Zheng He

Zheng He

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Zheng He (Chinese: 鄭和; 1371–1433 or 1435) was a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, fleet admiral, and court eunuch during China's early Ming dynasty. He was originally born as Ma He in a Muslim family, later adopted the conferred surname Zheng from Emperor Yongle.[2] Zheng commanded expeditionary voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, and East Africa from 1405 to 1433. His larger ships stretched 120 meters or more in length. These carried hundreds of sailors on four tiers of decks.[3]

As a favorite of the Yongle Emperor, whose usurpation he assisted, Zheng rose to the top of the imperial hierarchy and served as commander of the southern capital Nanjing (the capital was later moved to Beijing by the Yongle Emperor). His voyages were long neglected in official Chinese histories but have become well known in China and abroad since the publication of Liang Qichao's Biography of Our Homeland's Great Navigator, Zheng He in 1904.[4][5] A trilingual stele left by the navigator was discovered on the island of Ceylon shortly thereafter."

Great Voyages: Zheng He

Penn Museum

Dr. Adam Smith, Assistant Curator, Asian Section, kicks off the 2013--2014 "Great Lectures" series. This year's theme: Great Voyages. Zheng He, a Muslim-born eunuch, is the most famous of the men that led the spectacular maritime expeditions of the Ming Dynasty, mounted during the early 15th century as an assertion of China's power and prestige among neighboring peoples of Southeast Asia. Dr. Smith discusses Zheng He's seven voyages, which reached beyond Southeast Asia to India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa over three decades—half a century before Portuguese navigators reached these same regions via the Cape of Good Hope.

Chinese Treasure Fleet Adventures of Zheng He Documentary

Long History Documentaries - Chinese Treasure Fleet Adventures of Zheng He

"Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored a series of seven naval expeditions. The Yongle emperor designed them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin and extend the empire's tributary system.

Zheng he was the man chosen to lead this great fleet which reached as far as east Africa opening up rich trade routes,bringing peace and prosperity to war ravaged far off lands, religeous equality,and setting China on the road to economical dominance over the rest of the world. Why then did china suddenly stop the treasure fleets and close its borders to its newly found trade partners?"

China invented the Tall Ship.

Did you know that 85 years before Columbus discovered America, Chinese ships longer than a football field sailed thousands of miles through unknown oceans .

Zheng He | PBS World Explorers

•Sep 27, 2020

Gerry Dincher

Commanding a fleet of over 300 ships, it is surprising how little is known today about Chinese explorer Zheng He. Across seven major voyages Zheng He solidified Chinese dominance in trade and exploration.