Centuries later, ships sail again to save lives

Even with the largest fleet in the world at the time, China had no desire to exploit or plunder other lands. Instead, Zheng He's fleet showed respect to whoever they encountered.

Western navigators such as Christopher Columbus began to search for a "new continent" and establish colonies decades after Zheng He's voyages. They captured a large amount of wealth, laying the foundation for the "Industrial Revolution".

However, the Chinese explorer's crew carried the message of friendship, helped the locals build cities and combat piracy, and imparted skills such as shipbuilding and farming. Sailors took with them a treasure trove of exquisite goods, including silk and porcelain.

His fleet also carried medical officials, drugs, and medical books. During his voyages, his crew imparted traditional Chinese medicine knowledge and promoted the exchange of medicinal materials, which greatly promoted the development of local medicine.

Medical purposes

With about 180 medical personnel on board, Zheng He's crew used traditional Chinese medicine to treat the local people. The explorer promoted the development of healthcare facilities in countries and regions along his travel route, and improved the quality of life of the people.

Zhao Zhigang, deputy secretary-general of China Zheng He Research Association, said: "The values of peace and equality conveyed by the Peace Ark and those conveyed by Zheng He's fleet share similarities."

He said medical ships such as the Peace Ark served the people of several countries and regions, similar to that of Zheng He's fleet.

The book, written in 1730, Hai Guo Wen Jian Lu (Records of Things Seen and Heard About the Coastal Regions), completed by Chen Lunjiong, an official from the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1912), said that during Zheng He's voyages in Siam (now Thailand), his crew taught local people how to dig wells, and added medicine into the water, so the local residents who fell ill could get cured with the water treatment.

Although he is often described as an explorer, Zheng He did not set out primarily on voyages of discovery. More than 2,000 years ago, the maritime silk routes had already emerged from China's coastal regions, traversing a vast expanse of oceans and seas to the southern end of the Indian Peninsula and Sri Lanka.

However, Zheng He's voyages extended the maritime route to an unprecedented level in the 15th century, said Zhao, who is also a senior adviser at the International Zheng He Society in Singapore.