Wealth and strength cannot ignore the sea, wealth is taken from the sea, and danger also comes from the sea - Zheng He
During the reign of the Yongle Emperor, Zheng He traveled to the West seven times as far as the east coast of Africa and the Red Sea.
French scholar Lançois de Bret recorded in his book "Overseas Chinese" that Zheng He said when he persuaded Emperor Mingrenzong Zhu Gaozhi to keep the treasure fleet: "If you want the country to be rich and strong, you must not ignore the sea." Wealth comes from the sea, and danger comes from the sea... Once the king of other countries captures Nanyang, China is in danger. The continental fleet is invincible, and it can be used to expand business and subdue foreign lands, so that it does not dare to covet the South Seas..."
Although Zheng He's words are not much, they are clear and incisive. This is a high-level summary of Zheng Heji's lifelong sailing experience, which profoundly illustrates the strategic importance of the sea to China.
However, the successors of the Yongle Emperor apparently did not realize this problem, and in order to cope with the great pressure of the invasion of the northern frontier, they resumed their defensive and introverted posture on land and sea - closed off the country!
History quietly changed at this moment, and the originally powerful Eastern Dynasty turned from prosperity to decline little by little in the next few hundred years, eventually resulting in the situation that China was invaded by Western powers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries!
The Son of Heaven guards the gates, and the king dies! This is indeed an unyielding national integrity, but it also reflects the military policy of the Ming Dynasty at that time - passive defensive.
Before the Ming Dynasty, most dynasties would be enthusiastic about expanding their territory, and the Han Dynasty had Huo Qu and sealed Wolf Juxu
Huo Qubing sealed the wolf Juxu diagram
During the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin was honored as the Heavenly Khan. Later, during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Southern Dynasty was Han Chinese, and the Northern Dynasty was mostly a minority. After the establishment of the Song Dynasty, it experienced Jingkang shame, and the northern nomads gradually expanded.
Shanhaiguan
In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, the northern border was still very serious. In 1381, the Ming Dynasty began to build Shanhaiguan. Since then, the defensive national policy of the Ming Dynasty has begun, and it has also begun the process of Eastern civilization turning from prosperity to decline. Attack is the best defense, it is clear that the rulers at that time did not understand this truth, and it can also be said that they were short-sighted!
On the other hand, after the founding of New China, the mainland went through the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the Sino-Indian War, the Sino-Soviet Zhenbao Island War, the Sino-Vietnamese War on the Paracel Islands, and the War of Self-Defense and Counterattack against Vietnam. In particular, the opponents of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea and the Sino-Soviet Zhenbao Island Battle were the strongest countries in the world at that time, but the new China at that time did not flinch, even after paying huge sacrifices. Now that China can have such a position in the world, these wars can be described as a great contribution.
Therefore, if you want to strengthen the country, you must not be able to take a corner of peace, close the country, and militarily we should also pursue an active defensive strategy.
This is how danger can be nipped in the bud!
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