TheVoyagesofZhengHeDennisReesTeacher-ConsultantArizonaGeographicAllianceTheVoyagesofZhengHeDennis1From1405until1433,AdmiralZhengHemade7voyages.From1405until1433,Admiral2ThepurposeofthevoyageswastoestablishtradeanddiplomaticrelationsbetweenChinaandnationsinSoutheastAsia,SouthAsia,andtheArabianPeninsula.Thepurposeofthevoyageswas3Thefleetsrangedinsizefrom48to317shipscarrying27,000to30,000sailors,soldiers,merchants,andscholars.Thefleetsrangedinsizefrom4Theshipsusedmaps,starcharts,andcompassestonavigatetheopenseas.Itisthefirstfleetinhistorytonothugthecoastasameansofguidance.Theshipsusedmaps,starchar5Theytooksilk,porcelain,andcoppercoinstotradeforspices,gems,fragrantwoods,animals,textiles,andminerals.Theytooksilk,porcelain,and6Throughouteachvoyage,detailedmapsweremade,informationgatheredontheclimateandculturesencountered,andplantandanimalspecimenswerecollected.Throughouteachvoyage,detail7Thefirstvoyage,1405-1407,visitedChampa(centralVietnam),Java,Sumatra,Malacca,Ceylon,andCochinandCalicutinIndia.Thefirstvoyage,1405-1407,v8ImpressedwithChina’swealthandpower,localrulerssentambassadorsbackwiththefleettopaytribute(moneyandgoods)totheemperor.Alsoonthewayhome,ZhengHe’sfleetdestroyedthepiratefleetintheStraitofMalacca,thusrestoringsafepassagetoallshipsintheregion.ImpressedwithChina’swealth9Thesecond(1407-1409)andthird(1409-1411)voyagesreturnedtothesameareasandtosomenewones,includingSiam(Thailand).Ambassadorswerereturnedhome,anddiplomaticandtraderelationsstrengthened.Duringthethirdvoyage,whenthekingofCeylonattackedthefleet,ZhengHedefeatedandcapturedhim.Thesecond(1407-1409)andthi10ItwasalsoonthethirdvoyagethatZhengHeerectedthistabletinCeylonhonoringBuddha.TheinscriptioniswritteninChinese,Tamil,andPersian.Itwasalsoonthethirdvoyag11Thefourthvoyage,1413-1415,reachedHormuzandAdenontheArabianPeninsula.ThesetwoportscontrolledtherichtraderoutesofthePersianGulfandtheRedSea.HereturnedhomewithrichesfromArabiaandAfrica,andmoreambassadors.Thefourthvoyage,1413-1415,12Thefifthvoyage,1416-1419,returnedtotheplacesinSoutheastAsia,Ceylon,India,Hormuz,andtheArabianPeninsulathathadbeenvisitedbefore.ThefleetalsosaileddowntheeastcoastofAfricamakingstopsatMogadishuandMalindi.HereturnedhomewithexoticanimalsandAfricanambassadors.Thefifthvoyage,1416-1419,r13SomanyexoticanimalswerearrivinginChinaduetothevoyagesthattheemperorcreatedaspecialgardentohousethem

,China’sfirstzoo.Somanyexoticanimalswerear14Thesixthvoyage,1421-22,returnedambassadorstovariouscountries,butconcentratedontheArabianPeninsulaandEastAfrica.Thesixthvoyage,1421-22,ret15EmperorZhuDidiedshortlyafterthisvoyage.Hissondecidedtosuspendthevoyagesduringhisbriefreign.EmperorZhuDidiedshortlyaf16Thenextemperor,ZhuDi’sgrandson,decidedtoresumethevoyages.HecalleduponZhengHetoonceagainleadthefleet.Thenextemperor,ZhuDi’sgra17Theseventhvoyage,1430-1433,revisitedChampa,Java,Sumatra,Malacca,Ceylon,Calicut,andHormuz.Theseventhvoyage,1430-1433,18InHormuz,ZhengHesplithisfleet.PartofitcontinuedontoAdenandthentheRedSeaportofJiddah.FromJiddah,adelegationtraveledtoMecca.AnotherpartsaileddowntheeastcoastofAfrica.TheremainderreturnedtoChina.Ontheway,ZhengHediedandwasburiedatsea.InHormuz,ZhengHesplithis19WithZhengHe’sdeath,thevoyagesendedandthefleetwasdispersed.Overthecourseof28years,theyhadrestoredChina’sdiplomaticandt