Ma He
Zheng He, formerly known as Ma He, was born in Kunyang Prefecture, Yunnan (now Kunming City, Yunnan Province) into a prestigious family that has believed in Islam for generations. According to Zheng He's father's "Ma Gong Epitaph", "Zheng He's Lineage Genealogy" and other related information, it can be known that Zheng He's distant ancestors were from the Western Regions and moved to the Central Plains during the Song Dynasty. His grandfather and father both went to the Islamic holy land of Tianfang (now Mecca in Saudi Arabia) for pilgrimage, and were respectfully called Haji (meaning pilgrims or pilgrims).
Zheng He was born in the Hongwu period of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty. In the fourteenth year of Hongwu (1381), Zhu Yuanzhang sent General Fu Youde to lead an army to capture Yunnan. During the war, Zheng He was captured and eunuched and fought with Fu Youde for many years. In the 23rd year of Hongwu (1390), Zheng He followed his army to Prince Yan's Mansion and became a personal attendant of Prince Yan. Because he is "diligent, smart, respectful and cautious, and does not shy away from hard work", he won the trust of King Yan.
Yan Wang Zhu Di is the fourth son of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang. In the 31st year of Hongwu (1398), Zhu Yuanzhang died of illness. Since the prince Zhu Biao died early, he was succeeded by the emperor's grandson Zhu Yunwen as Emperor Hui (also known as Huizong). His reign name was Jianwen, so he was also called Emperor Jianwen. Many kings were dissatisfied with this, and among the kings, King Yan was the most powerful. In order to consolidate the central imperial power, Emperor Jianwen adopted the suggestions of ministers Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng to eliminate vassals and eliminated some vassal kings. Therefore, Zhu Di launched an attack in August of the first year of Jianwen (1399) on the grounds of "Qing Jun's side" and "Jingdi". Known in history as the "Battle of Jingnan", it lasted four years.
In June of the fourth year of Jianwen (1402), Zhu Di captured Nanjing, and the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen were unknown. Zhu Di ascended the throne of emperor and was named Yongle. 1403 was the first year of Yongle, known in history as Ming Chengzu, also known as Yongle Emperor. The battle of Zhengcunba (southeast of Peiping) in the "Battle of Jingnan" was a key battle. In this battle, Zheng He established military exploits. On the first day of the first lunar month of the second year of Yongle (February 11, 1404), Zhu Di gave him the surname "Zheng". From then on, his original name was changed from "Ma He" to "Zheng He". At the same time, he was promoted to the rank of eunuch (fourth grade).
In order to strengthen friendly exchanges with foreign countries, Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, emphasized that "Xuande is transformed and people are far away" and "the emperor enjoys the blessings of peace", which improved the prestige of the Ming Empire in Southeast Asia and overseas countries, and facilitated international trade. , Promote cultural and scientific exchanges between China and foreign countries. In the third year of Yongle (1405), he appointed Zheng He as the envoy to the Western countries and sent him to the West six times. In August of the 22nd year of Yongle (1424), Zhu Di died of illness. His son Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne and became Renzong of the Ming Dynasty. The reign name was changed to "Hongxi". Renzong ordered all fleets sailing to the Western Ocean to stop their activities. In February of the first year of Hongxi (1425), Emperor Renzong of the Ming Dynasty ordered Zheng He to serve as "Nanjing garrison" and lead the officers and soldiers who went to the West to guard Nanjing.
In May of the first year of Hongxi (1425), Ming Renzong passed away. His son Zhu Zhanji ascended the throne as Xuanzong and changed his reign title to "Xuande". Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty saw that after Zheng He's voyages to the West stopped, the relations between overseas countries and China gradually became alienated, and "there were not many tribute envoys from foreign vassals." In order to reverse this situation, in the leap twelfth month of the fifth year of Xuande (January 1431), Zheng He was sent to the West for the seventh time. In March of the eighth year of Xuande (1433), Zheng He died of illness in Guli on his way back. The practice of seven voyages to the West proved that Zheng He was a great navigator, as well as an outstanding diplomat and military commander.