Zheng He

During the 1990s the Western world celebrated some of its famous discoverers: Columbus, da Gama, Cabral, and others. The year 2005 is marked by the 600th anniversary of Zheng He’s first voyage to the Indian Ocean, which began in 1405. Zheng He’s fleets reached various destinations around the Arabian Peninsula and along the African coast. Major countries and ports, from Mogadishu in the west to Champa in the east, would then submit tribute to the imperial court in Nanjing, thereby subordinating themselves to the Ming empire. This is reported in countless Chinese records. Events around Zheng He have always fascinated historians as well as writers, artists and even politicians. This gave rise to many legends and stories, often with political and religious implications. These in turn can be related to the circumstances of their own time. The present book looks at such images, especially in selected literary works, and with regard to their Islamic dimensions. But other themes are also considered, for example the impressions transmitted through early Iberian texts.