Chinese History - Zhanghe

Most people in China know the name of Zheng He with his seven voyages very well. Zheng He, the greatest explorer during the ancient time in China, was the first man completing the first circumnavigation of the globe decades before Christopher Columbus and one century earlier than Ferdinand Magellan during 1519-1522.

Cheng Ho, who was said to have been seven feet tall, was given greater power when Zhu Di became emperor in 1402. One year later, Zhu Di appointed Cheng Ho admiral and ordered him to oversee the construction of a Treasure Fleet to explore the seas surrounding China. Admiral Cheng Ho was the first eunuch appointed to such a high military position in China.

Between 1405 and 1433, Zheng He had, over a period of 28 years, seven times been ordered to act as envoy to countries lying to the west of China. Each time he had under his command a big fleet and a staff of more than 20,000 men. His fleets had sailed in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. They had gone further south to Java in today's Indonesia. Sailing then in a northwest direction, they had visited Yemen, Iran and the Holy City of Islam Mecca and further west to today's Somalia in East Africa. In all, he had made calls at more than 30 countries and territories. All this had taken place about half a century before the famous European sailor Columbus's voyage to America. For this reason, Zhen He's expeditions could rightfully be called "an unprecedented feat in the history of navigation of mankind."

On the return trip in 1433 Cheng Ho is believed to have died; others state that he died in 1435 after the return to China. Nonetheless, the era of exploration for China was soon over as the following emperors prohibited trade and even the construction of ocean-going vessels.

It is quite sad to write this report. Undoubtedly, every Chinese is so proud of Zheng He for doing such an amazing job, being the number 1 in the world at that time, and much more powerful than the west. However, the splendid period of China suddenly disappeared right after his death. Why was that?

In fact, I could conclude this point with the view of Chinese culture.

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