By the time of Zheng He's voyages, China's feudal society had been entrenched for over 2000 years. In order for the Chinese people to continue to develop, both materially and spiritually, it had become necessary for them to move beyond their regional and ethnic bounds and into the global community. It was within this historical context that Zheng He set forth on his ventures into the unknown.

　　Zheng He's momentous voyages were instrumental in the major rerouting of commerce from the overland Silk Road to the maritime Silk Road. His courage, dedication, and spirit of adventure remain unparalleled in the annals of exploration. The Century of Seafaring, that great process of turning to the sea by both East and West, was initiated by China's Zheng He. Following the routes that he pioneered, great numbers of Chinese people set forth into the world. It was this great exploration of the seas by East and West that ultimately brought the peoples of the world together into a global community.