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Remembering the navigator who ruled the waves
Zheng He is known to the world as one of history's pioneering navigators, a
technological innovator of the Ming Dynasty, and a creator of the Chinese
maritime Silk
Road.
"His seven voyages to Asian and African nations 600 years ago are believed to
be the earliest and largest-scale in human history," said Ma Yingming, deputy
director of the museum and a veteran ancient Chinese history scholar.
Ma said Zheng set out on each voyage with about 100 gigantic ocean-going
ships and 28,000 crew, with the most advanced navigational tools in the world.
His first voyage was 87 years earlier than that of Christopher Columbus, 92
years earlier than Vasco da Gama's, and 114 years earlier than Ferdinand
Magellan.
The most noteworthy aspect of Zheng's naval expeditions is that "they were
journeys of peace and friendship," Ma pointed out. "Meanwhile, many other
foreign ocean-going adventurers, including Columbus, da Gama and Magellan, came
home with riches and treasures robbed from the nations they visited."
Another exhibition of 250 photographs recording the cultural heritage of
countries and regions Zheng He's fleets visited is also being staged.
Shot by female journalist Fan Chunge from Wuhan,
capital of Hubei
Province, the images depict ruins of ancient sea ports, Islamic tombs where
Zheng's crew members are buried, Ming style porcelain
found in African countries and ancient temples
where Zheng is worshipped by locals as a god said to watch over sailors and keep
them safe.
Between 2000 and 2002, Fan visited 18 Asian and African nations, travelling
as far as South Africa, in the hope of gaining a deeper understanding of the
voyages.
The museum exhibits evoke exciting and glorious impressions of Zheng's naval
expeditions, reflect Chinese values and an ancient code of conduct, and mark the
enduring friendships between China and many other Asian and African nations,
said Ma.
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Emissary