Summary

In 1421, Gavin Menzies asserts, China was the world's dominant power, possessing the resources, scientific knowledge, and naval capabilities to embark on unprecedented voyages of exploration. Emperor Zhu Di, driven by a grand vision, commissioned the construction of colossal treasure ships and dispatched fleets across the oceans with the dual purpose of establishing a tribute system and charting the world. Leading these expeditions was Admiral Zheng He, a trusted eunuch whose voyages aimed to impress foreign rulers, expand trade, and even locate the fugitive former emperor.

Menzies meticulously details the fleet's composition, the advanced navigational techniques employed, and the provisions that allowed these ships to remain at sea for extended periods. He uncovers evidence suggesting that the Chinese reached and mapped previously unknown lands, including Patagonia, the Andes, and Antarctica, long before European explorers. These voyages, however, faced opposition from Confucian mandarins within the Chinese court who favored internal stability over costly foreign ventures. After Emperor Zhu Di's death, the succeeding emperors reversed his expansionist policies, leading to the destruction of records and the abandonment of China's maritime ambitions.

The book delves into the voyages of various admirals, including Hong Bao's journey to Antarctica and Australia, Zhou Man's exploration of the Pacific and the Americas, and Zhou Wen's voyage to the Caribbean and North America. Menzies presents compelling evidence, such as ancient maps, shipwrecks, and transplanted flora and fauna, to support his claims of Chinese presence in these regions. He argues that European explorers like Columbus, Magellan, and Cook were later to make the same ‘discoveries’ but relied on Chinese maps and navigational knowledge to do so.

Menzies also explores the complexities of Chinese society and governance, highlighting the tensions between the expansionist-minded eunuchs and the isolationist mandarins. He traces the transfer of Chinese knowledge to Europe through figures like Niccolò da Conti, whose accounts provided valuable information to cartographers like Fra Mauro. The book culminates in a discussion of the legacy of these voyages and the reasons why they were largely erased from historical memory, ultimately challenging traditional narratives of world exploration and emphasizing the significant contributions of the Chinese in shaping global history.