Compare The Travels By Zheng He And Christ
Compare The Travels By Zheng He And Christ
Short Paper Assignment II 1. Compare the travels by Zheng He and Christopher Columbus regarding the following: the purpose of their travel as the results of their travel the way they met the people and what happened to the people they met taking the following factors into account: (navigational, military, scientific, social, political, etc.) the imposition of Eurocentric ideas on independent cultures the Doctrine of Discovery/Eurocentric value system No Plagiarism of any kind!! (500 words with a cover page) by the due date-- 04/ 14/2020. No late work will be accepted.
Paper For Above instruction
The comparative analysis of Zheng He’s voyages and Christopher Columbus’s expeditions reveals profound differences and some similarities in purpose, outcomes, methods of interaction, and their influence on indigenous populations. These voyages, pivotal moments in world history, exemplify contrasting cultural and political motivations, navigational approaches, and consequences, especially concerning the imposition of Eurocentric ideas and systems such as the Doctrine of Discovery.
Zheng He’s expeditions (1405-1433) were primarily diplomatic and military missions commissioned by the Ming Dynasty of China. His purpose was to demonstrate the power and prestige of the Ming Empire, establish tributary relationships, expand Chinese influence, and demonstrate technological and maritime superiority. These voyages aimed to showcase imperial strength, secure trade routes, and foster diplomatic ties across Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Unlike Columbus’s voyages, Zheng He’s fleet was vast, comprising hundreds of ships including the legendary treasure ships, and was navigated using advanced maritime technology and celestial navigation. His encounters with local peoples were generally characterized by diplomacy and trade rather than conquest or domination, reflecting Chinese imperial policies and a Confucian worldview that prioritized harmony, tribute, and trade over conquest.
In contrast, Christopher Columbus's exploration (1492-1504) was motivated by the pursuit of territorial expansion, wealth, and the spread of Christianity. Sponsored by Spain, Columbus’s voyage was driven by European ambitions to find a westward route to Asia, but instead, he encountered the Americas. Columbus’s encounters with indigenous peoples—primarily the Taino in the Caribbean—were marked by initial curiosity followed by violence, enslavement, and forced conversion. These interactions often resulted in the exploitation and decimation of native populations, facilitated by military superiority, including the use of firearms and smaller, less technologically advanced ships. Columbus's voyage set the stage for subsequent European colonization, underpinned by the Doctrine of Discovery, which justified the seizure of lands occupied by indigenous peoples through a Eurocentric value system that regarded indigenous cultures as inferior or pagan.
The different approaches to interaction reflect broader ideological contrasts. Zheng He’s voyages, although they involved contact and exchange, did not impose Chinese cultural hegemony upon other nations. His diplomatic missions generally respected local customs and facilitated trade rather than conquest. Conversely, Columbus’s expeditions epitomized Eurocentric ideas of cultural superiority and entitlement, sustaining notions articulated later in the Doctrine of Discovery. This doctrine granted Christian European nations the right to claim and colonize lands regardless of indigenous sovereignty, a reflection of the Eurocentric worldview that regarded non-European societies as inferior and in need of Christian salvation.
The effects on the peoples encountered by these explorers diverged significantly. Zheng He’s voyages fostered diplomatic and commercial exchanges that mostly remained within the Chinese imperial system; they did not lead to colonization or cultural destruction. Columbus’s encounters, however, resulted in the colonization of vast territories, indigenous displacement, cultural erasure, and the spread of European dominance—effects that are considered traumatic and destructive by contemporary perspectives.
In summary, Zheng He’s voyages exemplified a diplomatic and open approach rooted in Chinese imperial diplomacy and technological prowess, whereas Columbus’s expeditions embodied European expansionism justified through Eurocentric ideologies and the Doctrine of Discovery, leading to profound cultural and demographic changes for indigenous populations. These contrasting journeys highlight differing worldviews and their long-lasting impacts on history, helping us understand the roots of modern cultural dynamics and disparities.