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Zheng He¡¯s Fleets
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Nautical Chart
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Java, in present day Indonesia, is a major island of the
country. With a great number of Chinese guildhalls and schools, Java has
the biggest Chinese population in Indonesia. At the beginning of the 15th
century, Zheng He's fleets sailed along China's coast down to the south,
and Java was the southernmost place Zheng He had ever reached. |
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Ceylon, currently called Sri Lanka, is an island country
in the Indian Ocean off southeast India. Zheng He once established a stele
recording the friendship between the two countries, with its epigraphs
written in three languages of Chinese, Tamil and Persian. As a piece of
very precious cultural relics, the stele is being colleted in the country's
national museum. The island has many nicknames: Serendib, Teardrop of
India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma and Pearl of the Orient etc.
This colorful collection reveals its richness and beauty. |
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Siam (present day Thailand) is the geographical heart of
South-East Asia. Zheng He's fleets reached the place for three times altogether,
hence there are a lot of relics that can still be found today, including
a temple after Zheng's name, fresco of Zheng's fleets as well as a harbor
after his name. On each occasion that he visited Siam, Zheng He also traded
Chinese silks, porcelain, and other specialties. Chinese porcelain enriched
and beautified the lives of the people of Siam, while Chinese architectural
design and stone carving had a great influence on Thai esthetics. |
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Malacca is an important port and trading center. During the
15th century, it was the biggest shipping center in Southeast Asia. Today,
there are still a lot of relics memorizing Zheng He's visits hundreds
of years ago and Malacca is an illustrious historic city - a melting pot
of historical treasures and cultures. |
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Mecca is the most sacred site in the Muslim world. It is
where the prophet Mohammed first started teaching and is known as the
cradle of Islam. As a Muslim, Zheng He had a strong desire and religious
duty to make the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. By successfully
reaching Mecca, Zheng He was instrumental in forging ties between the
Ming Dynasty and the Islamic countries of the Middle East. |
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Champa is in the mid-south part of Vietnam. In the third
year of the Yongle reign (1405), the first stop the Zheng He's fleet made
was at Champa. According to Ming Dynasty historical records, Zheng He
visited Champa five more times, establishing a solid friendship with the
local populace. He also built a shipping and trading center here. The
Chinese cultural influence introduced by Zheng He can still be seen in
the architecture of Champa's palaces. Because of its location of near
the sea, it provided great advantage to communicate with the neighboring
countries. Today, the place is still characterized with its multi-culture
flavor. |
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Semudra, currently known as Sumatra, was then a small country.
Because of its advantageous geological location, all ships traversing
the Straits of Malacca had to pass by Semudra, making it a flourishing
maritime trade center. |
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Ormus is in the present day Iran. Zheng He visited Ormus
during his fourth voyage in 1415. The King of Ormus presented some pearls,
gems and other precious animals including lions and giraffes. Ormus was
a kingdom in the 16th to 17th centuries around the Persian Gulf, in particular
the Strait of Hormuz. The capital was the fortified port-city of Ormus
which was one of the most important ports in the Middle East at the time,
controlling sea-way trading routes to India. The city was probably located
on the island of Hormoz. |
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Borneo is present day Brunei in Borneo Island or Kalimanta
Island. In the sixth year of the Yongle reign (1408),
the Emperor of Borneo, with his queen and prince, came
to China with Zheng He. The group was composed of more
than 150 people and was warmly received. |
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Changle, located in South China's Fujian Province, was the
base and the place where Zheng He's fleets sailed to the ocean. Though
some of his seven voyages began from Taicang or Nanjing, they always arrived
Changle first for the preparations. |
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Taicang is a coastal city in East China's Jiangsu Province.
Located along the Yangtze River, Taicang was the place where Zheng He
began his great voyages. Taicang became an important port early during
the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), and its economy flourished in the
Tang Dynasty (618-907). The city reached its peak n the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368),
being the "No.1 Port in the World". The fine harbor, abundant
storage of various materials as well as advanced shipbuilding also guaranteed
Zheng He's voyages. |
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Constructed
by Chinadaily.com.cn
Copyright 2005 Ministry of Culture, P.R.China. All rights reserved |
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Emissary