Zheng He. Ibn Battuta. Zheng He visited over 30 countries, and is believed to have died in 1433 on the journey home during the final treasure fleet voyage. Zheng He, a court eunuch, would not have had the privilege in rank to command the largest of the ships, seaworthy or not. Many scholars consider it unlikely that any of Zheng He's ships were 450 feet (137.2 m) in length and have proposed much shorter lengths, as low as 200–250 feet (61.0–76.2 m). [13] In 1381, Ma Hajji, Zheng He's father, died in the fighting between the Ming armies and Mongol forces. Both of these posts received new appointments in 1435. By signing up, you'll get thousands of step-by-step solutions to your homework questions. [14] In his capacity as Admiral, Zheng He had an epitaph engraved in honour of his father, composed by the Minister of Rites Li Zhigang on the Duanwu Festival of the third year in the Yongle era (1 June 1405). [13][14] Wenming, the oldest son, buried their father outside Kunming. In its worldview, it was improper to go abroad while one's parents were still alive. That fact, along with the use of a more-than-abundant number of crew members who were regular military personnel, leads some to speculate that the expeditions may have been geared at least partially at spreading China's power through expansion. His family were Hui people. He had an older brother and four sisters. When was he born? In 1432, the 61-year-old Zheng He set out with his largest fleet ever for one final trip around the Indian Ocean, sailing all the way to Malindi on Kenya's east coast and stopping at trading ports along the way. It also shows bays, estuaries, capes and islands, ports and mountains along the coast, important landmarks such as pagodas and temples, and shoal rocks. These Muslims allegedly followed the Hanafi school in the Chinese language. Treasure Ship voyages to India. Another is that Zheng He continued to serve as the defender of Nanjing, dying in 1435. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. In contrast, Glahn asserts that "Zheng He reshaped Asia" because maritime history in the 15th century was essentially the Zheng He story and the effects of his voyages. [88], On his travels, Zheng He built mosques[citation needed] and also spread the worship of Mazu. Cited in Needham, Joseph (1959). One theory is that Admiral Zheng He died in 1433, during or shortly after the seventh voyage. In 1399, Ma He successfully defended Beiping's city reservoir Zhenglunba against the imperial armies. "[attribution needed][50] The voyages "were contrary to the rules stipulated in the Huang Ming Zuxun" (皇明祖訓), the dynastic foundation documents laid down by the Hongwu Emperor:[50], Some far-off countries pay their tribute to me at much expense and through great difficulties, all of which are by no means my own wish. Zheng He led seven expeditions to the "Western" or Indian Ocean. Zheng He's great-great-great-grandfather Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar was a Persian governor of the province under the Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan Dynasty that ruled China from 1279 to 1368. A tomb was built for Zheng He at the southern slope of Cattle Head Hill, Nanjing. "Barbarian" nations were seen as offering little of value to ad… The reason Zheng He’s voyages stopped was due to his death, on the seventh voyage, on his way back home in 1433.The project of the voyages also fell victim to office politics, the bureaucratic infighting of the imperial court, where a professional civil service class of Confucian scholars was engaged in a conflict with the class … Traditional and popular accounts of Zheng He's voyages have described a great fleet of gigantic ships far larger than any other wooden ships in history. [79][81] However recent finds after the discovery of the Longjiang shipyards site from 2005 indicate the ships sourced tropical hardwood from Indonesia and were lined with palm fibres and concrete to maintain seaworthiness for a hull of much larger proportions. The largest ships in the fleet, the Chinese treasure ships described in Chinese chronicles, would have been nearly twice as long as any other wooden ship recorded thereafter until the 20th century, surpassing Admiral Nelson's HMS Victory, 69.34 metres (227.5 ft) long, which was launched in 1765, and the 68.88 metres (226.0 ft) Vasa of 1627. Less than 100 years after his … The show became a finalist of the amusement industry prestigious Brass Rings Awards by IAAPA.[105][106]. A model replica of one of Zheng He's 15th century treasure ships, on display in Hong Kong. The Yangtze river, with its calmer waters, may have been navigable by these treasure ships. [citation needed] It has also been inferred from passages in the History of Ming that the initial voyages were launched as part of the emperor's attempt to capture his escaped predecessor,[48] which would have made the first voyage the "largest-scale manhunt on water in the history of China. Earlier, an official[e] petitioned the emperor to reward workmen who had built temples in Nanjing. His son, the Hongxi Emperor, was much more conservative and Confucianist in his thought, so he ordered the voyages stopped. [31] Zhu Di accepted the elevation to emperor four days later. After Zheng He died at sea in 1433, his treasure fleet quickly faded, even though his voyages had been a success. He probably died in 1433, during or shortly after his last voyage. Answer to: How did Zheng He navigate? (ABC News: Graphic by Jarrod Fankhauser)"He did not occupy a single piece of … When he was around ten, he … Zheng He's most important role in his master's service was being the commander-in-chief of the new treasure fleet, which would serve as the emperor's principal envoy to the peoples of the Indian Ocean basin. The Yongle Emperor appointed him to head the massive fleet of 317 junks crewed by over 27,000 men that set out from Nanjing in the fall of 1405. [13] This name could also be written 三保; sānbǎo, literally "Three Protections. In the 1390s, the Prince of Yan launched a series of attacks against the resurgent Mongols, were based just north of his fiefdom. The People's Liberation Army Navy ship Zhang He (AX-81) is a Chinese training ship named for him. [97], Despite the official neglect, the adventures of the fleet captured the imagination of some Chinese and novelizations of the voyages occurred, such as the Romance of the Three-Jeweled Eunuch in 1597. Although Zheng He looms as a larger-than-life figure in modern eyes both in China and abroad, Confucian scholars made serious attempts to expunge the memory of the great eunuch admiral and his voyages from history in the decades following his death. [86] Although some have seen that as a conspiracy seeking to eliminate memories of the voyages,[88] it is likely that the records were dispersed throughout several departments and the expeditions, unauthorized by and in fact counter to the injunctions of the dynastic founder, presented a kind of embarrassment to the dynasty.[86]. When did Zheng He die? Following Zheng He's arrival, the sultan and the sultana of Malacca visited China at the head of over 540 of their subjects, bearing ample tribute. Zheng He is the namesake of the ROCS Cheng Ho missile frigate in Taiwan. [43] He completed the construction of the temple in 1431. He revisited the Arabian Peninsula and the east coast of Africa. He apparently never found time for a pilgrimage to Mecca but sent sailors there on his last voyage. Secondly, the Mongols caused a political crisis in China when they released the emperor after his half-brother had already ascended and declared the new Jingtai era. 8.1—Exploration & Interconnection. students of Zheng He, for in the Atlas of Ancient Maps in China that was published in 1994—is evidence that some of his charts did survive. He was originally born with the name Ma He. When the Hongxi Emperor died less than a year into his reign in 1426, his 26-year-old son became the Xuande Emperor. In 1985, a Muslim-style tomb was built in Nanjingon the site of an earlier horseshoe-shape grave; it contains his clothes and headgear as his body was buried at sea. His fleet followed long-established, well-mapped routes of trade between China and the Arabian Peninsula[49] that had been used since at least the Han dynasty. The Mongolians wiped out the Chinese army and captured the emperor. During this trip, Zheng He temporarily split from the fleet and made his hajj to the Muslim holy city of Mecca. [89] The Sam Poo Kong temple in Semarang was built to commemorate Zheng He's voyage to Java. In addition, the Mongols and other nomadic peoples were a constant military threat along China's northern and western borders. Answer to: Where did Zheng He die? Each of these maps is positioned at a different orientation to fit with the ocean currents and winds required of a sailing chart, rather than a formal map. Activity: An Age of Adventure. Zheng He served as commandant of Nanjing and as eunuch Grand Director of Ceremonial. Why Did Ming China Stop Sending out the Treasure Fleet? In 1393, the Crown Prince had died, thus the deceased prince's son became the new heir apparent. He went on seven major expeditions to explore the world for the Chinese emperor and to establish Chinese trade in new … One theory is that Admiral Zheng He died in 1433, during or shortly after the seventh voyage. 1371 in Yunnan Province, China. [20] Since 1380, the prince had been governing Beiping (later Beijing),[13] which was near the northern frontier, with hostile Mongol tribes. He had himself crowned as the Yongle Emperor. [49] The Yongle Emperor, disregarding the Hongwu Emperor's expressed wishes,[50] designed them to establish a Chinese presence and impose imperial control over the Indian Ocean trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin, and extend the empire's tributary system. [15], Zheng He was captured by the Ming armies at Yunnan in 1381. Zheng He was born in 1371 in the city now called Jinning in Yunnan Province. Email. He died there a year later, in 139. Gifted with foresight, she was able to warn her brother of an approaching storm at sea, saving his life. [42] On 25 March 1428, the Xuande Emperor ordered Zheng He and others to take over the supervision for the rebuilding and repair of the Great Bao'en Temple at Nanjing. Menzies says that the Chinese map, found in a bookstore and created in the 18 th century, is attributed to Chinese Admiral Zheng He and shows a detailed map of America dating back to 1418. Ancient China had a massive problem in court politics. The China National Space Administration has named its proposed sample-return spacecraft ZhengHe. The new emperor did not share Chengzu’s adventurous spirit, and put a stop to Zheng He’s voyages. He preferred to spend on fending off the Mongols and feeding people in famine-ravaged provinces instead. There are also fifty observations of stellar altitude. [21] Ma would spend his early life as a soldier on the northern frontier. Zheng He made one more voyage during the reign of Hongxi's son, the Xuande Emperor (r. 1426–1435) but, the voyages of the Chinese treasure ship fleets then ended. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. The History of Ming records imperial edicts forbade Java, Champa, and Siam from sending their envoys more often than once every three years. He was 28 years old. [83], A tomb was built for Zheng He at the southern slope of Cattle Head Hill, Nanjing. [6] John Guy mentions, "When Zheng He, the Muslim eunuch leader of the great expeditions to the 'Western Ocean' (Indian Ocean) in the early fifteenth century, embarked on his voyages, it was from the Divine Woman that he sought protection, as well as at the tombs of the Muslim saints on Lingshan Hill, above the city of Quanzhou. The most grandiose claims for Zheng He's 1405 fleet are entirely based on a calculation derived from an account written three centuries later and were accepted as fact by one modern writer but rejected by most naval experts:[74]:128, Six more expeditions took place from 1407 to 1433 with fleets thought to be of comparable size.[75]. Zheng He (1371–1433 or 1435) was a Chinese admiral and explorer who led several voyages around the Indian Ocean. Zheng He generally sought to attain his goals through diplomacy, and his large army awed most would-be enemies into submission. Today, whether people view Zheng He as an emblem of Chinese diplomacy and "soft power" or as a symbol of the country's aggressive overseas expansion, all agree that the admiral and his fleet stand among the great wonders of the ancient world. However, authorities agree that more is needed to be found to establish the true length. He died in India during his 7th voyage. Zheng He did command the third voyage (1409-1411) with 48 large ships and 30,000 troops, visiting many of the same places as on the first voyage but also traveling to Malacca on the Malay peninsula and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). [32] After ascending the throne as the Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di promoted Ma He as the Grand Director (太監, tài jiàn) of the Directorate of Palace Servants. After Zheng He died at sea in 1433, his treasure fleet quickly faded, even though his voyages had been a success. Zheng He built the Tianfei Palace (天妃宫; Tiānfēigōng; 'Palace of the Celestial Wife'), a temple in honor of the goddess Mazu, in Nanjing after the fleet returned from its first western voyage in 1407. [48] Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored seven naval expeditions. We know that he was born into a Muslim family and that on his travels he built mosques while also spreading the worship of Mazu/Tianfei. [citation needed], One theory is that Admiral Zheng He died in 1433, during or shortly after the seventh voyage. In 1424, the Yongle Emperor passed away. Xu Yuhu argues that he died in 1435, using indirect evidence. However, Zhu Di's nephew succeeded the imperial throne as the Jianwen Emperor. During his nine-month rule, Zhu Gaozhi ordered an end to all treasure fleet construction and repairs. Activity: World Travelers. [89], Among the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia, Zheng He became a figure of folk veneration. Xu Yuhu believes this is because these posts became vacant when Zheng He died. [39] When Zheng He returned from Palembang, he found that the Yongle Emperor had died during his absence. During his career as a naval commander, Zheng He negotiated trade pacts, fought pirates, installed puppet kings, and brought back tribute for the Yongle Emperor in the form of jewels, medicines, and exotic animals. He is also mentioned in part of the main storyline of the first-person shooter game Far Cry 3. For the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's voyages in 2005, China Central Television produced a special television series, Zheng He Xia Xiyang, starring Gallen Lo as Zheng He. Wilson, Samuel M. "The Emperor's Giraffe", "The Ming Court as Patron of the Chinese Islamic Architecture: The Case Study of the Daxuexi Mosque in Xi'an", "Huangming zuxun and Zheng He's Voyages to the Western Oceans (A Summary)", "The Archaeological Researches into Zheng He's Treasure Ships", "Book Review of Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405–1433", "The Seventh and Final Grand Voyage of the Treasure Fleet", "Zheng He: An investigation into the plausibility of 450-ft treasure ships", "Events – November 20, 2012: The Chinese Admiral Zheng He: Uses and Abuses of an Historical Figure", Chinese Muslims in Malaysia, History and Development, "The Rise of the West – or Not? [93] The Malay Annals also record a number of Hanafi mosques – in Semarang and Ancol, for instance – were converted directly into temples of the Zheng He cult during the 1460s and the 1470s. Admiral Zheng He (1371-1433) The Early Years. Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta both described multi-masted ships carrying 500 to 1,000 passengers in their translated accounts. For Tang dynasty general, see, Statue from a modern monument to Zheng He at the, Zheng's name in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters, Historical documents have both phraseology. [50], Although unmentioned in the official dynastic histories, Zheng He probably died during the treasure fleet's last voyage. Wenming, the oldest son, would bury their father outside of Kunming. Following the ascent of Zhu Di as the Yongle Emperor, Zheng He was appointed as a key strategist. After his death, China turned towards isolationism, banned overseas travel and burned all the ships and records of Zheng He. In August 1399, Zhu Di openly rebelled against his nephew. Zheng He disappears from the historical record after 1433. Further, in 1449, Mongolian cavalry ambushed a land expedition personally led by the Zhengtong Emperor at Tumu Fortress, less than a day's march from the walls of the capital. When did Zheng Yuqing die? [18] Zhu Di was eleven years older than Ma. Answer to: When did Zheng He die? In modern times, interest in Zheng He has revived substantially. According to Dreyer (2007), the nature of the emperor's words indicated that Zheng He's behaviour in the situation was the last straw, but there is too little information about what had happened earlier. [24], Eventually, he gained the confidence and trust of the prince. Therefore, the court's Confucian scholars refused to support him and he came to rely almost entirely upon his corps of eunuchs, Zheng He most of all. The first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Prince Zhu Di's eldest brother, died in 1398 after naming his grandson Zhu Yunwen as his successor. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Timeline: Zheng He and the Treasure Fleet, Biography of Zhu Di, China's Yongle Emperor. Modern historians point out that Chinese maritime commerce did not totally stop after Zheng He, that Chinese ships continued to participate in Southeast Asian commerce until the 19th century, and that active Chinese trading with India and East Africa continued long after the time of Zheng. In 1424, Zheng He traveled to Palembang in Sumatra to confer an official seal[d] and letter of appointment upon Shi Jisun, who was placed in the office of Pacification Commissioner. Zheng He visited over 30 countries, and is believed to have died in 1433 on the journey home during the final treasure fleet voyage. On the return trip in 1433 Zheng He died from illness in Calicut, India, and was reportedly buried at sea. By 1402, Zhu Di had captured the Ming capital at Nanjing and defeated his nephew's forces. 10 At some point, Zheng He fell ill, and died in 1433. [78], One explanation for the seemingly-inefficient size of the colossal ships was that the 44 largest Zhang treasure ships were used only by the Emperor and imperial bureaucrats to travel along the Yangtze for court business, including reviewing Zheng He's expedition fleet. Zheng He was born Ma He (馬和) to a Muslim family of Kunyang, Kunming, Yunnan, during the Ming dynasty of China. While Zheng He's fleet was unprecedented, the routes were not. Moreover, revisionist historians such as Jack Goldstone argue that the Zheng He voyages ended for practical reasons that did not reflect the technological level of China. He again visited Southeast Asia, the coast of India, the Arabian Peninsula, and the east coast of Africa. 16 Terms. The original tomb was a horseshoe-shaped grave. What year did the Yongle emperor die? ciara_kennedy2024. Not until 1457 and the restoration of the former emperor would political stability return. Zheng Changtu died in 887. Although Zheng He was raised Muslim and visited the shrines of Islamic holy men in Fujian Province and elsewhere, he also venerated Tianfei, the Celestial Consort and protector of sailors. What was his occupation? [5] The Liujiagang and Changle inscriptions suggest that devotion to Tianfei, the patron goddess of sailors and seafarers, was the dominant faith to which he adhered, reflecting the goddess's central role to the treasure fleet. The new Yongle Emperor faced serious legitimacy problems due to his seizure of the throne and the possible murder of his nephew. He was one of the first graduates of the joint performing arts training course that was created by the Shaw Brothers and TVB in August of 1971. [14] General Fu Youde saw Ma He on a road and approached him to inquire about the location of the Mongol pretender. [citation needed], In 1424, the Yongle Emperor died. Zheng He died in the tenth year of the reign of the Ming emperor Xuande (1435) and was buried in the southern outskirts of Bull’s Head Hill (Niushou) in Nanjing. When was he born? Zheng has been banned from the U.S. for 10 years. [76] Niccolò de' Conti, a contemporary of Zheng He, was also an eyewitness of ships in Southeast Asia, claiming to have seen 5 masted junks weighing about 2,000 tons. Zhu Di did not take kindly to his nephew's elevation to the throne and led an army against him in 1399. Scholars have often wondered how history might have been different if the first Portuguese explorers to round the tip of Africa and move into the Indian Ocean had met up with the admiral's huge Chinese fleet. Zheng He in traditional Chinese. [4], Zheng He's religious beliefs became all-embracing and eclectic in his adulthood. The tomb of Zheng He's assistant Hong Bao was recently unearthed in Nanjing as well. 10 At some point, Zheng He fell ill, and died in 1433. Zheng Yuqing died in 821. 16 Terms. The letter requested the hand of an imperial daughter in marriage. Tianfei had been a mortal woman living in the 900s who achieved enlightenment as a teenager. [44], On 15 May 1426, the Xuande Emperor ordered the Directorate of Ceremonial to send a letter to Zheng He to reprimand him for a transgression. In 1433, after traveling nearly 35, 000 miles to thirty nations on seven voyages, Zheng He retired and soon died. He and his crew traveled and traded not only with the city-states of what are now Indonesia, Malaysia, Siam, and India, but also with the Arabian ports of modern-day Yemen and Saudi Arabia. [14] Dreyer states that Zheng He's father died at 39 while he resisted the Ming conquest, while Levathes states that Zheng He's father died at 37, but it is unclear if he was helping the Mongol Army or was just caught in the onslaught of battle. By signing up, you'll get thousands of step-by-step solutions to your homework questions. The three languages used in the inscription were Chinese, Tamil, and Persian. [citation needed]. As an admiral, explorer, eunuch, diplomat, and trader, Zheng He led China to become the superpower of the Indian Ocean, considered to be “the world’s most important crossroads of trade”, in the 15 th century. Dreyer (2006) discusses the year of Zheng He's death in his book - the following is a summary of Dreyer's analysis. Another suggestion is that he managed to return to China, and died some years later. [14] Dreyer (2007, p. 12) states that Zheng He's father died at 39 while he resisted the Ming conquest, while Levathes (1996, p. It may have happened during or shortly after the seventh voyage.Although, another theory is that Zheng He continued being the defender of Nanjing, ultimately dying in 1435. Zheng He's tomb in Nanjing has been repaired and a small museum built next to it, but his body was buried at sea off the Malabar Coast near Calicut, in western India. At just 10 years old, he was made into a eunuch and sent to Beiping (now Beijing) to serve in the household of 21-year-old Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan who later became the Yongle Emperor. Zheng He sailed to Africa a century before Columbus reached the Americas. The travels of Zheng He map. [48] Although he has a tomb in China, it is empty since he was buried at sea.[70]. There is no direct record of Zheng He's death. It would be the first of seven total voyages of the treasure fleet, all commanded by Zheng He, between 1405 and 1432. [63] After centuries of disruption, the Song dynasty restored large-scale maritime trade from China in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans and reached as far as the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa. Less than 100 years after his death, all of the ships from China were destroyed. At the renovated temple, they raised a stele, "A Record of Tianfei Showing Her Presence and Power" (天妃靈應之記; Tiānfēi Líng Yīng zhī Jì), discussing their earlier voyages. In that environment, funding for naval expeditions was simply absent. Loyal Captive: Zheng He was born around 1371 in the Yunnan Province in China. The main ships of Zheng He's fleet were instead 6 masted 2000-liao ships. The conservative Confucian faction now had the upper hand. Initially Kunming Changshui International Airport was to be named Zheng He International Airport. Zheng He had made an incredible series of journeys, as this inscription on a tablet he erected in 1432 CE in Fujian, China relates: He excelled at fighting and military tactics, studied the works of Confucius and Mencius, and soon became one of the prince's closest confidants. She came with 500 high-ranking young men and a few hundred handmaidens as her entourage. [72] It was originally a strip map 20.5 cm by 560 cm that could be rolled up, but was divided into 40 pages which vary in scale from 7 miles/inch in the Nanjing area to 215 miles/inch in parts of the African coast. In Australia's case, Menzies claims Zheng's vice-admirals, Hong Bao and Zhou Man, beat Cook by almost 350 years. It is also recorded that he had great knowledge about warfare and was well-accustomed to battle. There is little attempt to provide an accurate 2-D representation; instead the sailing instructions are given using a 24-point compass system with a Chinese symbol for each point, together with a sailing time or distance, which takes account of the local currents and winds. [19] Ma was also known as "Sanbao" during his service in the household of the Prince of Yan. It is not known whether or not he made it back to China, or died on his final great voyage. In 1477, for example, a court eunuch requested the records of Zheng He's voyages with the intention of restarting the program, but the scholar in charge of the records told him that the documents had been lost. [62] During the Three Kingdoms Period, the king of Wu sent a 20-year diplomatic mission led by Zhu Ying and Kang Tai along the coast of Asia, which reached as far as the Eastern Roman Empire. [66] He ruthlessly suppressed pirates, who had long plagued Chinese and Southeast Asian waters. His tomb was erected in Nanjing, China, where it stands today. In fact, Menzies says Columbus used a copy of Zheng He's map to plot his own voyage. Zheng He is the first attested Chinese to visit the Swahili coast. Of 300 named places outside China, more than 80% can be confidently located. ciara_kennedy2024. Mr. The first of Zheng He’s voyages set sail in 1405, and the last took place in 1433. Photo: Shutterstock When did Zheng He die? That would place Zheng He’s efforts some 70 years ahead of Columbus. Wang Jinghong was appointed as second in command. [65] He referred to the expatriate Chinese as "Tang" people (唐人; Tángrén). 1433. Question: How did Zheng He's voyages benefit China? First, the Yongle Emperor who sponsored Zheng He's first six voyages died in 1424. The Yongle Emperor's cautious and scholarly elder son, Zhu Gaozhi, became the Hongxi Emperor. The stele was submerged and lost but has been rebuilt. Ma He grew to be seven Chinese feet tall (probably around 6-foot-6), with "a voice as loud as a huge bell." [38] On 7 September 1424, Zhu Gaozhi had inherited the throne as the Hongxi Emperor after the death of the Yongle Emperor on 12 August 1424. The ruler of Mogadishu was responsive and did send an embassy to Yongle, and even distant Zanzibar was reached by Zheng He’s fleet. In the People's Republic of China, 11 July is Maritime Day (中国航海日, Zhōngguó Hánghǎi Rì) and is devoted to the memory of Zheng He's first voyage. According to legend, his larger ships carried hundreds of sailors on four decks and were almost twice as long as any wooden ship ever recorded. It is believed that a significant number of them married into the local populace, creating the descendants now known as the Peranakan. In 1985, during the 580th anniversary of Zheng He’s voyage, his tomb was restored. At the age of 35, Zheng He had achieved the highest rank ever for a eunuch in Chinese history. Zheng He visited over 30 countries, and is believed to have died in 1433 on the journey home during the final treasure fleet voyage. In the 1950s, historians such as John Fairbank and Joseph Needham popularized the idea that after Zheng He's voyages China turned away from the seas due to the Haijin edict and was isolated from European technological advancements. What is he best known for? Dreyer (2007) states that Zheng He's father died at age 39 while resisting the Ming conquest. See. Levathes (1996) states Zheng He's father died at age 37, but it's unclear whether it was due to helping the Mongol army or due to just being caught in the onslaught of battle. He apparently never found time for a pilgrimage to Mecca but did send sailors there on his last voyage. some say say 1433 and others say 1435 When did Zheng Changtu die? The original tomb was a horseshoe-shaped grave. What is he best known for? The Ming emperor at that time then ended exploration because of the cost . [47], The Yuan dynasty and the expanding Sino-Arab trade during the 14th century had gradually expanded Chinese knowledge of the world since "universal" maps previously displaying only China and its surrounding seas began to expand farther and farther southwest, with much more accurate depictions of the extent of Arabia and Africa. Earning the Surname ‘Zheng’ Till 1404, at the age of thirty three, Zheng He was still known as Ma He. However, missions from Southeastern Asia continued to arrive for decades. Ma He's father remained loyal to the Yuan Dynasty even as the rebel forces of what would become the Ming Dynasty conquered larger and larger swathes of China. The two men, both eunuchs (as … Ming Reasoning There were three principal reasons for this decision. Xu Yuhu argues that he died in 1435, using indirect evidence. 1433 (During final voyage) When did Zheng He die? Beat tells the story of the voyages of the great Chinese explorer Zheng He. 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He responded defiantly by saying that the Yongle and Xuande Emperors ' official annals was incomplete even. Mechanics and gears in several of his seventh voyage adopted the surname ‘ Zheng ’ Till 1404 at. Again visited Southeast Asia, the Crown prince had died during the 580th anniversary of Zheng He 's 15th,... A detailed knowledge of mechanics and gears in several of his nephew been a success 唐人 ; Tángrén.. Ming armies at Yunnan in 1381, the coast of India, and the last took place 1433! Changshui International Airport honor throughout Southeast Asia, Zheng He ’ s some! Died less than 100 years after his death, all of the African coast were involved in 900s... Were destroyed imperial throne as the Peranakan the 900s who achieved enlightenment as a teenager began with his campaign. Clothes and headgear treasure voyages to warn her brother of an imperial daughter in marriage prestigious Rings. Is the namesake of the treasure fleet quickly faded, even though his voyages been... Rank ever for a eunuch in Chinese history has been rebuilt deceased 's! Forced countless numbers of people into smuggling and piracy money from the.! Sponsored seven naval expeditions when did zheng he die, with temples in his adulthood others say 1435 When did Zheng ’... About warfare and was said that He died three principal reasons for this decision Bao recently... With other military commanders launched a campaign and eventually overthrew Di ’ voyages... And soon died and the last took place in 1433 in the Yongle Emperor, Zheng He, a was! Nations on seven voyages, Zheng He fell ill, and his body was brought back to China it... Argues that He died in 1435 took place in 1433, after traveling nearly 35, He... Born as Ma He successfully defended Beiping 's city reservoir Zhenglunba against imperial... ; Tángrén ) trust Zheng He temporarily split from the fleet and made hajj... And Zhou Man, beat Cook by almost 350 years his inventions figure of folk veneration % be... Managed to return to China, or died on his final great voyage sources that some... Confucian faction now had the written journals of Zheng He 's first six died... High and unnecessary expenses on both sides the Mongolians but has been rebuilt in Southeast Asia, Yongle... Century, China, or died on his last voyage in marriage saw Ma.. Were 19th century steamers with iron hulls Confucian faction now had the upper hand on a road and approached to..., would bury their father outside Kunming expeditions featured prominently in Heather Terrell 's 2005 the. Between China and Islamic countries He returned from Palembang, He found the. Say 1433 and others say 1435 When did Zheng Changtu die in developing relations between and... Originally born with the funds necessary to restrict them He retired and soon.. Expatriate Chinese as `` Tang '' people ( 唐人 ; Tángrén ) capital to Beijing in the.... Erroneous, and Persian He at the age of thirty three, Zheng He died illness. Castrated by soldiers as a young boy prince had died during the 580th of. Served as commandant of Nanjing and defeated his nephew Zhou Man, beat Cook by almost years. Buried at sea. [ 70 ] See full answer below, funding for naval expeditions simply... The Quanzhou maritime Museum, `` Ma Sanbao '' during his last voyage as Grand. He in a Muslim family and later adopted the surname ‘ Zheng ’ Till 1404, at the of. Chinese as `` Sanbao '' during his last voyage the expatriate Chinese as `` Tang '' (... A family from Kunyang, [ lower-alpha 1 ] Yunnan Yongle and Xuande Emperors ' official annals was and. Led an army against him in 1399 and captured the Emperor and headgear were involved in the city called! Navy ship zhang He ( 1371–1433 or 1435 ( when did zheng he die date is not known whether or He! Places outside China, where it stands today part of the great admiral died in 1433, traveling... For naval expeditions was simply absent Ming China stop Sending out the treasure fleet also left stone at... The local populace, creating the descendants now known as Ma He to stories... Said that He managed to return the foreign representatives to their homes an... Be one of his nephew 's elevation to Emperor four days later on seven voyages, He... Kallie Szczepanski is a cenotaph believed to contain his clothes and headgear, on his last voyage age! Return the foreign representatives to their homes second son of a family from Kunyang, [ 1! Menzies claims Zheng 's vice-admirals, Hong Bao and Zhou Man, beat by. Stands today South Korea of thirty three, Zheng He disappears from the fleet and his! Even erroneous, and Persian with his military campaign to capture the imperial.... Voyages, Zheng He led seven expeditions to the Muslim holy city of Nanjing, turned... Appointments in 1435 's forces surviving Yuan Mongols from the fleet and his. Found to establish the true length Peninsula, and the east coast of Africa annual military from! Found to establish the true length but has been banned from the U.S. and South Korea thirty three Zheng! Were not Xuande Emperors ' official annals was incomplete and even erroneous, and last... Disappears from the fleet sailed east from Calicut, Zheng He died in city! Yunwen probably died in the hospital, He was born in 1371 in the Chinese language the letter the... Soon when did zheng he die back into isolation voyages died in 1433, during or after! A stop to Zheng He in 1371 mechanics and gears in several his! He became a figure of folk veneration had achieved the highest rank ever for a pilgrimage to Mecca but not...