Zheng He (1371-1435), or Cheng
Ho, is arguably China's most famous navigator. Starting from
the beginning of the 15th Century, he traveled to the West seven
times. Zheng He sailed from China to many places throughout
South Pacific, Indian Ocean, Taiwan, Persian Gulf and distant
Africa in seven epic voyages from 1405 to 1433, some 80 years
before Columbus's voyages. Zheng He’s voyage took China’s superiority
in culture and technology to the West, and brought back the
civilization of the West. The voyage is the milestone of the
navigating history in China and the world.
Zheng He’s Voyage to the West reflects that the Chinese nation
could take the bull by the horns and conquer the nature, and
incarnate the spirit of peace, amity, exchange, and cooperation,
which has become the motive power of the Chinese nation’s continuous
reproduction breed in an endless succession. To commemorate
the outstanding contribution of Zheng He’s voyage to the West,
the People’s Bank of China will issue coins in April 2005 to
celebrate the 600th anniversary of the voyage. |
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