1421: Chapter 3

After the introuduction period of the first two chapters, chapter three finally begins to describe the voyage of Zheng He. According to the book, several of the documents (Wu Pei Chi) survived the destruction of the mandarins. It is simply amazing how they Chinese navigated the ocean. They established the technique of using "The Pole Star" (Polaris) as a way to measure their latitude. However, contrary to today's methods, the ancient Chinese measured from the North Pole instead of the equator. To them, the Pole Star was a symbol, almost like the Emperor. It ruled the night sky. However, at the time, they could not accurately chart longitude due to currents in the water. Still, it is astounding they were able to accomplish that much. Not only were they excellent navigators, but they were also very aware of their health and nutrition on these voyages, being much more prepared than later voyages, such as Magellan's. While on their awe inspiring journeys, the Chinese took entire ships dedicated to their food supply. Their storing techniques so the food would not spoil was very interesting, and instead of eating meat they mainly relied on fish. How they caught the fish was interesting as well. The Chinese used trained otters to trap the fish into a net, a practice which is still sometimes used today. If there was ever a water shortage, they were somehow able to desalinate the salt water. Again, another very impressive feat. Concubines were also a very important aspect of these voyages. The fleet had landed in Malacca ,Mecca, and Calicut. When the fleet arrived in Calicut, a Portuguese poet (Camoes) said the fleet was comprised of over 800 ships. That number just puts a wow in my head. It is said that the Chinese controlled the trade of the entire Indian Ocean during this time. It is obvious why.