Facts About Zheng He

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Zheng He is an important part of China’s history as he served as in the Chinese navy as an admiral. He made several voyages across South East Asia, Africa and India to trade and explore. It is likely that he died at some point in his last expedition and was laid to rest at sea.

Fact 1: Zheng He was a Muslim and he studied Islam teachings when he was young. Both his grandfather and father had completed the famous Mecca pilgrimage, and thus were very familiar with far-away lands.

Fact 2: Zheng He was a prisoner of Ming Dynasty armies during their cleansing of all the remaining descendants of Yuan Dynasty between 1279 and 1368.

Fact 3: Before Zhen He was entered into the imperial service in 1381 he had to be castrated.

Fact 4: Zhen He was a loyal soldier and the emperor rewarded him by making him the commander of the new voyages westward.

Fact 5: The most prominent maritime explorer in all of China’s history is Zheng He as he had amazing abilities and vision.

 

Fact 6: Zhen He is credited with leading seven maritime expeditions, passing through the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf as well as reaching the East African coast.

Fact 7: There is tangible evidence of visits by Zheng He in over 30 African and Asian regions and countries.

Fact 8: A contentious theory suggests that Zheng He discovered most parts of the world in his voyages in 1420s, some 50 years before Christopher Columbus.

Fact 9: Zheng He commanded over 62 ships loaded with luxury goods like porcelain, gems, silk and lacquer among others.

Fact 10: Even though China went back to a kind of isolationist policy where they did not want external interference after the death of the emperor, Zheng He made his final voyage in 1431.

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