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Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored a series of seven naval expeditions. The Yongle emperor designed them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin and extend the empire's tributary system.<br/><br/> Zheng He was placed as the admiral in control of the huge fleet and armed forces that undertook these expeditions. Zheng He's first voyage consisted of a fleet of up to 317 ships holding almost 28,000 crewmen, with each ship housing up to 500 men.<br/><br/> Zheng He's fleets visited Arabia, Brunei, East Africa, India, the Malay Archipelago and Thailand, dispensing and receiving goods along the way. Zheng He presented gifts of gold, silver, porcelain and silk; in return, China received such novelties as ostriches, zebras, camels, ivory and giraffes.
Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored a series of seven naval expeditions. The Yongle emperor designed them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin and extend the empire's tributary system.<br/><br/> Zheng He was placed as the admiral in control of the huge fleet and armed forces that undertook these expeditions. Zheng He's first voyage consisted of a fleet of up to 317 ships holding almost 28,000 crewmen, with each ship housing up to 500 men.<br/><br/> Zheng He's fleets visited Arabia, Brunei, East Africa, India, the Malay Archipelago and Thailand, dispensing and receiving goods along the way. Zheng He presented gifts of gold, silver, porcelain and silk; in return, China received such novelties as ostriches, zebras, camels, ivory and giraffes.
Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored a series of seven naval expeditions. The Yongle emperor designed them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin and extend the empire's tributary system.<br/><br/> Zheng He was placed as the admiral in control of the huge fleet and armed forces that undertook these expeditions. Zheng He's first voyage consisted of a fleet of up to 317 ships holding almost 28,000 crewmen, with each ship housing up to 500 men.<br/><br/> Zheng He's fleets visited Arabia, Brunei, East Africa, India, the Malay Archipelago and Thailand, dispensing and receiving goods along the way. Zheng He presented gifts of gold, silver, porcelain and silk; in return, China received such novelties as ostriches, zebras, camels, ivory and giraffes.
Chinese star maps (Chinese: <i>xingtu</i>) are usually directional or graphical representations of Chinese astronomical alignments. Throughout the history of China, numerous star maps have been recorded.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
Chinese star maps (Chinese: s 星图, t 星圖, xīngtú) are usually directional or graphical representations of Chinese astronomical alignments. Throughout the history of China, numerous star maps have been recorded.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
<i>Urania's Mirror; or, a view of the Heavens</i> is a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards, first published in November 1824. They had illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson's <i>A Celestial Atlas</i>, but the addition of holes punched in them allowed them to be held up to a light to see a depiction of the constellation's stars. They were engraved by Sidney Hall, and were said to be designed by 'a lady', but have since been identified as the work of the Reverend Richard Rouse Bloxam, an assistant master at Rugby School.<br/><br/> The cover of the box-set showed a depiction of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and came with a book entitled <i>A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy...</i> written as an accompaniment.
Astronomy in China has a very long history, with historians indicating that the Chinese were the most persistent and accurate observers of celestial phenomena anywhere in the world before the Arabs. Star names later categorized in the twenty-eight mansions have been found on oracle bones unearthed at Anyang, dating back to the middle Shang Dynasty (Chinese Bronze Age, 3rd - 2nd millennium BCE), and the mansion system's nucleus seems to have taken shape by the time of the ruler Wu Ding (1339-1281 BCE).<br/><br/> Detailed records of astronomical observations began during the Warring States period (fourth century BCE) and flourished from the Han period onward. Chinese astronomy was equatorial, centered as it was on close observation of circumpolar stars, and was based on different principles from those prevailing in traditional Western astronomy, where heliacal risings and settings of zodiac constellations formed the basic ecliptic framework.
The Dunhuang map or Dunhuang Star map is one of the first known graphical representations of stars from ancient Chinese astronomy, dated to the Tang Dynasty (618–907). Before this map, much of the star information mentioned in historical Chinese texts had been questioned.<br/><br/> The map provides a graphical verification of the star observations, and are part of a series of pictures on one of the Dunhuang manuscripts. The Dunhuang Star map is to date the world's oldest complete preserved star atlas.
The Hun Tian Yi Tong Xing Xiang Quan Tu (蘇州石刻天文圖) or Suzhou Star Chart (淳祐天文図) indicates 1434 stars grouped into 280 Asterisms in a chart of the Northern Skies.
Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored a series of seven naval expeditions. The Yongle emperor designed them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin and extend the empire's tributary system.<br/><br/> Zheng He was placed as the admiral in control of the huge fleet and armed forces that undertook these expeditions. Zheng He's first voyage consisted of a fleet of up to 317 ships holding almost 28,000 crewmen, with each ship housing up to 500 men.<br/><br/> Zheng He's fleets visited Arabia, Brunei, East Africa, India, the Malay Archipelago and Thailand, dispensing and receiving goods along the way. Zheng He presented gifts of gold, silver, porcelain and silk; in return, China received such novelties as ostriches, zebras, camels, ivory and giraffes.
The Hun Tian Yi Tong Xing Xiang Quan Tu (蘇州石刻天文圖) or Suzhou Star Chart (淳祐天文図) indicates 1434 stars grouped into 280 Asterisms in a chart of the Northern Skies.
Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored a series of seven naval expeditions. The Yongle emperor designed them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin and extend the empire's tributary system.<br/><br/> Zheng He was placed as the admiral in control of the huge fleet and armed forces that undertook these expeditions. Zheng He's first voyage consisted of a fleet of up to 317 ships holding almost 28,000 crewmen, with each ship housing up to 500 men.<br/><br/> Zheng He's fleets visited Arabia, Brunei, East Africa, India, the Malay Archipelago and Thailand, dispensing and receiving goods along the way. Zheng He presented gifts of gold, silver, porcelain and silk; in return, China received such novelties as ostriches, zebras, camels, ivory and giraffes.
The Hun Tian Yi Tong Xing Xiang Quan Tu (蘇州石刻天文圖) or Suzhou Star Chart (淳祐天文図) indicates 1434 stars grouped into 280 Asterisms in a chart of the Northern Skies.
Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsored a series of seven naval expeditions. The Yongle emperor designed them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin and extend the empire's tributary system.<br/><br/> Zheng He was placed as the admiral in control of the huge fleet and armed forces that undertook these expeditions. Zheng He's first voyage consisted of a fleet of up to 317 ships holding almost 28,000 crewmen, with each ship housing up to 500 men.<br/><br/> Zheng He's fleets visited Arabia, Brunei, East Africa, India, the Malay Archipelago and Thailand, dispensing and receiving goods along the way. Zheng He presented gifts of gold, silver, porcelain and silk; in return, China received such novelties as ostriches, zebras, camels, ivory and giraffes.
The Hun Tian Yi Tong Xing Xiang Quan Tu (蘇州石刻天文圖) or Suzhou Star Chart (淳祐天文図) indicates 1434 stars grouped into 280 Asterisms in a chart of the Northern Skies.