Zheng He

Zheng He (1371–1433), born Ma He into a Muslim family of Kunyang in Yunnan, was the eunuch admiral who led the Ming treasure fleets across the Indian Ocean. When Ming forces took Yunnan in 1381, the ten-year-old boy was carried off to Nanjing, castrated and given to Zhu Di, Prince of Yan. He served Zhu Di in the Jingnan Campaign, and after he became the Yongle Emperor was given the surname Zheng in 1404.

Between 1405 and 1433 he commanded seven treasure voyages for Yongle and his successor Xuande, reaching Southeast Asia, India, Arabia and the East African coast. The fleet projected power across the Indian Ocean.

The Hongxi Emperor ended the voyages in 1424, but Xuande sent him on a seventh and last voyage in 1430. He died in 1433, probably at Calicut; the voyages were played down until Liang Qichao revived his fame in 1904.