of the fleet， when reaching the northern bank of Borneo，learned to make bird，s nest soup from local people toimprove their diet. Upon their return， they presented thebird，s nest produced in Southeast Asia to Emperor Yongle，who spoke highly of it. Bird，s nest soon gained popularityacross China. Meanwhile， the Chinese herbs taken byZheng，s fleet to Asian and African countries， includingginseng， muskiness， rhubarb， cinnamon， Tuckahoe andginger， diversified local varieties.
Rare animals and plants Zheng He，s fleet introducedto China also included kylins (giraffes)， lions， midgetcrabapple， fontanesia forrunei， Sal tree， ambergris，eaglewood， Aloeswood and senecio cannabifolius. Thisincreased knowledge in China and enriched Chineseanimal and plant species.
The fontanesia forrunei (or “five-grain tree” in Chinese)brought back by Zheng He was known as the “sacredtree.” Both the Bao，en Temple and Tianjie Temple inNanjing had one. It got its name from its fruit thatresembles five kinds of grains-paddy rice， wheat， soybean， corn and broomcorn-in shape. It was said thatthe “five-grain tree” could portend the crop harvest ofthe next year. Farmers would stand under the tree andwatch the fruits carefully every time as the spring sowingapproached. The grain that the greatest number of thefruits in the tree resembled would be planted that year.
见识，丰富了中国动植物学科。
郑和从西洋引进的五谷树，被誉为“神树”。南京报恩寺和天界寺各栽有一株。由于其树结子状如稻、麦、黄豆、玉米、高粱五种谷物，故名五谷树。相传此树可预兆来年庄稼的丰歉。农民在每年春播前到五谷树下观察，见树上结的果实像哪一种谷物的居多，当年就播种这种谷物。目前此树已分布在中国的江苏、浙江、山东、河南等地。
郑和船队还引进了玻璃制造术。据史料记载：“明时三宝太监出洋携带烧玻璃二人来中国。”这是中国传入玻璃制造术、自己烧制玻璃的开始。
中国书籍是中国文化的物质载体之一。郑和使团将中国书籍赠送亚非国家，目的是宣扬中国传统文化，倡导“以和为贵”、“和衷共济”、“和睦相处”、“共享太平”的理念。郑和访问暹罗时，曾赠送《古今列女传》100本，目的是让当地人以中国列女
The trees have now been widely distributed in such areasas Jiangsu， Zhejiang， Shandong and Henan.
Zheng He，s fleet also introduced glass-makingtechniques. Zheng Zi Tong， written by Zhang Zilie ofthe Ming Dynasty said， “Eunuch Sanbao of the MingDynasty， after sailing to the Western Oceans， broughtback two technicians who could burn glass.” That wasthe beginning of glass-burning in China. Glass had beenconsidered precious until the middle Ming Dynasty，underscoring Zheng He，s great contributions to China，sglass industry.
Chinese books are among the material carriers ofChinese culture. Zheng，s fleet gave Chinese books toother Asian and African countries as gifts， with a view tospreading traditional Chinese culture and advocating suchconcepts long cherished by the Chinese people as “peaceis valued，” “working together with one heart in times ofdifficulty，” “living in harmony” and “sharing commonpeace.” When visiting Siam， Zheng He once donated 100“Legendaries of Heroic Chinese Women” to the local people，in a bid to teach them about the heroines， honor， clemencyand peace， and become more dutiful， more enlightenedand less aggressive. During Zheng He，s voyages， manyenvoys to China requested the imperial government togive them Chinese books and agreed to exchange themfor their local products. The kingdoms of Champa， Java
为楷模，改变叛服无常、喜战好斗的野蛮习性，提高文明开化程度。郑和下西洋期间，不少访华使臣主动要求明朝政府赠给他们中国书籍，并表示愿以本国土特产品来交换。占城、爪哇、暹罗等国拥有丰富的中国书籍，国王及大臣常用中国书籍供子女学习。占城国王还下令设国子院，招年轻学子入院学习，讲授中国四书五经。
精神文化上的交流
伊斯兰教的传播是东南亚历史上最重要的事件之一。郑和下西洋对伊斯兰教在东南亚的传播起了巨大的推动作用。
郑和每次在爪哇等地停留期间，都积极地从事传播伊斯兰教的活动。1405年郑和访问爪哇后，1407年在旧港便产生了华人伊斯兰教区。1411年，在雅加达地区的安卓尔、井里汶、杜板、锦石、若班及爪哇，先后建立清真寺。1413年，当郑和船队停泊在三宝垄时，郑和与他的随从人员马欢、费信一起去当地的清真寺祈祷。至1430年，郑和已成功地在爪哇奠下伊斯兰教信奉的基础。郑和先后在爪哇、旧港、山巴斯
and Siam had a great number of Chinese books， which thekings and ministers often used to teach their children. Theking of Champa even ordered an institute of traditionalChinese culture be set up to instruct youths about TheFour Books (The Great Learning， The Doctrine of the Mean，The Confucian Analects， and The Works of Mencius) and TheFive Classics (The Book of Songs， The Book of History， The Bookof Changes， The Book of Rites， and The Spring and AutumnAnnals).
Spiritual cultural exchanges
The spread of Islam was one of the most significantevents in the history of Southeast Asia. Zheng He，svoyages played a very big role in helping spread Islamin Southeast Asia. In every one of his stays in such areasas Java， he would vigorously join in the spread of Islam.Following Zheng，s visit to Java in 1405， Chinese Islamicparishes appeared in the Old Port in 1407. Mosques weresuccessively built in Andro， Cirebon， Tuban， Gresik，Ruoban and Java in Jakarta in 1411. In 1413 when Zheng，sfleet stopped at Semarang， Zheng He and his attendants，Ma Huan and Fei Xin， went together to the local mosqueto pray. By 1430， Zheng He had laid a sound foundationin Java for the embrace of Islam. He advocated Islam inChinese in Java， the Old Port and Kalimantan Barat， andestablished Chinese Muslim communities as well， which
（西加里曼丹）用汉语宣扬伊斯兰教，建立穆斯林华人社区，为伊斯兰教在印尼的传播作出了贡献。
郑和支持满剌加发展成为一个强大的伊斯兰王国。1409年，郑和奉命册封拜里迷苏剌为满剌加国国王，赐予银印、冠带、袍服，力挺满剌加发展为强大的国家。满剌加的强大给该国的改宗注入真正的动力，使之一跃成为东南亚重要的商业中心和伊斯兰教的传播中心。
印度尼西亚和马来西亚两国伊斯兰教的传播和发展，郑和功不可没。从这个意义上说，郑和堪称联接
played a big role in spreading Islam in Indonesia.
Zheng He greatly supported Malacca to become astrong Islamic kingdom. In 1409， the Chinese emperorentrusted Zheng He to confer the title of King of Malaccaon Jayaviravarman， awarding him the silvery seal， crownsand robes. The growth of the nation gave impetus to itsproselytism， which made it an important commercialcenter and a center for Islam in Southeast Asia.
Zheng He made an immense contribution to the spreadand development of Islam in Indonesia and Malaysia. Inthis sense， Zheng He can be reputed as a navigator whoconnected China with the Muslim world.