The history of mankind is an epic of the conquest of nature, the wandering of rivers, the crossing of dense forests, the expansion of human activity with the development of productive forces, and the taming of the sky.
Among the most important geographically important discoveries, the Age of Discovery in the 15th century will surely go down in history. In the nearly 200 years of the Age of Discovery, for the first time, mankind was able to glimpse the whole world, and the East and West broke the isolation and began cross-cultural communication.
And the cultural differences between the East and the West also played an important role in this maritime history.
The Age of Discovery created a new seafaring landscape, the treasures of the Orient inspired navigators to explore, and the Chinese compass became a key tool for conquering seas and unknown continents.
The practical application of the compass has led both the East and the West to set their sights on unexplored seas. Portugal's Dias explored along the African coastline and discovered the Cape of Good Hope. Christopher Columbus sailed west and discovered the New World of America.
These expeditions contributed to the development of European countries, gradually expanding their gaze further afield.
However, decades before Europeans began to brave the seas, the ancient countries of the East had explored the seas many times. Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty went to the West seven times and left a deep impression on countless countries.
However, these voyages were confined to the periphery of the continent, and then they embarked on the path of "not going to sea".
While praising the courage of these navigators, it is often impossible to overlook the dangers they faced in the open sea.
Ancient seafaring was a gamble with death. In addition to the challenges of food supplies and weather changes, the most inescapable danger is disease. Scurvy is a terrible disease, but it only occurs at sea. Even if he is cured, once he sails again for a few months, the disease will come again. This made scurvy a nightmare for Western seafarers, but it hardly ever appeared in Eastern fleets.
Nowadays, medical science points out that scurvy is a bleeding disorder caused by a lack of vitamin C, and it can be cured by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. This is also the reason why scurvy frequently occurs in Western fleets.
The West prefers to carry non-perishable food, while the Eastern fleet chooses to carry fruits, vegetables, etc., which are easy to preserve. In addition, there was a huge difference in the choice of routes, with the Eastern fleet passing through many supply points, while the West was more isolated.
The path of human exploration is full of new problems, but solutions can also be found.
The impact of differences in cultural exchange will bring new opportunities for human prosperity. Just as the blending of cultures eliminates scurvy, mutual tolerance of cultural differences will surely promote human innovation.