The historical significance of Zheng He's seven voyages to the West
Zheng He went to the West for what?A cultural relic unearthed in Fujian subverts the traditional view!
The real purpose of Zheng He's trip to the West has always been disputed. The History of the Ming Dynasty records that it was to find Emperor Jianwen and show the strength of China, but the inscription "The Legend of the Heavenly Concubine Lingying" found in Changle, Fujian Province in 1930 gives a different account.
The inscription shows that the purpose of Zheng He's seven trips to the West was to "make money to get it, so Xuande and Rouyuan people", that is, to exchange gifts and culture for mutual benefit. This seems more in line with the nature of Zheng He's unprecedented voyage.
So, what should we make of the contradiction between these two statements?To answer this question, we need to analyze the historical context in depth.
The History of the Ming Dynasty was written in the Qing Dynasty, and the editor Zhang Tingyu and others can be said to stand on the position of the imperial court. Perhaps out of the need to maintain the prestige of the current dynasty, they chose a negative interpretation of Zheng He's goal in the West.
Both the search for Emperor Jianwen and the display of wealth and power were associated with aggression and revenge, which may have been more popular in the context of the time.
The inscription of "The Record of the Heavenly Concubine Lingying" was written by Zheng He himself before his departure, which can reflect his true thoughts. The 61-year-old Zheng He no longer needs to be sycophantic to Emperor Xuande, and he also has a premonition that the deadline is approaching, so his writing should be more sincere.
The expression of mutual benefit in the inscription is also more compatible with Zheng He's own character.
Judging from the actual effect, Zheng He's fleet brought a large number of gifts and culture to the countries along the way, and recovered a lot of local specialties, which indeed achieved the effect of exchange. If it is simply to find people or demonstrate, the size of the fleet and the carrying capacity are too large.
The true purpose of Zheng He, which is reflected in the inscription of "The Record of the Heavenly Concubine Lingying", is more credible - economic, trade and cultural exchanges. The interpretation of the History of the Ming Dynasty is influenced by the circumstances of the time and the personal tendencies of the writer.
We should not reduce Zheng He's feat to seeking revenge or wolf warriors, but should fully affirm its historical significance in opening up exchanges. The discovery of this inscription gives us the opportunity to re-examine and understand this glorious ocean-going epic.