Cheng Ho or Zheng He, the Chinese Muslim Admiral and Diplomat Visited Sri Lanka 6 times 600 years ago - Part I :

The Admiral's visit

by Lorna Dewaraja

While the coming of the Portuguese in 1505 is being commemorated in certain quarters it is worthy of note that in 1405, the Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho touched in Sri Lanka for the first time heading a fleet of 62 vessels carrying 28,000 men.

Although the main objective of both the Portuguese and Chinese was trade yet their policies and attitudes towards the indigenous peoples they encountered were diametrically opposed to each other.

The study of history has always been Euro centric and it is universally accepted that modern civilization is the climax, the apex of Western cultural and scientific traditions. It was generally believed that Asia was a slumbering Sluggish giant awakened from its hibernation by its encounter with the West.

Now there is a major reorientation in historical thinking on the origins of modernity. Recent researchers have revealed that rapid economic growth, high levels of intellectual and cultural achievements have occurred in non-European societies.

Half a century ago Joseph Needham drew attention to early Chinese achievements in science and technology. It will be seen that the scope of innovation in medieval China amounted to an economic social revolution comparable to that in Western Europe, a few centuries later.

Sino Sri Lanka Relations

While commercial pursuits first brought the Chinese and Sri Lankans together, the interest in Buddhism created a strong bond between the two countries. The visit of Fa Hsien in the 5th century is well known and so in the visit soon after of Sinhala nuns to Nanjing, to establish an Order of Buddhist nuns in China.

With improved navigation techniques and the use of monsoon winds for navigation, Chinese junks sailed to the island and so did merchants from Persia and Rome. Sino Sri Lanka relations continued with renewed vigour under the Mongols, because they were great patrons of Buddhism and in the reign of Kublai Khan (1260 - 1294) five missions to Sri Lanka were undertaken.

The Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644)

Under the Mings, China became a unified, strong multinational feudal empire. The third ruler of the Ming Dynasty known as young Lo/Young Le/ Zhu Di came to the throne in 1403 having eradicated the Mongol menace of 89 years. In 1409 Young Lo marched south to Nanjing and seized the Dragon throne.

He pronounced himself emperor and took the dynastic title of Young Lo. From the 9th century onwards China had developed its own ocean going fleet but Young Lo had a very ambitious plan of expanding the Chinese fleet to incredible proportions and achieving a maritime empire scanning the oceans. He commissioned 1681 new ships.

Tens of thousands of people were set to work in the shipyards. The emperor's ships would sail round the oceans of the world, chart them and intimidating foreign rulers to being the entire world within China's spiritual and moral orbit.

Chinese diplomatic initiatives were quite different from those of the Europeans who followed a century later. The Chinese preferred to pursue their aims by trade influence and bribery rather than by open conflict or territorial aggression.

Cheng Ho or Zheng He (1371 - 1433): Interest in Sri Lanka

Cheng Ho of Arab Mongol origin had served the emperor Young Lo faithfully in the wars against his master's rivals. As a token of gratitude and in recognition of his bravery in battle the emperor made Cheng Ho, Director of Eunuch Affairs in the Imperial Court. He was a Muslim and both his father and grandfather had made the pilgrimage to Mecca.

His knowledge of Arabic and Arab customs made him ideally suited to visit many countries in which Islam was the state religion. His commanding personality and clear ringing voice were added qualifications and he was made Imperial Envoy and Admiral of the Fleet.

In 1405 Emperor Young Lo commissioned Cheng Ho to prepare for the first expedition into the Western Seas and make known to the world, the Majesty of the Ming Emperor with offers of friendship and trade and also to invite the heads of state to visit the Ming Court on tribute missions.

During the next 28 years, Fleet Admiral Cheng Ho led seven expeditions, visited 37 countries on the Indo China coast, the Indian Oceans, Persian Gulf, Red Sea and the East Coast of Africa. On 6 of these voyages Cheng Ho touched on Sri Lanka. After the Silk Route was closed by Tamurlane, maritime trade gained stimulus and Sri Lanka ideally situated astride the sea routes emerged as an entrepot.

This may be one of the reasons why Cheng Ho took a special interest in establishing commercial contacts with Sri Lanka and organized stopovers here, in at least 6 of his voyages.

Another likely reason may be that although Cheng Ho was a Muslim who had made the Haj pilgrimage, he had a great regard for Buddhism and took the Buddhist name Fu Shan.

He was also respectfully called San Pao which is a pious Buddhist title. His diplomatic skill and religious eclecticism was such that he invited Buddhist monks, Muslim Imams and Hindu priests to accompany him in his voyages.

Sino Sri Lanka Relations: A Discordant Note

The end of the 14th century and the first few years of the 15th century appears to be one of political instability in Sri Lanka during which there were simultaneous seats of power in the island. Bhuvaneka Bahu V, the de jure ruler (1732-1406 or 08) ruled at Gampola with all the trappings of royalty while actual power was wielded by the members of the Alagakkonara family.

Vira Alakesvara was one of them and he was the de facto ruler of the kingdom, when the Chinese Armada under Cheng Ho appeared in Sri Lankan waters in 1405.

For the first time Sino Sri Lanka relations struck a discordant note. It is mentioned in Chinese sources that Vira Alakesvara, unlike all Sri Lanka rulers was not a supporter of Buddhism and Cheng Ho tried to persuade him to give up his heretical practices and adhere to the teachings of the Buddha.

Further it is said that Cheng Ho visited Sri Lanka to carry away the Tooth Relic of the Buddha, which had gained reputation of being the emblem of sovereignty in Sri Lanka. Any attempt to take it away could be interpreted as an attempt to usurp royal power. Besides, the very magnitude of the Chinese fleet with 62 vessels carrying 28,000 men would certainly have overawed the king and people who fearing an invasion responded with hostility.

According to the Chinese chronicle Ming Shih, Cheng Ho got wind of Alakesvara's animosity and sailed away, determined to return to teach Alakesvara a lesson for daring to rebuff the envoy of the Ming Emperor. The fleet proceeded to Calicut which was the forward base for the Chinese and whose ruler the Zamorin held the Chinese emperors in high esteem before it returned to China in 1407.