Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Non-Fiction 2019 | Page 47

Tianfei. Duyvendak (1939) thinks that Zheng He could not have been on the second voyage because the
ceremony was so important that Zheng He’s presence was required. However, the author Fei Xin explicitly
mentions Zheng He when describing the 1409 stop at the Pulau Sembilan, which strongly suggests that
Zheng He had been on the second voyage according to Dreyer (2007).
The imperial order for the third voyage was issued during the first month of the seventh year of the Yongle
reign. It was addressed to Zheng He, Wang Jinghong, and Hou Xian. Admiral Zheng He embarked for the
third voyage in 1409, the fleet once again departed from Liujiagang in the ninth month. They left Changle
in the twelfth month for the seas, proceeding through the Wuhumen. Then making stops at Champa, Java,
Malacca, Sumatra, Ceylon, Quilon, Cochin and Calicut. Traveling to Champa within 10 days, Wang
Jinghong and Hou Xian making short stops at Siam, Malacca, Sumatra, and Ceylon during the detours,
arriving at Ceylon in 1410. During the returning journey back to China in 1411, the fleet would engage in
hostile confrontation with King Alakeshvara (Alagakkonara) of Ceylon. Alakeshvara posed a threat to the
neighboring countries, the Chinese were overbearing of the Sinhalese, whom they resented and considered
them disrespectful, rude and hostile. Resenting them for committing attack and piracy towards neighboring
countries who had diplomatic relations with Ming China. Alakeshvara had lured Admiral Zheng He and his
troops into the Kotte territory planning to launch an attack on them, Zheng He and his 2000 accompanying
troops invaded Kotte, conquering its capital. They took Alakeshvara captive, his family and other high
ranking officials. The Sinhalese army hastily surrounded the capital, but they were defeated in battle against
the Chinese troops, meanwhile the opposing Sinhalese army was said to have over 50,000 troops. The king
and his family were taken captive to Nanjing. Admiral Zheng He returned to Nanjing in July 1411,
presenting the Sinhalese captives to the Yongle Emperor. Eventually, the emperor set them free and
returned them to their country. Kotte’s previous legitimate dynasty had re-established themselves, from
then on, the treasure fleet would experience no hostilities during visits to Ceylon on their voyages.
On December 1912, the Yongle Emperor ordered the fourth voyage, Admiral Zheng He and others were
commanded to lead it. Admiral Zheng He’s fleet left Nanjing in Autumn 1913. They set sail from Fujian
during the 12th month of the 11th year in the Yongle reign. The fleet sailed to Champa, Kelantan, Pahang,
Malacca, Palembang, Java, Lambra, Lide, Aru, Sumatra, Ceylon, Jiayile, Cochin, and Calicut. Then
proceeded to Liushan, Bila, Sunla, and Hormuz. At Java, the treasure fleet delivered gifts from the Yongle
Emperor, in return, the Javanese envoy arrived in China on April 1415, presenting tribute in the forms of
western horses and local products while expressing their gratitude. In 1415, the treasure fleet made a stop at
Sumatra during their returning journey from Hormuz, they would engage Sekandar at this point of the
voyage. Sekandar was an autonomous ruler but was not recognized by the Chinese. Fei Xin described
Sekandar as a false kinda who stole, robbed, and usurped the throne of Semudera from Zain al-’Albidin. Ma
Huan twenty-five-year-old Muslim translator portrayed Sekandar as someone who attempted to
overthrow the ruler, Ming Shilu noted Sekandar was the younger brother of the former king and plotted to
assassinate the ruler. Admiral Zheng He had orders to launch an attack against Sekandar to restore Zain al-
’Abidin as the rightful king of Semudera. Sekandar led his forces to attack the Ming forces but defeated
ultimately. The Ming forces pursued Sekandar’s forces to Lambri where they caught Sekandar and his whole
family. King Zain al-’Abidin later expressed his gratitude by dispatching a tribute mission.
The Yongle Emperor bestowed gifts to princes, civil officials, military officers, and the ambassadors of the
seventeen countries. The fifth voyage was primarily a return trip for seventeen heads of state from South
Asia. They had made their way to China after Zheng He's visits to their homelands in order to present their
tribute at the Ming Court. On this trip Zheng He ventured even further, first to Aden at the mouth of the
Red Sea, and then on to the east coast of Africa, stopping at the city states of Mogadishu and Brawa, and
Malindi. He was frequently met with hostility but this was easily subdued. Many ambassadors from the
countries visited came back to China with him.
The sixth expedition of 41 ships sailed to many of the previously visited Southeast Asian and Indian courts
and stops in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the coast of Africa, in order to return nineteen ambassadors
to their homelands. Zheng He returned to China after less than a year, having sent his fleet onward to
pursue several separate itineraries, with some ships going perhaps as far south as Sofala in present-day
Mozambique.