When China Ruled the Seas

Extract

[...] When the fleet arrived, many cities and peoples were willing to trade and send tribute to the emperor. Of these tributes, some of the most important were the animals sent back. Nations sent Giraffes, which the Chinese thought was an auspicious animal called a qilin; which in turn was a mythical animal that symbolized world peace, oryx, lions, leopards, Arabian horses, and zebras. These gifts, along with precious stones, and metals were well received and relations with Africa were well welcomed in China. [...]

[...] When China Ruled the Seas When China Ruled the Seas is a discourse on the histories of China's naval prowess. The book begins with early Chinese history, detailing China's first ships, and the somewhat disputable evidence of China's colonization and exploration of places such as Japan, North America, Australia, and the Pacific Isles. It even mentions possible evidence that China may have made great impacts on Central and South American cultures. This is all outlined with histories of great migrations of peoples within the Chinese states. [...]

[...] The naval trend was not picked up again until the Song Dynasty, when the aforementioned Dynasty came under siege by stronger nations to the north. The only way that the Song emperors could remain in power was to trade with other nations for the money necessary to run their country. Still facing adversity from the northern and eastern states, the Song Dynasty created China's first permanent navy. With their vast numbers, the Song quickly overtook the surrounding states, and overcame their oppressors. [...]