郑和七下西洋:真正的航海英雄“辛巴达”(英)

Admiral Zheng He stood on the deck of his enormous flagship and surveyed his fleet of one hundred treasure ships. Their bright red sails billowed in the wind as they made their way south on what would be the last of seven trading voyages they had taken under orders from Emperor, Zhu Di. The Admiral was a big man, nearly 7 feet tall, with eyebrows as straight as swords, and a voice as loud as a temple bell. He paced the decks like a lion and, after years of sailing in the bright sun and salty seas, his skin had become as rough as an orange peel. On this trip they would stop at many of the places they had visited on previous journeys: Siam, Indonesia, Ceylon, India, the Arabian Peninsula, and the East Coast of Africa. The boat rocking gently beneath his feet, the great Admiral chewed spicy pumpkin seeds as he thought about the adventuresome life he had lived. He was born in 1371 in Yunnan Province at the foot of the Himalayas, two month’s journey by land from the nearest seaport. His family belonged to the Hui tribe of Chinese Muslims. His family name was “Ma,” which in Chinese means “Mohammed.” His given name was “He.” Ma was the second son in a family of six children ?? two boys and four girls. His ancestors had come from Persia long before he was born. His great-great-great grandfather had fought alongside Genghis Khan, serving as his personal bodyguard. The Khan had rewarded him by making him governor of Yunnan Province. Ma’s father and grandfather were known as Hajji because they had taken the Haj, the journey to Mecca that is required of all faithful Muslims. Dad and grandpa often talked to young Ma about their adventures on the sacred journey, and their tales made him curious about the world outside of Yunnan Province. He resolved that someday he too would go exploring and have tales to tell his children about the people and customs of the lands to the west. Ma was an intelligent boy and a good student. He could read and write Chinese. He had also learned Arabic and studied the Koran, the Muslim holy book. But his studies and his peaceful village life were soon to be disrupted.