郑和

ZHENG HE
~and the~
AFRO-ASIAN
WORLD

Chia Lin Sien & Sally K Church

First published in Malaysia in 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the publishers or author of respective chapters. Melaka Museums
Corporation (PERZIM) and International Zheng He Society, Singapore, in
respect of the complete volume. Copyright in respect of individual articles
belong to the publisher and/or author. The responsibility for facts and
opinions in this publication rests exclusively with the contributors and their
interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors and publishers.
respect of individual articles belong to the publisher and/or author. The
responsibility for facts and opinions in this publication rests exclusively with
the contributors and their interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of
the editors and publishers.

Perbadanan Muzium Melaka &

International Zheng He Society
Cataloguing-In-Publication Data

Zheng He And The Afro-Asian World

Edited By
Chia Lin Sien and Sally K. Church

ISBN: 978-967-11386-0-1

Printed by :
CLB Enterprise Sdn. Bhd
No.12, Plaza Seri Kubu, Jalan Tan Chay Yan, 75300, Melaka
Tel: 06-3179440 | Fax: 06-3177548

Published by :
Melaka Museums Corporation (PERZIM)
Kompleks Warisan Melaka, 75000, Jalan Kota, Melaka, Malaysia
Tel: 06-2826526 | Fax: 06-2826745

and

International Zheng He Society

8 Commonwealth Lane, Singapore 149555
Tel: 65-64742112 | Fax: 65-64740990
ZHENG HE AND THE AFRO-ASIAN WORLD

Chia Lin Sien & Sally K Church

(Editors)

2012
Published by:
Perbadanan Muzium Melaka (PERZIM)

and

International Zheng He Society

 郑和 Zheng He And The Afro-Asian World

CONTENTS
List of Tables and Figures viii
List of Contributors xiii
Preface xviii
Foreword
His Excellency Tun Datuk Seri Utama Mohd Khalil Bin Yaakob
Governor of Melaka 1

The Most Honourable Datuk Seri Hj. Mohd Ali Bin Mohd Rustam
Chief Minister of Melaka 3

I. Speeches and Keynote Address
Sir Tan Sri Datuk Tiong Hiew King (张哓卿)
President, World Chinese Media Association 5

Leo Suryadinata
Keynote Address: Reflections on Studies on Zheng He
over the Last Three Decades 9

II. Zheng He and Maritime Civilisation

Chapter 1 A Naval Architectural Analysis of the Plausibility
of 450-ft Treasure Ships 15
Sally K. Church, John C. Gebhardt, and Terry H. Little

Chapter 2 A Nautical Perspective on Cheng Ho, Admiral of the
Western Oceans: Some Practical Considerations Concerning 48
the Ming Voyages - Philip J. Rivers

Chapter 3 Preliminary Study of Astronomical Navigation by Zheng He 86
Hsu Sheng-i and Chen Yau-Zhih

Chapter 4 Analysis of Zheng He’s Voyages to the Western Oceans

from a Geographical Perspective - Deng Hui 99

III. Impact and Cultural Continuity in Southeast Asia
Chapter 5 Zheng He’s Contributions to the Spread of Islam in the Malay
World: The Legacy of an Open-minded Peaceful, Multi-ethnic
and Multi-religious Community - Wang Ma Rosey 115

Chapter 6 Cultivating the Past, Imagining the Future: Enthusiasm for

Zheng He in Contemporary Indonesia - Johanes Herlijanto 130

Chapter 7 Contesting the Symbols: Zheng He, Sam Po Kong Temple

and the Evolution of Chinese Identity in Semarang 147
Singgih Tri Sulistiyono

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 郑和 Zheng He And The Afro-Asian World

Chapter 8 The Imprint of Zheng He and Chinese Muslims in

Indonesia’s Past - Sumanto Al Qurtuby 172

Chapter 9 Lessons from Cheng Ho: Love of Peace and
Multi-culturalism - Choirul Mahfud 188

Chapter 10 Cheng Ho’s Guanchang Site in Melaka - Tan Ta Sen 192

Chapter 11 Heritage and History: The 600th Anniversary Commemoration

of Zheng He Voyages in Singapore - Huang Jianli 216

Chapter 11a Rejoinder by Dr Tan Ta Sen on Dr. Huang Jianli’s Chapter on
“Heritage and History: The 600th Anniversary Commemoration
of Zheng He Voyages in Singapore” - Tan Ta Sen 244

IV. Historical Traces in Africa and Beyond

Chapter 12 Zheng He and the African Horizon: An Investigative Study
into the Chinese Geography of Early Fifteenth-century
Eastern Africa - Clifford J. Pereira 248

Chapter 13 Did Chinese Ships of the Zheng He Era Reach the Cape of
Good Hope? Old Evidence, Fresh Conclusions 280
Rosanne Hawarden

Chapter 14 A Note on Admiral Zheng He and Cochin/Kochi, Kerala 300

Sudah Yehuda Kovesh Shaheb

Chapter 15 Zheng He’s Voyages Revealed by Matteo Ricci’s World Map 307
Lee Siu-Leung

V. New Approaches and Further Research

Chapter 16 Zheng He and the Art of Collaboration 336
Hum Sin Hoon & Chew Lusheng Grace

Chapter 17 Malindi’s Journey: An African Giraffe Travels to China

on the Treasure Ships of Zheng He 350
Alicia Carroll and Lucy Zahner Montgomery

Chapter 18 Zheng He online: A Selective Survey of Cyberspace

Materials on the Admiral - Lim Tai Wei 361

Chapter 19 Laksamana Cheng Ho Dalam Sejarah Melaka Serta Hubungan

Diplomatik Dengan Dinasti Ming Di China
Datuk Dr. Hj. Mohd Jamil bin Mukmin 386

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 郑和 Zheng He And The Afro-Asian World

List of Tables
1.1 Treasure Ship A – Displacements. 28
1.2 Treasure Ship B – Displacements. 29
1.3 Strength Properties of Fir. 34
1.4 Maximum Stresses Compared to Allowable Stresses for Fir 35
2.1 Chronology of the Seven Ming Voyages. 50
2.2 Number of Ships and Men on Each Voyage. 51
2.3 Timetable of the Seventh Expedition (1431-33). 51
2.4 Estimates by Friends of Zheng He (Singapore) and Nanjing 60
Group of the Dimensions of Zheng He’s Treasure Ships.
3.1 Travel log of Zheng He’s expedition during 1430-1433 AD. 86
3.2 Comparison of the true latitude, estimated latitude and 91
‘Fingers’ for the elevation of Polaris for various locations.
3.3 Stars and their Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (Dec) 93
in 1433 and 2000.
3.4 Major stars in Guo Yang Xian Sing Tu and simulated dates 94
and time giving computed azimuth readings based on
Sky Level software.
4.1 Sailing schedule of the seventh voyage of Zheng He’s fleet. 106
4.2 Time-table for Zheng He’s Seven Voyages, 1405-1433. 109
12.1 Kiswahili/Somali, Arab and Portuguese places. 256
12.2 The fourteen places mentioned by Mills in his “Section 18. 258
The East Coast of Africa”, pp. 301-302
(in Wade-Giles, with pinyin).
12.3 Kiswahili/Somali, Arab, Chinese and Portuguese names. 259
12.4 Revised list of eighteen settlements in Eastern Africa. 261
15.1 Chronology of Maps of the Pacific Ocean. 312
15.2 Chronology of Naming the Atlantic Ocean. 313
(Greek and Roman name – Atlanticum Mare).

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List of FIGURES
1.1 Line drawing of Treasure Ship A, Depth = 43.5 ft. 25
1.2 Treasure Ship A: Hull Form, Aft Quarter from Above 25
1.3 Treasure Ship A: Hull Form, Aft Quarter from Below 26
1.4 Treasure Ship A: Hull Form, Fwd Quarter from Below 26
1.5 Treasure Ship A: Thick Hull Configuration. 28
1.6 Treasure Ship A: Thin Hull Configuration. 28
1.7 Treasure Ship B: Thick Hull Configuration. 29
1.8 Treasure Ship B: Thin Hull Configuration. 29
1.9 Treasure Ship A, Thick Hull: Full Load Condition, 43 ft. Wave, 31
Sagging Condition.
1.10 Treasure Ship A, Thick Hull: Full Load Condition, 43 ft. Wave, 31
Hogging Condition.
1.11 Maximum Stresses in the Hull, Treasure Ship A: Thick Hull. 33

1.12 Maximum Stresses in the Hull, Treasure Ship A: Thin Hull. 33

1.13 Maximum Stresses in the Hull, Treasure Ship B: Thick Hull. 33

1.14 Maximum Stresses in the Hull, Treasure Ship B: Thin Hull. 33

3.1 Sea route from Nanjing via Malacca, Pulau We, Beruwala, Dandi 87
Bandar, Jabal Khamis, to Hormuz.
3.2 Asterisms at various locations along Zheng He’s voyage routes. 90
3.3 Asterism for Jabal Khamis on 1433/1/9 at 04:17. 95
4.1 Changing patterns of the Asian monsoon (after Van Riper 1971, 100
p. 215).
4.2 Routes of Zheng He’s main fleet [black lines] and the squadrons 103
[dashed lines].
4.3 Surface wind patterns over the Indian Ocean and the South China 107
Sea.
10.1 Map showing the roués of Cheng Ho’s seven voyages. 193
10.2 The Guanchang location, as shown in the Wubei Zhi was located 199
on the northern banks of the Melaka River.

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 郑和 Zheng He And The Afro-Asian World

10.3 The Admiral’s Well discovered during the construction of Cheng 203
Ho Cultural Museum in 2004.
10.4 The original Guanchang, estimated to cover an area of 20 ha 205
is seen here superimposed on the present-day Melaka city map.
It coincides exactly with the Melaka historic city boundary which
was awarded by UNESCO World Heritage status.
10.5 The original roof structure of the residence of an unknown 207
Kapitan Cina located at No 6-8, Jalan Hang Jebat. After
restoration in 2005, most of the original architectural elements
were replaced with modern design. Now, it houses the Ho Kee
Chicken Rice shop.
10.6 Another Kapitan Cina’s residence opposite the Ho Kee shop still 207
keeping its original roof style.
10.7 The most elegant residence of the second Kapitan Cina, Li Jun 208
Chang, before restoration in 2004 (above) and after restoration
(bottom). It now houses the Cheng Ho Teahouse and part of
Cheng Ho Cultural Museum.
10.8 The original roof structure of Li Jun Chang’s residence before 208
restoration.
10.9 A old warehouse situated on the Cheng Ho Wharf along Lorong 209
Hang Jebat before restoration (above) and after renovation in 2004
(bottom). The building now houses the Cheng Ho Cultural
Museum.
10.10 An old warehouse on the side of the Melaka River (above). It 211
is now the Restoran Cheng Ho after renovation in 2008 (bottom).
10.11 The above old warehouse after renovation in 2004, now the 212
entrance of Cheng Ho Cultural Museum.
10.12 The old warehouse besides the Melaka River before renovation in 212
2008.
10.13 The rundown old warehouse after restoration, is now the 213
Restoran Cheng Ho.
12.1 Folios 19V-20R. The coast of Myanmar is at the top on the left- 250
hand side of this double folio, with the Bay of Bengal represented
just below it. Sri Lanka is the large island on the right. Patana and
Orissa are at the top on the extreme left, where the buildings are
depicted, and the east coast of India extends to the right from there,
just below the Bay of Bengal. The coast of East Africa is at the
bottom.

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12.2 Final interpretation of the East African portion of folios 19V-20R. 271
13.1 Bernard O’Sullivan at the dig site in March/April 1993, looking 292
due west. (Photograph with permission from his daughter, Francis
Wium).
13.2 Rosanne Hawarden - at the Maitland Police Cricket ground, 322
27 March 2010, facing due west to identify landmarks in the
O’Sullivan picture in Figure 13.1.
13.3 Photographs of the dig showing early phases with the digger; 323
the original borehole; and the large timbers near the natural
surface. Cutting samples in the laboratory; and the largest intact
log. (Photographs by permission of David Halkett).
15.1 Matteo Ricci’s World Map (Kun Yu Wan Guo Quan Tu, 1602) 308
(from Wikipedia).
15.2 Mappa Mundi at Hereford Cathedral, England (ca. 1300 310
Wikipedia).
15.3 Globe by Euphrosyne Ulpius (1542). Note Oceanus Orientalis et 314
Occidentalis (with permission from Jim Siebold).
15.4 Ricci’s map of Italy (extracted from Wikipedia). 317
15.5 Ricci’s Map showing Southwestern and Northeastern China. 318
(extracted from Wikipedia).
15.6 Cape of Good Hope – Ricci (1602), Ortelius (1570, 1584[above] and 321
Actual Map of the Same Area [below] (extracted from Wikipedia).
15.7 Hydrology of Central Africa shown on Ricci and Ortelius’ maps 322
respectively [top and middle], and satellite imagery of the same
area [bottom] (extracted from Wikipedia).
15.8 California shown on maps of Ricci (1602) [top], Ortelius (1570) 324
[middle], and Granata Nova et California (1603) [bottom],
respectively (extracted from Wikipedia).
15.9 Satellite imagery of Baja, showing Bay at La Paz and Sierra La 324
Laguna (extracted from Wikipedia).
15.10 An analysis of Ricci’s 1602 World Map (KYWGQT) to show that 329
it was drawn during Zheng He’s Time.
19.1 Jalan Perdagangan Orang Arab ke Alam Melayu dan Negeri 387
China (sebelum dan selepas Islam)
19.2 Peta Empayar Srivijaya (Abad ke-7 hingga ke-13) 390

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19.3 Empayar Majapahit (Kerajaan di Jawa telah wujud dalam abad 391
ke-5 lagi iaitu Kerajaan Aruteun (Ho-Lo-Tan, puncaknya Zaman
Empayar Majapahit (1292-1529M)
19.4 Laksamana Cheng Ho menghadap Sultan Iskandar Shah pada 393
tahun 1405M di istana, Melaka.
19.5 Melaka Pusat Penyebaran Islam di Nusantara (Empayar Melaka 393
pada abad ke-13 hingga awal ke-16)
19.6 Perkembangan Islam di Asia Tenggara (dari abad ke-7 hingga ke- 394
18)
19.7 Melaka sebagai pusat perdagangan Melayu di Timur (abad ke-13 294
hingga awal ke-16)
19.8 Selain dari tugas-tugas Hang Tuah sebagai Laksamana dan 296
pegawal peribadi Sultan, Hang Tuah juga menjadi utuasan
(duta) Sultan dalam menjalin hubungan dengan negeri-negeri
luar seperti negeri China, India, Siam dan Turki. Gambar
menunjukkan lawatan Hang Tuah ke negeri China. Senario
menunjukkan Hang Tuah disambut dengan penuh kebesaran.
19.9 Peta pelayaran Zheng He yang keempat, kelima dan keenam 399
(Sumber: Zhang Weihua (ed), Zheng He Xia Xi Yang (Pelayaran
Zheng Ho ke Samudera Barat), hlm.51
19.10 Peta pelayaran Zheng He yang ketujuh (Sumber: Zhang Weihua 399
(ed), Zheng He Xia Xi Yang (Pelayaran Zheng Ho ke Samudera
Barat), hlm. 60.
19.11 Sultan Mansur Syah berkahwin dengan Puteri Maharaja Cina, 405
Hang Li Po
19.12 Masjid lama di Xi’an, China yang telah dibaiki oleh Cheng Ho 410
19.13 Mural Cheng Ho melawat Melaka yang terdapat di Muzium 415
Negara
19.14 Kapal Replika Cheng Ho masuk ke pelabuhan Melaka. 415
Kelihatan dalam kapal Madam Meng Xiaosi Timbalan Menteri
Kebuadayaan China (Pada tahun 2004)

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LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Carroll, Alicia, MEd, in Early Childhood and Elementary Education,
Wheelock College, teaches in Boston Public Schools from 1997 and
is currently Teacher Developer of teachers. She has experience living
in and travelling to Africa, Europe, Middle East and Southeast Asia.
She received the Boston Superintendent’s Award for Outstanding
Teaching in 2002. In 2004, she was a Fulbright Scholar to Kenya
and Tanzania. In 2005 and 2006, she was selected for “Who’s Who
Among America’s Teachers” and was a recipient of the Harvard
University Sontag prize in 2010. E-mail: aliciaahc@aol.com

Chen Yau-Zhih (陳有志): Amateur astronomer and independent

researcher. He is a member of the editorial board of Goose-Lake
Monthly (鵝湖月刊) and has an interest in the study of Zhu-Xi
Philosophy (朱熹理學). E-mail: bennett4143@gmail.com

Chew Lusheng Grace (周露胜): She is a graduate of the National

University of Singapore Business School, with an interest in business
strategy. E-mail: gracechew3@gmail.com

Chia Lin Sien (谢麟先), PhD, FCILT: Formerly staff of the Geography
Department, National University of Singapore, has been for many
years honorary secretary of the International Zheng He Society.
His research interest is in maritime geography and coastal area
management. He is joint editor with Dr Tan Ta Sen of Zheng He
Epic (2009). E-mail: chia2002@singnet.com.sg

Church, Sally K. (程思丽) PhD, Harvard University, in East Asian

Languages and Civilization is currently Tutor, Fellow and
International Student Liaison Officer at Wolfson College, and was
from 2008-2011 Sr Research Associate and Project Coordinator,
Civilizations in Contact research project, Faculty of Asian and
Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge. Her research

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 郑和 Zheng He And The Afro-Asian World

concerns pre-modern Sino-foreign diplomacy and other interaction,

especially during the Ming period. Recently she has concentrated on
the ships of Zheng He, and Chinese shipbuilding in the Ming.

Deng Hui (邓辉), PhD: Professor of Research Center for Historical

Geography, Vice Dean of School of Urban & Environmental Sciences,
Peking University and Vice President of the Beijing Association for
Studies of Zheng He’s Voyages. His major interest is in historical
geography focussing on multi-disciplinary research on man-land
relationships in different regions at different temporal scales.

Gebhardt, John C. (格约翰) BS, MS, PhD in Naval Architecture & Marine
Engrg and MS in Engrg Mech., Univ. Michigan: Principal and owner
of Gebhardt & Associates, a consulting firm with expertise in IT, naval
architecture, and on-line education. He was Assist. Prof. at the U.S.
Naval Academy. He founded Cadcom Inc., a pioneer in Computer-
aided design, helped develop international standards for computer
graphics (VRML and CGM); as CTO of Caliber Learning Network Inc.
led the development of an e-learning platform for distance learning. 

Haji Mohd Jamil b. Mukmin, PhD (University of Kebangsaan, Malaysia,

2005), Datuk, is the Deputy Chairman of the Malaysian Institute of
Historical & Patriotism Research Institute (IKSEP) and the Malay
Islamic World (DMDI). He was also the General Manager of Melaka
Museums Corporation (PERZIM). He had held many important
positions in the civil service of both the State and Central Government.

Hawarden, Rosanne, DBA: based in New Zealand, Dr Hawarden is an

independent scholar researching medieval maritime trade networks
linking the Indian and Pacific oceans focussing on the associated
ports and their design. Her business and academic background in the
social sciences, network analysis, systems integration and diversity
research brings cross-discipline tools to the field of land-based

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marine archaeology. Email: rosanne@computer-nz.com.

Herlijanto, Johanes, MS in Sociology, University of Indonesia:

Affiliated with the Chinese Studies Program of the University of
Indonesia, Jakarta. He is completing his PhD programme in the
Department of Anthropology, Macquarie University, Sydney. His
dissertation is focussed on the changing representation of China in
contemporary Indonesia. E-mail: jherlijanto@gmail.com

Hsu Sheng-I (徐勝一), PhD: Emeritus Professor of Geography. He

taught climatology in the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
and in National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei where
he retired. His current interest is in Climatic Change and Hakka
genealogy. E-mail: sihsu@ntnu.edu.tw

Huang Jianli (黄坚立): Assoc. Professor, History Department, National

University of Singapore and concurrently Research Associate, East
Asian Institute. His research interests are: history of student political
activism and local governance in Republican China (1910s to 1940s),
and post-war Chinese community in Singapore. His publications
include The Politics of Depoliticization in Republican China (1996)
(Chinese edn 2010) and co-authored The Scripting of a National
History: Singapore and Its Past (2008). E-mail: hishjl@nus.edu.sg
Website: http://profile.nus.edu.sg/fass/hishjl

Hum Sin Hoon (湛先训), PhD: Vice-Dean (Undergraduate Studies),

National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. He
previously served as Dean of the NUS Business School. His research
interests are in Operations and Supply Chain Management. E-mail:
bizhumsh@nus.edu.sg

Lee Siu-Leung (李兆良), PhD: Independent scholar, Columbus, Ohio,

USA. Owner of Xuande medallion unearthed in US. Author of
Ming Chinese Mapped the World before Columbus – The Secret

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 郑和 Zheng He And The Afro-Asian World

of Kunyu Wanguo Quantu Unveiled, Taipei: Linking Publ. Co. (in

Chinese, to be published). He is a retired biochemistry professor and
biotechnology executive. E-mail: SLLee@asiawind.com

Lim Tai Wei (林大伟): Assistant Professor, Japanese Studies Department,

Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research interests include
history and historiography of environment and energy in Northeast
Asia (mainly Japan and China). He was formerly with East Asian
Institute (EAI) and now editorial associate with World Scientific
(WSPC). Email: limtaiwei@cuhk.edu.hk or limtaiwei2009@gmail.com

Little, Terry H. (李德立), BA in Political Science, Florida State University,

and Bachelor of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering,
University of Michigan, is President and General Manager of Hord
Corp. a consulting engineering firm with more than 40 years of naval
architecture experience in the marine industry. He developed a keen
interest in Zheng He's Treasure ships and is continuing his research
proposed on this topic.

Ma Rosey Wang (王樂丽) LLB, National Zhengzhi University, Taiwan;

MEd, IIUM; PhD in Socio-anthropology, Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia: Research Fellow at the Islamic History and Civilization
Department, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Her research field
covers the Chinese Muslims in China, their diaspora, and Chinese
Muslim converts in Malaysia. Her publications includes the Hui
diaspora in Encyclopedia of Diasporas; Shifting Identities: Chinese
Muslims in Malaysia. E-mail: roseyma2003@yahoo.com

Mahfud, Choirul: Coordinator of the Institute for Religions and Social

Studies, Surabaya. His research interests are in Chinese-Indonesians,
multiculturalism, and peace studies. E-mail: mahfudjatim@yahoo.
com. Website: http://www.choirulmahfud.blogspot.com

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Montgomery, Lucy Zahner, MEd in International Education, Harvard

Graduate School of Education (1996). She has been teaching in the
Boston Public Schools since 2001. She is currently teaching history
at Brighton High School, as well as running a Chinese language and
culture after school program. With Alicia Carroll, Lucy has received
two Funds for Teachers Fellowships, for research related to Malindi’s
Journey including travel to Kenya, Malaysia, Singapore, and China.
E-mail: lzm@post.harvard.edu

Pereira, Clifford J., Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, is

Honorary Research Assistant with Royal Holloway, University of
London. He is also freelance researcher of historical geography
with clients in China, West Asia and Britain, and consultant to the
British heritage industry. He is one of two world authorities on
the Bombay Africans and is well known for his work on the Ming
Dynasty relationships with East Africa. Recently working on Indian
Ocean migrations focussing on Luso-Asian migrations. E-mail:
cliffjpereira@hotmail.com. Website: http://www.cliffordpereira.com

Qurtuby, Sumanto Al: Secretary-General, Nahdlatul Ulama Community

in North America; PhD candidate in cultural anthropology at Boston
University. His research interests cover Muslim politics, overseas
Chinese studies, Islamic history and culture, Christian-Muslim
relations, anthropology of violence, conflict resolution, and civic
peace in war-ravaged societies. His dissertation deals with Christian-
Muslim conflict and the quest for post-war reconciliation and
citizenship in the Moluccas, Eastern Indonesia. E-mail: squrtuby@
gmail.com

Shaheb, Sudah Yehuda Kovesh, MD, MSc, MS (Paris and La Habana):

Visiting Professor of Anthropology at the University of Havana,

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Cuba. He also holds appointments at Brunel University Centre

for Research into Medical Anthropology in London as well as
Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He is Consultant
Physician, Meher Yoga Lifestyle Coaching, Malaysia, and a
specialist physician in Endocrinology with a long-term interest in
the metabolism of Indigenous peoples of the world. His interests
include American Indians, Cuba and Travel and Literature. E-mail:
cochinjew@yahoo.com

Sulistiyono, Singgih Tri PhD: Professor of Maritime History, Diponegoro

University, Semarang. E-mail: singgihts@yahoo.com

Suryadinata, Leo (廖建裕) PhD: Professor and Director, Chinese

Heritage Centre, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
He is also President, International Society for the Study of Chinese
Overseas (ISSCO) and Vice President, International Zheng He
Society. E-mail: chcleos@ntu.edu.sg

Tan Ta Sen (陈达生), BA (Nanyang Univ.); BA, Drs in Indonesian Studies

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PREFACE
The contributions (chapters) selected for this volume were among the
English language papers presented at the First International Conference
on Zheng He and the Afro-Asian World held on 5-8 July 2009 in Melaka
[Malacca]. The conference commemorated two profoundly important
events: the 605th anniversary of Zheng He’s historic maiden voyage
to the Western Oceans [the South China Sea and the northern Indian
Ocean] and the second anniversary of the designation of Melaka as a
World Heritage City. It was organised to coincide with the celebration
of Melaka’s World Heritage City Month [July 2010]. After a welcoming
speech by the Governor of the State of Melaka TYT Tun Datuk Seri
Utama Mohd Khalil Bin Yaakob, the Chief Minister of Melaka, Datuk
Seri Hj. Mohd Ali Bin Mohd Rustam, presented the opening address [in
Bahasa Melayu]. These were followed by an address [in Chinese] by
the President of the World Chinese Media Association, Tan Sri Datuk
Tiong Hew Khing (张哓卿). The keynote speech was given by Professor
Leo Suryadinata, Vice President of the International Zheng He Society,
and Director of the Chinese Heritage Society, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore.

The historic city of Melaka provided the perfect backdrop for this
conference. With its glorious past and rich cultural heritage, it occupies
a special place in the history and cultural life of Malaysia. The city is
acknowledged both as the “Emporium of The East” and the ‘Business
City of the East’. Its unique role, both past and present, was rightfully
recognised in 2008 when the city was awarded World Heritage City
status.

During the fifteenth century, the Melaka Empire enjoyed very close
ties with the Ming Chinese government. The arrival of Admiral Cheng
Ho – as he is usually known in Southeast Asia – in this region greatly

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strengthened Melaka’s position as a prosperous centre of trade and

international relations, where traders from Middle East, Africa, Southeast
Asia and East Asia gathered to conduct commercial transactions. Zheng
He built an official depot and made Melaka a regional base from which to
conduct diplomatic and commercial activities across Africa, the Middle
East, Southeast Asia and East Asia. Melaka was also an important port
from where his main- and sub-fleets set off in different directions to
distant lands, and where they regrouped for their return journey back
home to China.

The theme chosen for the conference, Zheng He and the Afro-
Asian World, aimed to focus attention on the contributions of Zheng He’s
voyages to the regions he visited, as well as their impact on these regions.
It thus represented a significant change in the approach to the study of
Zheng He. All previous international conferences on Zheng He were for
the most part from the Chinese perspective. This conference was unique in
providing opportunities for Zheng He to be viewed from the perspective
of the countries outside China that he influenced.

The Perbadanan Muzium Melaka (PERZIM), a key organiser of

the conference, proclaimed the following as aims of the conference:

a. To harmonise the various views and explore the evidence for

Admiral Cheng Ho’s voyages and the diplomatic and other
activities that took place in connection with the history of
Melaka’s relationship with the Ming government at the time of
Zheng He’s voyages;

b. To revisit and review the route that Admiral Cheng Ho followed

to Melaka, as well as the diplomatic ties established by the
Malay government of Melaka with China and the rest of the
world;

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c. To encourage research on and study of the great achievements

of Admiral Cheng Ho; and

d. To strengthen diplomatic ties between Malaysia/Melaka and

China following the Malaysian Prime Minister’s visit to China
in 2010.

The International Zheng He Society added the following reasons

for organising the conference:

e. To provide members of the Society with an opportunity to

exchange views and form networks to foster contact and
communication;

f. To enable researchers around the world to meet to share their

research findings as well as to exchange views and information
regarding Zheng He;

g. To focus attention on the impact of Zheng He’s voyages on the

regions that he visited, so that Zheng He is not viewed solely
from the Chinese perspective; and

h. To help foster peace, harmony, mutual understanding and co-

operation in the true spirit of Zheng He, among the peoples
across the world, as seen from the records of his voyages and
activities.

Jointly organised with PERZIM, with support from the Melaka State
Tourism Department’s Cultural and Heritage Committee, the International
Zheng He Society, and the Melaka Cheng Ho Cultural Museum, the
Conference attracted 345 participants from fifteen countries and regions
including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, South Africa, China, Taiwan,
Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, England, and the United
States of America. A US resident of Panama also participated. As expected,

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the largest overseas contingent came from China. Conference sessions

were held simultaneously in Chinese, English and Malay. A total of fifty-
nine papers in the three languages were presented at the conference.

This volume begins with the texts of the speeches made at the
opening ceremony of the conference, as well as the keynote address by
Professor Leo Suryadinata. This set of texts is then followed by twenty-
two contributions that were presented in English at the conference. These
are divided into four sections: (1) Zheng He and maritime civilisation, (2)
Impact and cultural continuity in Southeast Asia, (3) Historical traces in
Africa and beyond, and (4) New approaches and further studies.

It is clear from the speeches that were delivered on this occasion,

that there is a strong awareness of the historic relations between Malaysia
and China, as well as those that are so warm in the present day. Governor
TYT Tun Datuk Seri Utama Mohd Khalil bin Yaakob refers to the strong
links, in fact, synergy between the histories of Melaka and China and their
common cultural heritage imbedded in the significance of the voyages of
Zheng He. He emphasised Zheng He’s key role in promoting Melaka
as an important commercial and diplomatic centre, drawing connections
between Zheng He as a Muslim and the status of Melaka as an important
centre for Islamic learning in the region at the time. He noted that Zheng
He’s presence and influence in Melaka “changed the political, economic
and cultural landscapes of fifteenth century Southeast Asia….[and]
provided the timely conducive political and economic environment to
pave the way for the rise of the Melaka Sultanate to become the most
powerful and prosperous empire in the region”.

Datuk Seri Hj. Mohd Ali Bin Mohd Rustam, Chief Minister of
Melaka stressed that Zheng He enriched the cultural ties between the
Malays and Chinese. He also highlighted Zheng He’s relevance for today,
stating that “the relationships between two ancient civilisations which were

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established through diplomatic exchanges and trade must be adapted to

modern science and technology, [the] open market and the globalisation of
economy and industry”. Sir Tan Sri Datuk Tiong Hiew King, a prominent
Malaysian Chinese community leader, concurred, reaffirming the close
economic and political ties between the two communities. He called for
the development of a multi-racial society consisting of peoples from all
ethnic groups, which, based on the foundations laid by Zheng He, will
have a strong sense of fraternal identity and determination that will help
bring about cohesive integration.

The keynote address by Professor Leo Suryadinata reviewed

the studies done on Zheng He in the last several decades. He noted
that the message conveyed by the officials of the Melaka State is that
Malaysia values the contributions of the Ming envoy Zheng He in
bringing about the political, cultural and economic development of
Melaka. Acknowledgement was again made of Melaka’s close historical
relationship with China, and the current friendly relations that exist
between Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China.

Section 1 of the volume comprises four contributions that explore

the amazing ships and long-distances that were covered by the large fleet.
Two weighty contributions deal first with the plausibility of the enormous
size of Zheng He’s 450-ft Treasure Ship or baochuan and second with
the navigation technology available to the mariners of the era. Attention
is focused on the knowledge and expertise possessed by Zheng He to
build his ships and steer the huge fleet of 200 or more vessels to distant
waters, where they encountered high seas and typhoon-ridden waters in
the South China Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and faced
the challenges of negotiating the narrow waterways of the Malacca-
Singapore Straits. The Admiral must have hired native pilots of Indian,
Malay and Arab ethnic ancestry to navigate these treacherous, narrow,
shallow waters, and to avoid the hidden shoals.

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The first contribution is the product of two professional naval

architects [Little and Gebhardt] and a sinologist [Church] who has done
research on this subject before. Based on what is known about shipbuilding
technology at the time, the authors used computer simulation and other
techniques to test the viability of the enormous wooden ships described
in the Chinese records.

In the second major contribution, Capt. Philip J. Rivers brings

together what is known about the navigation capabilities of European,
Arab, Indian and Chinese sailors, and combines it with his own knowledge
and experience of many years as a master mariner who personally sailed
through some of the same waters traversed by Zheng He’s fleets. By the
time of Zheng He’s voyages, Indian and Arab navigators had been sailing
their long-distance craft on the waters between the Arabian Sea and the
South China Sea and further east for centuries.

The joint contributions by Professor Hsu Sheng-I and Chen

Yau-Zhih from Taiwan examines the use of astronomical navigation
techniques on the voyages, and uses them to reconstruct the journey
and determine the location of the various places mentioned in the Ming
records. They attempt to reproduce the calculations that must have been
made regarding the sailing times, the number of days and hours it took
for the sailors to arrive at their destinations. The fourth contribution, by
Professor Deng Hui of Peking University, examines the geography of
the routes traversed by the Admiral’s fleets and the places visited, noting
the climatic [monsoonal] and hydrographical conditions that Zheng He’s
ships encountered during their voyages.

In highlighting the key points of the conference, Suryadinata noted

in his keynote address, that since the early 1980s there has been a revival
of Zheng He studies in mainland China, Taiwan and elsewhere. On the
mainland in particular there has been a desire to reawaken interest in

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China’s past accomplishments in the maritime sphere in order to reaffirm

China’s past glory. Zheng He’s accomplishments, and those of the Chinese
civilisation he represented, are recalled as an affirmation of China’s
world prominence at the time, echoing its rising power today. He noted
that the Ming expeditions demonstrate not only China’s military power
and prowess but also her cultural influence, and her efforts to spread
“civilisation” to the rest of the world. Unlike the Western powers in their
Age of Exploration, whose primary objective was to establish colonies
and exploit natural resources for the enrichment of their mother countries,
Suryadinata added, the Chinese envoys travelled such long distances
largely in the peaceful conduct of trade and diplomacy, exchanging gifts
and greetings with foreign rulers - earning respect by cultural persuasion
rather than by force.

Suryadinata also mentioned that while Chinese scholars have

written much about the impact of Zheng He on the places visited by his
expeditions, little attention has been paid to the religious and cultural
impact of these voyages on these countries. Zheng He as a Muslim raises
the question of his role in the spread of Islam, and this aspect of the
voyages has been largely ignored. It has been left to scholars in Indonesia
and other places outside of China, to uncover this very important aspect
of Zheng He’s saga, he noted. Such scholars as Tan Ta Sen (2009; Tan
and Chia 2006) and Suryadinata (2005) himself have begun to delve into
this important subject. He looks ahead to future generations continuing
this work.

The second section of the book, on ‘Impact and Cultural Continuity

in Southeast Asia’, comprise seven contributions on the legacy of Zheng
He’s visits to the area especially the Indonesian archipelago. Zheng He
must have benefitted from the knowledge of the earlier Song and Yuan
traders who had brought highly desirable Chinese porcelain, silk, tea
and other products to the Philippines and the archipelago of Indonesia

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through Kalimantan, Bali, Java and Sumatra. His navigators must also
have gained advantages from the knowledge of earlier seafarers, who had
probably learned navigation techniques from Arab seafarers and knew
that Chinese [including Muslim Chinese] communities were present in
northern Java and elsewhere.

Contributions in this section by Rosey Wang Ma (5), Johanes

Herlijanto (6), Singgih Sulistyono (7), and Sumanto Al Qurtuby (8) review
the contributions of ethnic Chinese who had become ‘javanised’ during
and before the arrival of Zheng He, as well as their contributions to the
Indonesian archipelago, primarily Java. Some of them were Muslims like
Zheng He himself, having migrated to these areas and settled there, while
others adopted Islam over time. It is clear from these accounts that they
exerted powerful political and economic influence on their adopted lands
and brought Islamic influences to the local people. These developments
led Choirul Mahfud to urge that the spirit of Zheng He be emulated by
stressing the peacefulness of his mission along with the ideals of inclusivity
and multiculturalism. While Herlijanto documents the contemporary
enthusiasm for Zheng He that exists in Indonesia, Sulistiyono laments
the policy implemented by the Dutch colonial government of separating
ethnic Chinese from the indigenous population, resulting in the inability
of the Chinese to become identified with the local community and their
perceived loss of advantage. There has thus been a change in the identity
of the Chinese. He points out that the altars at which Muslims could pray
to the Muslim Chinese deities have not been restored in the San Bao
Kong temple in Semarang.

Suryadinata also suggested that Zheng He be investigated both as a

historical figure and as a legendary icon. The many centuries of colonial
domination that the Asian and African world has experienced have
deposited thick layers of Western influence that have obscured, in some
cases obliterated, local history, culture, and socio-economic systems.

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Stories told of the legendary and deified Zheng He in the form of Sam Po
Kong, to whom are dedicated many shrines and temples, as well as the
stories surrounding Mazu (妈祖), the goddess of sailors, have kept the
memory of this great man alive. In addition, Suryadinata pointed out that
studies of Zheng He in mainland China have tended to be Sino-centric.
There remains fertile ground in which the footprints of the Admiral can
be rediscovered in the countries he visited, especially in such sites as
Palembang, Ceribon, Semarang, and Surabaya, he suggested. Other sites
including Aceh-Samudra, Cochin, Calicut, Malindi and Mombasa could
also be added.

The influence of Zheng He’s visits to the Western Oceans could

not be seen more clearly than in his huge contribution to Melaka. His first
accomplishment was to help to install the Melaka Sultanate and legitimise
the position of the King. Dr Tan Ta Sen’s contribution (10) discusses
the scale of these achievements and provides substantial evidence for
locating the site of the guanchang 官厂 [official depot] that was set up
by Zheng He during his visits. The port city was turned into a ‘rendezvous
point’ for the return journey of the fleet. On the fourth voyage, Zheng He
was instrumental in the Yongle emperor’s installation of Parameswara
as the King of the State of Melaka. By the early part of the sixteenth
century Melaka had established itself as the largest trading and learning
hub in Southeast Asia under Ming patronage (Tan 2009, pp. 175-77). The
subsequent conversion of Melaka to Islam may at least in part have been
due to his influence.

The contribution by Professor Huang Jianli (11) seems to cast

aspersions on Singapore’s commemoration of the 600th anniversary of
Zheng He’s first voyage in 1405. He elected to highlight the differences
between Dr Tan and Dr Geoff Wade by detailing their encounters,
while offering scant insights into our understanding of Zheng He. Not
surprisingly, this elicited a rejoinder by Dr Tan who rebutted many points

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in Huang’s contribution. It is a matter for Singapore to judge whether or

not it is appropriate for them to honour and memorialise Zheng He as the
Government of Malaysia has done. No one denies the significance of the
Admiral’s voyages and the huge impact they had on many aspects of the
cultural scene in the region, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia.

The third section of the book is devoted to the theme of ‘Historical

Traces in Africa and Beyond’. The footprints of Zheng He beyond
Southeast Asia have almost disappeared, even though the accounts by Ma
Huan and Fei Xin indicate the importance of Calicut on the Malabar [now
Kerala] coast of India and Hormuz at the entrance to the Persian Gulf.
Clifford Pereira’s contribution on Zheng He and the African horizon (12)
reports a three-decade long interdisciplinary investigation conducted in
London, Muscat and Mombasa, examining “recent discoveries in East
African archaeology, incorporating information from medieval Islamic
and Portuguese cartography, as well as East African oral history, folklore
and linguistics into a cross-correlating examination of this portion of the
Mao Kun map, with the hope of enhancing our knowledge of East African
history”. The study seeks both tangible and intangible evidence of Zheng
He’s visits to Africa, their impact on indigenous cultures along the routes,
as well as to match the places on the map with those known from other
sources and those still in existence today.

The inclusion of the short note by Dr. Sudah Yehuda Shaheb

(14) on Cochin is regrettably the only contribution in the volume that
concerns South Asia, which featured so prominently in the voyages.
The link to Zheng He’s visits to Cochin on the Keralan coast of India is
currently limited to the presence of the unusual fishing nets there, as well
as the ancient system of negotiation used by traders in their commercial
transactions. Whether the Chinese nets were brought there by the people
of the previous Yuan [Mongol] dynasty, under Kublai Khan, or by Zheng
He himself is an interesting question. Shaheb’s tale of the Chinese pickling

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urn and the custom, still practiced, of using hand signals when bargaining
for goods offer tantalising clues to what transpired during Zheng He’s
visits to India.

Dr Lee Siu-Leung’s (15) meticulous investigation of place names

in ancient maps, along with his suggestion of Chinese origins, offer the
fascinating possibility of the Chinese having visited and mapped large
parts of the world well before Zheng He. He has subsequently published
Ming Chinese Mapped the World before Columbus– The Secret of Kunyu
Wanguo Quantu Unveiled in Chinese (Lee 2012), expanding on the
information contained in his contribution here.

In the fourth and final section of the book, entitled ‘New

Approaches and Further Studies’, an innovative study framework for
elementary school children in the US is presented by Alicia Carroll and
Lucy Montgomery, both teachers in the Boston [Massachusetts] Public
School system. Interestingly, they have adapted the story of Zheng He’s
visit to East Africa -- Malindi in particular (17) – and made it into a
children’s book, as well as a theme to be the basis for classroom activities.
The transport of the giraffe from Africa as a gift to the Ming Emperor
on one of Zheng He’s return voyages is used as a backdrop to promote
mutual understanding among African, Chinese and others in American
elementary schools.

Additionally in this section of the volume, Professor Hum Sin Hoon

and Grace Chew (16) develop a new framework for the business “Art of
Collaboration” (AoC), based on Zheng He’s voyages, thus providing an
alternative to the now well-known approach that uses Sun Zi’s Art of War.
The authors have produced the book Zheng He’s Art of Collaboration
(2012) and launched a programme of business strategies based on the
idea. This effort echoes Choirul Mahfud’s call for Indonesians and others
to learn from Zheng He’s missions of peace and embrace multiculturalism.

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Such are the new educational and business ventures that Zheng He and
his voyages have spawned in the modern world.

Last but not least is the contribution by Dr Lim Tai Wei (18) who
gives a carefully crafted essay on the cyberspace materials relating to
Zheng He. Here, enthusiasts will encounter a proliferation of materials of
varying quality about Zheng He, still largely in Chinese, available through
research institutions, publishers, personal blogs and other formal and
informal sources. The information presented here, though not intended to
be comprehensive, is diverse and should prove interesting for researchers
seeking new approaches to Zheng He. The increasing use of the internet
by scholars and researchers as sources of data and other information is
evident in many of the contributions in this volume.

This volume is the result of a full year of dedicated work on the part
of the organisers of the Zheng He and the Afro-Asian World conference
held in Melaka, 5-8 July 2010. All credit must go to Perbadanan Muzium
Melaka (PERZIM), the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum [Melaka], and the
International Zheng He Society [Singapore]. Credit must also go to Mr
C.C. Chin who chaired the organizing committee of the conference and
his team of committee members. Active support provided by Mrs Irene
Huang, Executive Manager of the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum, Melaka,
also helped to ensure the success of the conference. Publication of this
volume received strong support from the Melaka State Government.
The inspiration behind the conference was provided by Dr Tan Ta
Sen, President of the International Zheng He Society and Chairman of
the Melaka Cheng Ho Cultural Museum. He has been instrumental in
bringing about a much wider awareness of Zheng He and his historic
voyages to the Western Ocean than ever before. We would like to express
our thanks to Professor Suryadinata who provided valuable comments
on a number of the contributions. We also wish to acknowledge the kind
assistance given to us by Mr Lim How Seng. We owe much to the efforts

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of Dr Loida Corpus who helped to edit the manuscript.

We wish to state that the views and opinions expressed in the

speeches and chapters in the book are those of the authors and do not
reflect those of the editors nor those of the International Zheng He Society.
The Society maintains a neutral and inclusive policy and welcomes
contributions from all.

Chia Lin Sien & Sally K. Church

REFERENCES

Hum Sin Hoon. Zheng He’s Art of Collaboration – Understanding

the Legendary Chinese Admiral from a Management Perspective.
Singapore: International Zheng He Society and Institute of Southeast
Asian Studies, 2012.

Lee, Siu-Leung. Ming Chinese Mapped the World before Columbus –

The Secret of Kunyu Wanguo Quantu Unveiled. [in Chinese]. Taipei:
Linking Publ. Co., 2012.

Suryadinata, Leo. ed. Admiral Zheng He & Southeast Asia. Singapore:

International Zheng He Society and Institute of Southeast Asian
Studies, 2005.

Tan Ta Sen. Cheng Ho and Malacca. Singapore: International Zheng He

Society & Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), 2005.

_____. Cheng Ho and Islam in Southeast Asia. Singapore: Institute of

Southeast Asian Studies, 2009.

____ and Chia Lin Sien, eds. Zheng He Epic. Kunming, Yunnan People’s
Publishing House, 2006.

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