MEMO: Records of Zheng He and Kubilai Khan

This memo is based upon the work of Dr. Gunnar Thompson on Kubilai Khan’s voyages and on that of Mr. Lam Yee Din for Zheng He’s records and Charlotte Harris Rees for the Hendon Harris collection.. I am indebted to all three.

The world maps in the Doge’s Palace, Venice unequivocally state that they were created from information provided by Marco Polo (who travelled with Kubilai Khan’s fleets) and from that provided by Nicolo da Conti (who met Zheng He’s fleet at Calicut). The Venetian accounts are corroborated by the Portuguese which state in 1428 Dom Pedro returned from Venice with World maps showing the Americas (Strait of Magellan), South Africa and the Indies.

From Gunnar’s work we can see Kubilai Khan’s fleets charted the world as chronicled by Marco Polo and Wang Da Yuan. Zheng He was a pragmatist who had never seen the sea before being appointed Commander in Chief. It seems common sense that he would initially have sailed to where others had gone before him and left maps of their voyages on their safe return viz:

Following Wang Da Yuan

Around Africa to Morocco and the Western Mediterranean and to Australia.

Following Kubilai Khan (Marco Polo).

Across the Pacific to America.

It seems this is what happened, for many of the names on Zheng He’s maps (Zhou Laoren) are the same as on Wang da Yuan’s accounts and on Marco Polo’s in Venice.

Attached in an annex are records of Zheng He’s voyages compared with Kubilai Khan’s. In the third column are listed European Maps which corroborate both:

Gavin Menzies

25/9/2005 Hong Kong Ammended 25/10/2005 Prior to Kubilai Zheng He Corroborative Kubilai Khan maps maps and European maps Khan and records (i.e. show places records before they were “discovered” by Europeans. 1. East and South Africa and Indian Ocean

Hendon Introduction Map of South Albertin di Virga Harris to Insular West (1410-19) maps. countries maritime (Wang da countries Fra Mauro (1459 Yuan) (junks a Gazetteer of description) Kangnido Barbarians (Zhou Laoren) Cantino Chu Ssu (longitude) Pen Wu Bei Chih Diego Ribera (1519) Indian Zheng He Ocean islands 1418 chart Map in Alcobaza Yu Di Tu Portugal (lost) (Heaven and Earth) 2. West Africa and Atlantic

Hendon Introduction Map of South Albertin di Virga Harris to Insular West (1410-19) Collection countries maritime countries Fra Mauro 1459 Kangnido (junks a (Azores) Gazetteer of description) Barbarians Chu Ssu Diego Ribera Pen Zheng He (1519) 1418 chart

Yu Di Tu 3. South West Europe and North Africa

Introduction History of Records of to Insular foreign Monastery of countries countries in Ripoll (1279) Ming History Kangnido Catalan Atlas Ming Shih (1375)

Ibn Battutta 4. North America, Atlantic coast and Caribbean.

Tartar “Study of Vinland map relations Compass c.1440 (Vinland measurements map) ” (Turtle Sea) Cantino 1502

Hao Tian Hun Yuan Tu of Huluoba

Shanhai Judi Quan du

5. South America – Atlantic Coast

Hendon “Records of Doge’s maps Harris those not Venice Collection historified” Waldseemueller Ming Shi (1507) (Christies Illustrated version) Record of strange Piri Reis (1513) countries 1430 Map in Alcobaza (Mylodon, (lost) Armadillo)

6. Arabian Gulf and Red Sea (and Red Sea Nile Canal) & Europe

Kangnido Ming Shih – Doge’s palace Mulanpi maps Introduction (countries (“Fossae to insular which failed Trajani”) countries to pay tribute) (Wang da Al Makrizi Yuan) Gazetteer of Barbarians “Al Nujum” (Zhou Laoren) History of Egypt

Paolo Toscanelli 1432 meeting.

Ibn Battuta (1335-50) 7. Antarctic & Patagonia

Hendon Map of South Waldseemueller Harris Kubilai West (Christies Collection Khan map maritime version) of Antarctic countries (Chu Ssu Piri Reis Pen) 8. Australia

Hendon Wu Pei Chih Albertin di Virga Harris Introduction (Professor 1410-1419 collection to insular Zhiquiang countries Zhang, Jean Rotz / (Wang da interpretation) Dieppe School Yuan) re Malindi 1540s

Introduction Map of South Mercator 1569 at to Ancient East Maritime sheet 13 Southern countries Maritime Matteo Ricci countries. “Records of those not historified”

9. Indonesia

Map of South Doge’s Palace Chu Ssu West Maps Pen Maritime countries Albertin di Virga Kangnido Map of South Ibn Battuta Introduction East Maritime (1335-54) to insular Countries countries (Wang da Map of Yuan) maritime countries to South East coast of China

Records of those not historified

Gazetteer of Barbarians (Zhou Laoren)

10. Pacific

Hendon ‘Pantect’ Map of South Doge’s Palace Harris map East Maritime maps Collection Countries Map with a Waldseemueller ship Map of (1507) Maritime Sirdumap countries Vinland map map South East coast of China Tartar relations

Wu Bei Chi (Professor Zhiquiang Zhang interpretation)

11. North America – Pacific coast

Hendon ‘Map with a Map of South Doge’s Palace Harris ship’ East maritime Maps collection countries ‘Pantect (Fusang) Waldseemueller map’ (1507) Illustrated Sirudumap record of Zatta “Colonie map strange dei Chinesi” countries An Vinland map introduction Gazetteer of to insular Barbarians Tartar relations countries (Zhou Laoren) (Shan Hai Jing) Complete Herb Book of China

12. North West Passage (Pacific to Atlantic) Hendon Marco Polo 1418 map Harris – 1295 Collection (Map with a ship)

Pantect - 1297 13. North East Passage (Atlantic to Pacific) Hendon Chu Ssu Harris Pen c.1320 Collection