Notes

the china wanted to expand their political and economic influence, they had develop very advanced navigation techniques so that the china can launch itself on the path of geographical exploration and international trade to countries bordering the china sea and indian ocean and find alternative trade routes to the silk rode, during the early ming dynasty, the emperors promoted the creation of an immense military and merchant fleet. Between 1405 and 1433, Ming China sent out seven gigantic naval expeditions under the command of Zheng He the great eunuch admiral, he led seven great voyages, unmatched in history. The so-called Treasure Fleet. These expeditions traveled along the Indian Ocean trade routes as far as Arabia and the coast of East Africa, but in 1433, the government suddenly called them off. The Ming admiral and his treasure fleet were not engaged in a voyage of exploration, It's because the Chinese already knew about the ports and countries around the Indian Ocean. Indeed, both Zheng He's father and grandfather used the honorific hajji, an indication that they had performed their ritual pilgrimage to Mecca, on the Arabian Peninsula. Zheng He was not sailing off into the unknown. Likewise, the Ming admiral was not sailing out in search of trade. ZhengHe did not seek trade or new horizons. The seven voyages of the Treasure Fleet were meant to display Chinese might to all the kingdoms and trade ports of the Indian Ocean world and to bring back exotic toys and novelties for the emperor. In other words, Zheng He's enormous junks were intended to shock and awe other Asian principalities into offering tribute to the Ming. Around 1440, the large fleet was dismantled. The emperors chose a policy of isolation for china because china is surrounded by physical land and features that kept ancient china isolated. They chose that policy to protect china from european influences. They left control of the seas to the European powers.