Zheng He << juhng huh >> (1371-1435?), also spelled Cheng Ho, was the most famous navigator in Chinese history. He commanded seven large naval expeditions from 1405 to 1433. Zheng and his crews sailed the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and the Indian Ocean, reaching more than 30 lands along the coasts of Asia and Africa. Each voyage included more than 100 wooden vessels and tens of thousands of crew members.
Zheng was born into a Muslim family in China’s Yunnan province. When he was about 10 years old, forces of the Ming dynasty (family of rulers) took him from his family to serve in the emperor’s palace. During his years of service, Zheng worked his way up to become an important military commander. In 1405, the emperor ordered him to lead a sea voyage to Southeast Asia. Later, Zheng led six more expeditions to areas along the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. The expeditions impressed other nations with China’s power and furthered diplomatic ties and trade.
