In terms of the military strength of the ancient dynasties, the Ming Dynasty is absolutely second to none. Starting with Zhu Yuanzhang, all the emperors led by example, and the soldiers were not willing to show weakness. Especially during the Zhu Di period, Zheng He went to the West seven times, and various countries submitted to this.
When it comes to Zheng He's voyage to the West, historians have different conclusions. Some people think that this is to promote the prestige of our Ming Dynasty, others think it is to use trade to make money, and others think that it is to find the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen.
In any case, "Zheng He went to the West" is definitely a "banner" of China's Ming Dynasty, which tells the world about the strength of the Ming Dynasty, and also makes future generations realize the boldness and foresight of the ancients. Nowadays, countless Chinese people are even more proud and proud.
Of course, doing anything requires goals, ability, and the motivation to combine the first two. With the passing of Zheng He, the activities in the Western Ocean, which had lost its goal, gradually declined in ability, and had no motivation, naturally came to an abrupt end.
Many later generations have also made such a hypothesis, if going to the West brought about a normal cross-ocean trade activity for the whole people like the Tang and Song dynasties in the north and the south, rather than tributary trade, what would the world history take shape today?
This trip to the ocean not only publicized the prestige of the country, but also brought back many precious items from foreign countries to the Central Plains, which greatly promoted the exchange and development between the Ming Dynasty and the outside world, and the emperor also greatly rewarded these people.
In addition to these crew members, there is a special group of people, they are more than half a hundred years old old women. This is also confusing: why only take the old woman and not the girl? At first, these crew members were also dissatisfied, but later they learned of Zheng He's good intentions.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="4" > rewrite fate</h1>
Man's fate is never predestined, it needs to be rewritten by ourselves, and Zheng He uses his own practical actions to show this sentence vividly.
At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He was captured by the Ming army and taken to Nanjing during the battle to destroy the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty in Yunnan, and has since left his hometown. At this time, Zheng He had no spiritual home, and he didn't know what to do?
The emperor of the Ming Dynasty did not pity him because of his origin, but asked him to serve in the palace. In this way, Zheng He's identity changed again, from a prisoner to a eunuch.
The more experienced, the more naturally he knew, and Zheng He began to pay attention everywhere. By chance, he went north with his army to join Zhu Di's army, and in the later Battle of Jingnan, Zheng He made great achievements for the latter.
Zhu Di needs a confidant, he is willing to be that confidant, Zhu Di needs a general, he is willing to be that general. Zheng He was affirmed by Zhu Di and became the first eunuch in the Yan King's palace, also known as the "Three Treasure Eunuchs".
At that time, Zheng He was also surnamed "Ma", that is, Ma He, and after being appreciated by Zhu Di, he was re-given the surname by Zhu Di. Imagine: How much recognition does a man have to receive a surname from the emperor?
From then on, Zheng He's life began to counterattack all the way, ordered to sacrifice Zhu Di's nursing mother Feng Shi, published the "Buddha Says Moritz Sutra", etc., and began to govern the various internal affairs of the imperial court for Zhu Di, which can even be called "one person under ten thousand people".
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="6" > ocean overseas</h1>
After the Battle of Jingnan, Zhu Di seized power and became the "Yongle Emperor", but the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen were never found. As a dynasty leader of the Divine Land, there must be a little panic in my heart. There is no Daming in the territory, so where might he hide?
At that time, some court ministers suggested sending people to look for it, and Zhu Di also considered it. After weighing the pros and cons, Zhu Di never made up his mind. If I do this, will others think that I am afraid of Zhu Yunjiao?
After consultation, he decided to send people to the ocean on the grounds of "expanding the territory and promoting national prestige", and this time the target was also obvious, that is, the surrounding Southeast Asian countries. On the one hand, let these small countries submit, on the other hand, this is the most likely hiding place for Emperor Jianwen.
For such an important matter, it is necessary to send the person he trusts the most, so that Zheng He will become the "best candidate" for peace. Although he did not have much sailing experience, he was full of confidence in the mission.
Zhu Di took the matter very seriously and ordered the construction of ships that subverted the previous shipbuilding tradition. The first is that it is very large, able to accommodate thousands of people, which many historians believe is no different from "modern iron armor", of course, the technical level is not included.
As the "chief" of this mission, Zheng He obviously had his own plans in mind. While there are some unavoidable risks, they must be kept to a minimum. There are farmers, there are breeders, and so on, all of which Zheng He considers.
However, what surprised and dissatisfied everyone was that many old women were brought, and some people also ran to Zhu Di to complain, saying that Zheng He could not bear this heavy responsibility. You don't have to say that people really have a deep meaning in arranging this arrangement.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="8" > its own reason</h1>
Old women, that is, old women. This long trip did not end in a moment and a half, and Zheng He had to think of all possibilities. Don't underestimate this group of people, they are the most critical group in the whole seafaring army.
After two months of sailing, many of the crew encountered unsatisfactory situations. In a foreign country, there is no one to take care of, and the old woman in this case has taken on this heavy responsibility, which is exactly what Zheng He considered;
This group of people is strictly selected, and the purpose is to better ensure the implementation of the task. Cooking soup and boiling medicine, there is no one they will not, who would have thought that these things would happen?
Secondly, the voyage lasted for 28 years, and no matter how large the size of the ship, it was far from enough supplies for your life, especially in terms of clothing. In this case, another role of the old woman is reflected, that is, sewing clothes;
Not only that, Zheng He also deliberately brought some "midwives". Since this mission has begun, it must be done to the best. They sailed to countries such as Southeast Asia, with the aim of bringing more advanced medical techniques to the region.
At that time, many countries in Southeast Asia would lose two lives due to the lack of technology in the delivery of children. Zheng He's voyage this time, to completely make them "surrender" spiritually, then help them free of charge, this is precisely where Zheng He's cleverness lies.
In order to show their gratitude to Zheng He's fleet, many countries offered a large amount of gold and silver treasures. In fact, putting aside these feedback products, it is also a kind of "deterrence" to these countries.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="10" > written at the end</h1>
In the eyes of some people, Zheng He's voyage to the West did not have any practical significance. Imagine: Without Zheng He going to the West, how could there be the "Age of Great Navigation"? How many people will realize the importance of expanding the sea route? This has important implications for the whole world.
Since this time, the pattern of the stage of civilization limited to Eurasia has finally been broken, and the East and the West have begun to enter a new period of mutual understanding, and the clash and integration of civilizations have penetrated into various spaces around the world, which is related to the stability and rise and fall of various countries.
In particular, the opening of the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean shipping route laid the foundation for the coming of thousands of Western missionaries to China after the end of the Ming Dynasty, and also paved the way for the Ming people to re-understand the world and the ocean, and Zheng He's deeds are worth remembering by everyone.
I'm Sokoto, thank you for reading. If you're also interested in culture, you might as well keep an eye on me.