Episode 36: The Great Treasure Ships of the Ming

Foundations of Eastern Civilization

Dr Craig Benjamin (2013)

Film Review

In the 16th century, China still ruled the East Asian oceans, with the massive naval expeditions Emperor Ming Lee launched under the command of seven-foot tall eunuch Admiral Zhang Hu. One of the latter’s expeditions featured 62 giant ships carrying 72,000 sailors, clerks, artisans and merchants. A number were naval fighting ships but the majority carried exports. Some were devoted solely to carrying horses or water.

Zhang, born the son of a Persian administrator, lost his parents in a Muslim uprising against Ming persecution. Captured by the Ming army at 11, Zhang was castrated at 13 and placed as a servant in the household of the Emperor’s fourth son. Inspired by the naval adventures of his Persian ancestors, Zheng became a military advisor to the prince.

Under Zheng’s command, Chinese trading ships visited Vietnam, Java, Malacha, Sri Lanka, the coast of India and eventually Mecca, Yemen Mogadishu and the Persia Gulf. They brought back ostriches, zebras, giraffes and camels. Zheng also suppressed pirate gangs in Sumatra and intervened in conflicts in Sri Lanka.

By 1555, the entire fleet had been abandoned – either burned or left to rot. The emperor’s political advisors argued the income generated failed to justify the enormous expense when the Ming needed to focus their military prowess against increasing incursions by steppes nomads. Arguing the naval expeditions violated Confucianism, a few classical scholars argued against any dealings with foreigners.

China continued to export silk, ceramics and tea along the Silk Road, for which they demanded payment in silver bullion (from European mines in Peru and Mexico). As the Ming had very few imports (wool, textiles and some birds), the Chinese monopoly on silver caused significant unrest among English political elites.

Simultaneously the Ming, extremely impressed with the Jesuits’ knowledge of science and technology (eg glass prisms and mechanical clocks) and their willingness to learn the Chinese language and Confuscianism, allowed an influx of Jesuit missionaries. Among the ploys the latter used in converting the Chinese elite were the claim Christianity was a purer form of Confucianism and the celebration of mass in Chinese rather than Latin.

Distrusting the exclusive nature of Christianity (ie Christians’ insistence there was only one true religion), very few Ming converted. It didn’t help that squabbles between Jesuits, Dominicans and Benedictine missionaries led to a papal order ending Chinese language masses and ancestor worship among Chinese Christians. This, in turn, led the emperor to expel all Christian missionaries.

The Jesuits’ sojourn in China substantially increased European knowledge of China, with the result many European countries adopted Chinese-style civil service bureaucracies in the 18th century.* It also led the 18th century enlightenment to look for alternatives to Christianity to inspire moral and ethical behavior.

*Ben Franklin was a big fan of Confucius and his ideas about government

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https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/5808608/5808685