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Zheng
He, the Columbus of the East, was an amazing man.
He was
born in 1371 and, 11 years later, was caught by the army of a rich young man called
Zhu Di and made to work for him. Over time the rich man saw that Zheng He was very
clever and strong and they became close friends. In 1403 Zhu Di was made the King
of China and he asked Zheng He to join his new government.
The King
wanted to learn more about the world and show other countries his power. He ordered
many new ships to be built and made Zheng He their leader. Between 1405 and 1433,
Zheng He led seven sea trips to different parts of the world. He certainly travelled
to India, Africa and the Middle East. A few people think his ships may have even
reached South America and Australia.
Each trip
lasted between two and four years and it is believed he sailed more than 50 000
kms during the years of his travels. With 28 000 men and over 300 ships, such as
boats for food, water and even soldiers' horses, Zheng He led a fleet whose size
would not be equaled by Europeans for over 500 years.
On these
trips he brought with him many Chinese goods like silk and medicine to give to foreign
kings or to sell for local goods. He returned from each trip with boats filled with
expensive things such as gold and jewellery, foreign guests and strange animals
like a giraffe.
It is
a pity that we may never learn everything about Zheng He's travels. After he died
in 1433, the new king, who believed these trips were unlucky and too expensive,
had them stopped and he burned almost all the books about Zheng He's travels. It
is only in the last 50 years that historians have begun to carefully study the adventures
of the great Zheng He.
