China Cultural Revolution
Ming Dynasty
Introduction
!
Ming Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of China between 1368-1644.
The early years of the Ming dynasty between 1405 until 1433; it was that time that exploration of China was pushed to its furthest limits. Seven unmatched voyages led by the Chinese imperial eunuch Zheng He. The voyages he led where nothing compared to the expeditions previous explorers had made. As a navigator, Zheng He single handedly controlled 27,800 men and a fleet of 62 treasure ships supported by
190 smaller ships. There was a variety of small ships, including supply ships, troop transports, warships, equine ships, patrol boats and water tank ships. Apart from the amount of ships, the size of the ships was also astonishing. Marco polo had described the treasure ships as mammoth ships, conveying 500 to 1000 passengers.
Most scholars estimate them to be (118.9–124.4 m) meters long and (48.8–50.6 m) feet wide. Compared to the French ship “Orient” built in the 18th century, the treasure ship was twice its length and three times its width. Finally Zheng He was able to command this massive army and explore places along the coast of Asia and Africa, including
South East Asia, India, Persia, Arabia and Africa. (The Ming Voyages, Asia for
Educators)
Zheng He’s voyages compared to Christopher Columbus and Vasco de
Gama
!
Zheng He’s voyages were astonishing compared to other explorations happening at that time. However, Vasco da Gama was also considered one of the most successful explorers during the Age of Discovery. Europeans had always been attracted by the spices silver and gold that India held, but it was impossible to travel through land to attain these goods. It would have meant to pass through highly disputed Mediterranean land or the dangerous Arabia. After decades of sailors trying to reach India with hundreds of lives and dozens of ships lost, Vasco de Gama reached India in 1498. With the discovery of this trade route, it upheld
Introduction
!
Ming Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of China between 1368-1644.
The early years of the Ming dynasty between 1405 until 1433; it was that time that exploration of China was pushed to its furthest limits. Seven unmatched voyages led by the Chinese imperial eunuch Zheng He. The voyages he led where nothing compared to the expeditions previous explorers had made. As a navigator, Zheng He single handedly controlled 27,800 men and a fleet of 62 treasure ships supported by
190 smaller ships. There was a variety of small ships, including supply ships, troop transports, warships, equine ships, patrol boats and water tank ships. Apart from the amount of ships, the size of the ships was also astonishing. Marco polo had described the treasure ships as mammoth ships, conveying 500 to 1000 passengers.
Most scholars estimate them to be (118.9–124.4 m) meters long and (48.8–50.6 m) feet wide. Compared to the French ship “Orient” built in the 18th century, the treasure ship was twice its length and three times its width. Finally Zheng He was able to command this massive army and explore places along the coast of Asia and Africa, including
South East Asia, India, Persia, Arabia and Africa. (The Ming Voyages, Asia for
Educators)
Zheng He’s voyages compared to Christopher Columbus and Vasco de
Gama
!
Zheng He’s voyages were astonishing compared to other explorations happening at that time. However, Vasco da Gama was also considered one of the most successful explorers during the Age of Discovery. Europeans had always been attracted by the spices silver and gold that India held, but it was impossible to travel through land to attain these goods. It would have meant to pass through highly disputed Mediterranean land or the dangerous Arabia. After decades of sailors trying to reach India with hundreds of lives and dozens of ships lost, Vasco de Gama reached India in 1498. With the discovery of this trade route, it upheld