Page 344 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

civil learning, Zheng grew to heroic stature and exotic flora and fauna that heads of tropical and then only to restore a displaced legitimate
found his vocation in military service, showing states could submit in tribute or supply by ruler, to protect his landing party from attack,
great ability under Zhu Di's command in cam- trade. Probably for a combination of such rea- or to put down banditry. Many of the rulers
paigns against the Mongols along the northern sons the Yongle emperor decided in 1404 to whose courts he visited volunteered to return
borders of China in the 13905. He was trusted, launch an expedition that would call on the with him to China; they were received at court,
and assigned to ever more important posts. rulers of the innumerable small states between lavished with gifts, and allowed to return to
Having assisted Zhu Di in the civil war of 1399- the Indochinese peninsula and the coasts of their countries, often carried back on Zheng
1402, he was in line for leading assignments India; the stated purpose of this expedition was He's next voyage. Much of East and South Asia
when his master ascended the throne. He was to establish relations that would bring those as well as the Middle East and the eastern
noted for his imposing appearance, courage, and rulers to his court as bearers of tribute, therein shores of Africa were made aware of China in a
sagacity. acknowledging a vague and politically insignifi- new and more immediate way.
The Yongle emperor sat uneasily on the cant but ritually valued form of suzerainty. The first expeditionary force (1405-1407)
throne he had usurped; his predecessor, a Unlike Columbus and da Gama, Zheng He was comprised 317 ships and carried 27,870 men. It
nephew, was officially said to have died in the not sent to make war, to claim territory, or to stopped in Java and along the Straits of Malacca,
fighting for the palaces in Nanjing, but many impose imperial rule on any people, but his then visited Indian ports before reaching its
believed he had in fact fled. Could he have gone awesome armada undoubtedly persuaded those principal destination, the court of the King of
overseas with sympathetic Chinese seafaring who might otherwise have been inclined to Calicut on the Malabar Coast. On the return
merchants, from which refuge he might return reject the Chinese approach to international voyage Zheng He was forced to put down a
to reclaim his throne? It has been said that relations. At the same time, employing his pirate uprising in Sri Vijaya (present-day
Zheng He's sea voyages were organized in part noted diplomatic skills, he ceremoniously Palembang, in Sumatra); he captured the pirate
to hunt for him. Whatever truth there may be bestowed rich gifts in the name of the Son of chief, an overseas Chinese, and took him back to
in that tale, the new emperor must also have Heaven, bringing the aura of China's magnifi- Nanjing, where he was tried and beheaded. 19
wished to validate his reign and elevate the cence into the daily life —and the political con- The second voyage (1407-1409) was a rela-
prestige of his dynasty by displaying China's siderations—of dozens of petty statelets. Only tively unimportant ceremonial visit to the court
power among neighboring states. He was also thrice during his seven great expeditions did of Calicut, to attend the installation of a new
interested in the rare products, treasures, and this skillful diplomat resort to military action, king. This was the one voyage Zheng He orga-

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