When was Zheng He born and what was his original name?
Zheng He was born in 1371 and his original name was Ma He. He was captured by Ming armies in Yunnan in 1381 and later given the surname Zheng by the Yongle Emperor in 1402.
Common questions about Zheng He
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many voyages did Zheng He command and when did they take place?
Zheng He commanded seven massive expeditions between 1405 and 1433. The first voyage departed on the 11th of July 1405 and the final voyage concluded with his death in 1433.
What was the size of Zheng He's fleet during the first voyage?
The first voyage of Zheng He consisted of 317 ships and nearly 28,000 crewmen. Modern scholars suggest the largest ships were likely six-masted vessels with a burthen of around 500 tons rather than the legendary 400-foot behemoths.
Why did the Ming dynasty stop the treasure voyages after Zheng He's death?
The Hongxi Emperor terminated the treasure voyages in 1425 because he viewed them as an unnecessary expense that violated the founding principles of the dynasty. The scholar-bureaucrats who opposed the eunuch faction later sought to erase his legacy and records of the expeditions were dispersed or destroyed.
What religions did Zheng He practice and how did he use them during his voyages?
Zheng He practiced a blend of Islam, Buddhism, and the worship of Tianfei, the patron goddess of sailors. He built temples dedicated to Tianfei in Nanjing and Changle while also visiting Muslim shrines in Fujian and building mosques in Southeast Asia to spread Islam.