Newsflash: Tv Show On Ming Voyages To Air On Pbs, examine claim of Chinese finding America Options

[DaMo]

http://www.pbs.org/previews/1421/

1421: The Year China Discovered America?
Documentary to air on PBS in July

(IMG:http://www.pbs.org/previews/images/detail/program_detail_FYCA_1.jpg)

1421: THE YEAR CHINA DISCOVERED AMERICA?, airing on PBS Wednesday, July 21, investigates a theory that could turn the conventional view of world history on its head: the startling possibility that a daring Chinese admiral, commanding the largest wooden armada ever built, reached America 71 years before Columbus.


The documentary examines the mystery surrounding China's legendary Zheng He and the spectacular Ming fleet of treasure junks he commanded in the early 15th century. The special provides a history of the known journeys of Zheng He's fleet and an account of new information uncovered by Gavin Menzies, a former British submarine commander who has spent nine years trying to prove that Zheng He reached America decades before Columbus. Menzies, author of the best-selling book 1421: The Year China Discovered the World, has assembled evidence that he believes substantiates his theory.


The first part of the documentary presents 15th-century China as an emerging super-nation with an armada of treasure junks that dominated the Indian Ocean. At the behest of Chinese emperor Zhu Di, Zheng He sailed this fleet to far-flung outposts throughout the eastern hemisphere, established major ports and extended the commercial reach of "the Middle Kingdom" far beyond its previous bounds. The first segment recounts this story through re-enactments, extensive location filming and innovative computer graphics imaging models of the fleet itself.


1421: THE YEAR CHINA DISCOVERED AMERICA? then investigates the major historical mystery that arises from Menzies' theory: Could this incredible and intrepid fleet have shown the European explorers the way to the west - reaching America's shores decades before Columbus? Menzies seeks to prove his extraordinary theory by retracing the steps he believes the Chinese took from Africa to Europe to the Caribbean and along the eastern coast of the United States. The program examines the evidence behind his theory, then puts it to the test, drawing together historical accounts, archaeology and information from consultations with contemporary historians, archaeologists and scientists. The results are often dramatic and - like Menzies' theory itself - highly controversial.

Source: PBS.org

The scale at which a Ming Treasure ship would have dwarfed one of Columbus' European ships:
Quicktime: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sultan/media/expl_01q.html
Real (Dialup): http://video.pbs.org:8080/ramgen/wgbh/nova...an/expl_0136.rm
Real (Broadband): http://video.pbs.org:8080/ramgen/wgbh/nova...n/expl_01220.rm

(IMG:http://www.journeymalaysia.com/history/malacca/admiral_zheng.jpg)
Zheng He

Website about Zheng He: http://www.zhenghe.org.cn/ (Chinese GB)
Time Asia - The Next Asian Journey: http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/journey2001/ (English)

[浪淘音]

thanks for the info Damo, i'll be taping it. i already read the books "1421" and "When China ruled the Seas"

[DaMo]

thanks for the info Damo, i'll be taping it. i already read the books "1421" and "When China ruled the Seas"

I might ask you to mail or torrent me a copy (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/icon_wink.gif)

[浪淘音]

no problem

[holamon]

I kinda mentioned it in this thread already. But thanks for the reminder. (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/icon_smile.gif)

Thread

[DaMo]

I kinda mentioned it in this thread already. But thanks for the reminder. (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/icon_smile.gif)

Thread

Oh, sorry. Didn't see that. (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/icon_redface.gif)

[Zhu_Rong_Ji]

Is this going to be on the show "NOVA" ?

Is there a specific time for it yet ?

[holamon]

Is this going to be on the show "NOVA" ?

Is there a specific time for it yet ?

I am not sure if it's NOVA or not, but it will air on 07/21/04. Not sure of the time though.

[Zhu_Rong_Ji]

Schedule

It says it's on at 8, but, I'm not too sure when that'll be on, here.

[ducksauce]

This would be a cool program to watch, but I have my doubts. Zheng He's fleet did arrive at the eastern shore of Africa, but I doubt he ever went further. If he did go around Africa and eventually Europe, European would have seen him. During his time, European have yet to venture to Asia through the Indian Ocean nor have they sailed to America, but they have always been in North and West Africa. It would be ridiculous if these European sailors didn't see Zheng He enormous fleet.

Even if he did came to America before Columbus, it would not put "conventional world history on its head" as the author put it. America was settled by the natives that came through the bering strait, sailors from ancient time that came throught the Atlantic, then there were vikings that sailed to Northern America, but Columbus was given the credit even if he's a late comer, because he went back to where he came from and brought the news. If a tree fall in the middle of the forest and no one's around, does it makes noise? No, likewise, even if Zheng He founded the America, he only founded it for himself, and not the world.

[浪淘音]

This would be a cool program to watch, but I have my doubts. Zheng He's fleet did arrive at the eastern shore of Africa, but I doubt he ever went further. If he did go around Africa and eventually Europe, European would have seen him. During his time, European have yet to venture to Asia through the Indian Ocean nor have they sailed to America, but they have always been in North and West Africa. It would be ridiculous if these European sailors didn't see Zheng He enormous fleet.

Even if he did came to America before Columbus, it would not put "conventional world history on its head" as the author put it. America was settled by the natives that came through the bering strait, sailors from ancient time that came throught the Atlantic, then there were vikings that sailed to Northern America, but Columbus was given the credit even if he's a late comer, because he went back to where he came from and brought the news. If a tree fall in the middle of the forest and no one's around, does it makes noise? No, likewise, even if Zheng He founded the America, he only founded it for himself, and not the world.

hmmm to me, its not so much the point that Zheng He found or didn't find America. what im interested in is the fact that Zheng He's fleet was incredibly large and powerful, if it weren't for the lazy emperor who banned sea travel and the navy, China would ruled the seas

[DaMo]

(IMG:http://www.journeymalaysia.com/history/malacca/admiral_zheng.jpg) (IMG:http://www.ryebuck.com.au/history_mysteries/hm_media/01_media/01_updates_html/01_updates_grafix/ships.gif)


A trailer clip of the documentary is now available at PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/cgi-registry/mediaplaye...2Ftemplate.html


Comparison of Ming Chinese and European ships:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sultan/media/expl_01q.html


Documentary homepage:
http://www.pbs.org/previews/1421/

[LancerEvoVII]

Wow that is amazing. Never knew the power of his fleet. Interesting indeed

[Kulong]

This would be a cool program to watch, but I have my doubts. Zheng He's fleet did arrive at the eastern shore of Africa, but I doubt he ever went further. If he did go around Africa and eventually Europe, European would have seen him. During his time, European have yet to venture to Asia through the Indian Ocean nor have they sailed to America, but they have always been in North and West Africa. It would be ridiculous if these European sailors didn't see Zheng He enormous fleet.

Even if he did came to America before Columbus, it would not put "conventional world history on its head" as the author put it. America was settled by the natives that came through the bering strait, sailors from ancient time that came throught the Atlantic, then there were vikings that sailed to Northern America, but Columbus was given the credit even if he's a late comer, because he went back to where he came from and brought the news. If a tree fall in the middle of the forest and no one's around, does it makes noise? No, likewise, even if Zheng He founded the America, he only founded it for himself, and not the world.

I agree with others, it doesn't matter whether Zheng He reached America as much as Ming dynasty China having had such a powerful fleet.

Also, if I remember correctly, in the book 1421, I don't believe the author mentioned that Zheng He arrived in Europe. I think after they passed Cape Cod, they went straight to South America due to some kind of flow in the ocean (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/shrug.gif) I need to reread that book (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)