Zheng He (1371-1433) was an outstandingpolitician and world-renowned navigator. Withan aim to establish and develop the friendly tiesand economic and cultural exchange between China andoverseas countries， Zheng He led 100 vessels and morethan 27，000 officials and soldiers to visit more than 30countries and regions in Southeast Asia， South Asia， WestAsia and East Africa through seven trip in a period of 28years between 1405 to 1433 under the orders of EmperorYongle during the Ming Dynasty (Yongle was on thethrone from 1403-1424). The fleet departed from Nanjing，the capital of the Ming Dynasty. It launched from theLiujiagang Port in Suzhou， sailed past the South ChinaSea， the Strait of Malacca， the Indian Ocean， the PersianGulf， the Red Sea and reached coasts in East Africa.
All told， it navigated 160，000 sea miles. It establishedpeaceful and friendly relationships with the countriesand regions visited， carried out economic and culturalexchanges and received warm welcomes and hospitality
1三宝太监郑和
郑和（1371-1433）是中国历史上杰出的外交家和世界历史上名闻遐迩的航海家。为了恢复和发展中国与海外诸国的友好关系和经济文化往来，他奉明朝永乐皇帝（1403-1424年在位）之命，从1405年至1433年的28年间，连续七次出访西洋。他从明朝京师南京启程，在苏州刘家港整队出航，云帆高张，昼夜星驰，际天而行，过南海，穿马六甲海峡，渡印度洋，经波斯湾，达红海，到东非海岸。航程总计16万海里，遍访东南亚、南亚、西亚和东非30多个国家和地区，与所访国家和地区建立和平友好关系，开展经济文化交流，
from people in more than 30 countries in SoutheastAsia， South Asia， West Asia and East Africa. Zheng He，svoyages to the western oceans were a miracle in thehistory of navigation the huge ships involved， the massivenumber of sailors， the sheer scale， long distances and timespent at sea. The voyages are also a splendid chapter inthe peaceful diplomatic activities of ancient China forthe deep and friendly ties established， broad economicand trade exchanges and prosperous cultural blends itaccomplished. Zheng He defeated risks associated withsailing in his era with exquisite navigation skills. He isregarded as one of the 30 most influential explorers of thepast 1，000 years.
The goals of Zheng He，s voyages to the western oceanswere opening， exchange and development-including thedevelopment of Chinese and foreign politics， economyand culture via opening and exchanges. Zheng He，svoyages to the western oceans brought mutual benefitsto Ming Dynasty China and Asian and African countries，enhanced bilateral friendships， developed Sino-foreignocean shipping and international trade， promoted theprosperity of the Silk Road at Sea and resulted in Chineseand foreign exchanges of unprecedented scale.
Zheng He，s voyages to the western oceans were asplendid chapter not only in history of marine navigationin China but also the world. They have been confirmedand warmly praised by Chinese people. In his Biography ofthe Grand Navigator Zheng He， Liang Qichao (1873-1929)，
受到亚非国家人民的热烈欢迎和盛情款待。郑和的航海活动，以船舶之巨、船员之众、规模之大、航程之长、历时之久，创造了世界航海史上的奇迹；以友好交往之深、经贸往来之广、文化交融之盛，造就了中国古代和平外交的辉煌。郑和以其精湛的航海技术战胜了帆船时代的海上风险，被誉为“过去1000年间最具历史影响的30位世界探险家之一”。
郑和下西洋这一盛举的本质是开放、交流和发展；发展中外政治、经济和文化是目的，开放与交流是手段。郑和下西洋取得了明代中国与亚非国家双赢的效果，在政治外交方面增进了双边的传统友谊，经济方面发展了中外远洋国际贸易，促进了海上丝绸之路的繁荣，文化方面展开了空前规模的中外文化交流。
郑和下西洋不但在中国航海史上写下了光辉的一页，而且在世界航海史上谱写了灿烂的篇章，因而受到中国人民的充分肯定和热情赞颂。近代中国启蒙思想家梁启超（1873-1929）在《祖国大航海家郑和传》中说：“反观郑君，则全世界历史上所号称航海伟人，能与比肩者，何其寡也。”中国民主革命先行者孙中山先生（1866-1925）在《建国方略》
an enlightenment ideologist in modern China wrote：“Only few number of grand navigators in the history ofthe world can match Zheng He.” Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925)，the driver of the Chinese democratic revolution， praisedZheng He，s voyages to the western oceans highly as “amiracle in the history and future of China” in his book TheInternational Development of China. Zheng He，s voyagesto the western oceans also received high praise and agreat deal of attention from scholars of all countries.J.J.L.Duyrendak (1889-1954) in the Netherlands describedthe voyages as “great sea trips of the Chinese people inearly 15 th century.” Joseph Needham (1900-1995) fromthe U.K. praised the voyages as the greatest navigationventures in Chinese history. Terada Takanobu (1931- )from Japan says： “the voyages completed by Zheng Hewere really a great undertaking. They were not only thebiggest offshore activity in the history of China， but alsothe largest one among similar undertakings completed byhuman beings till early 15 th century. The voyages startedin the so-called Great Era of Navigation dozens of yearslater paled by comparison with Zheng He，s voyages tothe western oceans.” Zheng He，s voyages to the westernoceans started in 1405， 87 years earlier than ChristopherColumbus， (1451-1506) arrival in America in 1492， 83years earlier than Bartholomeu Dias， (1455-1500) crossingthe Cape of Good Hope in 1488， 92 years earlier thanVasco da Gama，s (1469-1524) arrival in Calicut， India， in1497， and 114 years before Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)
中，赞扬郑和下西洋“为中国超前轶后之奇举”。与此同时，郑和下西洋也受到各国学者的高度重视和盛情赞扬。荷兰的戴文达（J.J.L.Duyrendak，1889-1954）说它是“15世纪初中国人伟大的海上航行”。英国的李约瑟（Joseph Needham，1900-1995）称赞它“是中国历史上最伟大的航海探险”。日本的寺田隆信（1931- ）则说：“郑和完成的航海事业，应该说的确是伟大的事业。这不仅是中国历史上最大的海上活动，而且是直至15世纪初，在人类所进行的同样事业中规模最大的一次。在它的面前，迟于数十年才开始的所谓的大航海时代的种种航海，便相形见绌了。”郑和下西洋开始于1405年，比哥伦布（Cyistopher Columbus，1451-1506）1492年到达美洲早87年，比迪亚士（Bartholomeu Dias，1455-1500）1488年发现好望角早83年，比达·伽马（Vascoda Gama，1469-1524）1497年到达印度卡利卡特早92年，比麦哲伦（Ferdinand Magellan，1480-1521）1519年开始环球航行早114年。不仅如此，郑和的船队在西太平洋、印度洋上建立的亚非海上交通贸易网，还为其后欧洲人的东来和欧洲人的环球航行创造了条
undertook his voyage around the world in 1519. Moreover，the Asia-Africa offshore traffic and trade network ZhengHe，s fleet established in the Western Pacific Ocean andIndian Ocean created conditions for Europeans comingfrom the east and navigation around the world. It can besaid that Zheng He，s voyage to the western oceans wasthe forerunner of the great geographical discoveries thatmade active contributions to the Great Era of Navigationand created direct links between east and west.