Zheng He Research Paper

The Zheng He voyages, also known as the “treasure voyages”, were a series of seven Ming dynasty naval voyages that occurred between 1405 and 1433CE. The voyages got the name Zheng He from the commander of the fleet, Admiral Zheng He. The fleet was ordered by Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor, around the turn of the 15th century. All of the voyages took place during the Yongle era, except for the last, which was launched during the Xuande era. The voyages traveled much of the South China Sea, as well as visiting the Indian Ocean and other distant locations. These great voyages increased the size, power, and wealth of the Chinese state, making them very significant to Chinese history.
The Fleet The fleet was made up of hundreds of ships and up to 30,000 sailors. The largest of the ships were the “treasure ships” that were more than 400 feet long, 160 feet wide, had nine huge masts with 12 sails, and multiple decks. Another fleet this size would not be seen until the First World War.
The Voyages
The First Voyage …show more content…
Sekandar was given to the Yongle Emperor, who had him executed. After this voyage, 18 different kingdoms paid tribute to the Ming.
The Fifth Voyage The fifth voyage departed in the autumn of 1417 to return the ambassadors of the 18 kingdoms to their homelands. The voyage took the now routine route through modern-day Indonesia. This trip went beyond Hormuz, reaching Arabia and even East Africa to places like Mogadishu and Malindi. The fleet returned to China in 1419 bearing gifts including exotic animals, which pleased the Chinese.
The Sixth Voyage The sixth voyage was ordered in 1421 to return the ambassadors that came to China on the fifth voyage and to take gifts to other kingdoms. The fleet was broken down into several squadrons who dispersed throughout the oceans to visit various locations, including Arabia and East Africa. The treasure fleet regrouped and returned to China in the fall of