Chinese government decided to take July 11 as a national Maritime Day starting this year, marking the 600th anniversary of ocean voyages by Zheng He, a great navigator of China’s Ming Dynasty.
From June this year, Chinese media has already buzzed with many stories about Zheng He and his significant contribution to Chinese history. Lots of historical data and photos shows China had been the king of sea in the world. Yesterday, a specially organized commemorative congregation was hold in The Great Hall of People, and relevant reports hits the peak today. “Zheng He’s voyages greatly facilitated cultural, economic and trade exchanges across the globe, helped establish friendly ties and contributed to the world’s navigation cause,” Vice Premier Huang Ju praised Zheng’s contribution to the world seafaring in the congregation.
The most popular contents about Zheng He for newspapers and magazines are:
Zheng He’s maritime routes (with maps) for 7 times, and relevant historical background;
The advanced big ship at the time, and how to make it;
Zheng He made the first long-distance seafaring, 87 years earlier than his foreign explorer peer Columbus’s bold attempt to reach for America;
The historical changes of Zheng He’s shipyard
The pictured inside page is picked from The Beijing News. It features an image of Zheng He, with a headline of “The king of sea in 15th century”.