leader of Ming naval expeditions

leader of Ming naval expeditions

Zheng He (1371? -1433?) He was born in Kunyang Prefecture, Yunnan Province (now Kunyang street, Jinning District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province). Eunuch, navigator and diplomat of Ming Dynasty.

When Zheng He was young, he served Zhu Di, the king of Yan. He was resourceful and learned how to fight. Later, he made great contributions in the battle of Jingnan and was promoted to an official eunuch. From 1405 (the third year of Yongle) to 1424 (the 22nd year of Yongle), Zheng He made six trips to the West as a eunuch. After 1425 (the first year of Hongxi), Zheng He was appointed as the garrison Eunuch in Nanjing. In 1430 (the fifth year of Xuande), he was ordered to go to the Western Ocean for the seventh time. It is said that he died in the Guli state in 1433 (the eighth year of Xuande). Today, Zheng He's tomb at the southern foot of Niushou mountain in Nanjing may be his tomb.

Zheng He's voyages to the west is an unprecedented feat in the world's maritime history in the early 15th century, which played a positive role in the economic and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. Zheng He himself also showed his diplomatic ability, military strategy and spiritual quality in this historical event, and won the respect and commemoration of the world. Since the late Qing Dynasty, the study of Zheng He has developed rapidly, but many important topics are still inconclusive.

(source: Popular Romance of eunuch Sanbao's journey to the west, with Zheng He sitting on the right)

Life of the characters

cut a striking figure

Zheng He's early experience is unknown. It is speculated that he was captured by the Ming army in the battle of Yunnan in Mingping. In 1384 (the 17th year of Hongwu), Fu Youde and Lan Yu led the army to Nanjing. Zheng He should have followed the army to Nanjing and served in the palace. In 1385 (the 18th year of Hongwu), Fu Youde and Lan Yu were transferred to guard Beiping mansion (now Beijing), while Zheng He went with the army again and was transferred to serve in yanwang mansion. In 1399 (the first year of Jianwen), Zhu Di, king of Yan, launched the battle of Jingnan. According to historical records such as biography of Zheng He in the history of Ming Dynasty, Zheng He made great contributions in the battle of Jingnan, but did not specify the specific place of contribution. Some scholars speculate that Zheng He performed meritorious service in the battle of zhengcunba in 1399, and Zheng He was given the surname "Zheng" which was also related to the place where he performed meritorious service; Liu Mingshu speculated that this surname might be preceded by the Han surname "Zheng" taken by Zheng Ahai, a Huihui official; others believed that "giving the surname Zheng" had nothing to do with the battle of zhengcunba, and had no special meaning, The battle of Jingnan ended with Zhu Di's victory. On December 18 (November 24), Zheng He, as a eunuch, was ordered to sacrifice to the Feng family, Zhu Di's lactating mother. In 1403 (the first year of Yongle), Zheng He published the Buddhist Scripture of morizhi, and asked Yao Guangxiao to write the inscription. The inscription reflects that Zheng He has been a disciple of Bodhisattva, whose Dharma name is auspicious and has been granted to Zheng.

Sailing to the West

Select as positive cause

There are many reasons for Zheng He to become a eunuch in the West. Zheng He had military talent and was trusted by Zhu Di. When Zhu Di made the decision to go to the west, Zheng He was in his prime of life and was of great stature. Zhu Di asked yuan Zhongche whether it was appropriate for him to send an envoy led by Zheng He. In addition, Zheng He's religious background of Buddhism and Islam is also considered to be conducive to the successful completion of his mission to the West.

My first trip to the West

On June 1, 1405, Li Zhigang wrote an inscription for the tombstone of Zheng He's father. On July 11 (June 15) of the same year, Zhu Di ordered Zheng He to lead his fleet to the West. Zheng He's fleet sailed from liujiahe River in Suzhou to Fujian, then from Yangfan in wuhumen, Fujian, to Zhancheng (today's central and southern Vietnam), during which Zhang Fu sought peace in the south. After that, Zheng He sailed to Java. When the fleet arrived in Java, it was the civil war between West Java and East Java, and West Java destroyed East Java. The clans of Zheng He's fleet landed for trade and were mistaken for the army of the East King. 170 people were killed. Zheng He kept calm and did not rush to retaliate. The matter was resolved peacefully. Zheng He's fleet has been to Sumatra, Manchuria, Ceylon, Guri and other countries. At the end of the voyage in Guli, Zheng He gave his king a silver seal, built a stele Pavilion and set up a stone tablet. The inscription said that Guli had "gone to China for more than 100000 Li, where the people and things were salty and the West howled in the same wind, carved stones here to show the world forever". Zheng He also passed the old port of sanfoqi, when Shi Jinqing, the overseas Chinese leader of Guangdong Province, reported back, and Chen Zuyi, the pirate, was ferocious. Zheng He sent people to advise Chen Zuyi. Chen Zuyi faked his surrender and plotted to attack Zheng He's fleet. Zheng He saw through him, launched an army to wipe out more than 5000 bandits, burned ten bandit ships, captured seven bandit ships, and captured three bandit leaders, including the pirate Chen Zuyi. On October 2, 1407 (September 2, the fifth year of Yongle), Zheng He led his fleet back to China and presented Chen Zuyi and others. Chen Zuyi and others were beheaded. Shi Jinqing was appointed as the old port consolation envoy. Those who have made great achievements in catching thieves in old Hong Kong will be rewarded. Soon after, because Zheng He said that the imperial concubine had a lot of feelings in her voyages to the west, Zhu Di ordered Zhu Zhuo to go to Longjiang imperial concubine temple in Xinluo city to offer sacrifices.

Second trip to the West

In 1407 (the fifth year of Yongle), Zheng He went to the Western Ocean for the second time soon after he returned home. This time, he mainly visited Zhancheng, Java, Siam (today's Thailand), manraja, nanwuli, jiayile (today's southern tip of India), Ceylon, Kezhi (today's Kerchin area on the southwest coast of India), Guri and other countries. He returned to China in 1409 (the seventh year of Yongle). during this voyage, Zheng He made a special trip to Ceylon to give alms to the Buddhist temple in Mount Ceylon, and set up a stele as an inscription to make it permanent. There are three kinds of inscriptions in Chinese, Tamil and Persian. The inscriptions in the three kinds of inscriptions respectively pay homage to Buddha, Vishnu and Allah. Among them, there is a Chinese record of "weaving gold with gold and silver, spinning banners, censers, vases, exterior and interior lamps and candles, and giving them to Buddhist temples for full support, only for the Buddha to learn from". The monument was found in Sri Lanka in 1911 and is now preserved in the National Museum of Sri Lanka. Jin Yunming and other scholars believe that Ming Shilu and biography of Zheng He in Ming history confuse Zheng He's second voyage to the West with his third one, and separate them through textual research, but there are different views in the academic circles.

The third trip to the West

In October 1409 (September of the seventh year of Yongle), Zheng He led his fleet to set sail from Liujiagang, Taicang for the third time. Fei Xin, Ma Huan and others went together to Vietnam, Malaysia, India and other places. During the voyage, the king of Mount Ceylon, arikunell, was "ungrateful and disrespectful, plotting to kill the boatman". Zheng He found out and led his fleet to leave mount Ceylon for other countries. On his return journey, Zheng He's fleet visited Mount Ceylon again. Yali kunair lured Zheng He into the Middle Kingdom, sent 50000 troops to encircle Zheng He's fleet, and cut down trees to block Zheng He's return. After Zheng He found that his way back was cut off, he said to his subordinates, "the main force of the bandits has been out, and the capital must be empty, and they will think that we have come all the way, and we are lonely and timid, and can't make a difference. If we attack their capital by surprise, we can expect victory. " Therefore, Zheng He took advantage of the emptiness of the country when the enemy troops poured out, led his entourage of 2000 officers and soldiers, and took advantage of the night to attack the city of King alekunar, break through the city and enter, capturing alekunar and his family alive. On July 6, 1411 (June 16, Yongle ninth year), Zheng He's fleet returned to China. According to the inscriptions on the tombstone of mahazhi, zheng he returned to his hometown at the end of that year and paid homage to his ancestors' graves on December 7 (November 22). In Zhi Shen Lu, Ming Shi Ji Shi Ben Mo and Yunnan Tong Zhi, Zheng He visited Yunnan and Guizhou for many times (but the reliability of Zhi Shen Lu is controversial). Fu Weilin's Ming Shu also called Zheng He "sent several envoys to Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangdong, and received the secret edict to Jianwen.".

The fourth trip to the West

On December 18, 1412 (November 15, the 10th year of Yongle), Zheng He was ordered to go to the Western Ocean for the fourth time. In 1413 (the 11th year of Yongle), Zheng He set out with his fleet, accompanied by Ma Huan, a translator. Zheng Zhonghe, who had been invited to Xi'an Qingha temple to study as the Third Master of Xi'an mosque, was still controversial. During this voyage, Zheng He's fleet bypassed the Arabian Peninsula and arrived at Malindi, East Africa for the first time. After Zheng He arrived in his country, he read out an imperial edict to confer on the king. It was also during this voyage that Zheng He led the Ming army and Sumatran local armed forces to defeat and capture Su ganla, who was plotting to usurp the throne and led his troops to intercept Zheng He's fleet. On August 12, 1415, Zheng He's fleet returned to China. On October 10 (September 8), Zheng He was captured in Beijing, and the Ming Court killed Su ganla according to the law. In the same year, due to the visit of Zheng He's mission, Malin sent an envoy to China to contribute "Qilin" (giraffe), which showed that Zheng He's mission's first visit to East African coastal countries was a complete success. Zheng Yijun, a scholar, believes that, according to the records of Ming history and the pilgrimage of non magic nunnery, it can be inferred that except Zheng He was once Marquis, it was after Zheng He's fourth voyage to the West. There are also views that according to the above-mentioned materials, Zheng He's Marquis was misread. According to Feng Congwu, Zheng He also requested to rebuild Xi'an University's Xixiang mosque.

The fifth trip to the West

On December 28, 1416 (December 10, the 14th year of Yongle), the envoys of Guli and other countries returned home. Zheng He was ordered to lead the fleet for the fifth time to return the envoys and visit other countries. The farthest countries among them, such as mugudushu, brahwa and Malin, are located in East Africa. According to the stele of Zheng He's pilgrimage to the holy Tomb of Lingshan on May 31, 1417 (May 16, the 15th year of Yongle). The fleet should depart from Changle port in the autumn of the same year. After Zheng He led the fleet back to China, Zhu Di issued an imperial edict on August 8, 1419 (July 17, the 17th year of Yongle) to reward the officers and men of the fleet.

The sixth trip to the West

3 March 1421（

Chinese PinYin : Zheng He