Why zheng he

He was a six-foot-five Muslim eunuch who sailed from China to the coast of Africa. The greatest explorer you've never heard of. While it presides over a major crack down against Muslims , the Chinese Communist Party is also revitalising the myth of Zheng He — a naval admiral who commanded epic voyages in the early 15th century throughout South-East Asia, India, the Middle East and beyond. Dubbed "Chinese Columbus", the explorer has even inspired a trendy coffee shop in Melbourne.

Leading voyages across the globe a century before Christopher Columbus reached the Americas , Zheng has been described as one of the greatest explorers of all time. He was born Ma He in in China's southern Yunnan province to parents from the ethnic Hui minority, who are majority Muslim.

While little is known about his family, Zheng's father and grandfather both made the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia — more than 5, kilometres from China. His name Ma — the Chinese derivative of Muhammad — would later be replaced by Zheng, a name conferred on him by the Ming emperor as he rose to the highest possible rank for a eunuch. Zheng undertook a series of epic voyages between and , leading more than 20, men aboard a fleet consisting of more than ships — easily the most advanced navy of its day.

He is thought to have become interested in Buddhist teachings later in life and died in India. While Zheng's fleet showed off Chinese might and naval prowess, orthodox Chinese histories depict him as never engaging in gunboat diplomacy, rather developing friendships with foreign leaders. This is clearly how Beijing would like to be viewed internationally today, with the People's Liberation Army Navy naming one of its ships the Zheng He. In , the vessel undertook a "harmonious mission" to countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Italy, Canada and Indonesia, with the aim of strengthening ties with foreign navies.

Xi Jinping drew upon Zheng's fleet during his opening speech to the Belt and Road forum in The explorer's legacy looms large in South-East Asia — a fact Beijing has sought to leverage in its dealings with the region.

In Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia, Zheng holds special status for his role in propagating Islam, remembered with mosques, temples and museums across the archipelago. Xiamen University historian Liao Dake has written that he "supported the independence of the Melaka kingdom, injecting a driving force to the diffusion of Islam". While reporting on an Indonesian parliamentarian's visit to the country last week, Chinese state media noted that Zheng's "legacy in places like Indonesia continues to show that his expeditions established important links that went beyond diplomacy and economics to include cultural aspects and other ties".

Prior to visiting Manila in November , Mr Xi wrote an opinion piece widely published by Philippine newspapers that declared: "Over years ago, Chinese navigator Zheng He made multiple visits to the Manila Bay on his seven overseas voyages seeking friendship and cooperation.

There is evidence of Zheng He's visits in over thirty Asian and African countries and regions. These seven voyages, unprecedented in size, organization, navigational technology, and range, demonstrated not only the power and wealth of the Ming Dynasty, but also Zheng He's extraordinary command ability. Learning Chinese. Learn to Cook Chinese Dishes.

Exchange Rates. Hotel Service. China Calendar. Hot Links. China Development Gateway. Admiral Zheng He Establishing His Career Zheng He's illustrious career was made possible in part by his unique background. Print This Page. Email This Page. He is a superior explorer to his European counterparts: Christopher Columbus in with three ships; Vasco de Gama in with four ships; and Ferdinand Magellan in with five ships.

He rounded the Cape of Good Hope seventy-six years before Vasco de Gama did, circumnavigated the globe one hundred years before Ferdinand Magellan, and some say that he reached the Americas decades before Christopher Columbus. Zheng He was commissioned to start his voyage by the first ruler of the Ming dynasty, Emperor Yongle. By his last expedition in , which he made while in his sixties, He established many diplomatic relations with more than twenty realms of the Indian Ocean world.

Emperor Zhu Gaozhi relieved Zheng He from the treasure fleet and put him in military control in Nanjing.