When China Ruled the Seas

When China Ruled the Seas: The Treasure Fleet of the Dragon Throne, 1405–1433 is a nonfiction book published in 1994 by Louise Levathes. In a narrative that predates the voyages of Christopher Columbus, Levathes examines a three-decade period in the early 15th century when China launched seven major sea voyages. Levathes holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and worked for ten years as a staff writer for National Geographic. In 1990, she was a visiting scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Chinese and American Studies at Nanjing University in China. When China Ruled the Seas was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 1994.

This study guide refers to the hardcover edition published in 1994 by Simon & Schuster.

Plot Summary

The focus of the book is the period in Chinese history during the Ming dynasty when sea travel was at its height. The author previews this with several chapters that establish the development of a seafaring tradition from early in Chinese history. She provides evidence that shows China likely visited the Americas long before the Europeans did and disseminated its knowledge of boat-building and navigation throughout the Pacific. This culminated in the voyages of the so-called “treasure fleet” in the early 15th century.

Chapters 4-10, the main part of the book, detail how this came about under the Ming dynasty’s third ruler, Zhu Di. Nicknamed the Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di wanted to visit all the areas under his domain to carry on trade and to show the world the grandeur of the “Middle Kingdom,” as the Chinese referred to themselves. His commander for these voyages was Admiral Zheng He, a close personal aide and a eunuch. Zheng ably established trade networks, conducted diplomacy with nations that were part of China’s sphere of influence, and led successful military campaigns when necessary.

The treasure fleet consisted of the largest wooden ships in history, though their exact dimensions are debated. Most likely, they were about 400 feet long by 160 feet wide. Known as “treasure ships,” these were the showcase vessels of the fleet. They were accompanied by other ships of varying size, which carried supplies, water tanks, horses, and soldiers, among other things. The largest expeditions included over three hundred ships and more than 27,000 people.

From 1405 to 1433, seven voyages took place, with regular stops in Vietnam and Thailand, the islands of Indonesia, various cities in India, and destinations farther afield like the Strait of Hormuz, Aden, and the east coast of Africa. Most of the destinations were tribute nations which sent emissaries to China to give gifts to the emperor and to conduct trade. After the Yongle Emperor died in 1424, his successor ordered only one voyage. Influenced by the resurgence of Confucianism, China turned inward, ceasing its overseas expeditions and losing the knowledge and technology necessary for such voyages. This was due to competing political views of how to rule China, economic decline, and strife around the empire’s northern and western borders that required military action. As a result, European countries caught up to and surpassed China in seafaring and technology.