Those things in the Ming Dynasty (full) Those Things in the Ming Dynasty Part 2 Ten Thousand Kingdoms Come to the Dynasty _ Chapter 4 There will be no Zheng He after Zheng He
Those Things in the Ming Dynasty Part 2 Ten Thousand Kingdoms Come to the Dynasty _ Chapter 4 There will be no Zheng He after Zheng He
We have introduced before that Zhu Di sent two groups of people to find Emperor Jianwen, one was Hu Hui. We have already talked about him. Many people are not familiar with Hu Hui's life. This is not surprising, because he was engaged in
It's a secret job, and it's not good to publicize it.
But the fate of the other group of people was completely different. Not only was it famous at that time, but it also left a name in history and will be remembered through the ages. This is the famous Zheng He fleet and their seven voyages to the Western Ocean.
They are both carrying out a secret mission, but the circumstances are so different. We can't help but ask: We are the same people, why is the gap so big?
There are many reasons, such as the size of the team, additional missions, etc., but in my opinion, the greatest credit for achieving such a feat should go to the commander of this fleet, the great Zheng He.
The word "great" cannot be overstated when used on Zheng He. He was not a member of the royal family, nor did he have a prominent family background, but he used his own efforts and wisdom to create a legend - a Chinese maritime legend. Before Zheng He
There have been countless princes and generals in history, and there will be many more after him, but there is only one Zheng He.
After Zheng He, there will be no more Zheng He.——Liang Qichao
Let us introduce the magnificent life of this great navigator.
Zheng He was born in the fourth year of Hongwu (1371). His original name was Ma Sanbao. He was from Yunnan. He was smart and studious since he was a child. What's even more rare is that he had a strong interest in navigation since he was a child. Ordinarily, navigation was not a popular subject in China at that time.
, and Yunnan is not a place to go to the sea. Why did Zheng He like sailing?
This is because Zheng He was a devout Muslim. His grandfather and father both believed in Islam, and all Muslims have the greatest wish in their hearts - to make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
Pilgrimage to Mecca is the biggest wish of Muslims all over the world. The believers living in Mecca are lucky because they can always look up to the holy land. However, for Zheng He at that time, this was really not an easy task.
Mecca is in today's Saudi Arabia. Interested friends can connect Mecca with Yunnan on the map and then multiply by the scale to know how far away they are. Fortunately, his family's economic conditions are not bad.
Both his grandfather and father had been to Mecca. When Zheng He was a child, his father often told him about the thrilling experiences of sailing across the waves, trekking through mountains and rivers during the pilgrimage, and the strange people and strange things in foreign lands thousands of miles away. These deeply impressed him.
It influenced Zheng He.
It is precisely because of this that the young Zheng He was different from other children of his age. He did not sit at his desk and recite the words of sages day after day in order to achieve fame in the future. Instead, he worked hard to exercise, study and sail.
Relevant knowledge, because in his heart, he has such a belief: one day, he will surely ride the wind and waves to make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
If his life continues like this, maybe in more than ten years, he will be able to realize his wish, fulfill the long-cherished wish of an ordinary Muslim, and then live an ordinary life.
However, some people are destined not to live an ordinary life. Great missions and careers seem to have to be completed by these people chosen by God, even if sometimes in a very cruel way.
In the fourteenth year of Hongwu (1381), Fu Youde and Lan Yu followed the orders of Zhu Yuanzhang and went on an expedition to Yunnan. The Ming army was so powerful that it took only half a year to pacify the entire territory of Yunnan. It was this expedition that changed Zheng He's fate. By the way,
In a sentence, in this battle, Qi Xiang, a general in the Ming army, was killed. His sacrifice earned his family a hereditary military position and changed the fate of his family. From then on, his descendants practiced martial arts for generations. This man
Qi Xiang is just an unknown person. The reason why I want to mention him here is because he has a very promising descendant - Qi Jiguang.
History is really elusive.
For the Ming government and Zhu Yuanzhang, this was just one of countless expeditions, but for Zheng He, this expedition was a turning point in his life, a painful and unknown turning point.
After the war, many children became prisoners of war. Supposedly, prisoners of war were just prisoners of war, and they were just forced to work as coolies. However, at that time, there was an extremely cruel practice for treating child prisoners of war - castration.
The purpose of this practice is self-evident, and it is hard to bear to say more. Ma Sanbao, who is only eleven years old, is one of these unfortunate children.
It is not difficult for us to imagine Ma Sanbao's pain back then. Countless dreams seemed to have left him. However, history has told us countless times that the beginning of tragedy is often also the starting point of glory.
Tragedy or glory, it just depends on you and whether you are strong.
From then on, this eleven-year-old boy began to fight with the Ming army in all directions. The wind and snow in the north and the yellow sand of the desert left his traces everywhere. At his age, he should have been playing and having fun at home, but suddenly he changed.
He became a member of the war, running on the battlefield where rivers of blood flowed and corpses lay everywhere. Swords and spears replaced wooden horses and dolls. In the military camp, no one would treat him as a child, and no one would go there.
Take care of him. In a war, no one can guarantee that he will survive tomorrow, so the only one who can take care of him is himself.
But how can an eleven-year-old take care of himself?
We can't imagine how much hardship Ma Sanbao endured, how many times he escaped from death, but what we know is that the tragic experience did not erase the hope and belief in his heart. He survived tenaciously and finally became
the great Zheng He.
Summarizing the childhood experiences of famous people in history (such as Zhu Yuanzhang, etc.), we can conclude that it is not a bad thing to suffer more when you were young.
After spending five years of a homeless life, he met someone who influenced his life, that person was Zhu Di.
Zhu Di was still the King of Yan at that time. He took a liking to this taciturn but resolute-eyed young man at a glance, and chose him to be his personal bodyguard. From then on, Ma Sanbao followed Zhu Di and became his confidant.
Gold will shine wherever it goes. Ma Sanbao is a man destined to achieve great things. In the subsequent Battle of Jingnan, he followed Zhu Di through life and death and made great achievements. As we have introduced before, in the Battle of Zhengcunba
, Zhu Di adopted his strategy and defeated Li Jinglong's seventh battalion in a row, defeating the Southern Army.
Zhu Di also got to know this personal guard again. In the first year of Yongle (1403), after Zhu Di ascended the throne, he immediately appointed Ma Sanbao as the eunuch of the internal official. This was already the highest official position of the internal official. In the second year of Yongle (1404), Zhu Di granted him the title of eunuch.
His greater honor was given the surname "Zheng". Later, he changed his name to Zheng He. This name is destined to shine in the annals of history.
You must know that giving a surname by the emperor was the highest honor in the Ming Dynasty. Later, after Zheng Chenggong was given a surname by the emperor, he regarded it as the greatest honor in his life. His subordinates also called him "Master of the surname of the country", which shows that Zhu Di has great respect for Zheng He.
of high evaluation.
It is not uncommon for God to reward you with more suffering if he wants you to suffer. Zheng He was highly used by Zhu Di and became a popular figure in the court. As a minister of Zhu Di, he has gained many benefits that others would never dare to imagine.
The glory of Zheng He must have been satisfied with it back then.
But destiny seems to be destined to make him a legend, to make him famous throughout the ages. A greater mission and glory will befall him, and a greater career will be waiting for him to start.
set sail
Zhu Di had a deep-seated purpose in arranging Zheng He to go to sea. In addition to looking for Emperor Jianwen, Zheng He also shouldered the mission of conquering the world and being ambitious. This can be regarded as an old tradition in Chinese history. Any powerful dynasty, There must be some such actions, such as the Silk Road that connected the east and west during the Han Dynasty, and the many overseas students from developing and underdeveloped countries who came to my country to learn advanced science, culture and technology during the Tang Dynasty. These are all manifestations of this tradition.
China is strong and admired by all nations. This is probably the biggest dream of emperors in history. Historically, China did not have many territorial claims. This is because we have always been very conceited. The heaven is above the country and everything is abundant, so why bother to rob others?
Rags and rags?
But as the saying goes, the edge will be revealed one day, and the glory of China, which is powerful in the East, cannot be concealed. When its advancement and civilization are recognized by the world, the moment of conquering the world will naturally come.
To be honest, when China was strong and powerful, although it had territorial disputes and wars with foreign countries due to the expansion of its power (such as the war between Tang Dynasty and Arabia), it also launched wars against neighboring countries (such as the war against Goryeo).
But overall, China's foreign policy is relatively open-minded. We generously provide help to outsiders and spread the advanced scientific and cultural achievements of the Chinese nation to all parts of the world. The four great inventions are the biggest examples.
Taken together, we can use four words to describe the tradition and purpose of China’s ambitious people:
Conquer people with virtue.
Now China has become a powerful country again. After a long period of war and recovery, as well as the hard work and hard work of several emperors who can be called labor models, the land of China has become a truly peaceful and prosperous age. The people live and work in peace and contentment, and the national food supply
There is enough silver, it's time to do something.
What else is around our huge country? This is a question that every powerful dynasty is interested in. The Ming Empire was a powerful dynasty, and the land area around the Ming Empire has been formed by expeditions during the heyday of the Han and Tang Dynasties.
The heroes discovered that, in comparison, the long coastline of the empire is more likely to arouse people's imagination. What kind of world is there on the other side of the broad sea?
The first thing that catches people’s eyes is the West. It should be noted that the term West had a different meaning in the Ming Dynasty than it does today. The so-called West at that time was actually what is now Nanyang. Although previous dynasties also sent ships to sail to these areas.
, but it was just a relatively simple action and did not have a big impact. People were not very clear about what was on the other side of the sea, and Zhu Di, the ruler of the now powerful Ming Empire, was a unique person.
Therefore, he is considered one of the rare wise monarchs in history, not because he is kind or kind, but because he has done many things that have never been done by anyone in history.
Now, Zhu Di will entrust Zheng He to complete something that has never been done in history. This is an honor and a great trust.
No matter from which point of view, Zheng He is the most suitable candidate. He not only has rich navigation knowledge, but also has been tested in wars. He has high military literacy and a tenacious character. Finally, he will go to many Western countries.
They all believed in Islam, and Zheng He himself was a devout Muslim.
It is said that this is just a navigation mission. Why send a diverse talent like Zheng He? However, it turns out that what Zheng He has to face on this voyage is not just the sea.
History will remember this day. On June 15, the third year of Yongle (July 11, 1405), Zheng He set sail from Wuhumen, Fujian, and began the greatest voyage in Chinese history. Zheng He stood on the bow of the ship,
Looking at the huge fleet about to set off and the vast sea in front of them.
He understood his mission and responsibilities on this voyage, but he did not know that at this moment, he was creating a piece of history that would be praised by future generations forever.
His heart was filled with excitement. The sea he had longed for since childhood was now in front of him, waiting for him to conquer! A great journey was about to begin!
Set sail!
Armada
We have repeatedly used the word fleet to refer to Zheng He's fleet before. It seems a bit exaggerated. How can a fleet that is both diplomatic and searching for people be called a fleet? But after reading the following introduction, I believe you will agree.
, except fleet, there is really no other word to describe his fleet.
Thanks to Chen Youliang, the hero of the generation, Zhu Yuanzhang attached great importance to shipbuilding technology. It is no wonder that Lao Zhu suffered a lot in the water battle with Lao Chen and almost lost his life. With his encouragement, Ming Ming
The shipbuilding technology of the dynasty has developed greatly. According to historical records, the largest of Zheng He's ships at that time was called the treasure ship. How big was this ship? "The big one was forty-four feet long and eighteen feet wide."
"The middle one is thirty-seven feet long and fifteen feet wide." You can do your own calculations. According to this length, Zheng He could hold a sports meeting after sailing, and setting up a 100-meter track would definitely not be a problem.
The sail of this ship is by no means the single sail we saw on TV. What is unimaginable is that it has twelve sails! Its anchor and rudder are also huge, and they need to be rotated when turning.
It takes hundreds of people shouting slogans and working together to make it move. In the 1950s, Nanjing City excavated the Ming Dynasty treasure ship manufacturing site and unearthed a wooden pole. This wooden pole was 11 meters long. The question is: This wooden pole is
Which part of the ship is it?
The appraisal conclusion came out, leaving everyone stunned. This wooden pole was not the mast as expected, but a rudder!
If you don't understand what this concept is, I can explain what a mast is. Everyone should know that the so-called rudder stock is just the control linkage rod of the ship's rudder blade. After calculation, the height of the rudder blade connected to this rudder stock is about six
About meters. That means the rudder blade of this ship is three stories high!
Aircraft carrier, a veritable aircraft carrier.
This kind of treasure ship is the main ship of Zheng He's fleet, which is what we usually call the flagship. In addition, there are horse ships specially used for transportation, warships used for combat, grain ships used to transport food, and special ships used in major ships.
A watercraft used to transport people between ships.
Zheng He led such a fleet, and it truly deserves its name.
This is the situation of Zheng He's fleet, so how many people did he bring to the Western Ocean?
"There are more than 27,800 soldiers."
To be honest, judging from this number, this fleet does not look like it is looking for people or doing diplomacy. It is very suspicious that it is out to find trouble and fight. But the facts tell us that this is indeed a fleet.
A friendly fleet, wherever it goes, there is no war or blood, only peace and friendship.
Being strong but not bullying, powerful but not hegemonic, this is the magnanimity and heritage of a great country and nation.
Zheng He's fleet sailed south, first arriving at Champa. Then they sailed south from Champa and arrived in Java (Indonesia's Java Island) half a month later. This place is an important stronghold in the Strait of Malacca, and anyone who goes to Africa from the Strait of Malacca must pass through it.
This place, at that time, was also a densely populated place with rich products. Of course, there was no unified Indonesian government at that time. And to this day, we still don’t know who composed the island’s government at that time.
After Zheng He's fleet arrived here, it wanted to continue heading south, but a tragedy suddenly occurred and the fleet's voyage was forced to stop. Zheng He would face the first difficult test in his sailing career.
The thing is like this, there were two kings who ruled Java at that time, and they were at war with each other. According to historical records, they were the "Eastern King" and the "Western King". As for who they were, it was also a confusing account. Anyway, they were the "Eastern King" and the "Western King".
The "Western King" defeated the "Eastern King". After the "Eastern King" was defeated, the country was also destroyed. The "Western King" was preparing to settle accounts after autumn. At this time, Zheng He's fleet passed through the territory of the "Eastern King", and the "Western King"
His men were so furious that they killed more than 170 sailors who landed on the fleet without even looking carefully.
After Zheng He learned the news, he was very surprised. His soldiers were very angry and excited when they heard that this local armed force with a big hand dared to kill Ming people.
"King of the West", let him go to the West to become a king worthy of the name.
Zheng He calmly looked at the excited subordinates surrounding him, and he understood that the reason why these angry people did not attack Java was simply because they had not yet received his order.
Zheng He had seen many of the injured crew members. They worked hard to follow him to the West to complete the mission, not to die. Zheng He was also very angry that their innocent people were killed. He had every reason to go
Attacking the so-called "King of the West", there is no doubt that this is a war without any suspense. His own army is equipped with advanced weapons such as artillery and muskets, and the opponent is just some local indigenous people. As long as he says
With this order, your fleet will easily win and avenge the deaths of the crew members.
But he gave no such order.
He calmly looked at his eager subordinates and told them that they must not go to war because we have a greater mission.
The mission of peace.
If we go to war now, we can naturally win, but that will deviate from our original intention of sailing to the West and delay our schedule. What's more serious is that if the news of the defeat of Java spreads to all parts of the West, countries will doubt our intentions.
Our mission really cannot be achieved.
After Zheng He finished speaking, he tried his best to stop the reckless behavior of his subordinates and ordered an envoy to be sent to the Xiwang's residence to negotiate the matter.
Zheng He was really an amazing person. He was able to keep a clear head, restrain his anger, and put the overall situation first when he had a large number of troops. What kind of endurance this requires! Facts have proved that Zheng He's behavior is by no means cowardly.
, but wise.
What Zheng He had to face was patience, but what the Western King had to face was fear, great fear.
When he learned that his subordinates had killed the fleet crew sent by the Ming Dynasty, he was so frightened that he immediately sent an envoy to Zheng He to explain the misunderstanding again and again. He was afraid that this would not work, so he ordered people to rush to China by boat overnight.
The apology was not necessarily because of how ashamed and regretful he was, but because he understood that with Ming's strength, killing himself would be as simple as squeezing an ant to death.
After Zhu Di learned about this incident, he praised Zheng He for taking the overall situation into consideration, and gave the Western King's envoys a severe lesson, asking them to pay compensation of 60,000 taels of gold (the price of this pension was quite high). Two years later, the Western King sent
People paid compensation, which was only 10,000 taels of gold. This was not because they dared to go back on their word. In fact, on such a small island, even if you dig the ground three feet, you would not be able to find 60,000 taels of gold.
There is really nothing we can do. We only have these few possessions at home, so you can just figure out what to do.
When the Western King's envoy anxiously presented the gold, he received an unexpected answer. Zhu Di told him clearly, I knew you wouldn't be able to raise it, and asking you to compensate for the gold is just to make you understand your sins.
That’s all, do you still lack your little gold?
Zhu Di's expression completely conquered Java, and since then they have paid tribute to China voluntarily and consciously every year.
In this incident, Zheng He fully demonstrated his calm thinking and accurate judgment, and it also showed that Zhu Di had a unique vision of people.
After this turmoil, Zheng He's fleet went all the way south, passing through Sumatra, Mount Ceylon and other places. Along the way, it communicated with and carried out trade activities with Western countries. These countries also sent envoys to follow Zheng He's fleet.
, preparing to go to China to pay tribute to Emperor Yongle.
With the items obtained from trade and envoys from various countries, Zheng He arrived at the end of the voyage - Guli.
Guri is today's Kozhikode in India, located at the southwest end of the Indian peninsula. This place is an important transit station. As early as the Hongwu period, Zhu Yuanzhang sent envoys here, but this time Zheng He came with another reason.
An important mission.
Since the ruler of Guli had sent envoys to China many times to pay tribute and declare himself a vassal to China, in the third year of Yongle, Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty issued an imperial edict (letter of appointment) to the ruler of Guli, officially making him the king and bestowing seals and other things.
Of course, the Guli people do not necessarily use seals like the Chinese, but since they are crowning kings, they always have to do some rituals.
But after the edict was written, it was not so easy to send it over, because the man who was granted the title was still staying in India, so Zheng He came to Guli with the edict this time. He took the edict and signed it in the name of the Ming Emperor.
The local ruler was officially named King of Guri. From then on, the relationship between the two countries became closer. After Zheng He's voyages to the West, he used this place as a transit station and foothold.
After completing this important matter, Zheng He began to prepare for his return voyage. It had been more than a year since he set sail. He reviewed the various encounters during the voyage and felt a lot. After experiencing so many turmoils, he finally arrived.
This country called Guri has completed its ultimate mission.
The rich products, beautiful scenery, kind and generous people, friendly and enthusiastic people here all left a very deep impression on Zheng He.
Leave it as a souvenir.
He led his subordinates and local people to build a stele pavilion and engraved an inscription to commemorate this period of history. The text said:
His country is more than 100,000 miles away from China. The people are as good as the people, the scenery is prosperous and the wind is in harmony, and the stones are carved here, which will last forever.
This is a historical milestone.
Zheng He's fleet began to return. Zheng He, who was standing on the ship against the wind, stared at the Guli coast that was gradually receding. This is a beautiful place. We will come again!
Perhaps it was fate, but Zheng He would not have thought that the beautiful Guli would not only be the end of his first voyage, but also the end of his legendary life!
The first voyage was completed in this way, and the fleet returned to China in a mighty way. However, God did not seem to want Zheng He to return to his motherland peacefully. It had already prepared the last difficulty for these people who were eager to return home.
, and for Zheng He and his fleet, this was a real test, a life-or-death test.
Since ancient times, transportation thoroughfares have never been a safe place, because many people who originally relied on the sky for a living will find that it is more effective to rely on the road for a living. So there are road bullies on the land and pirates on the sea, but no matter whether it is land or sea, their
The opening remarks and slogan are the same - if you want to get over it, leave money to buy it.
Ordinarily, it seems that Zheng He's fleet should not be subject to these harassments, but this is not because the bandits were moved by the peaceful mission of this fleet, but because of the deterrent effect of military strength.
Even the most ferocious robbers have to consider the cost of robbery. A master like Zheng He who led tens of thousands of soldiers with muskets and mounted cannons on an aircraft carrier was really difficult to deal with.
No matter how rampant the Nordic pirates were, they would not dare to rob the Spanish Armada. They must weigh their own wealth before committing robbery. This principle has long been kept in mind by many smart robbers at home and abroad in ancient and modern times.
But in this world, if there are shrewd robbers, there must be clumsy robbers. There are many people who are hot-headed, misjudge the situation, and dare to rob a tank with a pistol. The one we are going to introduce below is such a hot-headed man.
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This man's name is Chen Zuyi, and he is about to start the biggest robbery in his life.
Of course, it is also the last time.
Chen Zuyi, a native of Chaozhou, Guangdong, fled overseas due to crimes during the Hongwu period. There was no Interpol and no extradition regulations at that time, so no one took care of him anymore. Later, he fled to Srivijaya (now part of Indonesia).
Lin Bangguo became a general under King Manazhe Wuli.
It's really amazing. This Chen Zuyi is just a fugitive. I didn't find out that he held any position before. At most, he was a village chief. But when he arrived in this Bolin country (sorry, I really don't know where it is now), he actually became an important minister. China
What a lot of talent.
What was even more powerful was yet to come. After the king died, he summoned a group of pirates and proclaimed himself king. In this way, Chen Zuyi became the king of Bolin State.
The above is the history of Mr. Chen Zuyi’s struggle and success, and it probably doesn’t count as bringing glory to the country.
Chen Zuyi had soldiers (pirates), so he started his old business - robbery near the Strait of Malacca. This was normal. All his men were pirates. What else could pirates do if they didn't rob? The surrounding countries were deeply affected by it.
However, since these countries are very weak, there is nothing they can do about Chen Zuyi.
In this way, Chen Zuyi's courage and appetite grew stronger and stronger, and he gradually evolved into robbing large ships and merchant ships. He was rampant for many years until he met Zheng He.
When Zheng He's fleet sailed past Srivijaya, they happened to bump into Chen Zuyi. Zheng He had heard about this for a long time and was ready for battle. However, Chen Zuyi made a move that surprised everyone.
decision.
He decided to surrender to Zheng He.
You must know that although Chen Zuyi is greedy, he is by no means a lunatic. It is not easy for him to sneak into the position of king (actually just a small tribe). Looking at those behemoth warships and black holes of gun muzzles, it is not easy for him to sneak into the king's position.
No sane person would be willing to be cannon fodder.
But pirates are pirates after all, and Chen Zuyi's surrender is just a temporary measure. The gold and silver treasures on Zheng He's ship are the biggest temptation. In Chen Zuyi's view, as long as he can do this, he will have enough food and clothing for the rest of his life.
But what to do? If you fight head-on, you won’t be able to do it, so try to outwit it!
Chen Zuyi decided to use a fake surrender to paralyze Zheng He, and then summoned a large number of pirates to take advantage of the unpreparedness of the official army to attack Zheng He's flagship, control the center to disrupt the Ming army's deployment, and defeat them one by one.
It should be said that this was a good plan. In terms of Chen Zuyi's strength, he could only choose this plan. After careful planning, he confidently began to arrange various preparations for the robbery.
In Chen Zuyi's view, Zheng He was a sheep, a fat sheep that could bring him great wealth.
You will be rich soon.
In order to successfully complete this robbery mission, Chen Zuyi searched everywhere for his accomplices. After patchwork, he actually found more than 5,000 people and more than 20 warships. So he led his subordinates to confidently attack the Ming army's warships.
Approaching, preparing to catch the Ming army by surprise.
As Chen Zuyi expected, there was no movement from the Ming fleet, and there were even fewer sentries on board than usual. Chen Zuyi was overjoyed and ordered his pirates to launch an attack. However, at this moment, the Ming fleet suddenly erupted with killing sounds and artillery fire.
As a result, Chen Zuyi's fleet was divided and surrounded, and became the target of cannons. The stunned pirates went to Huangquan before they woke up from their dream.
Chen Zuyi finally understood that he had been ambushed by the Ming army and was completely doomed.
The well-trained Ming army gave these loosely disciplined pirates a military training lesson. They quickly resolved the battle, annihilated more than 5,000 pirates, sank more than ten enemy ships, and captured many. But this time
The organizer of the operation, Chen Zuyi, was also captured alive.
Chen Zuyi never dreamed that Zheng He, who accepted his surrender with a kind face, suddenly changed from a fat sheep to a tiger. He felt like he had been cheated.
In fact, the reason why Chen Zuyi thought that he was bound to win was partly out of self-confidence, and partly because he did not understand what kind of person Zheng He was.
Maybe Chen Zuyi has been in Sanfoqi for a long time and has become a tribal leader. He is treated as a master by a group of people every day, so he really takes himself seriously. In fact, it can be seen from the identities of the two people that Chen Zuyi is in China.
There are ordinary prisoners who only escape after being unable to survive, but Zheng He is one of the best among them!
Chen Zuyi had been leading his pirate men to rob ships for a long time. He only commanded a few thousand men at most, but he did not encounter any resistance. He seemed to naively think that fighting was that simple, and this man named Zheng He would inevitably become his subordinate.
Defeated general.
Zheng He has been in the army since he was eleven years old and has rich military experience. He has experienced hundreds of battles under Zhu Di and participated in major battles commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. He also fought against the best general of that era.
Xuan, Sheng Yong, Ping An and others went into battle, but none of those super fierce men could do anything to him, let alone the little pirate leader Chen Zuyi.
These tricks of Chen Zuyi could not escape the eyes of Zheng He. The reason why Zheng He did not expose Chen Zuyi immediately was because he decided to use his trick and set up a better trap for Chen Zuyi to jump into. It would be convenient for him to wait until he found all the pirates around him.
Catch them all in one fell swoop. In addition, in Zheng He's view, it is necessary to capture Chen Zuyi alive, because this person can be used in the future. As for what uses, we will introduce it below.
After eliminating these pirates, Zheng He continued to sail towards the motherland. In September of the fifth year of Yongle (1407), Zheng He gloriously completed his mission and returned to the capital, where he was warmly welcomed and received by Zhu Di.
At this time, Chen Zuyi became a useful person. Since he was a fugitive and had been a pirate, in order to commemorate the completion of this navigation mission and the success of the operation to eliminate pirates, Zhu Di ordered that Chen Zuyi be killed in front of envoys from various countries.
He also beheaded the public to warn others. From this point of view, Chen Zuyi has made some contribution to the propaganda cause.
Although this history-making voyage did not find Emperor Jianwen, it did bring a large number of envoys from Western countries. These envoys witnessed the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty and admired him very much. They paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty one after another. Zhu Di finally experienced the feeling of ruling over all nations.
.
It’s good when a country is strong, and it feels really good.
Zhu Di also learned a lot about the customs and customs of distant countries from them. He also learned that in more distant places, there were dark-skinned peoples and their mysterious country.
This is really a very interesting thing. Not only can you visit a world you didn't know before, but you can also spread the reputation of the Ming Empire overseas, and do some business along the way. Why not do it. Although the cost of sailing is a bit high, but
The Ming Dynasty can still get this little money, but who makes us rich?
So, with Zhu Di's full support, Zheng He continued his voyage. After that, he visited Yongle in September of the fifth year of Yongle (1407), September of the seventh year of Yongle (1409), and winter of the eleventh year of Yongle (1413).
In the winter of the fifteenth year (1417) and in the spring of the nineteenth year of Yongle (1421), he led the fleet to the Western Ocean five times.
The five voyages were similar to the first. Except for the different routes, different arrival places, and different encounters on the way, everything else was basically the same, so I won’t elaborate on them one by one here.
The main purpose of Zheng He's five subsequent voyages to the West has changed to peaceful exchanges and official trade. Of course, he and his fleet also did some small things during these voyages, as follows:
1. Adjust national conflicts and maintain world peace (Siam and Sumatra);
2. Deal with the country that blocked the road and robbed people (Ceylon Mountain Country), and took the king back to China and imprisoned him (ruthless enough);
3. Taking kings of other countries to China for sightseeing (the Sulu delegation, led by the king himself, totaling more than 340 people, took more than a month to go back);
4. Brought back the unicorn (later confirmed to be a giraffe) that the Chinese have longed for for thousands of years.
(To sum up, it seems that discovering these is not a trivial matter.)
Through Zheng He's efforts, Western countries established good relations with the Ming Dynasty. Although they had different living habits and great differences in national power, the open Ming Dynasty did not treat these countries differently because of this. It truly believed in its own civilization and tolerance.
Conquered these countries from the bottom of my heart.
China under the rule of the Ming Dynasty did not install loudspeakers on its fleet to proclaim that it came for peace and friendship, unlike those who later took a few small boats with Bibles and loudly shouted that they came to spread the gospel.
of Westerners.
Zheng He's fleet brought a wealth of trade goods and aid (some countries were indeed very poor). His fleet never took the initiative to attack, and even in self-defense it was very measured (such as the king of Ceylon Mountain).
, and were later released), they never bully others (although they do have this capital). People in Western countries, regardless of race, rich or poor, can see the sincere smiles on the faces of these strangers. They
Know in your heart that these people are friendly givers.
After experiencing their initial surprise, Western explorers soon discovered that these countries had huge wealth but no strong military strength, so they used various violent methods, killing people and setting fires just to rob the property that belonged to the locals.
A famous South African politician once said: When Westerners came to us, they had the Bible in their hands, and we had gold in our hands. Later it became, they had gold in their hands, and we held the Bible in our hands.
This is a very pertinent evaluation. For those Westerners, the locals know in their hearts: these people are evil predators.
Even if they are finally conquered by these Westerners, they will never give up resistance and will fight for the day of freedom, because this kind of barbaric conquest cannot be stable.
What is right and what is wrong is clear at a glance.
There is an old saying that is very suitable here: Believe in the masses, the masses have sharp eyes.
So I will repeat that sentence: Convincing people with virtue is definitely not a joke. Have you not seen that today a big country in the world is trying its best to conquer the east and west, and fight against the north? It is very majestic, but it is also constantly troubled and rebellious.
Violence can be the backing for solving problems, but it absolutely cannot solve them.
It was not easy for the Ming Dynasty, the most powerful country in the world at that time, to treat those small countries as equals, respect their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and give without robbing them despite its overwhelming military superiority.
It was not a conqueror by force, but it used its friendly actions to truly conquer almost all the countries along its voyage.
This kind of conquest is a conquest from the bottom of the heart, and it exists in everyone's heart. When the mighty fleet arrives, people will not hide around, but come out to warmly welcome these guests from afar.
In my opinion, this is the real conquest.
In addition to successfully completing his diplomatic mission, Zheng He also successfully opened up a new route. He found that by passing through Guri (now Kozhikode) and Liushan (now Maldives Islands) in India, he could avoid the storm area and directly reach the Red Sea of the Arabian Peninsula.
coastal and East African countries. This is a remarkable achievement.
In the first six voyages, Zheng He's fleet reached as far as the east coast of Africa and left its own footprints. They visited many countries, including today's Somalia, Mozambique, Kenya and other countries. This was also the case for the ancient Chinese
The farthest place I have ever reached.
You may have noticed that above we have only introduced Zheng He’s six voyages to the West, but left out the seventh. This is not an oversight, but because the seventh voyage has a very special significance for Zheng He.
It was during this trip that he finally realized his biggest dream.
The previous six voyages were certainly unforgettable for Zheng He, but he was never able to fulfill his long-cherished wish in life - pilgrimage. This also became a lingering concern in his heart, but he believed that as long as he continued
There are always opportunities on the Western voyage.
But an unfortunate news hit him hard. In the 22nd year of Yongle (1424), Zhu Di, who supported his sailing activities the most, passed away. Everyone was busy fighting for power, and no one had the time to pay attention to this man who was already in his sixties.
, the gray-haired old man and his seemingly unrealistic navigation feats.
Zheng He was left out. He suddenly became a person who was ignored and useless. The only thing waiting for him might be retirement.
After all, my childhood dream has not come true. Emperor Yongle has passed away, so the voyage must have ended!
After all, God did not strike again at this old man who had gone through ups and downs. He gave Zheng He a chance to realize his dream.
In the fifth year of Xuande (1430), Emperor Xuande Zhu Zhanji suddenly sent people to look for Zheng He, summoned him personally, and told him to organize a voyage immediately and sail to the West again!
Seven years had passed since the last voyage, and many preparations had to be made again. The work was very arduous, but Zheng He was still very excited. He believed that the new emperor would continue the legacy of Emperor Yongle and continue to sail to the West.
's voyage.
Facts have proved that Zheng He was too naive. For Zhu Zhanji, this voyage had another purpose and was just a temporary measure. It was not the beginning of a series of navigation activities, but on the contrary, it was the end.
Why did Zhu Zhanji restart the navigation plan? I quoted a passage from his edict. It will be clear to everyone after reading it. The excerpt is as follows:
“I am the only heir to Emperor Taizong Gao (this one is familiar to everyone), Emperor Taizong Wen (grandfather Zhu Di), and Emperor Renzong Zhao (father Zhu Gaochi). I reign over all nations and embody the benevolence of my ancestors. I am willing to be kind to common people.
The imperial edict has been issued to the world, the era of Xuande, Xianyu and the Restoration. Your foreign countries are far away from home and have not heard of them. We hereby send eunuchs Zheng He, Wang Jinghong and others to follow the edict, so that they all respect the way of heaven and care for the people.
Share the blessings of peace."
You see, after the new emperor got rid of his uncle (this will be discussed in detail later), after a few years, he stabilized his throne and finally started to think of ruling over all nations. But the problem is that "all nations" are more powerful than others.
It is far away and there is no road. If you want people to pay tribute, you must tell them first. After much deliberation, I can only appoint Zheng He again. The purpose is also very clear: tell everyone. The emperor takes turns to sit, and finally I, Zhu Zhan,
Gay!
No matter what Zhu Zhanji's purpose was, Zheng He was happy at this time. He finally got out of the neglect of everyone and had the opportunity to realize his childhood dream.
As a minister of the emperor, Zheng He's first task was to complete the important tasks entrusted to him by the country, but his strong desire could only be buried deep in his heart. From a naughty boy to an old man in his sixties, he had been waiting,
Now is the time.
In December of the sixth year of Xuande (1430), Zheng He set sail again. He looked at his subordinates and old boatmen who had been following him for more than 20 years, and recalled the grand occasion of his first voyage that year. He couldn't help but be filled with emotion. What he had experienced
After so many turmoils, now my dream can finally come true!
He glanced back at the distant and blurred mainland coastline, and his heart was filled with melancholy and joy. He was about to leave his homeland again and go to the other side of a foreign country, just like the six previous times.
But what Zheng He didn't expect was that this look back would be his last glimpse of his motherland, and he would never be able to come back.
final destination
Zheng He's fleet crossed the Strait of Malacca, delivered the message to various countries, then crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, sailed north along the Red Sea, and sailed to the place where Zheng He had been thinking about day and night for decades - Mecca.
Islam has three holy places, namely Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Among them, Mecca is the first holy place, where the great Muhammad founded Islam. The greatest honor of a Muslim's life is to make a pilgrimage here.
No matter what race you are, what origin you have, whether you take a boat, a car, or walk, as long as you are a Muslim, as long as there is a slight possibility, you will definitely come here and express your heart to the Holy Stone and Allah.
Zheng He finally came to this place. Although he was an excellent navigator and a man who created history, at this moment, he was just an ordinary and devout Muslim.
He finally came to this dream place, he finally touched the sacred stone, and he finally realized his dream.
This was a pilgrimage that lasted for more than fifty years. The dream started fifty years ago and was realized fifty years later. This is exactly the trajectory of Zheng He's legendary life.
From a happy childhood to a miserable childhood, and then to a tumultuous adulthood, he is now a dying old man. He has experienced cruel battles on the battlefield, deceitful plots, and the ups and downs of the vast sea.
I finally got through all the trials and tortures.
My dream finally came true and I couldn't ask for anything more.
After the pilgrimage, the fleet began to return. The mission had been completed and the dream had been realized. It was time to go home.
But Zheng He could never go back.
The long-term sailing life almost exhausted Zheng He's energy. On the way home, he finally fell ill and could not afford to be ill. When the ship arrived at Guli, the end point of Zheng He's first voyage, Zheng He's life finally
Come to the end.
The great navigator Zheng He ended his life. Due to his unfortunate childhood, he was unable to get married and leave any children, but this did not prevent him from becoming a great person who will be remembered by future generations.
After many ups and downs and nine deaths, he finally achieved this great feat in Chinese history and even world history. He led a huge fleet to the Western Ocean seven times, promoted peaceful exchanges between the Ming Dynasty and Southeast Asia, India, Africa and other countries, and offered them
Shows the true face of a strong, enlightened country.
Although his personal life was unfortunate and he was not able to enjoy the love of husband and wife and family happiness. But he used his actions to leave us a legend, a Chinese maritime legend.
Zheng He, who created this legend, is a hero, a true hero, and the pride of our country and nation.
Guli became the last place Zheng He arrived at, which seemed to be a kind of providence. More than 20 years ago, when he arrived here for the first time, he was so high-spirited that he made the bold statement "carve a stone here and it will shine forever." More than 20 years ago, he arrived here for the first time.
Years later, he ended his legendary life here contentedly.
Zheng He, take another look at the mysterious and deep sea. That is your true destination, and you will always belong there.
People in Guli could never see the Ming Dynasty's fleet again. After Zheng He, there would be no more Zheng He.
More than sixty years later, a fleet of four ships came to Guri again. The leader of this fleet was named Da Gama.
The first thing these Portuguese people did after landing was to look for so-called treasures. When they learned that this place was rich in spices and silk, they were ecstatic, thinking that they were really going to make a fortune.
After finding this place where he could make a fortune, Vasco da Gama was very proud and erected a pillar in Kozhikode. In his own words, this pillar symbolized Portugal's sovereignty.
What is the logic of establishing one's own sovereignty on other people's land? In fact, it is not surprising that Vasco da Gama erected similar posts wherever he went on his voyage.
To establish their so-called sovereignty through random construction is the logic of Western colonizers.
However, this colonist with the title of adventurer would never know that more than sixty years ago, a man named Zheng He led the Ming Dynasty's huge fleet to come here and erected a monument.