Zheng He’s Voyages to Africa and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road

   郑和四次远航非洲，是将明初与各国“共享太平之福”的外交方针，覆盖到际天极地国度的标志。本报告深入阐述了实现人类历史上这一空前壮举，离不开当时中国优选的舟船技术与航海保障，以及对三条横渡印度洋直达非洲新航线的开辟：郑和访非，将木骨都束、卜剌哇、竹步、麻林、慢八撒等地纳入海上丝绸之路贸易体系，较之历代更显示出海上丝绸之路的国际意义：通过对帕泰岛“中国村”的探访，那些因海难而留居非洲的郑和部属后裔至今仍保留着中国文化传统，并成功融人非洲社会，是“移民”非洲的首批华人。将华人移民非洲史提前二三百年，有力回击了所谓的“新殖民主义论”和“中国威胁论”，并对非洲“”向东看”和中非贸易发展提供了理论和实践支持。本报告对促进中非共建21世纪海上丝绸之路，推动中非命运共同体的构建，具有极其重要的历史与现实意义。

   Chapter 1 The Historical Background for Zheng He's Voyages to Africa

1.1 The Social Background for Zheng He's Seven Voyages to the Western Ocean

1.1.1 The Prosperity of the Early Ming Dynasty

1.1.2 The Need for National Unity

1.2 Motivations for Zheng He's Voyages to Africa

1.2.1 The Ultimate Goal ofZheng He's Voyages

1.2.2 Asian and African Countries Zheng He Visited on the Seventh Voyage

Chapter 2 Profound Significance of Zheug lie's Voyages to Africa

2.1 Zheng He's Three Routes to Africa

2.1.1 Three Routes the Sub-fleets Took and Three Trade Routes from China to Africa

2.1.2 The Optimal Route to Africa: from Kollam to Mogadiscio across the Indian Ocean

2.2 Strengthening China-Africa Trade and Exchanges

2.2.1 Commercial Interests Driving Zheng He's Visits to Africa

2.2.2 Main Trading Partners ofZheng He's Fleet in Africa: Mogadiscio, Brava and Djibouti

2.2.3 Trade Complementarity Strengthening China-Africa Trade

2.3 The Influence and Significance ofZheng He's Voyages

2.3.1 The Contemporary Positive Influence of Zheng He's Voyages on the World

2.3.2 The Far-reaching Influence of Zheng He's Voyages Compared with Western Colonialists' Barbaric Deeds

Chapter 3 Navigation Technology Safeguarding Zheug lie's Voyages

3.1 Treasure Ships Made with Advanced Technology

3.1.1 Advanced Shipbuilding Technology in the Song and Yuan Dynasties

3.1.2 Zheng He's Treasure Ships

3.2 Routes and Features ofZheng He's Voyages to the Western Ocean

3.2.1 Routes ofZheng He's Seven Voyages

3.2.2 Major Routes ofZheng He's Voyages to the Western Ocean

3.3 Support and Communication for Zheng He's fleet

3.3.1 Ship Maintenance, Food Supply and Health Safety

3.3.2 Communication Employed by Zheng He's Fleet

Chapter 4 The "Chinese Village" on Pate Island of Kenya

4.1 Discovery of Zheng He's Crew's Descendants in Africa

4.1.1 Media Coverage of Descendants of Zheng He's Crew

4.1.2 The "Chinese Village" on Pate Island of the Lamu Archipelago

4.2 What Happened to Zheng He's Crew after the Shipwreck

4.2.1 Zheng He's Crew Landing at Shanga and Siyu on Pate Island

4.2.2 Causes ofZheng He's Crew and their Descendants Leaving Pate Village

4.3 Love for China

4.3.1 Love for China of an Old Man with a Shoulder Pole

4.3.2 Chinese Traditions Retained on Pate Island

4.4 Chinese Descendants Inherit Chinese Medicine

4.4.1 Chinese Massage and Cupping Therapy in the Chinese Village on Pate Island

4.4.2 Chinese Massage in Shanga

Chapter 5 The Earliest Chinese Immigrants to Africa in the Early Ming Dynasty

5.1 History of Overseas Chinese in Africa

5.1.1 Categorization of the Earliest Overseas Chinese in Africa

5.1.2 Stages of Development

5.2 The First Chinese Immigrants to Africa

5.2.1 Survivors of the Shipwreck in East Africa

5.2.2 Integration of Descendants of Zheng He's Crew into the Local Community

5.3 Significance of an Earlier Start of Chinese Immigration to Africa

5.3.1 Debunking the Fallacy that "Europeans Discovered Africa"

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