郑和下西洋和哥伦布发现新大陆影响比较（英文版）

成绩：

中国矿业大学外文学院

《西方文明史》课程论文

姓 名 张明谱

学 号 12105166

专 业 班 级 英语翻译10-3班

论 文 题 目 ：

The comparison between the influences of ZhengHe’expeditions to southeast Asia and Columbus’s discovery of the new continent

2013 年 6 月 徐州

The comparison between the influences of Zheng He's expeditions to Southeast Asia and Columbus’s discovery of the new continent 1.The Brief Introduction of The Incidents

1.1 Zheng He's expeditions to South-east Asia

November 7th in Year 1405（the third year of Emperor Zhu Di in Ming Dynasty), Emperor Zhu Di dispatched his admiral Zheng He on expedition to the south seas with more than 240 huge seagoing vessels and 27400 crews. They paid a visit to more than 30 coastal states or regions around Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean, which deepen the friendship between China and Southeast Asia or Eastern Africa.

His seven maritime expedition last until the Year1433.

Zheng He ever reached more than 30 states ,such as Java, Sumatra, Sulu, Pahang, Chenla, Siam, etc, the furthest destination is Red Sea and Mecca, may even reach Australia.

1.2 Columbus’s discovery of the new continent

August 3th in Year 1492, 42-year old Columbus set up his voyage with 87 sailors and 3 boats. They fought with terrifying waves and went through lots of difficulties, finally, they crossed over the Atlantic Ocean to reach Bahamas, Cuba and Haiti.

He was designated again by the Spanish King after his first arrival on the Americas. He undertook another three voyages by crossing over the Atlantic Ocean to reach the new continent. His step nearly went over all the sea area of Caribbean Sea, and eventually reached the south of the continents of the Americas, which was thought as the Asia by himself until his death.

2. The Comparison of Motivation

Zheng He undertook culture communication and the trade activities during his visit to Asia-Africa states. We can conclude the main aims of Zheng He's expeditions to South-east Asia from this phenomenon:

1) To claim the Ming Dynasty’s strength and prestige

2) To expand the carrying trade 3) To hunt for Emperor Jianwen

4) To undertake culture communication and wipe out corsairs

Columbus wanted to reach the India to know the monarch, liege, custom and other aspects, and even make people there to become this kind of people that believed the doctrine of Christianity. Columbus argued that the most convenient way to the Asia is the short-term voyage which crossed over the Atlantic Ocean. The main aims of Columbus are as follows: 1) To expand the new market

2) To undertake colonial activities 3) To pioneer the new sea-route

3. The Analysis of the Influences

The voyages of Zheng He and Columbus both took place in the 15th century, which both belong to the Great Voyage of Discovery in the term of the time. The two voyages exert different influences in the modern world world structure, it is no doubt that Zheng He's expeditions to Southeast Asia and Columbus’s discovery of the new continent are both unparalleled great voyages in the history of human beings, preserve

precious legacy to the latter generations.

3.1 The Nature of Voyage

The period of Zheng He's expeditions to Southeast Asia belongs the time horizon of the Great Voyage of Discovery in the view of development of world civilization, however, if we observe the places which Zheng He ever reached were recorded in the ancient books. The voyage found new trad spots and expand the recognition of Indian Ocean’s coastal areas, especially Eastern Africa, but the activities horizon of Zheng He’s fleets could not surpass the ocean world which had observed by navigators in Song and Yuan Dynasty. Therefore, Zheng He's expeditions to Southeast Asia could not be identified into the voyage in the Great Voyage of Discovery because they lack enough new recognition.

3.2 The Comparison of Economical Influence

The voyage route of Zheng He's expeditions to Southeast Asia was similar to The Silk Road on Sea to some extend, however, it surpass the horizon of the Silk Road on Sea, it reached the eastern coastal of Africa. Zheng He undertook extensive economical and trad communication activities with all states when his expedition to Southeast Asia. However, this kind of and economical trad communication activities served for some sorts of political motives, which led to it could not promote the development of Chinese economy, and even hurt a lot to Chinese economy.

Zheng He carried out some sorts of activities ,such as ‘enfeoff and award’ when he reached every state or region on his visit to Southeast Asia. He also carried out the principle of ‘ contribute more, gain less’ in the activity of economical and trad to express the magnanimousness and superiority of Chinese Empire. Zheng He led huge marine government officials and soldiers in the voyage, which will expend stupendous material and human resources. And the jewellery, spice, fabric piece goods and rare birds or animals are supplied to the imperial family and nobleman to enjoy freely. Besides, Ming Dynasty also should shoulder the transport expense of delivering the diplomatic envoy from all states.

Liang Qichao inquired in the book named Zheng He--The Memoir of Great Navigator ‘ what is the reason that huge of Columbus exist after the first Columbus in the west while no a second Zheng He exist after the first Zheng He?’ The key is the policy of ban on maritime trade, therefore, the trad activity of nongovernmental business boat is nearly zero although the Silk Road on Sea still existed, which restricted the influence of Zheng He's expeditions to Southeast Asia to some extent.

The great found of Columbus looked like a total failure in the primary time. Thousands of adventurers poured into the West Indies, just found a spot of gold unfortunately. What he unknown was that the new sea route he found made the European trad scope expanded without precedent in his history, strengthen the communication between western Europe and all zones and ethnics all over the word, promote the form of worldwide market. The economical relationship and economical

system of western Europe and all zones had underwent huge change. Western Europe produce Price Revolution after Columbus found the new sea route, which led the damnum of feudal lord who imposed money rent with tradition method while upgraded the economical status of emerging the capitalist class. It also promoted the development of commodity and monetary economy, while the development of commodity and monetary economy promoted the disintegration of feudalization and the development of capitalism, and changed the economical status of every Western Europe country.

If we regarded the Year 1500-1520 had stepped into the Period of Explorer because the famous worldwide travel by Magellan after his start from Seville in the Year 1959 and the same famous Hernando Kolster’s expedition from Cuba to Empire Aztec, then we all can called it the Period of Conqueror. Hernando conquered Cuba, Francello Pizarro conquered Inca Theocracy stimulated more other conquerors to step into the most areas in the northern and southern Americas to seek more trophy.

The colonial activities which were undertook by the Empire Spain in the northern and southern Americas ravened huge of gold and silver, which led to the rise of the Empire Spain, and became one of the mother stock of genuine global empires and colonial empires, also one of the biggest empires, then spain was considered as the first t Empire on which the sun never sets.

3.3 The Comparison of Political Influence

It is no doubt that Zheng He’s seven maritime expeditions had achieved his primary aim--to claim the Ming Dynasty’s strength and prestige, besides, they established extensive friendly diplomatic relations with every state in Southeast Asia. However, the states and zones which Zheng He visited, especially all the araucaria island nations, mostly stayed in the process of slavery or the status of primitive tribe, their national rite and morality, law, culture and education and custom were lagged behind. At the beginning of Ming Dynasty, the Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang proposed that we must crusade against them if they were the trouble for us China, while we would

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