Zheng He’s First Voyage, 1405–1407
Follow Zheng He’s first expedition from Ming China to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. Explore diplomatic gifts, Calicut, shipbuilding, and the confrontation with Chen Zuyi at Palembang, keeping the first voyage distinct from later expeditions.
Connections9
Tributary system of China: people, places, and context for the episode.
The tributary system of China, or Cefeng system at its height was a network of loose international relations centered around China which facilitated trade and foreign relations by acknowledging China's hegemonic role within a Sinocentric world order.
Battle of Palembang: people, places, and context for the episode.
The Battle of Palembang was a battle of the Pacific theatre of World War II. It occurred near Palembang, on Sumatra, on 13–15 February 1942.
Chen Zuyi: people, places, and context for the episode.
Chen Zuyi ; died 2 October 1407) was a 15th-century Chinese pirate from Guangdong, and was one of the most feared pirates to infest the seas of Southeast Asia.
Palembang: people, places, and context for the episode.
Palembang is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. 34 square kilometres on both banks of the Musi River in the eastern lowlands of southern Sumatra.
Kozhikode: people, places, and context for the episode.
Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is a historic city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. The city is also known as the City of Spices.
Nanjing: people, places, and context for the episode.
Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu, East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of 6,600 square kilometres (2,500 sq mi), and as of 2021 a population of 9,423,400.
Chinese treasure ship: people, places, and context for the episode.
A Chinese treasure ship is a type of large wooden Chinese junk in the fleet of admiral Zheng He, who led seven voyages during the early 15th-century Ming dynasty.
Yongle Emperor: people, places, and context for the episode.
The Yongle Emperor, personal name Zhu Di, was the third emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1402 to 1424. He was the fourth son of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the dynasty.
Zheng He: people, places, and context for the episode.
Zheng He was a Chinese admiral and diplomat from the early Ming dynasty. His extensive explorations along the Indian Ocean led to a major increase in China's political and commercial influence.