Zheng He Research Paper

Zheng He, originally named Ma He, was a Chinese Muslim born in 1381. At the age of ten he was taken to North China and assigned to serve Zhu Di (“Zheng He” Gale). Almost twenty years later, In 1402, Zhu Di, who was once the prince, came to be the Yongle Emperor and appointed Zheng He as an Admiral. Three years later, in 1405, after Zheng He had proven his worth, he was appointed as a commander of a fleet of “treasure ships”. At this time, the Ming dynasty was not known to the world. It was Zheng He’s job to make China known to the rest of the world. As Zheng He commanded his fleet, he explored around Asia and Africa. Furthermore, He traveled to many nations and territories, such as India, the Middle East, and Eastern Africa. Famously, Zheng He contributed to the almost complete eradication of pirates in the Southeast Asian waters and helped secure the trade routes through China and India (“Zheng He” Gale). As Zheng He explored, he created alliances with many territories and conquered any who resisted. He rose up the ranks as he helped the Ming Dynasty grow. Therefore, he was seen as a man with authority and was noted as one of the Ming Dynasty's top
His expeditions secured trade routes through the Chinese and Indian seas, which in turn promoted more and more Chinese trade; “he opened the doors to western trade” (“Zheng He Sails the Seas: 1405-1403” Gale). China profited greatly from this trade and was known to the world. In addition, he brought more than thirty kingdoms into China’s economic sphere (“Zheng He Sails the Seas: 1405-1403” Gale). His expeditions also helped spread Chinese culture and knowledge throughout Asia. Furthermore, his journeys led to the publications of many geographical works that helped the Chinese better navigate through the lands and seas around China. Not only did his expeditions help China, many other nations also profited from his