Sunrise and sunset repeat here every day, with new life and death constantly unfolding here. Light and darkness, fury and tenderness, roaring and murmuring, countless elements of positive and negative intertwined here, the sea is mysterious and unpredictable, unpredictable and unpredictable. The sea is both terrifying and desirable. Since ancient times, Chinese people have never stopped exploring the ocean. They have set sail time and time again, encountering rough waves and even breaking and sinking sand, sleeping on the seabed. However, at the end of the sky and the sea, there is a call, and generation after generation of ancestors continue to sing this magnificent song of the sea. Another fleet is sailing, from China over 600 years ago, and it is about to write a miracle in the history of world navigation. The leader of this massive fleet is named Zheng He. In 1398 AD, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty passed away, and the throne was passed on to Zhu Yunwen, the eldest grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang. His reign name was Jianwen, and he was known as Emperor Jianwen in history. In 1399 AD, Prince Yan Zhu Lv rose up in rebellion under the name of the Qing dynasty’s side, and a four-year battle for imperial power broke out, known as the Jingnan Battle. In the Jingnan Battle, a eunuch assisted Zhu Lv in entering and exiting the battlefield, repeatedly making remarkable achievements. He was Zheng He. Zheng He, originally surnamed Ma, was born in Yunnan. In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming army pacified Yunnan and brought the eleven year old Zheng He to the capital city of Nanjing, where he became a eunuch. Later, he was assigned to serve in the Zhu Lv Mansion of the King of Yan. In 1402 AD, Zhu Lv ascended to the throne and changed his reign name to Yongle. Zheng He was promoted to the position of eunuch of the Imperial Household and given the surname Zheng, becoming one of the most trusted eunuchs of Emperor Yongle Zhu Lv. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: He was very brave during the Jingnan Campaign and demonstrated his talent for the Ming Dynasty’s seizure of power and establishment of industry. After Zhu Yuanzhang pacified the world, after decades of hard work and governance, by the end of the Hongwu period, it was already prosperous and the world was peaceful. After Zhu Lv succeeded to the throne, this talented and strategic emperor set a bright tone for the Ming Dynasty, with economic growth and cultural prosperity. Zhu Lv seems to be someone who was born with a fondness for the grand plan. He compiled the vast ancient encyclopedia “Yongle Encyclopedia”, dredged the Grand Canal, built the world’s largest palace complex – the Forbidden City, and relocated the capital to Beijing. Zheng He’s voyages to the West were a vivid part of Emperor Yongle’s grand narrative. As stated in the “History of Ming”, the reason for his voyages to the West was that Emperor Chengzu suspected that Emperor Hui had died overseas and wanted to trace him, as well as to show off his military presence in foreign lands and demonstrate China’s prosperity and strength. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: How do we understand that Yao Bing is from a foreign land and demonstrates China’s prosperity and strength? Ming Chengzu handed him a thorn book. This thorn book says, “I want to explain my intention to the whole world to some extent. What is my intention?”? It is a great burden that the heavens cover, the earth carries, the sun and moon shine, and the frost and dew touch. The people of all ages desire to pursue their careers, which means that I will make everyone live a good life under heaven. Carrying out overseas trade through Zheng He’s fleet was another idea of Zhu Lv. In the eyes of future historians, going abroad to search for the whereabouts of the suspected missing Emperor Jianwen Zhu Yunwen was another undeniable purpose of Emperor Yongle’s multiple voyages to the West. Professor Fan Jinmin from Nanjing University: Why did Zhu Lv send Zheng He on a voyage to the West? There are still many opinions, and the main ones are finding Emperor Jianwen and Yao Bing from a foreign land. When Zhu Lv ascended the throne, he also sent multiple envoys to some Western countries. However, small-scale navigation did not conform to the character of this imperial ruler. He wanted to send an unprecedentedly large delegation to various Western countries. The plan for the ancient sunken ship porcelain collection in Singapore’s Sentosa World Heritage Site, Zhulu, included a fleet that not only had to reach Java, Sumatra, Siam, Champa, Zhenla, Manca, but also countries and regions in Southeast Asia today, as well as crossing the Indian Ocean and traveling further westward. Who should be the leader of this mission? Emperor Yongle thought twice and believed that Zheng He was the best candidate. Emperor Yongle sent a special envoy to observe Zheng He’s appearance, and after a secret investigation, the envoy reported to the emperor that the three treasures were talented and had an unparalleled appearance among the attendants. The minister observed their demeanor and was sincere and capable. The three treasures mentioned by the envoy were Zheng He, also known as the Three Treasures eunuch. Upon hearing the envoy’s response, Emperor Yongle was very happy and decided to appoint Zheng He as the envoy. Once a grand plan was determined, the current preparation became even more urgent. In the year of Hongwu, Taking precautions, the tens of millions of palm and tung trees planted in the Nanjing area of the capital city, after more than 30 years of sunshine and rain, have mostly grown vigorously by the Yongle period. The brown cables and tung oil produced can be used for shipbuilding, A large amount of wood was transported to the Longjiang Shipyard near Nanjing, and craftsmen began to build ships day and night. The ships were mainly built at the Longjiang Shipyard, but shipyards across the country were also mobilized. Shipyards in Zhejiang, Huguang, Jiangxi, Fujian, as well as Zhili, Anqing, Suzhou and other provinces also started construction day and night, building various types of seagoing ships. According to British scholar Joseph Needham, in 1420, the total number of ships owned by the Ming Dynasty royal family was no less than 3800, exceeding the total number of ships in all European countries at that time. President of the Ming History Society of China – Shang Chuan: This is an official action. If you want this treasure ship to be built in a shipyard, it will be a big project, not a general preparation. Cen Shipyard, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province. This is a former Ming Dynasty shipyard that has now become a fishing port. Although it is still busy, even in the memory of most local residents, the traces of ancient captains are nowhere to be found. Cen Guohe and Cen Wuguo hope to rebuild Zheng He’s fleet to awaken people’s memories of that glorious history. This gives them a place to use traditional shipbuilding techniques inherited from their ancestors. They abandoned modern electric tools and fully utilized the skills and tools of the craftsmen at that time to complete the construction of ships. What is the total curvature of my ship, including the two ends and the two ends? So, what I need to choose is the curved wood, which must be chosen on the north side. For example, if I want to choose on the north side, the mountain on the north side has a slope. When it’s windy and rainy, this wood is planted on the slope. When it’s windy and rainy, it turns into this kind of curved wood. So, I choose the material on the north side, which has a harder curvature and better wood, so I choose on both sides. In fact, the shipbuilding technology of the Ming Dynasty has not been much preserved to this day, and many have been lost. Therefore, the Cen brothers have spent eleven years building this long-distance wooden ship, which is 311 meters long and 8 meters wide, and can carry 250 tons of cargo. This is impressive, but in Zheng He’s fleet, it is only the smallest type of cargo ship. In Zheng He’s fleet, the total number of ships is about 200. In addition to the large treasure ships that Zheng He and others are riding on, there are also various ships such as horse ships, grain ships, war ships, boat ships, and water ships. Horse ships are transport ships, and grain ships transport goods. Grain ships, used to transport soldiers and transfer ships for combat, were the ultimate goal of the Cen brothers to build the Zheng He treasure ship. Obviously, it is only an unattainable dream now, Following the eager gaze of the Cen brothers, heading north, passing through countless former shipyards, and settling in the outskirts of Nanjing, Zheng He’s treasure ship was born here. Six hundred years ago, the Zheng He Treasure Ship Ruins Park of the Ming Dynasty was located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. It was the largest shipyard of the Ming Dynasty and the location of the Longjiang Shipyard. The pond used for shipbuilding has now turned into a lake. This is a huge rudder pole unearthed from the Longjiang Shipyard Ruins in 1957, measuring 11.07 meters in length. According to historical records of the Ming Dynasty, the largest treasure ship, 44 zhang 4 feet long and 18 zhang wide, was estimated by modern scholars to have a full load displacement of over 20000 tons. The size of the treasure ship undoubtedly created the world’s largest at that time. Dalian Shipbuilding Engineer – Jiang Fumao: When our factory first built a 10000 ton ship in the 1970s, it caused a great sensation in China. So I think that in the 15th century, our country was able to build such a large ship, and I really admire our ancestors. If we look at this ship from the perspective of modern shipbuilding, it is also a large ship. How big is Zheng He’s treasure ship? According to scholars, when combined into its current size, the treasure has a captain of over 100 meters and a width of over 50 meters; The displacement of such a treasure ship is 100 times that of the flagship of Italian navigator Columbus almost 100 years later. Even more than 400 years later, the displacement of the British flagship Cornwally, which attacked China during the Opium War, was less than one eighth of that of Zheng He’s treasure ship. Who specifically designed and built such a large ship, and what role did Zheng He play in the construction process? There are still many unsolved mysteries waiting to be discovered about Zheng He’s treasure ship. It can be confirmed that the advanced shipbuilding technology possessed by the Chinese people has already been applied to the treasure ship. Zeng Chijie is an expert in ancient ships and navigation technology in Singapore. He studied shipbuilding in the UK and has conducted in-depth research on ancient Chinese sailboats for many years. Singapore Zheng He Friends Association – Zeng Chijie: Chinese sailboats use very few sailors, very very few, he doesn’t need many, many people, and Western sailboats are different. He needs many sailors, with eight directions of wind, and ships can go in seven directions. Chinese sailboats are easy to go against the wind, while Western sailboats are difficult. Why is it difficult? His basic structure does not allow it. The unique balanced ladder inclined sail technology created by the Chinese people has been widely applied to ships of all sizes in Zheng He’s fleet. To control this type of sail, it only needs to be operated on the deck, unlike Westerners who climb to the mast. With the combination of this sail and the rudder, as long as there is wind on the sea, no matter which direction the wind comes from, the ship can obtain the power to move forward and always move in one direction. The navigation compass and guiding star board, invented by the Chinese people in the world of Sentosa, Singapore, have also been fully utilized, forming a complete and rigorous navigation system, which is at least two hundred years ahead of Europe. Professor Ding Tianming from Zhejiang Ocean University: So this star tracking technique mainly determines the orientation and angle of some celestial bodies. The miracle of Zheng He’s fleet is not only reflected in the ships and navigation techniques, but also in the fact that the number of Zheng He’s missions to the West each time reached around 27000, including as many as 20000 armed escort personnel. This is obviously the largest mission in history. Zheng He’s fleet consisted of officials, flag soldiers, fire commanders, helmsmen, clerks, accountants, doctors, sailors, and various craftsmen. There were more than 130 medical officers and doctors alone, with an average of 150 long-distance travelers equipped with one full-time medical staff. In 1992, archaeologists excavated five sets of Ming Dynasty sculptures in Changle City, Fujian Province. One set of sculptures was named the Minister of Maritime Patrol. His main sculpture was wearing a new python robe with a gold inlaid three mountain hat on his head, a white jade belt around his waist, and soap court boots on his feet. It was confirmed through research that the character of this main sculpture was Zheng He, the eunuch of the Three Treasures. This set of sculptures was created by some members of Zheng He’s delegation. Chairman of the Chinese Ming History Society – Shang Chuan: After building the ship, we need to select and arrange the soldiers who will follow us at sea, officials. Moreover, he is a professional, not just someone who can fight. He also has helmsmen, sailors, sails, ropes, and all kinds of management. All preparations were made for the moment of departure. On June 15th, 1405, Liu Jiagang, a peaceful small town in Jiangnan, suddenly became bustling. At the confluence of the Liu River and the Yangtze River, colorful flags fluttered and gongs and drums roared. People rushed here from all directions, eager to witness the grand occasion of Zheng He’s fleet’s maiden voyage to the West. After paying homage to the Mazu God in the Tianfei Palace, Zheng He led his team to board the treasure ship. This fleet, consisting of more than 200 ships of various sizes and more than 20000 people, was loaded with silk, cotton cloth, porcelain, grain, fresh water, fuel, vegetables, tea, and other items. They left Liu Jiagang and headed south along the coast. At the mouth of the Minjiang River, after entering winter, take the northeast monsoon and sail towards the vast sea. The coastal residents who were fortunate enough to witness this massive fleet of ships passing by were amazed, because they had never seen such a spectacular sea scene in the southern sea. Hundreds of ships lined up on the sea, with thousands of sails blocking the sun. During the day, flags and hunting were carried out, and drums echoed. Looking around, the azure sea was like a field full of flowers in spring. At night, the sound of trumpets kept coming and going, and the lights on the sea were dotted. The reflected lights in the sea and the starlight in the night sky complemented each other, appearing beautiful, just like a street market in the sky. Only a powerful empire could support such a grand voyage, and only in this way can we… The director at sea created a magnificent scenery with towering sails and starry sky day and night. The route of Zheng He’s voyages to the West, now known as the Golden Waterway, connects the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Approximately 100000 ships navigate this waterway every year, relying on advanced communication tools and navigation technology to ensure safe navigation. Moreover, each ship travels independently along the established route at sea. Boat mate – Guma: We often use GPS to locate routes. We input the starting and ending points in GPS, and then we have a route. This is the route, and we navigate according to the route based on GPS. A question popped out of our minds: how did Zheng He ensure the safety and orderliness of a large fleet of ships, sailing through turbulent waves for years and months? In Zheng He’s fleet, there were strict and detailed regulations for communication, with flags recognized during the day and lanterns recognized during the night. In the event of fog, rain, snow, or other weather, he used gongs and gunfire to communicate, and unified command was given for advancing, retreating, resting, anchoring, pulling up tents, setting sail, and berthing, so that Zheng He’s orders could be transmitted to each ship at high speed and accurately. A fleet of over 200 ships and over 20000 people, like a moving maritime city, is also an economist from Singapore. Dr. Zhan Xianxun has provided a new interpretation of Zheng He’s fleet from a different perspective than before. Zhan Xianxun: In today’s corporate company, we have many functional departments such as human resources, marketing, finance, etc. When you are in an open field, the ship only expands in a triangular formation. In literature, the leadership ship is called the mother ship. Those ships close to the command ship will see visual images and sounds, and they will immediately transmit this information to peripheral ships. All information will be transmitted from one part of the fleet to another in the same way. You can imagine our modern communication method, like a network. In that era, they did not have our modern scientific and technological capabilities, but they were able to use manual methods to meet the needs of communication. We have to praise them. Zheng He’s leadership and management abilities. Longya Stone, formerly known as Temasek in Singapore, was once used by Zheng He’s fleet in Singapore. According to the Zheng He Navigation Chart, a giant stone resembling Longya Stone was used as a symbol of their fleet’s route. This is the origin of Longya Stone. Longya Stone was destroyed by the British Navy around 1880, and in 2005, the Singapore government rebuilt it based on historical records to commemorate Zheng He’s voyages to the West. After departing from the territory of the Ming Empire, Zheng He’s fleet first arrived in Champa and then visited Java, Old Port, Mancinga, and Sumatra. They then crossed the present-day Strait of Malacca and entered the Indian Ocean, reaching regions and countries such as Cuilan Island, Ceylon, and Kochi. Finally, they continued northward along the Indian coast and visited countries such as Gambari and Ababadan before returning. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: Ming Chengzu brought some letters to Zheng He for Western feudal lords and leaders. What are we doing here, who are we, and what is our purpose? We express our friendship, our principle of not bullying the weak and not being outnumbered. At the same time, we need to exchange gifts and exchange gifts with various regions, and also engage in trade with the countries we are visiting. The history of elite agricultural tools is recorded in the Ming Dynasty’s “Tiangong Kaiwu”. In addition, Zheng He’s fleet also brought various agricultural tools and tools for digging wells. Every time they went, the officers and soldiers dug wells to draw water, built houses to live in, and taught the local people to cultivate rice. Many of the agricultural tools recorded in the Ming Dynasty’s “Gonggong Tianwu” are still used by farmers in remote areas of Malaysia today. The Zheng He Mission in Malacca, Malaysia has dug water wells, and people living in Malacca have been drinking these wells for hundreds of years, affectionately calling them the Three Treasure Wells. Malacca historian – Lin Rui: During the later drought period in Malacca, almost all of them relied on the water from this Three Treasure Well. On the way back, Zheng He’s fleet also completed an overseas peacekeeping operation. At that time, a group of pirates led by Guangdong native Chen Zuyi had been stationed in the old port of Southeast Asia for a long time. Ships from various countries could not bear the hardships, but had no choice. With the help of local overseas Chinese, Zheng He went through a fierce battle and Chen Zuyi was captured. Thousands of his pirates were all annihilated, and from then on, sea transportation in the old port area was safe and sound. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: During the Ming Dynasty, the route from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean was not peaceful. Zheng He’s voyages to the West largely maintained stability and peace in the surrounding areas. In September of the fifth year of the Yongle reign of the Zhenghe Museum in Malacca, after more than two years of ocean voyages, Zheng He returned triumphantly with his fleet and returned to Nanjing. This time, he also brought back many foreign envoys to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty and present rare treasures from various countries. Zheng He’s mission to the West was completed perfectly, which inspired the entire empire. The Ming Dynasty once again dispatched Zheng He to various Western countries. From the winter of 1407 to the spring of 1421, Zheng He’s fleet went on five voyages to the West, and for the second time, the fleet had reached as far as Hormuz, Iran, where it is today. Starting from the second voyages, Zheng He went on separate voyages to the West. Today, transportation hubs have been established in southern Vietnam, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, and southwestern India. For the next few voyages to the West, Zheng He’s fleet will depart from these transportation hubs, Multiple branch lines were dispatched for long-distance voyages, and dozens of new routes were opened up. By the sixth voyage to the West, a fleet had already arrived on the coast of South Africa. Some even believe that the fleet had traveled south to New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and even coastal islands of Australia, and had even sailed around the world. The Zheng He Navigation Map, a 560 centimeter long navigation map originally named “The Map of Sailing from Baoshipyard and Directly Entering Foreign Countries from Longjiang Pass”, is commonly referred to as the Zheng He Navigation Map by later generations. The map indicates the direction, distance, depth, and direction of the route passing through various Asian and African countries, as well as the height of the guiding star. There are a total of 109 needle route routes and four cross ocean guiding star maps, containing more than 500 place names. With each voyage, the Zheng He fleet not only continuously opened up new routes, but also a continuous stream of kings and envoys from various countries who came with the ship to pay tribute. Chen Dasheng, President of the Singapore Zhenghe Association: After generations of Malacca kings, they would go to China to pay tribute every two to three years. Dr. Chen Dasheng is a renowned historian in Singapore. In order to help more people understand Zheng He and promote his spirit in Southeast Asia, Dr. Chen found the ruins of Zheng He’s officialdom in Malacca and built a Zheng He Museum on the site. Dr. Chen’s Zheng He Museum is one of the most famous private museums in Southeast Asia, and the entire museum design is very unique, like a huge cabin. Singapore Zheng He Association President – Chen Dasheng: We can imagine that this is the cargo hold of the ship, and then up there is the living quarters. Let’s go and see what the living quarters are, where we live, the pharmacy, the restaurant, and the kitchen. The Zheng He Museum displays cultural relics and exhibits related to Zheng He and his fleet collected from around the world, many of which are closely related to the activities of Zheng He’s fleet in the local area. Chen Dasheng, President of the Zheng He Association in Singapore: They call this Zheng He Weng, the Zheng He Weng of the Ming Dynasty. How could they find these things? China doesn’t have them. Zheng He’s soldiers have finished living and no one wants them anymore. Many indigenous people in the forest treat him as a treasure and send him to the forest. After collecting it, it is now a family heirloom. If his children want to study, go to university, or get sick, they secretly sell it without letting others know. In the Zhenghe Museum, there are a wide variety of cultural relics related to Zheng He, ranging from agricultural machinery and weapons to porcelain and currency. Many cultural relics are of great value, but one of them cannot be estimated, and Dr. Chen called it the treasure of the museum. Chen Dasheng, President of the Zheng He Association in Singapore: This well is also very ancient, and people here call it General’s Well. General’s Well is the well used by General Zheng He, and a Chinese expert came to see this well. This type of well is very common in China, but the difference is that during the Zheng He period, the wall of the well was made of granite, and there were many wells here, so he chose to use local materials. A common well in China is of great significance here, as it directly changes the lives of local people and even the progress of civilization. The voyage of Zheng He’s fleet also brought unexpected joy to Emperor Zhu Zhulu. They transported back the qilin that had paid tribute to the country of Gaci. This animal was actually a giraffe that grew on the distant African grasslands. Chinese people have always respected the qilin as the head of the four spirits and regarded it as a auspicious thing. Its appearance only appeared in a prosperous era, shaking the court and making Emperor Yongle believe that his efforts have finally brought about the peaceful and prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty. Six voyages to the Western Seas, Zheng He completed two of the three tasks entrusted to him by Emperor Yongle. Politically, he promoted national prestige, strengthened ties with overseas countries, and conducted overseas trade economically. The third task was to search for the suspected missing Emperor Jianwen. Although the third task was not completed, this fleet completed a more important historical mission, promoting Chinese culture. Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas were a journey of peace and friendship, spreading Chinese culture and education, and striving to establish an international social order centered on peace and harmony. This political ideology of universal unity has been the ideal of the Chinese nation since ancient times and the common aspiration of people from all over the world. Mao Peiqi, President of the Zheng He Association in Singapore: Ming Chengzu’s ideal, which has also been the ideal of Chinese emperors since ancient times, is called “the world is for the public”. He hopes to bring a peaceful and harmonious order to the world. So how to establish such an order? Ming Chengzu used these two sentences in his imperial edict, which are called “do not bully the weak, do not oppress the masses, and share the blessings of peace with the world.”. British scholar Joseph Needham evaluated Zheng He’s voyages to the West in this way: Eastern navigators were calm and gentle, unforgettable, generous, and never threatened the survival of others. Although they regarded themselves as benefactors and were fully armed, they never conquered foreign tribes or established fortresses. The fact is that this ancient world’s largest diplomatic mission and the world’s largest maritime armed forces at that time did not colonize or invade, and wherever they went, they engaged in friendly exchanges. Professor Zhan Xianxun from the University of Singapore: When Zheng He arrives at a place, he communicates with the locals not only verbally, but also in action. These are his five collaborative methods: first, showing goodwill in a timely manner, then generously giving gifts to achieve a win-win trade, then ensuring continuity, and finally continuing to build trust. Today, various Southeast Asian countries are scattered with relics and customs left by Zheng He’s voyages to the West. In Malacca, there are Sanbao Mountain, Sanbao Well, and Sanbao Pavilion. In Kuala Lumpur, there is Sanbao Temple in Ipoh. In Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, and Cambodia, there are Sanbao Temple, Sanbao Temple, Sanbao Temple, or Sanbao Pagoda. The Zheng He Memorial Site in Southeast Asia, named after the Sanbao, has temples, wells, mountains, and cities. People commemorate this son of the ocean in different ways and the Chinese envoy who brought them civilization and peace. Professor Fan Jinmin from Nanjing University: Zheng He’s voyages to the West established a shining example of peaceful foreign relations among the Chinese people, especially in stark contrast to the plundering activities of the later Western and later Western colonial democrats during their voyages. Therefore, many Southeast Asian countries have worshipped Zheng He as a deity in many places, even to this day. However, the most tragic ending in the history of Chinese navigation, like the most glorious era, came unexpectedly. In 1422 AD, Zheng He returned from his sixth voyage, and civil officials began to criticize the emperor’s overseas policies. They believed that the emperor had brought useless and rare treasures from distant overseas, which had consumed a huge amount of national wealth. Whether to continue his voyages to the West or not, Emperor Yongle was clearly hesitant, and he could not ignore the criticism of his officials. The President of the Ming History Society of China – Business Biography: The traditional Chinese thought of literati is that it is a waste of labor and money, and has no meaning. The big ship that was built is called a treasure ship, and what treasures were taken for exhibition. Everyone can see that the fresh giraffe is called a qilin, and the big turtle shell is a big treasure. Putting it here is just that. What significance can it have for the country? In 1424 AD, on the 18th day of the seventh lunar month, Emperor Yongle died suddenly during the fifth Northern Expedition. Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi ascended to the throne and dismissed Western treasure ships as a corrupt policy of the previous dynasty. He ordered that all Western treasure ships be suspended. As a former favorite of Zhu Lu, Zheng He had difficulty controlling his own fate and could only rise and fall with the change of power. In 1425 AD, Emperor Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji ascended to the throne, and soon Zheng He was appointed as the defender of Nanjing, repairing the Da Bao En Temple in Nanjing. Six years later, due to his lamentation that fewer and fewer countries came to pay tribute, and his contemplation of the grand occasion of foreign countries coming to court, Emperor Xuanzong felt lost. After much consideration, he decided to disregard the fierce opposition of the courtiers and send Zheng He to the West again. At this time, Zheng He was already in his prime. In 1431 AD, the harsh winter in the south had passed, and spring had begun to emerge on the fields. Liu Jiagang, which had been silent for many years, once again became noisy. Zheng He led a huge fleet of ships to sail from here again. To the sea. Zheng He’s Tomb in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. This is Zheng He’s last mission to the West and also the concluding work of the imperial fleet. This trip went through more than 20 countries and returned to Liujiagang in Taicang on June 21, 1433 according to the lunar calendar. In 1435 or 1436, Zheng He passed away in Nanjing due to illness. There is also a version of Zheng He’s death, which states that Zheng He, who had been fighting the wind and waves for decades on his return journey, fell ill and fell ill. In the end, this son of the ocean chose his best home, the azure sea. It should be said that Zheng He’s home seemed to belong to the vast sea. In the existing historical documents, there are very few records about Zheng He’s fleet’s voyages. In the eyes of most Ming Dynasty officials, Zheng He’s voyages to the West were clearly not something worth promoting. Thirty years after the death of Zheng He, when eunuchs told the story of the great navigation during the Yongle period to Emperor Chenghua, he couldn’t help but be excited and ordered people to retrieve Zheng He’s navigation archives. However, the official of the Ministry of War, Liu Daxia, hid Zheng He’s navigation archives and their whereabouts were eventually unknown. Shang Chuan, President of the Ming History Society of China: At that time, Liu Daxia was in charge of this matter, so he destroyed all the nautical charts and did not allow them to be preserved, believing that it was a disaster for the country and the people. The cessation of the Ming Dynasty’s great voyage, just like his beginning, was sudden. After taking a big step towards the vast ocean, he retreated again. More than 80 years after his first voyage with Zheng He, Columbus led three sailboats with a displacement of nearly a hundred tons each to the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps this was a historical mistake. The Great Discovery of World Geography did not belong to China, which was leading the world in navigation technology and equipment at that time, but to Europeans who were much later than us and had much worse equipment than us. Professor Zhan Xianxun from the University of Singapore: After Zheng He’s voyage, many navigators appeared, but unfortunately, these Western explorers colonized. The process of human development has undergone changes due to the ups and downs of the Age of Eastern and Western Navigation. History has given us an excellent opportunity, but we have missed it. Although official maritime operations have stagnated, private overseas trade and the distant ocean are still thriving. The Seawater Sunrise Scroll by Dai Jin of the Ming Dynasty is a work by Dai Jin, a Ming Dynasty painter who lived with Zheng He. On the vast sea, a rising sun rises slowly and the clouds shine brightly. Although the scenery is simple, the entire painting exudes a magnificent atmosphere. This is the first time in the history of Chinese painting that such a magnificent and magnificent Seawater Sunrise Scroll has appeared. After experiencing the era of great navigation in the Ming Dynasty, the strong call of the sea ensures that the exploration of the ocean by the Chinese nation will not stop. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: If we all share a common value, the worldview represented by the Chinese people, which is not to bully the weak and not to outdo others, has eternal value. I think this is something that we humans all abide by and pursue together. The story of Zheng He’s voyage has become a thing of the past. Nowadays, Liuhe Town has become an ordinary small town in Jiangnan. After six hundred years, the momentum of Liuhe River rushing into the sea has long disappeared. However, the spectacular scene of Zheng He’s fleet covering the sky and rushing towards the blue ocean should not only be a memory and nostalgia for us today. 90 Seconds of History: In the 13th year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang deposed the Prime Minister and dismissed the Central Secretariat, separating the decision-making power, deliberative power, and administrative execution power of the central institutions. At this time, the nearly two thousand year prime minister system in Chinese history was abolished. In 1402 AD, Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, ascended to the throne and selected seven Confucian officials from the Hanlin Academy, including Jie Jin, Huang Huai, Hu Guang, Yang Shiqi, Jin Youzi, Hu Yan, and Yang Rong, to join the Wenyuan Pavilion as advisors. They became the first batch of palace grand scholars in the Ming Dynasty. With the development of Ming Dynasty politics, the cabinet was dedicated to vote drafting. The object of this is the memorials of various departments, which express the opinions of the cabinet on the handling of memorials. All documents issued by the emperor, including edicts, proclamations, regulations, volumes, edicts, letters, symbols, orders, and proclamations, will be kept by the cabinet after each draft vote, known as the Silk Book, The effectiveness of vote drafting depends on the influence of cabinet officials on the emperor, but after vote drafting became a system, the emperor also had to pay attention to the vote drafting of the cabinet. The cabinet is known as the political base, and the importance of the government also exceeds that of the six yamen.
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