Zheng He’s Voyages

In the early Ming Dynasty, China was one of the most advanced and developed countries in the world. In order to transmit the national power and strengthen contacts with other countries, Emperor Chengzu sent Zheng He, a senior general and eunuch, on six voyages to the Western Ocean (Southeast Asia west of Brunei and the Indian Ocean) on diplomatic missions. Zheng He’s seventh and last voyage was authorized by Emperor Chengzu’s successor, Emperor Renzong.

Zheng He (1371-1435 AD), ethnic Hui (Moslem), was born in Yunnan Province. In 1405, Zheng He embarked on his first voyage. His fleet of more than 200 ships carried well over 20,000 men, including sailors, soldiers, technical personnel, interpreters, etc., and large amounts of gold, precious stones, porcelain and silk. On every voyage, Zheng He presented gifts and invited the host sovereign to send emissaries to China. He traded for precious stones, ivory and dyestuffs, bringing back rare animals like the giraffe, lion, ostrich and leopard for the Chinese emperor. On his first voyage, his fleet consisted of a huge ship which was probably the largest sea-going vessel of the day. It had nine masts and flew 12 sails, and was manned by more than 200 sailors The fleet set out from Liujiagang in Jiangsu Province, and sailed westward as far as the Red Sea.

Zheng was an excellent navigator, keeping a logbook and using one of the first compasses in the world. He made nautical charts that were later called Zheng He’s Nautical Charts, the first of their kind in the world. Zheng He’s voyages was half century earlier than Columbus discovery of American Continent. Today there are still many buildings in Southeast Asia now to show dedication and respect to Zheng He, such as Sanbao Harbor and Sanbao Pagoda in Thailand, and Sanbao Temple in Java. Malacca in Malaysia is known also as the City of Sanbao.