Strengthening of border defense After many strikes during the Hongwu period, the Mongols had basically withdrawn from the south of the desert, and did not pose a direct threat to the border of the Ming Dynasty. Some people think that the Yongle sent Zheng He to the West Ocean to stabilize the overseas, so that Yongle did not have to worry about it, so that the Ming Dynasty could focus on defending itself against the chaos in the north.
But this is impossible to establish, because at that time the overseas countries are not strong force, there is no invasion of the Ming Dynasty sea of possible.
Another theory is that the expedition was an attempt to control the remaining Mongol Khanates in South-Central Asia and northern India. This was also impossible, as the Khan of this state died at the beginning of the Yongle period and was no longer a threat to the Ming Dynasty.
Jung Ho's seven trips to the West encountered three battles, one of which was to help a small country change power, one was a country that wanted to attack Zheng He's fleet, and one was a group of pirates, all three of which were small battles (more on this in the next post). Some people according to this as Zheng He went to the West as "international police" role. But these are only incidental events, can not be the main motive or purpose. Zheng He's inscription says, "The overseas states and the foreign kings who were disrespectful were captured alive. The invaders of the barbarians were annihilated, and since then the sea was clear and peaceful, and the people relied on them", which can confirm this statement. Succession of the throne Yan King Ming Chengzu Zhu Di in the name of the "Jingnian", finally captured the capital Yingtian (now Nanjing), Jianwen Emperor Zhu Yunbao burned down the palace, I do not know where it is. Ming Dynasty Emperor Chengzu succeeded to the throne and changed his name to Yongle, but the disappearance of Emperor Jianwen and the escape of his ministers may still be on his mind. In the historical documents of the Ming Dynasty, there are some rumors that Emperor Jianwen might not have been burned to death but fled overseas, and there is even a story that he returned to Beijing after twenty years. Therefore, some people think that the Yongle Emperor sent Zheng He to the West because of the main reason for looking for Jianwen Emperor. But this argument is not necessarily established, because Zheng and each overseas mission is so vast, Jianwen Emperor if the death of overseas, when the wind and hide, large-scale search for Jianwen Emperor in the West is not an effective method, and the vast majority of scholars do not believe that this, but historical novels are often for the sake of dramatization, but also emphasize the possibility of this.
By the time Emperor Chengzu took the throne, the Ming dynasty had been in place for more than 30 years, and agriculture and people's lives had not been affected by the coup. At this time, China's coastal metropolises, such as Guangzhou, were thriving. With the good economic development, the development of overseas transportation and overseas trade had become very urgent. On the other hand, Ming Chengzu also wanted to utilize foreign activities to demonstrate his power and build up his reputation. Therefore, the activity of voyage was inevitable. Western countries for Zheng He huge hundreds of huge ships and tens of thousands of soldiers, the vast forced its waters, of course, there will be a little witch to see a big witch, trembling feeling. Therefore, "Yang Wei Yue Wu" as one of the main purposes of the Yongle Zheng He's Western Ocean is very understandable, and accepted by the vast majority of researchers.
But if it was only for the overseas demonstration of national strength, what was the great benefit to Ming Chengzu? Why spend so much money and military power? Therefore, the "to promote the prestige of the martial arts" can not be the "ultimate" purpose of the Yongle Emperor.
In fact, Zheng He's treasure ships carried a lot of treasures each time and gave them to the king of each visiting country as "gifts". And many countries also sent emissaries or the emperor himself, by Zheng He's treasure ship and brought his country's specialties and treasures, returned to the Ming capital to pay tribute. These foreign envoys came to China, after some time to Zheng He ship to send them back home, and bring back more "gifts". So the Yongle years, overseas tribute countries from the Hongwu Emperor years of a few countries, to more than 30 countries. Among them, Mangaratka (now Malacca) and Paiwan (now North Kalimantan and Brunei area) two countries with the closest relations with the Ming Dynasty. After the death of Yongle, the Western affairs stopped six or seven years in the early years of Emperor Xuandi, hoping that a foreign country to pay tribute, before the seventh trip.
Again, this ****28 years seven to the West, equal to an average of once every four years, a mission round trip to two years, so about half of the years, Zheng He flotilla of endless China to the West between. Why so often? Zheng and the flotilla is a large-scale flotilla, completely in accordance with the sea navigation and military organization, in the world at that time can be called a strong maritime mobile fleet. Many foreign scholars claimed that Zheng He's flotilla was a task force, and that Zheng He was the commander of the navy or the commander-in-chief of the navy. The famous international scholar, Dr. Joseph Lee of Britain, after a comprehensive analysis of the world history of this period, came to the conclusion that "the Ming navy was probably superior to any Asian country in history, and even any European country of the same time, so much so that all the European countries united could be said to be no match for the Ming navy."
Zheng He's fleet of ships in the West China Sea was formed using a military organization based on the sea voyage and the tasks it was tasked with.
First, the number of people.
The number of Zheng He went to the West Ocean, the historical data have clear records of four times.
The number of people on each of Zheng He's trips to the West Ocean was more than 27,000. About 5 guards of the Ming Dynasty army, each guard 5000-5500 people; from the "Book of Military Service", mainly from the coastal guards. The number of western Columbus, Da Gama, Magellan voyages at that time: between 90-150; 170+; 265 respectively. I'm not just talking about the number here, but to illustrate a scientific truth, the number of people sailing, reflecting a strength, especially in the ancient society, it needs all aspects of material security, it is not easy.
Secondly, the fleet establishment.
According to years of research by Chinese naval professionals, Zheng He's flotilla was organized by three sequences: boat division, amphibious force and honor guard. Boat division is now the ship force, the basic unit warships, they were formed into formations called the front battalion, rear battalion, middle battalion, left battalion, right battalion; amphibious forces for landing operations; honor guards serve as close guards and ceremonies in foreign relations, solemn and majestic.
In accordance with the task of the Western Ocean, Zheng He flotilla personnel have five main parts: command part, navigation part, diplomatic trade part, logistical support part, military escort part. Command section: the center of the entire fleet, the navigation, diplomacy, trade, combat and other command decisions. Zheng He's position was the chief military eunuch of the imperial envoy; sailing part: sailing business, ship repair, weather prediction, etc.; diplomatic and trade part: diplomatic etiquette, trade, liaison interpreter; logistical support part: management of finances, logistical supply, drafting of paperwork, medical personnel, etc.; military convoy: responsible for the safety of navigation and military operations. From the study of the composition of Zheng He's fleet personnel, the preparation is perfect, strict, reflecting the ancient Chinese people's rich experience in navigation, to ensure the realization of Zheng He's voyage to the West.
Other impact: the famous historian Huang Renyu that, during the Yongle period, Zheng He went to the West Ocean cost about 6 million taels of silver, equivalent to the annual expenditure of the treasury at that time, and this does not include shipbuilding and other expenditures around the cost. The construction and repair of a ship requires an average of 1,600 taels of silver, each voyage requires an average of more than 260 ships, only the cost of building and repairing hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.
From the surface, Zheng He fleet every sea, "cloud sails cover the sun", vast and majestic, but from the essence of the view, it is a "lone sail far shadow", it is not behind, and is not allowed to follow the civilian seafarers fleet, and strictly prohibit the civilian seafarers! "The board is not allowed to go to the sea". In the view of Liang Qichao, "the nature of its hope in, the ambition of the male masters, want to Bo Huairouyuanyuan people, ten thousand countries to the same false reputation, chat to entertain themselves."
Ming Xuande six years (1431), located in Fujian, Fujian Fuzhou Changle County, a small city suddenly clamor. A huge flotilla of more than two hundred ships and more than 27,000 people sailed south from Taicang's Liujia Harbor and moored at Taiping Harbor on the west side of the county. Changle County, Fujian Province is Zheng He seven times to the Western Pacific open ocean place, when the huge fleet repeatedly stationed here, waiting for the wind to the sea. There is not only the well-preserved "Tianfei Lingyingji" monument erected by Zheng He himself, but also the "Ten Ocean Street" formed under the influence of his voyages to the West. In the late Ming Dynasty, the seriousness of the "Japanese" prompted people to commemorate and worship the gods related to the sea, and the statue of Zheng He was enshrined in the temple, which is in line with the general process of folk god-making.
Yongle Emperor that year, he transferred Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan and Guangdong Province, five provinces and counties excellent shipbuilding craftsmen more than four hundred to Nanjing Longjiang shipbuilding, he mobilized the national shipbuilding power to create than had sailed in the Indian Ocean on the Yuan ship is bigger than the oceanic giant, which, for the deputy ambassador to ride the treasure ship length of 44 zhang, width of 18 zhang, the world's largest and best ship in the 15th century. Nanjing Longjiang shipyard site existing Zhenghe treasure ship model.
Build such a huge ship, not entirely dependent on the actual need for the weight, but in order to give people "lofty as a hill, floating waves on the" perception, in order to "show troops in foreign countries, to show that China is rich and strong". In order to ensure that the quality of shipbuilding excellence, Ming Chengguo not hesitate to "support the world 13 provinces of money and grain".
During the Yongle period, Zheng He's fleet of ships visited each country, first read the edict to the local king or chief, held a grand ceremony of enthronement, and rewarded the treasures. In addition to the establishment of vassalage, Zheng He was also ordered to mediate the disputes between overseas countries, and it was with Zheng He's help that Manshaka, a country that had suffered from the bullying of powerful nations, gained its independence.
In fact, compared with the tribute, the emperor valued the satisfaction of being the king's vassal. During the reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, each time Zheng He traveled to the West, the number of ambassadors and kings who came to China with his fleets increased dramatically, and when Zheng He returned from his sixth voyage to the West in 1423, he was carrying more than 1,200 ambassadors and their families from 16 countries on his ships. By the late Yongle period, more than 60 countries had come to pay tribute.
There was a reason why so many countries were happy to pay tribute. The court, after accepting spices, treasures and other tributes, according to the principle of "rewarding the generous" to be rewarded. Bounty items and tribute to the general price difference of about 1 to 20 times. For example, pepper in Sumatra market per hundred pounds worth 1 two, but as a "tribute", the Ming government to give every hundred pounds of 20 two.
Specifically rewarded Wubao Chinas what items are not available, but the Ming government has always been generous, is a fact. Give the king, the royal family silk, porcelain and other items, silk can easily be thousands of pi, "between Yongle more copper". 1405 to the king of Japan 1.5 million copper, the following year and rewarded 15 million, the princess 5 million. So much so that for some time, Japan did not even mint its own copper coins, and used Yongle copper coins as the currency of passage through Japan.
Besides the rewards, the hospitality of the tribute envoys was also a huge expense. It often took many days to complete the complicated procedures of the tribute, and along the way to and from the ship and accommodation were borne by the government, in addition to the silver ingots as carriage fees. As a result, many ambassadors and their large entourages were happy to wait while they handled their own trade with ease. After spending half a year in China, Wubao Chinas journey coincided with Zheng He's voyage. Some ambassadors even waited for three years to return home on the free ship.
On the eighth day of the seventh month of the seventh year of the Xuande reign (1432), Zheng He's fleet arrived in Manchuria, first sending Wubao China back to his country to resume his duties, and then going to Siam to read out the edicts of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, which exhorted him to "make peace with the neighboring countries, so as to be able to reciprocate with the heart of my fellow countrymen." It is not known exactly how the negotiation took place, but Zheng He was busy traveling between Manchego and Siam for more than a month before he was able to reach a settlement.
August 18, the fleet arrived in Sumatra, and then went to Aru, Nakur, Ri Dai, South Bo Li and other countries to visit. The previous times to the West, Zheng He has been in these countries to hold a ceremony to seal the king, give their king or chief seal, colorful coins, imperial kiln porcelain and other things.
Tribute trade
In fact, Zheng He flotilla, also known as the treasure ship, he led the Department of the army, was escorting the court supplies, from the Western countries to hunt for pearls, onyx, spices, exotic birds and animals, such as "treasures", transported back to the country, mainly for the enjoyment of emperors and aristocrats. These treasures, and can not be transformed into a real treasury revenue. According to the "Ming History" "Zheng He biography" records, Zheng He sailing treasure ship **** 63, the largest length of 44 feet four feet, width of 18 feet, was the world's largest ship, equivalent to today's length of 151.18 meters, 61.6 meters wide. The ship has four layers, the ship 9 masts can hang 12 sails, the anchor weighs a few thousand pounds, to use two hundred people to sail, a ship can accommodate a thousand people. The Ming history - military records: "treasure ship tall as a building, the bottom of the tip of the upper broad, can accommodate thousands of people".
There were five types of ships in Zheng He's fleet. The first type is called "treasure ship". The largest treasure ship was 44 feet long, 18 feet wide, with a capacity of 800 tons. This type of ship could accommodate thousands of people and was the largest ship in the world at that time. Its size was so imposing that it was unrivaled. It had an iron rudder, which required two or three hundred men to move. The second type is called "horse ship". The horse ship was thirty-seven feet long and fifteen feet wide. The third type is called "grain ship". It was twenty-eight feet long and twelve feet wide. The fourth type was called the "sitting ship", twenty-four feet long and nine feet four feet wide. The fifth is called "war ship", 18 feet long, 6 feet 8 feet wide. It can be seen, Zheng He led the fleet of ships, some for cargo, some for food, some for combat, some for living. The division of labor was meticulous and more varied. We can say that Zheng He's fleet was a magnificent fleet composed of treasure ships as the main body, together with assisting ships.
Lying in the "Chongming County Records", but there are records that Zheng He fleet returned to the end of the Yongle year, that is, in 1424 A.D., surprisingly, because of the treasure ship is too large to sail into the Liu Jia River, so the treasure ship had to go back to Chongming to berth. There is no record in the History of Ming Dynasty or other sources to prove that there was a great drought or hydrological abnormality in that year, which means that the water level of the Yangtze River in that year was normal. But the famous Taicang Liu Jiahe harbor can not let the treasure ship into the visible draft of the depth and size of the large, it is likely to be in Nanjing or Fujian near the mouth of the sea and other shipyards made by the large treasure ship.
At the same time, in the Ming Dynasty Nanjing Longjiang shipyard site, in May 1957 and not long ago two unearthed more than 11 meters in length of the giant rudder bar, if the normal proportion to the size of the ship, it is true that there is a 44-foot-long and 18 wide wooden ship, and support the existence of a large "treasure ship" of Zheng He research Scholars, there are many, such as Zheng Hesheng, Zheng Yijun, Zhuang for the gui and other famous scholars are held.
Affirmation
The Ming History is basically correct, because the "2,000 material sea ship" recorded in the stone tablet of Zheng He at Jinghai Temple in Nanjing is not a "treasure ship", but a smaller "warship", which is not a "treasure ship".
Archaeology of the Nanjing Zhenghe shipyard, unearthed a rudder about 15 meters long, and the Ming history of the size of the treasure ship.
The dock at the Nanjing Zhenghe Shipyard could be 20 feet wide.
Ibn Battuta's (1304-1377) travelogues have long documented China's huge 12-sailed sea ships that could carry a thousand men. Battuta's record serves as circumstantial evidence for the 12-sailed, 1,000-person ship.
According to the remnants of a stele erected by Zheng He at the Jinghai Temple in Nanjing, Zheng He's first sea voyage was "2,000 materials," which, according to their inference, translates to a length of about 15 to 20 feet in length and a width of about 6 to 8 feet. The weight of the ship was about five thousand tons. To date, no one has been able to replicate the 44-foot "treasure ship" that can actually sail.
Even with the skeptics' claims, Zheng He's Treasure Ship was one of the world's largest ships at the time. The picture on the right is in accordance with the year Zheng He fleet of medium-sized treasure ship scale design and construction of the antique treasure ship, displayed in the Nanjing Treasure Shipyard Ruins Park. The ship is 63.25 meters long, 13.8 meters wide, 6 masts and 8 sails, with a displacement of about 1300 tons. According to Zheng He's Voyage Chart, Zheng He used the Haidao needle scripture (24/48 direction compass navigation) combined with the trans-oceanic star-drawing technique (astronomical navigation), which was the most advanced navigation technology at that time. Zheng He's fleet of ships navigated by compass during the day, and kept their course at night by watching the stars and buckets and orienting themselves with water compasses. Because of the reasonable solution to the problems of storing fresh water on board, the stability of the ship and the resistance to sinking, Zheng He's fleet was able to "keep the sails high, day and night" and seldom had any accidents under the treacherous conditions of "flooding waves catching the sky and huge waves like mountains". In the daytime, they hang and wave various colors of flags in an agreed way, forming the corresponding flag language. At night to lanterns to reflect the situation when sailing, encountered poor visibility fog and rain, equipped with gongs, horns and conch horns are also used for communication.
Expression of Zheng He's voyage to the West Ocean navigation technology, mainly in three aspects:
1, astronomy and navigation technology
Chinese can be observed through the sun, moon and stars to determine the position of the orientation and the ship sailing position. Zheng He fleet has been the navigation of astronomical positioning and navigation compass application combined to improve the determination of the accuracy of the ship's position and heading, people say "star pulling". The method of observing and positioning with the "star-guiding board" was to determine the position and direction of the ship and the route by measuring the height of the sky.
This technology represented the world's advanced level of astronomical navigation in that era.
2. Geographic navigation technology
The geographic navigation technology of Zheng He's voyage to the West Ocean was based on the knowledge of marine science and nautical charts, and utilized nautical instruments such as marine compass, rangefinder, depth sounder, and so on, to ensure the ship's sailing routes in accordance with the charts and the needle and road books. When sailing to determine the sailing line, called the needle road. Compass error, not more than 2.5 degrees.
3, "zhenghe nautical charts"
"Zhenghe nautical charts" to be able to pass on, thanks to the late Ming dynasty author mao yuan yi copied in the "martial arts record". The original map was a long scroll, the inclusion of the "Wu Bei Zhi" was changed to book-style, from right to left, there are 20 pages of charts, *** 40, and finally attached to the "over the ocean star map" two. More than 530 place names are recorded in the charts, among which there are 300 names of foreign places, and 16 names of the farthest East African coasts. Cities, islands, navigational signs, beaches, reefs, mountains and shipping routes are marked. Among them, the Nansha Islands (Wansheng Shitangyu), Xisha Islands (Shitang), and Zhongsha Islands (Shixing Shitang) are clearly marked, and in 1947, the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China (ROC) government named the islands and reefs of the South China Sea after Zheng He and others in honor of the great navigator.
The Zheng He Navigation Chart is the world's earliest surviving collection of navigation charts. The map and the same period of the West's most representative Portland charts compared to the "Zheng He nautical charts" mapping a wide range of rich content, although the mathematical accuracy is lower than it, but the practicality of better than the Portland charts. The British Joseph Lee pointed out in the book "the history of Chinese science and technology": on the accuracy of Chinese nautical charts, Mills (Mills) and Blagdon (Blagdon) had made a careful study, both of them are very familiar with the entire Malay Peninsula's coastline, and they made a very high evaluation of the accuracy of the Chinese nautical charts.
The light of China's advanced navigational science and technology reflected in Zheng He's voyage to the West Ocean demonstrated the great wisdom of the ancient Chinese, which led to the creation of Zheng He's great voyage to the West Ocean.