Zheng He's trip to Africa was the climax of China's overseas exploration. 14 19 When Zheng He returned, a group of envoys from African countries came to China with him, and of course, a giraffe came back with him. 1420, envoys from these African countries and many guests from all over the world were invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Forbidden City.
During Zheng He's voyage to the West, the number of overseas countries communicating with the Ming Dynasty increased from several countries in Hongwu period to more than 30 countries, and as many as 185 kinds of goods were imported into China from Southeast Asia. Many overseas commodities have been imported into China, adding new foreign elements to the development of China's manufacturing industries such as animal botany, medicine, porcelain and glass. Through official and non-governmental trade channels, Zheng He successfully established China's Southeast Asian economic and trade network, and China established close political, diplomatic and trade relations with Southeast Asian countries. The cultural exchanges between the two sides lasted for a long time.
1405 1 1 In July (the third year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty), Ming Taizu Chengzu ordered Zheng He to lead a huge fleet of more than 240 seagoing ships and 27,400 crew members to sail and visited more than 30 countries and regions in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean, which deepened the friendly relations between China and Southeast Asia and East Africa. From Liujiagang, Zhou Su, to 1433 (eight years of Xuande in Ming Dynasty), it sailed eight times. For the last time, in April of eight years, Xuande returned to Guri and died on the ship. The folk story "Popular Romance of Sambo Eunuch's Journey to the West" calls his travel adventure Sambo Eunuch's Journey to the West.
Zheng He has been to more than 30 countries, including Java, Sumatra, Sulu, Pahang, Zhenla, Guri, Siam, Adan, Tian Fang, Zoufal, Hume, Mugushu, as far away as the east coast of Africa, the Red Sea, Mecca and possibly Australia.
Zheng He brought giraffes from Africa in 14 14 (the 12th year of Yongle). Shen Du's Fu of Ruiying Qilin was painted by court painters in Ming Dynasty.
Definition of "Western Ocean": in the early Ming Dynasty, Borneo/Brunei was the boundary, the East was called the Oriental Ocean, and the West was called the Western Ocean. Therefore, in the past, it was called the South China Sea and the Southwest China Sea, in the Ming Dynasty it was called the Eastern Ocean and the Western Ocean, and the sea in the Gulf of Siam was called the Rising Sea.
The first voyage to the west
On June 15th, the third year of Yongle (1405 July 1 1), it set sail from Nanjing Longjiang Port, went to sea via Taicang, and returned to China on the second day of September, the fifth year of Yongle (1407 10 February).
The data of the first voyage to the West was 27,800.
The second voyage to the west
On September 13th, the fifth year of Yongle (1407, 13), he arrived in Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, India and other places, saw off the tooth in Ceylon Mountain, brought it back with the ship, and returned to China in the summer of the seventh year of Yongle (1409).
The data of the second voyage to the West was 27,000.
The third voyage to the west
In September of the seventh year of Yongle (1409, 10), we set sail from Liujiagang, Taicang. Yao, Fei Xin, Ma Huan and others followed us and arrived in Vietnam, Malaysia and India. On the way home, we visited Mount Ceylon. June 16th, the 9th year of Yongle (14 1 July 6th).
The fourth voyage to the west
In the 11th year of Yongle (14165438+October 2003), accompanied by Ma Huan, the translator, set sail in Malindi, East Africa for the first time in the 13th year of Yongle (1465438+August 12). In June165438+1October of the same year, Ambassador Marinte came to China to present the "Kirin" (giraffe).
The data of the fourth voyage to the West was 27,670.
The fifth voyage to the west
In May of the fifteenth year of Yongle (1465438+June 2007), Pu Rihe, a descendant of Pu Shougeng, accompanied him to Zhancheng and Java Island via Quanzhou, and as far away as the ancient wooden capitals of Shu, Brava and Malin in East Africa, on July 17th of the seventeenth year of Yongle (1465438+August 2009)
The sixth voyage to the west
On the 30th day of the first month of the 19th year of Yongle (142 1 March 3rd, 2000), he set out for Bangkoci (Bangladesh). According to the historical records, "In the middle of the town, the official ship was caught in a strong wind, capsized and drowned, and the ship shouted, knocked on God for help, but the words were not finished ... It was calm", and he returned to the middle road. In August of the 20th year of Yongle. In the 22nd year of Yongle, Ming Chengzu died, and Injong Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne. Because of the economic emptiness, he ordered to stop sailing to the west.
The seventh voyage to the west
Treasure ships leave Longjiang Pass.
Xuande set sail from Longjiang Pass (now Xiaguan, Nanjing) on the sixth day of December (143 1 year). After returning, Zheng He died in Guri on the west coast of India in the eighth year of Xuande (1433) due to overwork. The fleet, led by eunuch Wang Jinghong, returned on the sixth day of July.
There were 27,550 people on the seventh voyage to the West.
Developing overseas trade: Zheng He's overseas trade includes tribute trade, official trade and folk trade.
Maritime Technology and Equipment-Treasure Ships: According to Ming History and Biography of Zheng He, there were 63 treasure ships of Zheng He, the largest of which was 44 feet long and 18 feet wide, which was the largest seagoing ship in the world at that time, equivalent to the current 1. 18 meters long. This ship has four floors. Nine masts on the ship can hang 12 sails, and the anchor weighs several thousand kilograms. It takes 200 people to set sail, and a ship can hold thousands of people. "Ming history?" "Military History" also records: "The treasure ship is as high as a building, with a sharp bottom and wide width, which can accommodate thousands of people. "
Affirmative school: Ming history is basically correct, because the "2,000-material ship" recorded in the Zhenghe stone tablet of Nanjing Jinghai Temple is not a "treasure ship", but a smaller "warship".
Nanjing Zhenghe Shipyard excavated a rudder about15m long, which is the same size as the treasure ship described in Ming History.
The wharf of Nanjing Zhenghe Shipyard is 20 feet wide.
Ibn？ Ibn battuta's travel notes (1304- 1377) have recorded China's huge 12 sails that can carry thousands of people. The record of Baitutai can be used as circumstantial evidence of 12 treasure ship with thousands of people in sail.
Sceptics: They think that the strength of wood is limited, and an oversized hull can't guarantee water tightness, making it difficult to sail for a long time.
According to the records of Zheng He's remains in Nanjing Jinghai Temple, Zheng He's first treasure ship was "two thousand materials". According to their inference, it is about fifteen to twenty feet long and six to eight feet wide. The carrying capacity is about 5000 tons.
So far, no one has copied a 44-foot-long "treasure ship" that can really sail. At present, most of the imitation treasure ships take a skeptical view.
Even in the voice of doubt, Zheng He's treasure ship was still the world's leading ship at that time.
Navigation technology: According to Zheng He's nautical chart, Zheng He used the combination of sea needle (24/48 azimuth compass navigation) and ocean navigation (astronomical navigation), which was the most advanced navigation technology at that time.
The significance of Zheng He's voyage to the West: Zheng He has been to more than 30 countries, including Java, Sumatra, Sulu, Pahang, Zhenwax, Guri, Siam, Adan, Tian Fang, Zoufal, Hulumusi and Mugudu, as far away as the east coast of Africa, the Red Sea and Mecca, and may have been to Australia. These records all represent the pinnacle of China's maritime exploration, more than 80 years earlier than the western explorer Da Gama Columbus and others. At that time, the Ming dynasty was ahead of the west in navigation technology, fleet size, sailing distance, duration and related fields.
In the historical significance of Zheng He's voyage to the Western Seas, there are many overseas interpretations. "In Zheng He's era, China really assumed the responsibility of a civilized country: be strong but not hegemonic, spread goodwill to friendly countries, publicize rewards, and be generous.
The Mystery of Zheng He's Files Destroyed: According to the Records of Special Areas in Zhou Zi, Zheng He's files on his voyages to the West were originally kept in the Ministry of War. During the Chenghua period in Ming Xianzong, the emperor ordered the Ministry of War to check the old files of Sambo, but the officials sent by Xiang Zhong, the minister of the Ministry of War, could not find them for three days, and Liu Daxia had already hid in advance. Xiang Zhong asked officials, how can the documents in the library be lost? Liu Daxia, who was present at that time, said: "Three guarantees to the West Sea cost hundreds of thousands, and thousands of soldiers and civilians died. What are the benefits of getting treasures? " Although the old files are still there, they should be destroyed. Why do you still ask? " .
Zheng He's voyages to the West should include a large number of original materials, such as imperial edicts, Zheng He's fleet establishment, lists, logbooks, accounts, etc. Whether a large number of Zheng He files were destroyed by Liu Daxia is still a mystery. The disappearance of a large number of Zheng He's archives has brought great difficulties and restrictions to Zheng He's research.
Zheng He's Theory of Discovering America: In the best-selling book "142 1: China Discovers the World" published in 2002, the former British Royal Navy submarine commander Gavin? Menzies pointed out that Zheng He's fleet sailed around the world and discovered America and Oceania long before the era of great western navigation.
On June 65438+1October 16, 2006, a China painted on 1763 and marked Yongle 16 (14 18) was exhibited simultaneously in Beijing and maritime museum, a Greenwich country in London. The navigation map of China has detailed navigation areas and outlines of America, Europe and Africa. In addition, the picture is accompanied by descriptions of American aborigines (black and red skin with feathers on the head and waist) and Australian aborigines (dark skin, naked body and bone products on the waist). The only drawback is that there is no record of Britain in the nautical chart. According to China lawyer Liu Gang, the collector of the map, he bought the map from a Shanghai businessman for 500 dollars in 200 1 year, and learned the historical importance and significance of the nautical chart by reading the above book 142 1: China Discovers the World.