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Zheng He

Explorer Zheng He, 1371–1433

Zheng He


 California Standard 5.2.1 Describe the entrepreneurial characteristics of early explorers (e.g., Christopher Columbus, Francisco V?quez de Coronado) and the technological developments that made sea exploration by latitude and longitude possible (e.g., compass, sextant, astrolabe, seaworthy ships, chronometers, gunpowder). 

Ma He was born to a poor Muslim family in Southern China. When Ma He was ten, Chinese soldiers kidnapped him. They took Ma He to a prince. He became a loyal servant of the prince.

DragonThe prince became emperor of China and made Ma He in charge of the Chinese navy. He also gave him a new name, Zheng He. The new admiral was almost eight feet tall.

Zheng He was an explorer. He is called the Chinese Christopher Columbus. The huge ship Zheng sailed was called a "swimming dragon." Over his life, Zheng made seven journeys to the West.

 

Explore History

Find out more about Zheng He's life and sea exploration by viewing this time line.

The Big Picture

Both Zheng He and Christopher Columbus explored new worlds. Zheng He sailed about 80 years before Columbus. He also commanded a larger ship and fleet. See the size of Columbus's ship compared with Zheng He's huge "swimming dragon."

Primary Sources

On Zheng He and his crew's second voyage to Sri Lanka, they erected an inscribed tablet. Read what was inscribed on the stone.