Almost 100 years before Columbus discovered America, a Chinese explorer named Zheng He (also known as Cheng Ho) led seven expeditions from China all the way to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. His ships dwarfed anything sailed by later European explorers and continue to amaze today.
Unfortunately, very little is known about Zheng He and his voyage because the Chinese government made a systematic effort to destroy all relevant records soon after the completion of his seventh and final voyage. We do know that Zheng He lived between 1371AD and 1435AD and that he made his voyages between 1405 and 1430 by order of the emperors Yongle and Xuande. He was ordered to lead an armada of ships to display the greatness of the China to the "barbarians" they would encounter and to exact tribute from them.
We do not know exactly how many ships Zheng He had with him on each voyage or how large the ships were, but they were numerous and massive. In all, he probably had between 48 to 317 ships with a crew of over 28,000 men. Some of the trips, his so called treasure ships were 400 feet long. When you compare his armada with the 90 men and three 85 foot ships that Columbus took with him on his first voyage to America, you get a good idea of just how impressive these ships were. Scholars estimate that all of these ships would have had to have been spread out over several square miles as they sailed from port to port. Needless to say, they were effective at inspiring awe in those who saw them.
If the Chinese had wanted to conquer the lands they encountered, they probably could have done so. Fortunately for the people they encountered, they simply wanted to be recognized for their greatness and they wanted tribute from these lands. They took as tribute and traded for exotic spices, woods, jewels, and rarities like giraffes. In exchange, locals had the opportunity to trade for porcelain and silk.
Unfortunately for historians, by the time Zheng He returned from his final voyage, the Chinese Emperor had decided to abandon any plans at expanding their tributary system. This ensured that these voyages were not repeated and China remained relatively isolated. Europeans benefited directly from this isolationism because it allowed them to expand their influence into Africa and Asia. If the Chinese had not made a conscious decision to abandon any attempts at colonization, the Europeans may have found stiff competition when they got to the Indian Ocean.
