Zheng He’s Exploration
Rongchen Zhu
Introduction
While Columbus is well-known nowadays, Chinese Muslim explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, eunuch Zheng He, seems unknown for most of the western world. In fact, what he did is not only as amazing as what Columbus did, but also more unbelievable. Beginning in 1405, almost a hundred years earlier than Columbus discovered the New World, Vasco da Game rounded the Cape of Good Hope, Magellan first finished circumnavigation, Zheng He was appointed by Emperor Yongle, the third ruler of the Ming Empire, led over 240 ships, 27,000 sailors to explore the western ocean seven times in 28 years, visited over 30 nations in western Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and maybe Australia, deepened the relationship between Ming Empire and Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Africa. This series of voyages are called “Zheng He to the Western Ocean”.
The Motives and Purposes
There must be many motives and purposes of Zheng He’s exploration. Emperor Yongle’s reign was the most prosperous time in Ming; no foreign threat, the government and economics were well-developed, trading became emergent. Emperor Yongle wanted to show his power and prestige to all the countries, build a “giant empire of heavenly dynasty”.
The first job of Zheng He’s fleet was to intake all the nations to be Ming’s tributary states, proclaim Ming’s emperor received the authority from the “King of heaven” to govern the entire world. Every nation must obey to the Ming Emperor, and it is a part of Ming. There should be no war between any nations under great Ming’s rule; Emperor Yongle wanted them all to enjoy a harmony and peaceful world. Trade was minor part of the missions, because Emperor Yongle wanted to show the power and wealth of his nation, build his prestige; it would be a shame for him if he give gifts back to the nations less than what the tributes he receive from them, so even though the nations under Ming were called tributary states, actually their reward was more than their tributary, and powerful protection in the meantime, too. The countries in Southeast Asia enjoyed enormous benefit from Ming during this time.
The Formation
Zheng He’s fleet was giant, systematically formed as a powerful naval mobile formation, and it could be called a task fleet. After comprehensive research of this period’s world history, English historian Dr. Joseph Needham summarized the conclusion: Ming’s navy at this historical period is more excellent than any other Asian and European nations’, maybe all the European nations’ united, still cannot compete with Ming’s.
Zheng He’s fleet crew divides into five main parts: Command part is the center of all the other parts; make the final decision of all the affairs. Navigation part takes the responsibility of daily sailing and ship repair. Diplomacy and trading part is responsible for the protocol, communication, commerce decision, and translation. Logistical support part is doing the supply, document-making, medical matter, and property management. Convoy part takes care of the security of sailing and military action. The formation is complete and organized, can reflect the abundant marine experience of the people in ancient China.
In Ming’s record, the crew in Zheng He’s four voyages was recorded officially, it went over 27,000 people in every time.
The Advanced Shipbuilding
Chinese advanced shipbuilding technology in ancient time since Tang and Song is the essential precondition for Zheng He’s success.
The Treasure Ship is the biggest ship in Zheng He’s time, about 151 meters long, 61 meters wide, has 9 masts and 12 sails, and it can carry about 1,000 people and 800 tons of supply. The Treasure Ship needs 300 people to move its helm and set sail. Zheng He’s fleet used 63 Treasure Ships in seven voyages, recorded in the official history record of Ming dynasty, Mingshi, means the Ming’s history, and Ibn Battuta, an Muslim historian gave the circumstantial evidence to the unbelievable size of Treasure Ship. Not all the ships in the fleet are giant treasure ships, besides treasure ships, there are four other kinds of ships with specific functions used in the fleet. “Ma Chuan”, means the “horse ship”, is used to carry supplies, and it is about 126 meters long and 51 meters wide. “Liang Chuan”, means the “food ship”. Its job is to carry food, and it is about 96 meters long and 40 meters wide. Most of the crew lived in “Zuo Chuan”, means “sitting ship”, about 81 meters long and 31 meters wide. “Zhan Chuan”, warship, used to fight, about 61 meters long and 23 meters wide. In Zheng He’s log, he described the fleet could “fleetly sail in day and night, when the waves could reach the sky and as huge as a mountain”
The Chinese Philosophy Reflected from Zheng He’s Exploration
Because of the Confucian teaching, Ming Emperor Yongle naturally thought the entire world is his, and as the emperor of the “giant heavenly nation”, he has the duty to spread the wisest Confucian teaching to civilize the uncivilized people, and build a peaceful and world in harmony. He wants people in all the places under the government of Ming can enjoy joy and peace. Therefore, Zheng He treated every nation equally, whether it was strong or weak, small or huge. Although Zheng He commanded the strongest task fleet in the entire world, he only fought one defensive war with Ceylon during the seven voyages in 28 years.
Zheng He’s exploration is the last global communication and connection in ancient Chinese history. The famous Chinese political reformer Liang Qichao said, “After Zheng He, no more Zheng He”, in one hand, it is a praise for Zheng He. In the other hand, it expresses the tragedy of Chinese seafaring enterprise.
The Comparison between Zheng He and European Explorers
Columbus and Zheng He both were brilliant explorers. Columbus discovered the New World, is one of the most significant event in the human history. Zheng He’s feat is obviously not as famous as Columbus’s, but it is absolutely as amazing as Columbus’s, or maybe more.
The motivation of Columbus and the motivation of Zheng He were the pivotal differences for their historical mission. Columbus’ sailing was for wealth; Spanish queen was only like a patron for him, he was his own manager with self-determination. Zheng He was like the extend arm of the Ming Empire. The wealth spurs all the classes in Europe to seek the trade route and the New World, but Zheng He’s voyages were for the prestige of Ming Emperor Yongle, without actual interest for any other Chinese people, so the vanishment of it is not surprising. However, Zheng He’s motivation seems nobler than European explorers’. Because of the lack of resources in Europe, Europeans have to invade and expand to satisfy the development of itself. The early Western European maritime history is the expansion, colonization, invasion period of world history. The European explorers were greedy; they would do anything to create the biggest interest and wealth all over the world for themselves. They destroyed other civilizations and cultures, traded natives as slaves, killed them, built colonies and outposts, seized the land and resources such as gold and ivory. This was their one and only motivation. Interests and wealth turned adventurous explorers to brutal colonial pirates. Compare to Columbus, Zheng He’s fleet never traded slaves, never built colonies and outposts, and never forced any natives to convert their language, culture and religion.
European explorers such as Columbus and Magellan had only three or four ships in their fleet, about 100 people in the crew. Their fleet’s size could not compete with Zheng He’s. However, the consequences of the explorations were quite opposite. Soon after Emperor Yongle’s death, Chinese voyage suddenly stopped the connection between China and Indian Ocean which Zheng He just built was broken. Europeans replaced China became the dominance of the international market, and China eventually quit from the developing global market. Later, The European explorers totally changed the history of the world, but Zheng He’s historical influence was not as significant as theirs.
A display of comparison of Zheng He’s and Columbus’ ships.
A display at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai compares the size of ships used by Zheng He and by Christopher Columbus.
Zheng He’s Journey
| Order | Time | Regions along the way | |
| 1st Voyage | 1405-1407 | Champa, Java, Palembang, Malacca, Aru, Sumatra, Lambri, Ceylon, Kollam, Cochin, Calicut | |
| 2nd Voyage | 1407-1409 | Champa, Java, Siam, Cochin, Ceylon | |
| 3rd Voyage | 1409-1411 | Champa, Java, Malacca, Sumatra, Ceylon, Quilon, Cochin, Calicut, Siam, Lambri, Kaya, Coimbatore, Puttanpur | |
| 4th Voyage | 1413-1415 | Champa, Java, Palembang, Malacca, Sumatra, Ceylon, Cochin, Calicut, Kayal, Pahang, Kelantan, Aru, Lambri, Hormuz, Maldives, Mogadishu, Brawa, Malindi, Aden, Muscat, Dhufar | |
| 5th Voyage | 1416-1419 | Champa, Pahang, Java, Malacca, Sumatra, Lambri, Ceylon, Sharwayn, Cochin, Calicut, Hormuz, Maldives, Mogadishu, Brawa, Malindi, Aden | |
| 6th Voyage | 1421-1422 | Hormuz, East Africa, countries of the Arabian Peninsula | |
| 7th Voyage | 1430-1433 | Champa, Java, Palembang, Malacca, Sumatra, Ceylon, Calicut, Hormuz... (17 states in total) | |
The End of the Exploration
Throughout the entire exploration, Ming did not gain any virtual economic interest; Ming government paid all the enormous cost. Therefore, after the golden age of Ming past, the government could not support this costly exploration anymore. Chinese then never show up in the Indian Ocean in next 500 years. All the records about Zheng He’s exploration in the “Ministry of Military” of Ming contains Zheng He’s log, map, shipbuilding design, and diplomatic documents, were all burned “in an accident”. The “Minister of Military” at that time explained the “accident” as “Such a vanity project that wasted both money and manpower, it would be better for the people to not have it anymore”. Since the “Minister of Military” was impartial, the later Ming Emperor felt ashamed and never ask for it again. Therefore, most achievements of Zheng He and the information about his fleet and voyages remained as a mystery.
Bold Guesses for Conclusion
I would like to lead us make some bold and interesting guesses:
If Vasco da Gama met Zheng He in the Indian Ocean, does he still dare to sail to China and India? If Ming’s exploration did not stop, would Columbus be the man who discovers the New World and Magellan be the man who first finishes the circumnavigation?
If all of the European explorers above did not achieve what they have done, what would be the later history and the world now looks like?
Fortunately and unfortunately, something happened and something never happened. We all cannot change the history, but can always learn some from history; that is why we study history, for the sake of a better human civilization in the future.
Sources
1. Levathes, Louise. When China Ruled the Seas. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
2. 郑和下西洋. 6 May 2009. 百度百科. http://baike.baidu.com/view/24124.htm#9
3. wnc7188. 14 June 2008. 百度百科. http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/42498541.html?si=5&wtp=wk
4. 策马行空. 26 December 2008. 百度百科. http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/42498541.html?si=5&wtp=wk
