Commemoration of the 600th Anniversary of Zheng He's voyages will be held at the Museum of Science and Industry, Saturday, August 6, 2005 at 4:00 P.M. The event will consist of three lecturers by Dr. Guy Alitto, Professor, University of Chicago, Ms. Ming Wan, Director and Professor, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Dr. Jin Wu, Professor, National Cheng Kung University, followed by dinner. At the banquet dinner, Zheng He Treasure Boat Replica will be dedicated to the Museum. Dr. Jin He will be the keynote speaker.
Zheng He (1371-1435) of the Ming Dynasty started his first voyage in 1405. Over the next 28 years, as a special envoy of Ming Dynasty Emperor, Zheng He completed seven cross-Indian Ocean voyages with a fleet of as many as 28,000 sailors and 200 boats. His fleet sailed to more than 30 islands and coastal nations in Southeast Asia and Africa. His voyage had made the following accomplishments: (1) pioneered transoceanic navigation and demonstrated the science and technology that made it possible; (2) opened the Silk Road over seas, which had channeled the vast East West commercial and cultural exchanges afterward, and (3) fulfilled Chinese emperor's ambition of demonstrated China's power and exchanging Chinese silk, lacquerware, and pottery for jewelry, spices and precious metals from other nations.