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Hoa Van Le Nghia (Chua Ba) or the Chinese All-Community Assembly Hall was built in 1740 and designed to serve all of Hoi An's ethnic Chinese communities. Thien Hau, thew goddess of seafarers graces the main altar.<br/><br/> The small but historic town of Hoi An is located on the Thu Bon River 30km (18 miles) south of Danang. During the time of the Nguyen Lords (1558 - 1777) and even under the first Nguyen Emperors, Hoi An - then known as Faifo - was an important port, visited regularly by shipping from Europe and all over the East.<br/><br/> By the late 19th Century the silting up of the Thu Bon River and the development of nearby Danang had combined to make Hoi An into a backwater. This obscurity saved the town from serious fighting during the wars with France and the USA, so that at the time of reunification in 1975 it was a forgotten and impoverished fishing port lost in a time warp.
Hoa Van Le Nghia (Chua Ba) or the Chinese All-Community Assembly Hall was built in 1740 and designed to serve all of Hoi An's ethnic Chinese communities. Thien Hau, thew goddess of seafarers graces the main altar.<br/><br/> The small but historic town of Hoi An is located on the Thu Bon River 30km (18 miles) south of Danang. During the time of the Nguyen Lords (1558 - 1777) and even under the first Nguyen Emperors, Hoi An - then known as Faifo - was an important port, visited regularly by shipping from Europe and all over the East.<br/><br/> By the late 19th Century the silting up of the Thu Bon River and the development of nearby Danang had combined to make Hoi An into a backwater. This obscurity saved the town from serious fighting during the wars with France and the USA, so that at the time of reunification in 1975 it was a forgotten and impoverished fishing port lost in a time warp.
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.
Zheng He (1371 – 1433 or 1435) was a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, fleet admiral, and court eunuch during China's early Ming dynasty. He was born Ma He to a Muslim family, and later adopted the conferred surname Zheng from Emperor Yongle.<br/><br/> Zheng commanded expeditionary voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, and East Africa from 1405 to 1433. His larger ships stretched 120 meters or more in length. These carried hundreds of sailors on four tiers of decks.
Zheng He (1371 – 1433 or 1435) was a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, fleet admiral, and court eunuch during China's early Ming dynasty. He was born Ma He to a Muslim family, and later adopted the conferred surname Zheng from Emperor Yongle.<br/><br/> Zheng commanded expeditionary voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, and East Africa from 1405 to 1433. His larger ships stretched 120 meters or more in length. These carried hundreds of sailors on four tiers of decks.
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.
Guangzhou’s largest park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, is dominated by Zhenhai Lou (Tower Overlooking the Sea). The tower was built in 1380 and is the only remaining part of Guangzhou's old city wall. The building was used as a watchtower.<br/><br/> British and French soldiers occupied the tower during the First Opium War (1839-1842). The 12 cannons near the tower date form this period.
Guangzhou’s largest park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, is dominated by Zhenhai Lou (Tower Overlooking the Sea). The tower was built in 1380 and is the only remaining part of Guangzhou's old city wall. The building was used as a watchtower.<br/><br/> British and French soldiers occupied the tower during the First Opium War (1839-1842). The 12 cannons near the tower date form this period.
Guangzhou’s largest park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, is dominated by Zhenhai Lou (Tower Overlooking the Sea). The tower was built in 1380 and is the only remaining part of Guangzhou's old city wall. The building was used as a watchtower.<br/><br/> British and French soldiers occupied the tower during the First Opium War (1839-1842). The 12 cannons near the tower date form this period.
Guangzhou’s largest park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, is dominated by Zhenhai Lou (Tower Overlooking the Sea). The tower was built in 1380 and is the only remaining part of Guangzhou's old city wall. The building was used as a watchtower.<br/><br/> British and French soldiers occupied the tower during the First Opium War (1839-1842). The 12 cannons near the tower date form this period.
Guangzhou’s largest park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, is dominated by Zhenhai Lou (Tower Overlooking the Sea). The tower was built in 1380 and is the only remaining part of Guangzhou's old city wall. The building was used as a watchtower.<br/><br/> British and French soldiers occupied the tower during the First Opium War (1839-1842). The 12 cannons near the tower date form this period.
Guangzhou’s largest park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, is dominated by Zhenhai Lou (Tower Overlooking the Sea). The tower was built in 1380 and is the only remaining part of Guangzhou's old city wall. The building was used as a watchtower.<br/><br/> British and French soldiers occupied the tower during the First Opium War (1839-1842). The 12 cannons near the tower date form this period.
Guangzhou’s largest park, Yuexiu Gongyuan, is dominated by Zhenhai Lou (Tower Overlooking the Sea). The tower was built in 1380 and is the only remaining part of Guangzhou's old city wall. The building was used as a watchtower.<br/><br/> British and French soldiers occupied the tower during the First Opium War (1839-1842). The 12 cannons near the tower date form this period.
Quanzhou was established in 718 during the Tang Dynasty (618–907). In those days, Guangzhou was China's greatest seaport, but this status would be surpassed later by Quanzhou. During the Song Dynasty (960–1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), Quanzhou was one of the world's largest seaports, hosting a large community of foreign-born inhabitants from across the Eurasian world.<br/><br/> Due to its reputation, Quanzhou has been called the starting point of the Silk Road via the sea. From the Arabic name form of the city, Zayton, the word satin would be minted. In The Travels of Marco Polo, Quanzhou (called Zayton, T'swan-Chau or Chin-Cheu) was listed as the departure point for Marco Polo's expedition to escort the 17-year-old Mongol princess bride Kököchin to her new husband in the Persian Ilkhanate.
Phuc Kien is the Vietnamese for Fujian, and this, the richest of the several Chinese Assembly Halls in Hoi An, was founded by merchants from Fujian Province. It also serves as a temple dedicated to Thien Hau, a goddess who specially cares for seafarers like the Fujian merchants in times past.<br/><br/> The small temple complex is set back from the street beyond a courtyard. Here the Sea Goddess Thien Hau presides at the centre of the main altar in the first chamber. Her attendants on either side inform her whenever there is a shipwreck, so that she can intercede on the part of the mariners.<br/><br/> To the right of the altar is a large model of a Chinese sailing junk. In the chamber at the back, another altar honours six seated figures representing the founding fathers of Hoi An’s Fujian community, who fled to Vietnam after the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty in 1644.<br/><br/> The small but historic town of Hoi An is located on the Thu Bon River 30km (18 miles) south of Danang. During the time of the Nguyen Lords (1558 - 1777) and even under the first Nguyen Emperors, Hoi An - then known as Faifo - was an important port, visited regularly by shipping from Europe and all over the East.<br/><br/> By the late 19th Century the silting up of the Thu Bon River and the development of nearby Danang had combined to make Hoi An into a backwater. This obscurity saved the town from serious fighting during the wars with France and the USA, so that at the time of reunification in 1975 it was a forgotten and impoverished fishing port lost in a time warp.
An almost entirely traditional Chinese scene revolves around two sturdy African villagers dressed in skirts and headdresses who are holding spears. The Africans seem to be amused, most probably curious at the sight of so many richly dressed Chinese men and women, pagodas, pavilions, Chinese lanterns, a bamboo bridge, a Chinese gondola and even a floating Buddha in the sky. In the lower half of the painting, an African woman dances while Chinese warriors charge around on horseback.
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.
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.
The Mo Yi Tong Map or 'Zheng He Map' was purchased from a Shanghai dealer in 2001 by a Chinese lawyer, Liu Gang, for US$500.<br/><br/> Despite initial claims that the map was based on an earlier 1418 map drawn after the observations of Zheng He, the Ma Yi Tong map has been generally discredited as an 18th century forgery.<br/><br/> This analysis is based on the use of several modern Chinese characters, as well as the extensive mapping of Australia, North America and even Antartica, as well as the representation of California as an island which seems to have been copied from 17th century French cartographers.<br/><br/> Finally, China was always represented as the centre of the world in Chinese cartography until the ground-breaking 'Selden Map', c. 1624 CE (see CPA0022438).
Shen Du's poem:<br/><br/><i>In the corner of the western seas, in the stagnant waters of a great morass, Truly was produced a qilin, whose shape was as high as fifteen feet. With the body of a deer and the tail of an ox, and a fleshy, boneless horn, With luminous spots like a red cloud or purple mist. Its hoofs do not tread on living beings and in its wanderings it carefully selects its ground.</i><br/><br/><i>It walks in stately fashion and in its every motion it observes a rhythm, Its harmonious voice sounds like a bell or a musical tube. Gentle is this animal, that has in antiquity been seen but once, The manifestation of its divine spirit rises up to heaven’s abode.</i>
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.
The Mo Yi Tong Map or 'Zheng He Map' was purchased from a Shanghai dealer in 2001 by a Chinese lawyer, Liu Gang, for US$500.<br/><br/> Despite initial claims that the map was based on an earlier 1418 map drawn after the observations of Zheng He, the Ma Yi Tong map has been generally discredited as an 18th century forgery.<br/><br/> This analysis is based on the use of several modern Chinese characters, as well as the extensive mapping of Australia, North America and even Antartica, as well as the representation of California as an island which seems to have been copied from 17th century French cartographers.<br/><br/> Finally, China was always represented as the centre of the world in Chinese cartography until the ground-breaking 'Selden Map', c. 1624 CE (see CPA0022438).