The news of a girl from a distant African continent claiming to be a descendant of the Chinese immediately caused an uproar. Zheng He's fleet arrived in Africa 600 years ago, is this girl really a mysterious connection to China? How did her ancestors come to Africa? Did this girl finally realize her dream of finding her roots? How is she doing now? Let's walk into her story and uncover this dusty history.
Mysterious letter
On an ordinary day in 2004, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya welcomed an uninvited guest. A petite, dark-skinned girl timidly walked into the embassy, her name was Sharif. Sharif explained to the staff that she had come to find her roots. The Sharif's family has a legend that their ancestors were Chinese sailors who sailed to the West with Zheng He 600 years ago. Now, Sharif wants to find his long-lost "mother's family" and see where his ancestors once lived.
After hearing Sharif's appeal, the embassy staff was stunned at first, and then fell into deep thought. You must know that Zheng He went to the West 600 years ago, and it is really a mystery whether the crew at that time would really settle and live in Africa. But Sharif's sincerity moved the staff, and they decided to visit the site to find out.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Chongli led the staff to Sharif's hometown of Siyu village on Patai Island. As soon as they met, Sharif's slightly different appearance from the locals caught Guo Chongli's attention. She has a lighter complexion, slightly inward-looking eyes, and a taller nose than the locals. "Could it be that this girl really has a relationship with us?" Guo Chongli had a bold conjecture in his heart.
Sharif's mother warmly received the guests from afar, and she took out a blue and white porcelain bowl that she had always treasured in her family. This small and delicate porcelain bowl is a few years old, but it is still in good condition. The bottom of the bowl is clearly engraved with the words "Ming Xuande", which makes people think of the prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty 600 years ago.
It turned out that Sharif had heard from his mother since he was a child that their ancestors were Chinese sailors who came to Africa with Zheng He's fleet, and that they could not return to their homeland for various reasons, so they started a family here and had children. Sharif's mother said that the family has been passed down from generation to generation, and that they should cherish the porcelain bowl left by their ancestors and not forget their roots.
Sharif's mother also led Guo Chongli and his party to visit Xiyou Village. Surprisingly, this small village is full of Chinese elements. The villagers carry water with a flat pole, grind noodles with stone grinders, and even eat with chopsticks, which is so similar to the customs of life in distant China. What is even more surprising is that there is also an ancient tomb in the village, and the tombstone is impressively engraved with several faintly recognizable Chinese characters.
Under the guidance of the villagers, Guo Chongli came to the beach again. Local fishermen told him that ancient ceramics were often found in the area, some of which were even printed with dragon motifs. Guo Chongli already had the answer in his heart, 600 years ago, Zheng He's fleet did come to this land and left an heir here.
After returning to the embassy, Guo Chongli immediately reported this major discovery to China and began to invite experts and scholars to investigate. Subsequently, a professional team of historians, archaeologists and anthropologists came to the village of Xiyou and began an in-depth and detailed fieldwork.
Through interviews with villagers, excavations of tombs, and identification of cultural relics, experts further confirmed Guo Chongli's judgment. Zheng He's fleet did come to Africa 600 years ago, and some of the crew stayed there. The Sharif family is the descendants of those brave Chinese sailors.
When the news was transmitted back to China, it immediately aroused great repercussions in academic circles and among the people. People marvel at the greatness of that feat 600 years ago, and sigh even more at the ancestors who wandered in other lands. Sharif's story has touched countless Chinese people, and everyone has expressed their desire to help this 600-year-lost "relative" realize his dream of finding his roots.
In this way, with the care and help of all parties, Sharif embarked on a long-awaited trip to China. The moment the plane landed at Beijing's capital airport, tears blurred Sharif's eyes. She finally returned to her ancestors' homeland and fulfilled her dream of finding her roots.
From Kenya to China, it has crossed thousands of rivers and mountains. Sharif's story allows us to see a vivid historical imprint, and the footprints left by those ancestors have long been integrated into the mountains and rivers of other places and become part of the blood of future generations.
Look for evidence of bloodline
After Guo Chongli and his entourage arrived in Xiyou Village, they immediately set out to find evidence of the Sharif family's relationship with China. They first noticed the stark difference in the appearance of Sharif from the locals.
Sharif's skin is lighter than that of the villagers, his eyes are not as deep-set as those of purebred Africans, his nose is high, and his lips are not as thick as others. Her hair, though a little curly, is nowhere near as fluffy and messy as the locals.
"It seems that this girl does have some kind of blood relationship with us Chinese. Guo Chongli thought to himself, so he asked his assistant to take a photo of Sharif and prepare to send it back to China for further ethnographic identification.
Sharif's mother then warmly received the guests and brought out a blue and white porcelain bowl that had been passed down from generation to generation. This small and delicate porcelain bowl is a few years old, but it is still in good condition. The bottom of the bowl is clearly engraved with the four big characters of "Ming Xuande", which makes people think of the prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty 600 years ago.
Sharif's mother said the family had believed for generations that their ancestors were Chinese sailors who came to Africa with Zheng He's fleet. At that time, those sailors could not return to China for various reasons, so they had to take root on the spot, marry wives and have children, and reproduce. In order not to forget their roots, they have been passing down this porcelain bowl to a cherished place.
Hearing this, Guo Chongli already had the answer in his heart, but in order to verify, he decided to continue the in-depth investigation. Sharif's mother then led the group on a tour of the entire village of Siyou.
Surprisingly, this small village is full of Chinese elements. The villagers carry water with a flat pole, grind noodles with stone grinders, and even eat with chopsticks, which is so similar to the customs of life in distant China. What is even more surprising is that there is also an ancient tomb in the village, and the tombstone is impressively engraved with several faintly recognizable Chinese characters.
"This is clearly the grave of our ancestors!" said Sharif's mother, her eyes welling up with tears.
Under the guidance of the villagers, Guo Chongli came to the beach again. Local fishermen told him that ancient ceramics were often found in the area, some of which were even printed with dragon motifs. Guo Chongli couldn't help but think of the magnificent scene of Zheng He's fleet 600 years ago.
After returning to the embassy, Guo Chongli immediately reported this major discovery to China and began to invite experts and scholars to investigate. Subsequently, a professional team of historians, archaeologists and anthropologists came to the village of Xiyou and began an in-depth and detailed fieldwork.
Through interviews with villagers, excavations of tombs, and identification of cultural relics, experts further confirmed Guo Chongli's judgment. Zheng He's fleet did come to Africa 600 years ago, and crews settled there, and the Sharif family was descended from those brave Chinese sailors.
Even more excitingly, in 2017, archaeologists discovered the skeletal remains of three people of Chinese descent near Manda Island. After identification, they speculated that these people did indeed live during Zheng He's voyage to the West. This is undoubtedly the most powerful proof of the Sharif family's origins.
When the news was transmitted back to China, it immediately aroused great repercussions in academic circles and among the people. People marvel at the greatness of that feat 600 years ago, and sigh even more at the ancestors who wandered in other lands. Sharif's story has touched countless Chinese people, and everyone has expressed their desire to help this 600-year-lost "relative" realize his dream of finding his roots.
Cultural exchange across time and space
Sharif finally got his wish and came to China as an international student in 2005. On July 3, she flew from Shanghai to Beijing to attend the premiere of the film "Zheng He Goes to the West". At the scene, Sharif greeted the audience in jerky Chinese for the first time, and specially sang a Kenyan folk song, which won warm applause from the audience.
This girl from Africa was so proficient in using Chinese, which really surprised everyone present. Everyone can't help but think of Zheng He's fleet 600 years ago, when he crossed the ocean to Africa, and now the return of this sailor's descendant to his homeland is really a touching story.
Subsequently, Sharif came to Nanjing and began her study career. When it came time to choose a major, she resolutely chose Chinese medicine. "I want to bring this medicine back to my hometown and help the poor people there. Sharif said.
For the next two years, Sharif studied Chinese diligently and worked hard to improve his Chinese language skills. In her spare time, she often memorized the Analects and read classical Chinese classics, and gradually fell in love with this profound language. Sometimes she also goes to the riverside to overlook the scenery of the ancient city of Nanjing and feel the city's rich cultural heritage.
Two years later, Sharif got his wish and entered Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine for further study. During her time at school, she was diligent and studious, and won many awards, and the teachers and teachers all praised this dark-skinned girl. Five years is not a long time, but it is not a short time, and in the blink of an eye, Sharif is about to graduate.
On September 7, 2012, Sharif returned to his hometown in Kenya from Nanjing with excitement. As one of the first Kenyans to receive a doctorate in traditional Chinese medicine, she is determined to spread the word about the art of traditional Chinese medicine for the benefit of her hometown.
After returning to his hometown, Sharif quickly earned the reputation of "miracle doctor" in the local area with his excellent theoretical skills in traditional Chinese medicine and clinical experience. Not only did she open a clinic in the city, but she also often traveled to remote villages to check the pulse of the poor people there and apply traditional Chinese medicine to them.
Once, a little boy was accidentally bitten by a poisonous snake and was in critical condition. When Sharif arrived, he immediately unblocked his meridians, took antidotes, and finally saved the child. Since then, Sharif's status in the hearts of the villagers has become even more lofty.
In addition to practicing medicine to save people, Sharif also attaches great importance to the spread of Chinese medicine culture. She often organizes lectures to explain the theoretical knowledge of Chinese medicine to the villagers, such as the five elements of yin and yang, and the meridians of the internal organs, so that they can have a preliminary understanding of Chinese medicine.
Sharif also opened a Chinese medicine school in the village to train grassroots Chinese medicine talents. She not only taught the students in person, but also invited Chinese medicine experts from China to give lectures on campus, striving to pass on the treasure of Chinese medicine in its entirety.
In this way, with Sharif's efforts, the culture of Chinese medicine gradually took root and blossomed in this land. The awareness and acceptance of TCM by the local people is also increasing, and the future of TCM development in Kenya is bright.
Sharif's deeds have also attracted great attention from the Chinese government and relevant institutions. In 2018, she received the "Outstanding Contribution Award for China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges" in recognition of her outstanding contributions to promoting China-Africa cultural exchanges.
From a dream of seeking roots to finally becoming an envoy of China-Africa cultural exchanges, Sharif has pushed the friendship between the two peoples to a new height with his practical actions. Her story transcends time and space, sowing the seeds of Chinese civilization to the magical land of Africa, adding new impetus to the friendly relations between the two countries.
A continuation of a legend
Sharif's story is moving in its own right, but it has an impact that goes far beyond that. The experience of this African girl has made the world re-examine the great feat of Zheng He's voyage to the West more than 600 years ago, and also let the people of China and Africa see the source of long-standing friendship.
In the process of searching for Sharif's roots, the experts found a large number of precious artifacts and relics, such as ancient Chinese porcelain and tombstones engraved with Chinese characters, all of which bear witness to the arrival of Zheng He's fleet in Africa. These discoveries not only enrich our understanding of Zheng He's voyage to the West, but also provide new clues and materials for the study of this great expedition.
More importantly, the existence of the Sharif family vividly demonstrates the blood ties between the Chinese and African peoples. Although separated by thousands of oceans, the friendship between the Chinese and African peoples has long been rooted in each other's hearts, but it has been temporarily forgotten with the passage of time. Now, Sharif's story has resurfaced that friendship and illuminated the way for China and Africa to share a common destiny.
It is precisely because of this cherishing of this relationship that the Chinese government attaches great importance to and strongly supports Sharif's journey to find his roots. From approving her to study in China, to sponsoring her to study traditional Chinese medicine, to awarding her the "Outstanding Contribution Award for China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges", along the way, China has interpreted the concept of "one root, one origin, and mutual assistance" with practical actions.
And Sharif did not live up to expectations. She not only brought the treasure of traditional Chinese medicine back to her hometown, but also vigorously spread Chinese culture in Kenya and became an envoy of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. Her story is like a mirror that reflects the past, present and future of China-Africa friendship, and inspires more and more Africans to approach and understand China.
Today, Sharif has established a TCM clinic in her hometown, where she plans to pass on the culture from generation to generation for the benefit of more fellow Africans. At the same time, she is also considering whether there is an opportunity to return to China and relive the good old days of studying.
end
This girl, who once sought her roots, has now become an ambassador of friendship between the two countries. Her story continues, but it is only a personal journey to find her roots, and it is sublimated into a cultural exchange between the two peoples. We have reason to believe that with the efforts of Sharif and emissaries like her, the future of China-Africa friendship will certainly be even more brilliant.