Producer & Editor : Zhao Xianfeng, Lian Junyi, Yang Liming, He wenguang, Xuan Qi
 
—— Special Reports —— Great Voyages Peace Envoy —— Commentary
 
Hands Across the Water

  Zheng He's seven western voyages embodied China's policy of peaceful foreign diplomacy, transmitting China's magnificent civilization and spirit and establishing mutually beneficial trade relations with the countries of Asia and Africa. Zheng He's peaceful methods won him a warm welcome and strengthened the Ming Dynasty's relations with every country he visited. By making the pilgrimage to Islam's holy city of Mecca, Zheng He further improved relations between China and the Islamic world. Up to the present day, China's goodwill envoy Zheng He is still remembered by the peoples of Africa and Asia. Traces of his visits still exist in numerous countries along the East African coast. The city of Sanbaolong and Sanbao Temple on the island of Java in present-day Indonesia, as well as Sanbao Temple and Sanbao Pagoda in Thailand, all bear Zheng He's nickname San Bao (Three Treasures). A commemorative stele erected by Zheng He to mark his visits to Ceylon can be seen at Sri Lanka's national museum in Colombo.




[ 2005-07-06 ]