The story of Zheng He's voyage to the West must be known to everyone. During the Years of Yongle and Xuande in the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He went to the West seven times in nearly thirty years. Zheng He's voyage to the West was the largest, largest number of ships and seafarers, and the longest sea voyage in ancient China, and established contacts with many countries and regions in the world, showing superb shipbuilding technology and navigation technology, and also took an important step towards ancient China's exploration of the world at that time.
Before Zheng He's seventh, last trip to sea, there was a bronze bell cast for the blessing of this voyage, with a height of 83 centimeters, a caliber of 49 centimeters, a thickness of 2 centimeters, and a weight of 77 kilograms, which is now in the collection of the National Museum of China.
This bell is brownish green, cauldron-shaped, sunflower mouth; the bell button is a double dragon handle, the surface of the bell shoulder is embossed with twelve groups of cloud qi ruyi patterns, the middle of the abdomen is motifed with the cloud water wave pattern, and also cast with inscriptions, bagua, cloud thunder and other characters; the main pattern is decorated with a week of bagua patterns, a total of five groups, of which the second and fourth groups are each cast with the inscriptions of "Guotai Min'an" and "Wind and Rain Shun". The inscription on the lower part of the bronze bell reads: "On the auspicious day of the midsummer of the sixth year of the Great Ming Xuande, the eunuchs Zheng He, Wang Jinghong and other officials and soldiers, etc., forged a bronze bell with their hearts, and provided for eternal life, praying for the return of the West to peace and auspiciousness." "This bell is simple in shape, beautifully decorated and well-cast, and Wang Jinghong hangs the bronze bell at the Snow Mountain Temple in Yangshan Mountain.
In the sixth year of Xuande (1431 AD), Zheng He was ordered to sail to the "Western Ocean" for the seventh time, and before Zheng He went to the Western Ocean every time, the huge fleet he led generally had to assemble in the area of Wuhumen in Changle, Fujian Province, make various preparations, and wait for the northeast monsoon to come before setting sail. While waiting for the monsoon, Zheng He, accompanied by his deputy Wang Jinghong, a Fujian native, went to temples across Fujian to perform incense and almsgiving. In May, it arrived at Nanping Town along the Minjiang River, cast this bronze bell to give to the Sanqing Treasure Hall of Changle Nanshan, praying for the safety of the sea voyage, so it is also called the Bronze Bell of the Three Qing Treasure Hall. In November, he set sail away from Changle. Originally placed in Nanping City, Fujian Province, Maodi Yichao Village about 5 miles outside the Three Treasure Hall, after the hall was destroyed and moved into the Yichao Village Huaguang Temple.
On this voyage, Zheng He's fleet traveled west from Zhubu to the southern tip of Africa, close to the Mozambique Strait. It is recorded that Zheng He died during this voyage. The bronze bell inscription clearly records the history of Zheng He's seventh voyage to the West, which is of great significance and is one of the rare physical materials commemorating Zheng He's voyage to the West.
(All photos taken by Yang Xiaojun)
Source: Cultural Tourism China