The Voyages The Voyages of Zheng Heof Zheng He

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

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

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One of Zheng He’s treasure One of Zheng He’s treasure ShipsShips

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 The first voyage, 1405-voyage, 1405-1407, visited 1407, visited

Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia. Impressed with Impressed with China’s wealth China’s wealth

and power, local and power, local rulers sent rulers sent

ambassadors ambassadors back with the back with the fleet to pay fleet to pay

tribute (money tribute (money and goods) to and goods) to the emperor. the emperor.

The second (1407-1409) and third The second (1407-1409) and third (1409-1411) voyages returned to (1409-1411) voyages returned to the same areas and to some new the same areas and to some new ones, including Siam (Thailand) ones, including Siam (Thailand) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

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

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

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. Zheng He, a Muslim, is thought to East Africa. Zheng He, a Muslim, is thought to

have made the hajj during this voyage.have made the hajj during this voyage.

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.

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 China’s diplomatic and trade relations, and trade relations, freed the ocean freed the ocean routes from Asia to routes from Asia to India and Arabia of India and Arabia of pirates, and pirates, and established Chinese established Chinese communities that communities that exist today in many exist today in many of the places they of the places they had visited.had visited.

IsolationismIsolationisma policy adopted by China of isolating the empire from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, trade agreements, or overseas exploration.

China sought to devote the entire efforts of the empire to its own advancement and remain at peace by avoiding foreign entanglements and responsibilities to foreign countries.

PositivesPositives

NegativesNegatives

Here is what China Here is what China controlled after Zheng He’s controlled after Zheng He’s

voyages.voyages.

Here is what Here is what Europe Europe

controlled controlled after the Age after the Age

of Exploration.of Exploration.

North and North and South AmericaSouth America

AfricAfricaa

AustraliaAustralia