About Zheng He’s voyages to the West and the opening of new sea routes

On July 11, 1405 (the third year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty), Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty ordered Zheng He to lead a huge fleet of more than 240 ships and 27,400 crew members on a long voyage. He visited more than 30 countries and regions in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, deepening China's friendly relations with Southeast Asia and East Africa. Each time he set out from Liujiagang, Suzhou, until 1433 (the 8th year of Xuande in the Ming Dynasty), he made as many as seven voyages in one year. The last time, when he returned to Guli in April of the eighth year of Xuande's reign, he died of illness on the ship. The folk tale "The Popular Romance of the Three Treasure Eunuchs in the West" refers to his travel adventure as the Three Treasure Eunuchs' Voyages to the West.

The land transportation in the Ming Dynasty was blocked by the Timurid Khanate in Central Asia, so land external transportation was not very developed, but its maritime external transportation had a new look. After Chengzu ascended the throne, in order to promote the country's prestige, expand trade, search for treasures, etc., he sent the eunuch Zheng He of the Three Security Guards to lead a huge fleet to the Western Ocean many times. From the third year of Yongle (1405) to the eighth year of Xuande (1433), Zheng He made seven voyages to the West. In the Ming Dynasty, the Western Ocean referred to the Indian Ocean to the west of the present-day South China Sea. Zheng He's route reached as far as the southeastern coast of Africa.

Zheng He's ocean-going fleet was huge. For example, on his first mission, there were more than 27,000 sailors, secretaries, doctors, and interpreters accompanying him. On each voyage to the Western Ocean, there are often more than 60 to 100 large ships. The largest ones are forty-four feet long and eighteen feet wide. They can accommodate more than a thousand people and a large amount of supplies. The ships are equipped with compasses and navigation charts. The largest and most advanced ocean-going ship in the world at the time. The length, number, scale, and distance of the voyages to the Western Ocean were unprecedented feats in the history of navigation in ancient China and even in the world.

Zheng He's voyage promoted economic and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, and enhanced China's exchanges with Asian and African countries. Wherever Zheng He went, he brought silk, tea, lacquer, porcelain and other items from China with him on his ships, and exchanged them for rare and exotic products from various countries. After Zheng He's visit, various countries in Southeast Asia, West Asia, and East Africa sent envoys to pay tribute, which promoted overseas trade and promoted the development of China's commodity economy and handicraft production. Due to frequent sailings, the waterways from China to West Asia and East Africa were smooth and stable, which greatly facilitated the spread of Chinese culture to the west and the introduction of Western culture to the east. Some residents of China originally moved to Southeast Asia. After Zheng He's voyages to the West, the status of overseas Chinese in various places improved, so more and more people immigrated to various countries in Southeast Asia, especially Fujian and Guangdong provinces. The overseas Chinese immigrants made a huge contribution to the development of various countries in Southeast Asia at that time.

There is a lot of information in the encyclopedia:

/2005-01-07/1717256916.html+%E9%83%91%E5%92%8C%E4%B8%8B%E8% A5%BF%E6%B4%8B%E7%9A%84%E6%84%8F%E4%B9%89&hl=zh-CN&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=cn&client=aff-os-maxthon&st_usg=ALhdy2-BHJ_FuBwEP3BjKqO8zGLoC4U_eQ