Summary Notes

Background Information
Zheng He was captured by the Ming, served Zhu Di, eventually gain trust of Zhu Di, became
Trusted advisor. Zhu Di soon became emperor, promoted Zheng He to Grand Director (when he
explored)
Overview of Ming Dynasty

Zhu Di in power

Did not favour Confucianism which opposed exploration

China had been through a civil war and imperial treasury was depleted

China needed money wanted to trade with other countries.

Motivations for exploration

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Forge trade and or cordial relationships with other countries

Wanted

to rebuild China from the war

Form alliances with other countries in the Indian Ocean region
Zhu Di wanted to showcase Chinas power
Find new goods and spices that were not available in China but were useful
Spread Chinese influence and traditions.
Process of Exploration
The main reason the ships were large was to impress, or intimidate other countries, since
Types of ships

Fuchuan for travel in the stormy South China Sea and battle at sea, for commanders
Baochuan ( ) treasure ships 127 m long and decorated to show extravagance
Shachuan Specially designed flat-bottomed boats which prevented the boat from
getting stuck in the sand while travelling through shallow waters like the Yellow Sea.

Time

Places covered

14051407

Champa, Java, Malacca,Pahang,Ceylon, Cochin, Calicut

14071409

Champa, Java, Siam, Cochin,Ceylon, Calicut

14091411

Champa,Java, Malacca,, Ceylon, Quilon,Cochin, Calicut, Siam

14131415

Champa, Kelantan, Pahang, Java, Palembang,Malacca, Bengal,

Maldives, Ceylon,Cochin,Calicut, Mogadishu

14171419

Champa, Pahang, Java, Malacca, Bengal, Ceylon, Cochin, Calicut,

Hormuz, Maldives, Mogadishu, Barawa, Malindi, Aden

14211422

Champa, Ceylon, Calicut Cochin, Maldives, Hormuz, Aden,

Mogadishu

14301433

Champa, Java, Palembang, Malacca, Andaman and Nicobar

Islands, Bengal, Ceylon, Calicut,Hormuz,Aden, Maldive Islands
Aden, Mecca, Mogadishu

Attached at the back of this handout is a map of Zheng Hes travels.

Impacts of Zheng Hes Exploration

Good impacts
1. Improve intercontinental travel skills, and or geological mapping methods etc.
2. Introduced more goods into the country that helped to vastly improve the quality of life
of people
Area of improvement

Example

Medicine

Rhinoceros horn to help cure fevers

Food

Spices - cinnamon, pepper, ginger

Architecture/building materials

black bamboo, lakawood, elephant ivory

3. P
rompted important trade relationships with other countries
4. Controlled a monopoly of foreign trade due to the Chinese being accustomed to foreign trade
5. Showed off the Ming Dynastys power by showcasing their massive fleet, so as to make other
countries be impressed, so that they would trade with them, or side with them.
6. Influenced Maritime ports and foreign trade in Asia
7. Made findings of the routes he travelled and gave his findings to the emperor.
8. Opened up trade routes.
9. China formed alliances with these trading countries

10. The Chinese government made profits from the trade.

11. Zheng He was made a god and many people worshipped him.
Bad Impacts
1. Confucian advisors felt Zheng Hes exploration had come to nothing and a lot of money time and
effort was wasted on him.
2. Hence, the Confucian advisors created more laws on the building of ships to stifle exploration.
3. Eventually, the number of ships in the Ming Navy decreased by more than 50% in order to fit the
laws given.
4. China was now open to attacks from pirates.
Conclusion:
Despite all the bad impacts, Zheng Hes exploration was for the better. The trade relationships
Zheng He had helped China forge with other countries and the flow of new products that came
in to China, creating diversity and variety, outweighed the consequences of being raided by
pirates.