The Voyages of Cheng HoThe Voyages of Cheng Ho (1405-1433)(1405-1433)

Armand Bodrug Armand Bodrug

IT 7360IT 7360

World HistoryWorld History

1010thth Grade Grade

Cheng Ho aka Eunuch SanbaoCheng Ho aka Eunuch Sanbao

Life of Cheng Ho (b. 1371)Life of Cheng Ho (b. 1371)

Belonged to the Hui ethnic Belonged to the Hui ethnic group in modern-day south group in modern-day south western Yunnan Province, still western Yunnan Province, still under Mongol influence at the under Mongol influence at the timetime

Religious affiliation: Islam; Religious affiliation: Islam; toleration; syncretism with toleration; syncretism with Taoism and BuddhismTaoism and Buddhism

Taken back to Nanjing as an Taken back to Nanjing as an eunuch to serve in the Ming eunuch to serve in the Ming imperial householdimperial household

Life of Cheng Ho (continued)Life of Cheng Ho (continued) Confidant of the 3Confidant of the 3rdrd emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the Yongle Emperor; emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the Yongle Emperor;

might have been appointed commander because as a Muslim he could might have been appointed commander because as a Muslim he could more easily negotiate with Muslim merchants on the Indian Oceanmore easily negotiate with Muslim merchants on the Indian Ocean

Helped the Yongle Emperor with a coup d'état and as a result Cheng Ho Helped the Yongle Emperor with a coup d'état and as a result Cheng Ho was made head eunuch and admiralwas made head eunuch and admiral

Today, Cheng Ho is used by PRC as a model for the integration of the Today, Cheng Ho is used by PRC as a model for the integration of the Muslim minority into the larger nationMuslim minority into the larger nation

Expeditions of Cheng HoExpeditions of Cheng Ho(1405-1433)(1405-1433)Why?Why? 7 naval expeditions to over 30 7 naval expeditions to over 30

countries sponsored by the countries sponsored by the Ming in order to:Ming in order to:

Establish/maintain a Establish/maintain a Chinese presence in SE Chinese presence in SE AsiaAsia

Impress foreigners from Impress foreigners from the Indian Ocean (aka the Indian Ocean (aka Western Ocean to the Western Ocean to the Chinese at the time) basinChinese at the time) basin

Impose imperial control Impose imperial control over tradeover trade

Extend tributary system Extend tributary system and collect pledges of and collect pledges of loyaltyloyalty

Armada and CrewArmada and Crew Over 300 ships including 62 Over 300 ships including 62

treasure ships (junks) and treasure ships (junks) and 28,000 crew28,000 crew including sailors, including sailors, clerks, interpreters, officers, clerks, interpreters, officers, soldiers, artisans, doctors, soldiers, artisans, doctors, traders, astrologers, et al.traders, astrologers, et al.

Largest naval force in world Largest naval force in world history before World War I history before World War I

15th century Chinese junk (400 15th century Chinese junk (400 feet long) vs. European Santa Maria feet long) vs. European Santa Maria (85 feet long)(85 feet long)

Map: Expeditions of Cheng HoMap: Expeditions of Cheng Ho

Summary of VoyagesSummary of Voyages(1405-1433)(1405-1433)

11stst, 2, 2ndnd, 3, 3rdrd: SE Asia, India, Ceylon; : SE Asia, India, Ceylon; pirates defeated in the Strait of pirates defeated in the Strait of Malacca; Malacca; favorite places: Malabar favorite places: Malabar Coast city-states, CalicutCoast city-states, Calicut

44thth: Persian Gulf, Arabia, Mecca; the : Persian Gulf, Arabia, Mecca; the first to travel beyond India and the first to travel beyond India and the Arabian SeaArabian Sea

55thth, 6, 6thth, 7, 7thth: East Africa, Kenya; in : East Africa, Kenya; in Aden the sultan presented exotic gifts Aden the sultan presented exotic gifts (i.e. zebras, giraffes, lions, and (i.e. zebras, giraffes, lions, and ostriches); Cheng Ho died in 1433 ostriches); Cheng Ho died in 1433 and buried at sea; and buried at sea; fleet dismantled fleet dismantled and records purgedand records purged

Google Earth file: Google Earth file: 37092-37092-TheVoyagesofAdmiralZhengHe1TheVoyagesofAdmiralZhengHe1405-1433.kmz405-1433.kmz

(Click link to open in (Click link to open in Google Earth) Google Earth)

Interaction across Sea LanesInteraction across Sea Lanes Made in China: porcelain, silk, textiles, Made in China: porcelain, silk, textiles,

iron goods, military might and displayiron goods, military might and display

To China: spices, nutmeg, gum, precious To China: spices, nutmeg, gum, precious stones, gifts, tribute, exotic animals, stones, gifts, tribute, exotic animals, diplomatic envoysdiplomatic envoys

Fun facts:Fun facts: In Thailand, Cheng Ho discovered that In Thailand, Cheng Ho discovered that

women managed all affairs including women managed all affairs including trading and punishments…and were trading and punishments…and were “decidedly smarter than the men”“decidedly smarter than the men”

The crew regarded the Javanese as The crew regarded the Javanese as “the most cruel people in the world,” “the most cruel people in the world,” charging that “the purchaser of a new charging that “the purchaser of a new knife tries it on the first person he knife tries it on the first person he meets”meets”

First giraffe brought to First giraffe brought to China misidentified as the China misidentified as the qilinqilin, the unicorn central to , the unicorn central to Chinese mythologyChinese mythology

Why was the Fleet Dismantled?Why was the Fleet Dismantled?

Increasing costs of Mongol Increasing costs of Mongol threats in the north and cost of threats in the north and cost of the Great Wallthe Great Wall

Increasing power of merchant Increasing power of merchant class seen as negative by class seen as negative by Confucian authoritiesConfucian authorities

High taxes were required to High taxes were required to maintain such a huge armadamaintain such a huge armada

Growth of piracy and smuggling Growth of piracy and smuggling led to a ban on trade to SE Asialed to a ban on trade to SE Asia

A 15th century Minister of War A 15th century Minister of War complained: "The expeditions complained: "The expeditions wasted tens of myriads of wasted tens of myriads of money and grain“money and grain“

Comparison between Cheng Comparison between Cheng Ho’s expeditions (financed by Ho’s expeditions (financed by the state) vs. contemporary the state) vs. contemporary European expeditions (self-European expeditions (self-financed, based on trade and financed, based on trade and profit)profit)

Implications and Legacy ofImplications and Legacy ofCheng Ho’s VoyagesCheng Ho’s Voyages

Large numbers of Chinese Large numbers of Chinese Muslims relocated to Malacca; Muslims relocated to Malacca; propagation of Islam in SE Asiapropagation of Islam in SE Asia

Malacca: large Islamic Malacca: large Islamic entrepôt/trade centerentrepôt/trade center

High organizational and High organizational and technological display of voyages technological display of voyages did not lead to significant trade did not lead to significant trade (Cheng Ho = admiral/official not (Cheng Ho = admiral/official not merchant)merchant)

Contemporary Chinese naval Contemporary Chinese naval technology dismantled and technology dismantled and possibly forgottenpossibly forgotten

Implications and Legacy ofImplications and Legacy ofCheng Ho’s Voyages Cheng Ho’s Voyages

(continued)(continued) Cartographic knowledge Cartographic knowledge

expanded and accounts of expanded and accounts of visited places and customs visited places and customs recordedrecorded

Banning of ocean going Banning of ocean going expeditions led to black market expeditions led to black market smuggling on local sea lanessmuggling on local sea lanes

PRC sees a parallel between PRC sees a parallel between Cheng Ho’s China not seeking Cheng Ho’s China not seeking hegemony in the 15hegemony in the 15thth century century and today (propaganda?)and today (propaganda?)

Cheng Ho’s Tomb in NanjingCheng Ho’s Tomb in Nanjing(d. 1433)(d. 1433)

Further ReadingFurther Reading Levathes, Louise (1997). Levathes, Louise (1997). When China Ruled the Seas: The Treasure Fleet of When China Ruled the Seas: The Treasure Fleet of

the Dragon Throne, 1405–1433the Dragon Throne, 1405–1433. Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press

Dreyer, Edward L. (2006). Dreyer, Edward L. (2006). Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming, Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming, 1405–14331405–1433 (Library of World Biography Series). Longman (Library of World Biography Series). Longman

If you like fantasy: Menzies, Gavin (2003). If you like fantasy: Menzies, Gavin (2003). 1421: The Year the Chinese 1421: The Year the Chinese Discovered the WorldDiscovered the World. Morrow/Avon. Morrow/Avon

Primary source: Ma Huan (1970). Ying-yai Primary source: Ma Huan (1970). Ying-yai Sheng-lan, Sheng-lan, The Overall Survey of the Ocean's The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores (1433)Shores (1433), translated from the Chinese text , translated from the Chinese text edited by Feng Ch'eng Chun with introduction, edited by Feng Ch'eng Chun with introduction, notes and appendices by J.V.G.Mills. White Lotus notes and appendices by J.V.G.Mills. White Lotus PressPress

Related Topics of InterestRelated Topics of Interest Minorities in ChinaMinorities in China

The overseas ChineseThe overseas Chinese

Yi Soon-shin (1545-1598): Korean Yi Soon-shin (1545-1598): Korean admiral who repelled the Japanese admiral who repelled the Japanese invasion of Koreainvasion of Korea

Wokou Wokou (Japanese(Japanese pirates)pirates)