During the Ming Dynasty, Malacca existed independently as a kingdom. It is famous for its famous sea route, the Strait of Malacca, which is a maritime fortress connecting east and west, strategic location and importance. Today, malacca can still see the traces of Zheng He's voyage to the West, where there are replicas of Zheng He's treasure ships, storefronts with countless Chinese signs, various jade, calligraphy and painting and wood carving crafts, and ancestral halls, which are ancient buildings that are difficult to find in China. It is said that the Chinese who lived here are some of the crew members left behind when Zheng He went to the West, and they have spread out here, and generations of descendants have never returned to their hometown, but they can say in pure Chinese that they are Chinese.
Zheng He's 7 voyages to the West were the most glorious feats in the history of ancient Chinese navigation, and Ming Chengzu ordered a voyage, which was praised in later generations. However, we can examine the description of navigation policy in the history of the Ming Dynasty at that time, and we know that the Ming Dynasty was strictly forbidden to the sea, so why did Ming Chengzu send Zheng He to the West? Some people have verified that Ming Chengzu's move was to find the unaccounted for Emperor Jianwen, and after the Battle of Jingnan, Emperor Jianwen's body has not been found, so some people speculate that he may have gone south or flowed overseas. Since Emperor Jianwen was not only loved by the people of Middle-earth, but also recognized by the neighboring countries of China, referring to the orthodox Chinese emperor, after Zhu Di ascended the throne, he was afraid that the people would say that he was a traitor, so he was bound to find Emperor Jianwen and make the latter give him the qualification of emperor in a justified name, so as to facilitate Zhu Di's rule over the rivers and mountains of Middle-earth, and at the same time establish good neighborly and friendly relations with neighboring countries.
Because if it was simply to find the abdicated emperor, Ming Chengzu Zhu Di did not need to order Zheng He to bring a large number of Middle-earth specialties and treasures to southeast Asian countries, carefully considering Ming Chengzu's behavior, it can be seen that his motivation was to envelop these neighboring countries. On the one hand, it made him understand that the emperor of China had changed hands, and on the other hand, in order to promote China's diplomatic cause, he re-established diplomatic relations with overseas countries that had lost contact with the Ming government.
Zheng He and Ming Chengzu Zhu Di Film and television pictures
However, the purpose of establishing diplomatic relations is only one of them, and the effect that Ming Chengzu really wants to create is the international situation in which all countries obey. From 1405 to 1433 AD, Zheng He led the world's largest and most advanced fleet of ships to the West seven times, visited the Indian Ocean, Arabia, and East Africa, and sailed more than 100,000 nautical miles, as far south as Java, as far north as the Arabian Peninsula, as far west as the east coast of Africa, hundreds of warships and tens of thousands of officers and soldiers sailed in the vast Pacific Ocean and indian Ocean, back and forth through the Strait of Malacca, so huge, enough to dominate the coastal countries. This battle is not that Ming Chengzu really wants to invade the surrounding countries, but a deterrent diplomatic strategy to show the prestige of Daming and make the nations dare not underestimate Daming.
If those who are intentionally inclined to Daming can pay tribute every year, those who have no intention of doing so dare not act rashly against Daming. Among them, the Sealand state is typical, Zheng He passed through the small country during the third voyage, the king of Sealand was greedy and wanted to rob Zheng He of his belongings, so he let the prince entangle Zheng He and sent 50,000 troops to rob the fleet, the situation was very critical, Zheng He was bold, only with a force of 2,000 people to capture the palace, captured the king of Sealand alive, sent back to Daming, considering the political factors, the king was not killed, but was sent back to Sealand, and since then this small country has become a loyal fan of the Ming Dynasty. In line with the diplomatic strategy of not offending people and not committing crimes, Zheng He's seven voyages really achieved the effect of highlighting national prestige and promoting Middle-earth. At the same time, it also strengthened the development of China's overseas trade and indirectly contributed to the 100-year prosperity of Malacca and Southeast Asia.
Zheng He
In the process of these 7 voyages to the West, the nautical charts drawn by Zheng He's orders have important academic and geographical value. Although there are many errors, they have played an important role in our understanding of the geography of ancient Asian and African countries. Ming Chengzu probably did not expect that his pioneering deeds could affect overseas for hundreds of years.