600-year-old wrecks believed to have been part of a Ming dynasty fleet
updated 10:39 a.m. ET, Fri., Feb. 26, 2010
BEIJING - China and Kenya plan to search for ancient Chinese ships wrecked almost 600 years ago off Africa's east coast.
An agreement was signed for a three-year project funded by China's Commerce Ministry to explore waters near the popular tourist towns of Malindi and Lamu, the official Xinhua News Agency
reported Friday.
Exploration work will be conducted for up to three months each year, with the first group of Chinese archaeologists due to arrive as early as July, Xinhua said
(Between 1405 -1433, Zheng He's Voyages went half way around the world, long before Columbus)
The sunken ships are believed to have been part of a massive fleet led by Ming dynasty admiral Zheng He that reached Malindi in 1418. Kenyan lore has long told of shipwrecked Chinese sailors settling in the region and marrying local women. Between 1405 and 1433, Zheng He — whose name is also spelled Cheng Ho — led armadas with scores of junks and thousands of sailors on voyages to promote trade and recognition of the new dynasty, which had taken power in 1368.
Zheng's seven voyages marked a high point in Chinese power. But imperial rulers soon lost interest in the outside world and canceled further exploration more than a half century before Columbus reached the New World.
(Map of the world in China after Zheng He's Voyage)
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這條新聞提醒我們兩件事。
1﹐中國的強大使國人有能力也願意對自己的歷史尋根追源﹐使我們值得驕傲的過去能展示於世人面前﹐得以宏揚。
2﹐ 國家﹐民族甚至到個人﹐不能驕傲自滿﹐自以為是﹐更加不能閉關自守。 目中無人是人與事﹐失敗的第一步。 明朝的目空一切是王朝衰敗﹐落後的第一步。 不去與外界交流﹐不學習﹐只能停滯不前﹐被別人超過。
This News Recommend us of two things.
1, The rise of China enables its people to seek and dig deep into their history and to show the world the Ancient Chinese's proud accomplishments.
2, Whether it's a nation, an ethnic group or an individual, arrogance is dangerous. Superciliousness is the first step to failure, both in man and in things. Ming Dynasty's middle-kingdom superciliousness was the beginning of its fall. Without communication with others and new knowledge, one will stand still and let others take the lead.
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