book holds certain implications for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The authors vividly depict Zheng He's fleet sailing across the boundless seas, using water depth measurement to determine their position, "star observation" and magnetic compasses to set their course, and astronomical observations to harness seasonal winds to speed up their journey. These practices prove that Ming Dynasty navigation technology was world-leading.
The Zheng He Navigation Charts, drawn from Zheng He's seven voyages, hold immense practical and academic value and are a precious legacy in the history of global navigation. They have greatly enriched human geographical literature. The cover illustration depicts a reconstruction of Zheng He's treasure ships.