Throughout antiquity, China was a major world player, with a huge economy and trade ties that reached around the world. Chinese porcelain was a big contributor to this.
However, one man and his legendary voyages to the Gulf coast and Eastern Africa lies at the heart of this vital trade. Thanks to him, the East and West were bonded in a continuous exchange of goods and ideas.
This man's name was Zhenghe, an official in the Ming dynasty.
Trade by sea from China to the West was difficult at best before Zhenghe came along. Most routes dealt in very items items and small quantities. But after Zhenghe set out his chart, some of the finest items could be shipped westward in great quantities.
The journey started from southern China in the early 15th century. Zhenghe was set with the task of showing the world the finest of China's art. He was personally picked by the emperor, and failure was not an option.
The most precious cargo was literally thousands of pounds of Chinese porcelain, straight from Jingdezhen. Some of the kilns in Jingdezhen were producing porcelain only for the imperial family at that time. A number of outsiders heard about this famous Chinese porcelain, but most in other countries had never actually seen it.
The size of Zhenghe's fleet was simply massive. Over 200 ships and 27,000 men were prepared for the journey. And they were ready for a long trip: farming supplies and large pots of soil were on hand to grow fresh fruit and vegetables.
But the trip was not easy: they had to rely on violent monsoon winds to get from one place to another. They wrapped around the southern edge of China, past India and all the way to Africa.
Zhengde traded with all of the people he met along the way, further increasing China's reputation and the demand for porcelain. There are still pieces of the porcelain from this voyage across Asia and Africa. In some parts of Africa, people still bury the dead with porcelain to show respect.
However, one man and his legendary voyages to the Gulf coast and Eastern Africa lies at the heart of this vital trade. Thanks to him, the East and West were bonded in a continuous exchange of goods and ideas.
This man's name was Zhenghe, an official in the Ming dynasty.
Trade by sea from China to the West was difficult at best before Zhenghe came along. Most routes dealt in very items items and small quantities. But after Zhenghe set out his chart, some of the finest items could be shipped westward in great quantities.
The journey started from southern China in the early 15th century. Zhenghe was set with the task of showing the world the finest of China's art. He was personally picked by the emperor, and failure was not an option.
The most precious cargo was literally thousands of pounds of Chinese porcelain, straight from Jingdezhen. Some of the kilns in Jingdezhen were producing porcelain only for the imperial family at that time. A number of outsiders heard about this famous Chinese porcelain, but most in other countries had never actually seen it.
The size of Zhenghe's fleet was simply massive. Over 200 ships and 27,000 men were prepared for the journey. And they were ready for a long trip: farming supplies and large pots of soil were on hand to grow fresh fruit and vegetables.
But the trip was not easy: they had to rely on violent monsoon winds to get from one place to another. They wrapped around the southern edge of China, past India and all the way to Africa.
Zhengde traded with all of the people he met along the way, further increasing China's reputation and the demand for porcelain. There are still pieces of the porcelain from this voyage across Asia and Africa. In some parts of Africa, people still bury the dead with porcelain to show respect.
About the Author:
D. Cheng has studied Chinese culture, calligraphy, and arts & crafts such as bone china tea sets for ages. From time to time, he endorses skilled Chinese craftsmen. See samples of quality China tea sets.
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