01.Zheng He made a total of seven voyages to the Western Ocean
Zheng He made a total of seven voyages to the Western OceanIn the glorious chapter of the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He's nautical feat was like a bright pearl, shining with the light of wisdom of the Chinese nation. He sailed to the West seven times, and each voyage was like an epic, telling a legend of pioneering and adventure.
The first voyage took place on July 11, 1405, three years after the Ming Dynasty, with a huge fleet full of 2More than 70,000 people left Liujiagang in Taicang and broke the waves, reaching destinations in more than 30 countries and regions, covering the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. In the autumn of 1407, Zheng He brought back tributary envoys from Java and other countries and dozens of ships of exotic treasures exchanged for trade, and completed his first voyage.
The second voyage took place in the second half of 1405 and took a similar route to the previous one, returning in the autumn of 1407 and taking two years. Tributary envoys from Java and other countries came on the waves, and exotic treasures were dazzling. Every voyage is a collision and blending of cultures, an exploration and embrace of the unknown world.
The third voyage took place in the summer of 1409, when Zheng He again led the fleet abroad, and the fleet established a transit point at Manchurian. This voyage took the eastern Indian Ocean as the core, and established a fence wall and warehouse in Manjinga as a transshipment station at sea. On the way back, Zheng He also fought with King Alekhner in Ceylon, and returned home after his victory.
The fourth voyage took place in November 1412, when Ming Chengzu ordered Zheng He's fleet to continue sailing westward, and the fleet sailed to the wider East African coast, including the East African coast into the range of the voyage, and further expanding exchanges and ** with overseas countries. The voyage was long, Zheng He returned in 1415, and the detachment returned a year later.
The fifth voyage took place in May 1417, and the main task of Zheng He's fleet was to escort the envoys of 19 countries back home, and the fleet reached the southernmost part of the East African coast. This is not only a voyage mission, but also China's commitment and responsibility to its friends. In the coastal countries of East Africa, China's name is sung and its culture is revered.
In July 1421, Zheng He's ships embarked on their sixth voyage, escorting envoys from 16 countries to the distant coast of East Africa. On this voyage, they arrived at Slow Basa and Zhubu, which are now located on the coastlines of Kenya and Somalia, respectively. On the treasure ship, they hosted a banquet to entertain guests from all over the world, demonstrating the hospitality and generosity of Ming Chengzu. During the banquet, they presented precious items such as silk, porcelain, and ironware to guests from all over the world, symbolizing the friendly relations between the Ming Dynasty and other countries.
When they returned home in 1423, the fleet returned with a variety of precious spices and other items, which not only enriched the treasury of the Ming Dynasty, but also demonstrated the courage and adventurous spirit of the fleet.
The seventh voyage took place in early 1431, when Ming Xuanzong continued the cause and ambition of Ming Chengzu and again ordered Zheng He to go to sea. Zheng He led the fleet on its seventh voyage to the Western Ocean, which lasted more than three years, and Zheng He's fleet visited nearly 20 countries and regions, and sent special envoys to Mecca, the holy land of Islam, to complete the pilgrimage of the sons and daughters of China to Allah.
Historical Background:
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang made 31 years of hard work to restore the agricultural economy. In terms of handicrafts, various fields have developed more than before, including mining and metallurgy, textiles, ceramics, papermaking, printing, etc. In addition, at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, a considerable scale of sea ship construction industry had been established in the Jiangnan region, and at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, a huge government ship industry was developed, in addition to Nanjing Longjiang Bao Shipyard, Suzhou, Songjiang, Zhenjiang and other places also set up official factories. The recovery and development of industry and commerce in the early Ming Dynasty, as well as the increase in China's overseas ** and foreign immigration, provided a solid economic foundation and material conditions for Zheng He's voyage to the West.
The development of the shipbuilding industry, the application of the compass, the accumulation of navigation experience, the training of a large number of sailors, and the increase of navigation knowledge all provided the necessary conditions for Zheng He to go to the West. 600 years ago, Zheng He led the world's largest ocean-going fleet from the port of Liujiawan in Taicang, Jiangsu, China. In the following 28 years, Zheng He led a fleet of seven voyages to the Western Ocean, passing through Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, reaching the Red Sea and Africa, and visiting more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa. Zheng He's fleet became a master of civilization and etiquette, and was of pioneering and pioneering significance in the history of China's navigation and opening up to the outside world.
When Ming Chengzu succeeded to the throne, after three years of "Jingyan Battle" and the relocation of the capital to Beijing, the financial expenditure was very huge. In order to make up for the fiscal deficit, Ming Chengzu did not hesitate to spend a huge amount of money to send Zheng He to the West to implement the policy of opening up to overseas countries, hoping to import a large number of overseas goods. These overseas items brought huge profits at the time. In the case of sumac and pepper, a 50-fold profit was obtained. Ming Chengzu took this"Send it out, recruit it"not only solved the financial crisis faced at the time, but also allowed the people to make a living by reselling the local products. It can be seen that Zheng He did not go to the West for"Brilliant Warriors", but has a strong economic purpose.
03 Summary:
The course of going to the West seven times is a glorious chapter in the history of the Chinese nation. Zheng He's name will forever be engraved in the annals of maritime history, and his story will inspire generations of Chinese sons and daughters to forge ahead and explore infinite possibilities.
Every voyage of the fleet is a challenge to the unknown, and every return voyage is a celebration of success. Zheng He's fleet left a strong mark on this sea.