“Age of Exploration”
Voyages of Zheng He
(1405-33 CE)
During the
reign of Yung
Lo, several
naval
expeditions
were sent to
India, Persia,
and Africa.
Voyages of Zheng He
(1405-33 CE)
These voyages were under the
leadership of Zheng He.
Each expedition included hundreds of
ships and thousands of sailors.
Some ships were over 440 ft. long and
carried 1,000 men.
Voyages of Zheng He
(1405-33 CE)
In contrast,
Columbus’
fleet only had
three ships,
the largest
only 115 ft.
long and
carried 40
men.
Voyages of Zheng He
(1405-33 CE)
After 1433, the Chinese government
launched no further expeditions.
In 1436, the emperor forbade building
ships for overseas voyages.
While Spain and Portugal explored
and claimed new lands, China
withdrew from sea voyage.
Reasons China did not
explore the world
1. The Chinese government had an
inadequate system of collecting taxes.
Spending exceeded revenue.
2. Chinese believed that their
civilization was superior to all others,
so foreign goods were inferior, and
there was little to learn from
foreigners.
Reasons China did not
explore the world
3. Neo-Confucian scholars held many
important government posts. Their
philosophy suppressed the desire for
worldly things. So trade was held in
contempt.
4. In the mid-1400s, Mongols began
frequently attacking China’s northern
border.