In
our Farrukh Travels series we will follow Farrukh Younus as he travels around
the globe. Farrukh is a young British Muslim from a Pakistani background who has
to travel a great deal in his work. In this monthly series Farrukh will share
his adventures, cultural observations, and spiritual contemplations in his
search for that which we share and that which is unique to each place and
community.
Whether
it is the evidence of the DNA of modern Maori of New Zealand indicating that
their forefathers married Waitaha (Chinese) girls in a period more than 70 years
before Captain Cook; the use of vermillion powder in the paper money printed by
the Yaun dynasty in China, the only source of which is the west coast of Central
America; or even the mystery of the Newport tower in New England, evidence is
mounting to show that the Chinese played a greater part in discovering the
Xiyang (the Western world) than they have been given credit for. And who would
have thought that much of this exploration was achieved under the rule of a
Chinese Muslim admiral?
Seventy
years before Columbus discovered America, 350 years before Captain Cook
discovered Australia, and 60 years before Magellan sailed the world, there was a
Chinese Muslim admiral who did it all: Zheng He. So at least proposes Gavin
Menzies, whose book 1421 has prompted the reassessment of certain
history, part of which is featured in an exhibition on Zheng He that ran
recently in Singapore.
Zheng
He was born Ma He in 1371 CE in Yunan province to a Muslim family whose family
name was “Ma” reflecting the first syllable of Prophet Muhammad’s name.
His family chose the name “He” as an expression of their prayer to Allah for
peace in the world, as they lived in a time of many wars. Both Ma He’s father
and grandfather had performed pilgrimage to Makkah, and it is recorded that from
a young age he, too, expressed the desire to go on pilgrimage.
During
one of the many battles of that time, the young Ma He was abducted, and then
castrated by troops of the Ming dynasty, in the service of which he became a
eunuch. Distinguishing himself from the other, illiterate, eunuchs, in 1392 Ma
He assisted Zhu Di in the capture of a Mongol ruler in a bloodless battle.
Through a series of subsequent battles, by 1403 Zhu Di became Emperor Yongle and
rewarded his faithful subject with the title Imperial Eunuch, bestowing upon him
a new name, Zheng He.
Zheng
He was instructed to lead expeditions into the Xiyang, the Western countries.
Each journey took a fleet of 200 ships with 28,000 men. Visiting over 30
countries, he visited the rulers of various lands, presenting them with gifts,
establishing diplomatic relations, initiating cultural exchanges, and forming
trading relationships.
The
journeys of Zheng He are documented on a 21-foot-long linear map entitled Wu Bei
Zhi. The map includes instructions for each voyage including detailed
directions, star positions, latitudes, bearings, and the description of
landmarks along the route.
 |
In recent
months a theory has developed suggesting that the famed character of The
Thousand and One Nights, Sinbad the sailor, is in fact Zheng He.
|
Having
listened from a young age to stories of his father and grandfather’s
pilgrimage to Makkah, Zheng He, commanding such a vast fleet, was fortunate to
have followed in their footsteps.
In
Chinese the mosque of Makkah was referred to as “Libaisi” (meaning heaven).
Makkah was described as having beautiful scenery and a mild climate. As a
trading center it had abundant produce. The voyage to Makkah allowed them to
purchase commodities and rare animals such lions and ostriches. In his book Describing
Scenes of Foreign Lands, Zheng He’s translator Ma Huan eulogized the city
with this remark: “The people live harmoniously and there is no poverty. They
strictly observe religious rules and very few crimes are committed. It can be
called the happiest place on earth.”
In
recent months a theory has developed suggesting that the famed character of The
Thousand and One Nights, Sinbad the sailor, is in fact Zheng He. Part of his
Chinese name, Ma Sanbao, translates to Arabic as Mahmoud Shams, where Sanbao is
derived from Shams and translates to Sinbad.
Zheng
He died at the age of 62 in 1433 on the fleet’s return journey as they passed
Calicut. Given the heat of the summer months, it was difficult to preserve his
body for burial in China. Thus according to Islamic custom, he was buried at a
seaport on Java island, where in his remembrance the place was renamed Semarang,
meaning “tomb of Sanbao”. Another tomb containing a braid of his hair and
his shoes is located at Niushou Hill in Nanjing, China, with many other memorial
sites across the country.
Celebrating
the 600th anniversary of Zheng He, the exhibition in Singapore along the Marina
promenade both covered the history of Zheng He and presented evidence to support
the claim that the Chinese navigated the world many years before common history
tells us.
Related
links:
Farrukh
Travels: To Attend a Khutbah in Seoul
Farrukh
Travels: To the Treasures of Istanbul
Farrukh
Travels: Into the Muslim History of China
Farrukh
Travels: In Search of the Tartar Muslims of Poland
* To
learn more about the exhibition in Singapore visit www.1421exhibition.com.
**
Farrukh I. Younus holds a masters degree in international business
management and works in the emerging telecom industry. He resides in Surrey, UK
. His interests include travel, nouvelle cuisine, and chocolate. You can contact
him at: farrukh@ntlworld.com.
