And back to Research

As we are creating our environment on Zheng He's and his treasure ships I thought I would look into his life and see how he became the man he was.

Zheng He who was at first know as 'Ma He'. He was born in 1371 so a muslim family where he had 4 sisters from Kunyang (present day Jinning). Here was the great great great grandson of Sayid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar, a Persian who served in the administration of the Monogolian Empire who later became the appointed governor of Unnan during the early Yuan Dynasty. Both his grandfather and great grandfather carried the title of Hajji (means that made the pilgrimage to mecca).

In 1831 his father was killed following the defeat of the Northern Yuan, a ming army was dispatched to Yunnan to put down the Mongol rebel of Basalawarmi. Zheng He (Ma He), was only eleven, was captured and made a Eunuch.

Funny thing about that fact is that he was said to have a bellowing deep voice.

Back to subject! He was then send to the imperial court, where he was callled 'San Bao' meaning 'Three Jewels.' He eventually became a trusted adviser if the Yongle Emperor (during 1403-1424) This Emperor named him Zheng He.

Zheng He Died during his Seventh Expedition to the weston ocean in 1433.