Zheng He (also known as Cheng Ho) is one of the most famous admirals in Chinese history and is best known for his treasure voyages. These voyages served to showcase the power and the wealth of the Ming Dynasty to the known world and were commissioned by the Ming Dynasty’s Yongle Emperor himself. However, due to the way that the Yongle Emperor came to power, it has been speculated that the treasure voyages were commissioned with a more sinister goal in mind.
In 1403 the Yongle Emperor commanded the construction of the ‘Treasure Fleet.’ In addition to trade ships, warships and support vessels were also built for the journey across the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. The largest of these ships is said to have measured 400 feet long and 186 feet wide. As a comparison, Columbus’ Santa Maria is estimated to have had a deck of about 58 feet in length. In 1405, the first of the seven treasure voyages began.
At the head of this voyage was Zheng He, who commanded up to 27,870 men on board 317 ships. In addition to sailors, there were also clerks, interpreters, soldiers, artisans, doctors, and meteorologists on this voyage. As for the cargo, the ships were heavily-laden with luxury goods, including silk, porcelain, as well as gold and silver objects.
During his voyages, Zheng He had many amazing and terrifying experiences. He negotiated trade pacts, fought pirates, dethroned a hostile king, and brought back significant envoys and tributes to the Ming court. He also temporarily split from the fleet and made his hajj to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in his final voyage…
Discover more about Zheng He and his voyages in the article ‘Zheng He: Commander of the Greatest Treasure Fleet of the Ming Dynasty’ available in the May - June 2023 issue of Ancient Origins Magazine. Get it here!
Featured Image: Artist's illustration of Zheng He's fleet. Source: Kosov vladimir / CC BY-SA 4.0
By Wu Mingren