Home>News Center>China
       
 

Oceanic odyssey remains a treasure
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-08 01:51

Question for the ages: Who circumnavigated the globe 87 years before Italian explorer Cristopher Columbus (1451-1506) and 114 years before Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)?

Answer: Zheng He (1371-1433) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The ancient Chinese mariner travelled to the West seven times from 1405 to 1433, sailing more than 50,000 kilometres and visiting 37 countries and regions.

Historical studies suggest his expeditions were unsurpassable among his contemporaries in terms of the size of the fleets, the navigation technology, the duration and organization.


A waxwork of ancient Chinese mariner Zheng He (1371-1433) [newsphoto]
That tells why Zheng He is still remembered today as one of the world's greatest navigators and a source of pride for the whole Chinese nation.

To prepare to mark the 600th anniversary of Zheng's first voyage next year, the country has set up a directorate headed by Minister of Communications Zhang Chunxian to stage a massive celebration.

On July 11, 1405, Zheng set sail on his first oceanic odyssey with a fleet of 208 ships and 27,800 sailors.

Xu Zuyuan, vice-minister of communications, told a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office that colourful commemorative activities have been planned for the anniversary.

They include a commemoration conference to be held in Beijing next July, an exhibition and a TV feature programme on Zheng's extraordinary navigational feats.

Meanwhile, Shanghai will hold an international maritime expo between July 8 and July 15, 2005 and a series of national contests, seminars and international symposiums will be organized around the country between now and 2005.

Xu said the festivities are will "carry forward the fine Chinese tradition of loving peace and fostering good-neighbourly relations to promote world peace and social development.

"During his seven voyages to the West, Zheng He treated other countries with friendship and respect instead of occupying a single piece of land, establishing a fortress or seizing any treasure," Xu noted.

The official extended invitations to all interested parties from across the globe to participate in the commemoration and to share their research on the royal eunuch daring expeditions.

During his 28-year naval career, Zheng sailed from China to places in the South Pacific, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf and Africa, according to historical documents.

The flagship of his fleet, named the "Treasure Ship," was a four-storey, nine-masted vessel measuring 440 feet, nearly 1.5 times the length of a football fields and five times that of Columbus's ship.

Zheng He's journeys also stimulated a number of important maritime inventions, including central rudders, watertight compartments and various new types of sails.

In fact, Zheng He is so renowned in the world's marine navigation history that some researchers have argued it was Zheng rather than Columbus who discovered America first.

Gavin Menzies, a retired British Royal Naval Submarine Commanding Officer, put forward the theory in his book, "1421: The Year China Discovered the World."

In the book published in 2002, Menzies cited overwhelming evidence to support his concept that Chinese ships under the command of Zheng reached America 70 years before Columbus, who sailed across the Atlantic to reach America in 1492.

Asked to comment on the engrossing concept, vice-minister Xu said, Menzies' idea "is still under academic research and an uniformed conclusion has yet to be reached on it."

Xu, however, expressed his sincere admiration and appreciation about Menzies' extensive research on Zheng navigational pursuits.



 
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

Bird flu case rated 'isolated' occurrence

 

   
 

HK's health chief quits over SARS

 

   
 

Japan's sea exploration sparks tension

 

   
 

Power shortage: 6,400 factories to go off-line

 

   
 

Flooding kills 288 in 22 areas across China

 

   
 

Bribery involved in Xi'an lottery fraud

 

   
  Bird flu case rated 'isolated' occurrence
   
  Bribery involved in Xi'an lottery fraud
   
  Oceanic odyssey remains a treasure
   
  `Care For Girls' gaining momentum
   
  Online games to clean up their action
   
  Sewage fees not job of gov't?
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  When will china have direct elections?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 四虎影视永久在线精品免费| 国产青草亚洲香蕉精品久久| 亚洲AV色香蕉一区二区三区蜜桃| 精品99在线观看| 国产在线国偷精品免费看| 97日日碰曰曰摸日日澡| 手机在线看片你懂得| 亚洲人成影院在线无码按摩店| 精品亚洲综合在线第一区| 国产大乳喷奶水在线看| 884aa四虎在线| 好湿好紧好痛a级是免费视频| 久久午夜电影网| 欧美伊香蕉久久综合类网站| 免费a级毛片在线播放| 蜜芽忘忧草二区老狼果冻传媒| 国产精品久久自在自线观看| chinesefemdom444| 成人欧美一区二区三区视频| 久久精品一区二区| 欧美性猛交xxxx黑人| 人妻熟妇乱又伦精品视频| 羞羞漫画成人在线| 国产成人av在线免播放观看| 67194国产精品免费观看| 女女互揉吃奶揉到高潮视频 | 亚洲一区二区三区无码中文字幕 | 国产成人十八黄网片| 777精品视频| 天堂久久久久久中文字幕| 中文字幕中文字幕| 日本高清免费中文在线看| 亚洲一级毛片在线播放| 欧美黄色一级视频| 众多明星短篇乱淫小说| 精品无码成人网站久久久久久| 国产乱码卡一卡2卡三卡四| 成人污视频网站| 国产精品久久久久9999高清| 91精品国产9l久久久久| 天堂成人在线观看|