The Great Voyages Of Zheng He

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Chronology Of Zheng He

Written By Malaysian Chinese Muslim on Friday 25 February 2011 | 11:26

Zheng He symbolizes many things including the spirit of adventure in the face of uncertainty and enormous life threatening circumstances. His voyages employ skilled and knowledgeable men from many ethnic origins and deploying high technological capabilities for navigation and communications. He was sent on missions of friendship and good will to countries in Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and eastern Africa – and some say much further away. He proved himself to be a strong leader and consummate diplomat winning many allegiances to the Ming Court that he served. Although a Muslim of a Middle Eastern ancestry himself, he respected and gave assistance to those of other religious persuasions and he built mosques in many places that he visited.

1371 - 4th yr Hongwu
  • Zheng He was born in Hedai Village, Kunyang Prefecture, Yunnan, with the name of Ma He. 
  • He was the son of Ma Haji, a prominent leader of the Muslim community in his birthplace.
1381 - 14th yr Hongwu
  • Ming army entered Yunnan.
1382 - 15th yr Hongwu
  • Ma He’s father, Ma Haji, passed away. 
  • Ming army occupied Yunnan and defeated the remnants of Yuan forces led by prince of Liang. 
  • Ma He aged 11 was captured and castrated.
1387 - 20th yr Hongwu
  • Emperor Hongwu unified China.
1390 - 24th year Hongwu
  • Ma He was a member of Prince of Yan, Zhudi’s troops and defeated the Yan’s forces. 
  • He was selected to serve the Prince of Yan.
1398 - 31st yr Hongwu

  • Emperor Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang, passed away and was given posthumous title of Emperor Taizu of Ming (Ming Taizu).
1399 - 1st yr Jianwen
  • Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne as Emperor Jianwen. prince of Yan, Zhudi, rebelled and attacked Nanjing, then the Ming capital. 
  • Ma He ably assisted Zhudi in war. Jianwen failed to put down the rebellion.
1400 - 2nd yr Jianwen
  • Prince of Yan besieged Weizhou.
1401 - 3rd yr Jianwen
  • Prince of Yan’s forces entered Nanjing.
1402 - 4th yr Jianwen
  • Zhu Di proclaimed himself Emperor Yongle. 
  • Jianwen either died in battle or escaped without trace.
1404 - 2nd yr Yongle
  • In recognition of Ma He’s military contribution, Zheng He aged 33 was rewarded by Emperor Yongle and conferred the surname Zheng. 
  • Henceforth he was known as Zheng He.
1405 - 3rd yr Yongle
  • Began his naval expedition with Wang Jinghong and others in July. 
  • Visited Campa, Siam, Palembang, Samudra Pasai (Aceh), Malabar, Calicut, Ceylon, and elsewhere, returned to China in October the following year.
1407 - 5th yr Yongle
  • Began his 2nd expedition with Wang Jinghong, Hou Xian and others.
1408 - 6th yr Yongle
  • Visited Campa, Siam, Java, Samudra Pasai, Lambri, Malacca, Malabar, Calicut, Cochin, and Ceylon.
1409 - 7th yr Yongle
  • Returned to China around July-August. 
  • Begin his 3rd expedition with Wang Jinghong, Fei Xin and others.
1410 - 8th yr Yongle
  • Visited Campa, Java, Malacca, Samudra Pasai, Ceylon, Quilon, Cochin, Calicut, Siam, Malabar, Cail, Cambay and Ahmedabad.
1411 - 9th yr Yongle
  • Returned to China in July
1413 - 11th yr Yongle
  • Began his 4th expedition with Ma Huan, Fei Xin and others in October.
1414 - 12th yr Yongle
  • Visited Campa, Java, Palembang, Malacca, Samudra Pasai, Ceylon, Cochin, Calicut, Maldives, Ormuz, Rasa, Aden, Mogedoxu, Jobo, Brawa, Malinde, Cail, Pahang, Kelantan, Aru, and Lambri.
1415 - 13th yr Yongle
  • Returned to China in August.
1417 - 15th yr Yongle
  • Begin his 5 th expedition. 
  • Visited Quanzhou to pay homage at the tomb of Muslim sages. 
  • Erected monument to commemorate his visit.
1418 - 16th yr Yongle
  • Visited Campa, Calicut, Java, Malacca, Samudra Pasai, Lambri, Pahang, Ceylon, Maldive, Malabar, Aden, Malinde, Ormuz, Cochin, Negapatan, Mogedoxu, Brawa and Rasa.
1419 - 17th yr Yongle
  • Returned to China in August.
1420 - 18th yr Yongle
  • Ming capital moved to Beijing.
1421 - 19th yr Yongle
  • Begin his 6 th expedition with Wang Jinghong, Ma Huan and others in Spring. 
  • Visited Campa, Siam, Malacca, Samudra Pasai, Bengal, Shi-la-si, Calicut, Cochin, Cail, Ceylon, Maldive, Chola, Jofar, Aden, Mogedoxu and Brawa.
1422 - 20th yr Yongle
  • Returned to China in September.
1424 - 22nd yr Yongle
  • Sailed to Palembang to deliver the decree of Ming Emperor to appoint Shi Jisun, son of Shi Jinqing as Xuan Wei Shi (ambassador) succeeding his father who passed away earlier. 
  • Returned to China in September. Zhu Di, Emperor Yongle, passed away.
1425 - 1st yr Hongxi
  • Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne as Emperor Hongxi and disapproved of the expeditions to the Western Ocean by Zheng He. 
  • Zheng He appointed as commander of Nanjing garrison.
1426 - 1st yr Xuande
  • Zhu Zhanji ascended throne as Emperor Xuande. 
  • Zheng He remained as commander of Nanjing garrison.
1431 - 6th yr Xuande
  • Began his 7th expedition with Wang Jinghong, Ma Huan, Fei Xin, Gong Zheng and others in January, reached Liujia in February and Changle in April. 
  • He erected monument of Tian Fei Ying Zhi Yi in Changle.
Zheng He symbolizes many things including the spirit of adventure in the face of uncertainty and enormous life threatening circumstances.

His voyages employ skilled and knowledgeable men from many ethnic origins and deploying high technological capabilities for navigation and communications.

He was sent on missions of friendship and good will to countries in Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and eastern Africa – and some say much further away.

He proved himself to be a strong leader and consummate diplomat winning many allegiances to the Ming Court that he served.

Although a Muslim of a Middle Eastern ancestry himself, he respected and gave assistance to those of other religious persuasions and he built mosques in many places that he visited.


1432 - 7th yr Xuande
  • Visited Campa, Java, Palembang, Malacca, Samudra Pasai, Aru, Lide, Lambri, Ceylon, Calicut, Bengal, Maldive, Quilan, Cochin, Combay, Cail, Mecca, Jofar, Rasa, Aden, Mogedoxu, Brawa and Ormuz. 
  • While Zheng He’s armada was in Calicut, Ma Huan and six other persons were sent by eunuch Hong Bao to Mecca. 
  • Their voyage lasted one year.
1433 - 8th yr Xuande
  • Zheng He fell ill and passed away in Calicut at the age of 62.
Sources : Kong Yuanzhi (transl by H.M Hembing Wijayakusuma), Muslim Tionghoa Cheng Ho: Misteri Perjalanan Muhibah di Nusantara (Chinese Muslim Cheng Ho: Mystery of the Expedition to Nusantara, edited by H.M Hembing Wijayakusuma, Jakarta: Pustaka Populer Obor, 2000, p. 263, appendix A; Tan Ta Sen & Chia Lin Sien (eds. English vers.), The Zheng He Epic, Yunnan Peoples’ Publ., Yunnan Fine Arts Publ. and Aurora Publ., Kunming, 2006, p. 21-22.
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