The Chinese Voyages of Exploration

The Chinese Voy times of Exploration Succeeded by the non-Chinese Qing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty is considered to be the last indigenous dynasty to exist. The Ming Dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644 and is known as the greatest era of social stability and organised goernment (European). Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Ming Dynasty he is also known as Hongwu, Taizu, and Ming Taizu. Hongwu died in 1382, deviation his grandson, Huidi, the next heir. However, Chengzu, or Yongol, created a military campaign to seize the thrown. This started a three year civil war, but Yongol overcame Huidi and took the thrown as emperor moth in 1403.Yongol wanted all other countries to fear his Dynastys index and see it as being the strongest (Asia). He created an expansion plan of chinaw atomic number 18s tribute system and as a result Zheng He was appointed to lead seven voyages (Europe). Zheng He, a muslim eunuch, was captured at the age of ten and was given the task of grouping boys to be castrated. Dur ing the time of the voyages, chinas technology was used to help build these massive enthrals that rophy sail. Known as treasure ships, these 400 feet long and 600 feet wide boats were furnish with nine sails, four decks, and armed with twelve cannons.There were also dissociate watertight com relegatements that had been recently invented. There were two major advantages of these com go badments. One was if the ship was hit, it would not sink and the siemens was that it offered a way of carrying water for the passengers, animals, and fish. other invention that was put onto these ships was sternpost rudders. Sternpost rudders were used to maneuver in crowded harbors and minute channels and were easily attached to the outside rear (Asia). The Chinese would voyage by using a compass and sailing directions.Over the ultimo 300 years, china had been strengthening its power in sea. A entanglement of trade had been established in relation to their growing need for spices, herbs, a nd affectionate materials. Zheng He started his showtime voyage in 1405, which was made up of 317 ships with over sixty of them being treasure ships and almost 28,000 men. He began his journey graduation stopping in Champa, Central Vietnam and Siam, present day Thai bolt down. From there, he sailed to Java, Malacca, and his main destination of Cochin, India making his trip last until 1407. Zheng Hes second voyage started in 1409 and lasted two years.Although he did not take part in the voyage, he organized sixty-eight ships to travel to Calicut to take part in the inauguration of the bleak king. From 1409 to 1411, the third voyage set sail. Zheng He took forty-eight ships and 30,000 soldiers to the same places that the first voyage went, but also include the Malay peninsula and Ceylong. In Ceylong, war broke out between the natives and his men. So, Zheng He ceased the fighting and captured the King. He proceeded to bring him back to China where he was later released. The fourth voyage was much longer than the first three in distance.Lasting between 1413 and 1415, Zheng He, accompanied by xxv year old Muslim translator Ma Huan, stopped in many of the countries he previously visited. Yet, this time he controlled sixty-three ships and more than 28,000 men to Hormuz, which is located on the Persian Gulf. Starting in 1417, Zheng Hes fifth voyage headed to Aden, Africa, cities known as Mogadishu and Brawa, and Malindi. many another(prenominal) ambassadors decided to return to China with Zheng He. Again, it took two years to complete the expedition. The sixth voyage began in 1421, and only lasted a year.Zheng He visited the same countries principally to return the ambassadors. In 1431, the seventh and final voyage took place. Due to Yongols death, his successor Xuande set forth the expedition. For two years, Zheng He visited places like the southwest China Sea, Indian Ocean, Aden, and Hormuz. His fleet consisted of more than 27,000 men and over whiz hundr ed ships. He also visited Jidda by traveling up the trigger-happy Sea. In 1433, on his return trip to China, Zheng He died and was buried at sea (Asia). These expeditions created a line of communication between the Chinese and atomic number 34 Asia.However, the voyages were stopped due to many reasons. One reason is cost. These trips were seen as a waste of money because during this time, China was campaigning against the Mongols and funding the construction of capital of Red China (Europe). According to the court, Yongol used the Dynastys money in extravagant shipway to promote land and sea expeditions. Also, his move of the capital from Nanjing to Beijing was actually costly as well as his ordering of the construction of the proscribe City, which involved greater than a million workers.His decision to widen the grand Canal to allow more transportation was also cost effective. another(prenominal) reason for the ceasing of the voyages was due to natural disasters. Epidemics in Fujian, lightening strikes ruining the saucily designed Forbidden City, and the flooding of the Yellow River leaving millions without shelter and over 1000 acres infertile in 1448 were major money traps. as yet though the Mongols had departed from Chinese borders, Pirates and smugglers became a major factor in the south (Asia).Zheng Hes voyages were supported by the Eunuchs and frowned upon by the right Confucian court. In 1477, talk about another voyage had entered the courts. The evil president of the Ministry of War immediately took possession of Zheng Hes records stating that they are deceitful exaggerations of bizarre things far removed from the testimony of peoples eyes and ears (Asia). The Chinese were no longer inte time outed in afield affairs mainly because the Ming Dynastys major source of income was due to land tax and not trade tax.Thus, China did not become a maritime power and over time the non-Chinese ruled the seas (Europe). These voyages can be seen as the re ason China fell behind in new technological advances as well as losing their dominance over the rest of the world. Work Cited The Ming Dynastys Maritime History. The European Voyages of Exploration. Copyright 1997. The Applied History inquiry Group, Web. 3 Mar 2010. . The Ming Voyages. Asia For Educators. Copyright 2009. Columbia University, Web. 3 Mar 2010. .