Zheng He

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Zheng He

Q: What was Zheng He best known for?

Zheng He was the best known of the Yongle emperor’s diplomatic agents. His voyages had the effect of extending China ’s political sway over maritime Asia for half a century. In their wake, Chinese emigration increased, resulting in Chinese colonization in Southeast Asia and the accompanying tributary trade, which lasted until the 19th century.

Q: Where was Zheng He raised?

He was raised in Yunnan , China. In 1381 Yunnan was reconquered by Ming dynasty forces, and he was captured, castrated , and sent into the army. By 1390, under the command of the prince of Yan, he had distinguished himself as a junior officer—skilled in war and diplomacy and having made influential friends at court.

Chinese admiral and diplomat

Also known as: Cheng Ho, Ma He, Ma Sanbao

Written by Jung-pang Lo

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Apr 3, 2024 • Article History

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Category: History & Society

Wade-Giles romanization:: Cheng Ho

Original name:: Ma Sanbao

Later:: Ma He

Born:: c. 1371, Kunyang, near Kunming, Yunnan province, China

Died:: 1433, Calicut [now Kozhikode], India

On the Web:: University of Oregon - Admiral Zheng He (Apr. 03, 2024)

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What was Zheng He best known for?

Where was Zheng He raised?

Zheng He (born c. 1371, Kunyang, near Kunming, Yunnan province, China—died 1433, Calicut [now Kozhikode], India) was an admiral and diplomat who helped extend the maritime and commercial influence of China throughout the regions bordering the Indian Ocean. He commanded seven naval expeditions almost a century before the Portuguese reached India by sailing around the southern tip of Africa. Zheng He was from a Hui (Chinese Muslim) family. His father was a hajji, a Muslim who had made the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca. His family claimed descent from an early Mongol governor of Yunnan province in southwestern China as well ...(100 of 860 words)

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