40 pages • 1 hour read
Louise LevathesWhen China Ruled the Seas
Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1994A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Key Figures
Themes
Index of Terms
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
BetaKey Figures
Zheng He
Zheng He was born Ma He in a Muslim family living near Kunming, Yunnan. In 1381, at age 10, he was captured by a general of the Ming forces, the newly established dynasty fighting to quash some of the last holdouts of the Yuan dynasty in Yunnan. Like many young prisoners, Zheng was castrated so he could become part of the eunuch staff at the emperor’s court where he served the emperor’s fourth son, Zhu Di. Zheng proved himself to be a loyal aide and adept military commander when the emperor sent the prince to subdue a Mongol rebel.
When Zhu Di became emperor in 1402, he bestowed on his aide the name “Zheng” in honor of a battle in which he fought bravely. Zhu also chose Zheng to command the new fleet of ships. Aged 35 at the time of the first voyage, Zheng eventually led seven great expeditions into the Indian Ocean, as far as the Arab states on the Persian Gulf and the coast of Africa. This required the leadership to command a crew of tens of thousands of men, to conduct diplomatic and military affairs, and to negotiate trade. He also helped develop the capital of Nanjing and oversaw construction of a temple devoted to Tianfei, the goddess of sailors. In 1433, Zheng died during his last voyage and was buried at sea.
Zhu Di (the Yongle Emperor)
Born in 1360, Zhu Di became emperor in 1402. Upon the death of his father, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, his nephew was crowned the second emperor of the Ming dynasty. Zhu Di contested his authority and led a successful coup to take power. Known as the Yongle Emperor, he was an able soldier and leader who favored the eunuchs at court over the scholarly and more conservative Confucian advisers. He was also a lover of the arts, and the blue-and-white porcelain produced during his reign was thought to have a special quality due to the cobalt obtained from the trading voyages he sponsored.
During his reign, he expanded trade and diplomatic missions with other countries, subdued the Mongols to the north and most of the Jurchens in the northeast, rebuilt the Grand Canal—which had been badly damaged during his rebellion when he took power—and built the Forbidden City when the capital moved to Beijing. On the other hand, his grand projects required high taxes that put a heavy burden on his people.
Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor)
Zhu Yuanzhang was the first ruler of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1368 to 1398 after he overthrew the Mongols of the Yuan dynasty. Orphaned as a teenager in Anhui Province, he received his education in a Buddhist monastery. He was a strong military leader who attributed his success to spirits in the natural world, such as those dwelling in mountains and rivers.
Zhu Yuanzhang restored Confucian officials to positions of power after their removal from court during the Yuan dynasty. He thought the eunuchs had grown too powerful, forbidding their involvement in government and refusing to educate them. This would later contribute to the power struggle between the two groups during the reigns of Zhu Yuanzhang’s successors. When his eldest son died, his advisors convinced him to name his grandson his heir in order to avoid conflict between the remaining sons. The emperor followed their advice, even though he favored Zhu Di. In his final years, in an attempt to smooth the way for his grandson’s rule, he embarked on a purge of the government, killing thousands of people he thought might oppose the new emperor.
