The Voyages of Zheng He

The Voyages of Zheng The Voyages of Zheng HeHe

Dennis ReesDennis ReesTeacher-ConsultantTeacher-Consultant

Arizona Geographic AllianceArizona Geographic Alliance

From 1405 until 1433, From 1405 until 1433, Admiral Zheng He made 7 Admiral Zheng He made 7 voyages.voyages.

The purpose of the The purpose of the voyages was to establish voyages was to establish trade and diplomatic trade and diplomatic relations between China relations between China and nations in Southeast and nations in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Asia, South Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula.Arabian Peninsula.

The fleets ranged in size from 48 to 317 The fleets ranged in size from 48 to 317 ships carrying 27,000 to 30,000 sailors, ships carrying 27,000 to 30,000 sailors, soldiers, merchants, and scholars.soldiers, merchants, and scholars.

The ships used maps, star charts, and The ships used maps, star charts, and compasses to navigate the open seas. It is compasses to navigate the open seas. It is the first fleet in history to not hug the coast the first fleet in history to not hug the coast as a means of guidance.as a means of guidance.

They took silk, They took silk, porcelain, and porcelain, and copper coins to copper coins to trade for trade for spices, gems, spices, gems, fragrant woods, fragrant woods, animals, animals, textiles, and textiles, and minerals.minerals.

Throughout each voyage, detailed Throughout each voyage, detailed maps were made, information gathered maps were made, information gathered on the climate and cultures on the climate and cultures encountered, and plant and animal encountered, and plant and animal specimens were collected.specimens were collected.

The first voyage, 1405-1407, visited The first voyage, 1405-1407, visited Champa (central Vietnam), Java, Champa (central Vietnam), Java, Sumatra, Malacca, Ceylon, and Cochin Sumatra, Malacca, Ceylon, and Cochin and Calicut in India.and Calicut in India.

Impressed with China’s wealth and Impressed with China’s wealth and power, local rulers sent power, local rulers sent ambassadors back with the fleet ambassadors back with the fleet to pay tribute to pay tribute (money and goods) (money and goods) to to the emperor. Also on the way the emperor. Also on the way home, Zheng He’s fleet destroyed home, Zheng He’s fleet destroyed the pirate fleet in the Strait of the pirate fleet in the Strait of Malacca, thus restoring safe Malacca, thus restoring safe passage to all ships in the region.passage to all ships in the region.

The second (1407-1409) and third The second (1407-1409) and third (1409-1411) voyages returned to the (1409-1411) voyages returned to the same areas and to some new ones, same areas and to some new ones, including Siam (Thailand). including Siam (Thailand). Ambassadors were returned home, Ambassadors were returned home, and diplomatic and trade relations and diplomatic and trade relations strengthened. During the third strengthened. During the third voyage, when the king of Ceylon voyage, when the king of Ceylon attacked the fleet, Zheng He attacked the fleet, Zheng He defeated and captured him.defeated and captured him.

It was also on the It was also on the third voyage that third voyage that Zheng He erected Zheng He erected this tablet in this tablet in Ceylon honoring Ceylon honoring Buddha. The Buddha. The inscription is inscription is written in written in Chinese, Tamil, Chinese, Tamil, and Persian.and Persian.

The fourth voyage, 1413-1415, The fourth voyage, 1413-1415, reached Hormuz and Aden on the reached Hormuz and Aden on the Arabian Peninsula. These two Arabian Peninsula. These two ports controlled the rich trade ports controlled the rich trade routes of the Persian Gulf and routes of the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. He returned home the Red Sea. He returned home with riches from Arabia and with riches from Arabia and Africa, and more ambassadors.Africa, and more ambassadors.

The fifth voyage, 1416-1419, returned The fifth voyage, 1416-1419, returned to the places in Southeast Asia, to the places in Southeast Asia, Ceylon, India, Hormuz, and the Ceylon, India, Hormuz, and the Arabian Peninsula that had been Arabian Peninsula that had been visited before. The fleet also sailed visited before. The fleet also sailed down the east coast of Africa making down the east coast of Africa making stops at Mogadishu and Malindi. He stops at Mogadishu and Malindi. He returned home with exotic animals returned home with exotic animals and African ambassadors.and African ambassadors.

So many exotic So many exotic animals were animals were arriving in China arriving in China due to the due to the voyages that the voyages that the emperor created emperor created a special garden a special garden to house themto house them , , China’s first zoo.China’s first zoo.

The sixth voyage, 1421-22, returned The sixth voyage, 1421-22, returned ambassadors to various countries, but ambassadors to various countries, but concentrated on the Arabian Peninsula and concentrated on the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa.East Africa.

Emperor Zhu Di Emperor Zhu Di died shortly after died shortly after this voyage. His this voyage. His son decided to son decided to suspend the suspend the voyages during voyages during his brief reign.his brief reign.

The next emperor, The next emperor, Zhu Di’s Zhu Di’s grandson, grandson, decided to decided to resume the resume the voyages. He voyages. He called upon called upon Zheng He to Zheng He to once again lead once again lead the fleet.the fleet.

The seventh voyage, 1430-1433, The seventh voyage, 1430-1433, revisited Champa, Java, Sumatra, revisited Champa, Java, Sumatra, Malacca, Ceylon, Calicut, and Hormuz.Malacca, Ceylon, Calicut, and Hormuz.

In Hormuz, Zheng He split his fleet. In Hormuz, Zheng He split his fleet. Part of it continued on to Aden Part of it continued on to Aden and then the Red Sea port of and then the Red Sea port of Jiddah. From Jiddah, a delegation Jiddah. From Jiddah, a delegation traveled to Mecca. Another part traveled to Mecca. Another part sailed down the east coast of sailed down the east coast of Africa. The remainder returned to Africa. The remainder returned to China. On the way, Zheng He died China. On the way, Zheng He died and was buried at sea.and was buried at sea.

With Zheng He’s death, With Zheng He’s death, the voyages ended the voyages ended and the fleet was and the fleet was dispersed. Over the dispersed. Over the course of 28 years, course of 28 years, they had restored they had restored China’s diplomatic and China’s diplomatic and trade relations, freed trade relations, freed the ocean routes from the ocean routes from Asia to India and Asia to India and Arabia of pirates, and Arabia of pirates, and established Chinese established Chinese communities that communities that exist today in many of exist today in many of the places they had the places they had visited.visited.