A copy of a map that collector Liu Gang claims proves controversial theories that famed Chinese mariner Zheng He was the first person to discover America and circumnavigate the world.
Posted on 01/17/2006 5:00:33 PM PST by presidio9
Chinese map collecter has found a copy of an ancient map he claims proves controversial theories that famed Chinese mariner Zheng He was the first person to discover America and circumnavigate the world.
Liu Gang said the map supports the recent theories that Chinese discovered America before Christopher Columbus and charted parts of the world such as Antartica and northern Canada long before Western explorers.
"The map shows us that Chinese discovered the world 70 years before Columbus," Liu said in a public unveiling of the chart. "The map tells us that Zheng He discovered the world."
The map is dated to 1763 but is also clearly marked that it is a copy of a map made in 1418. That date coincides with Zheng He's voyages, which spanned from 1405-1432.
Liu bought the map for about 500 dollars from a map collector in Shanghai in 2001, but only realized its importance after he read Gavin Menzies' best-selling book: "1421: The Year China Discovered The World".
In the book Menzies theorizes that previously undiscovered world maps drawn up by Zheng He's admirals were copied by European map makers and were extensively used during the voyages of great Western explorers, including Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco Da Gama and James Cook.
Much of Menzies' theories are supported by his knowledge of ocean currents, continental trade winds and star navigation that he learned during his life as a British naval commander.
Despite its prominence on best-seller lists, many historians have criticized Menzies' theories for the lack of accompanying evidence.
China's Ming Dynasty banned ocean-going exploration and trade on pain of death after Zheng He's final voyage, largely due to the death of Emperor Zhu Di, who sponsored the voyages.
The huge costs of Zheng's fleets, which often numbered hundreds of ships, were another factor.
The Chinese records of Zheng He's voyages have largely been lost, either purposely destroyed as part of the ban on ocean-going navigation or due to a fires that ravaged Beijing's imperial palace in the 1420s.
Liu expressed his belief that a lot of the records still exist, but Chinese scholars have largely ignored them.
"I sincerely believe that other maps exist and books exist (that contain evidence of Zheng He's world travels) but no-one has been paying attention to them," Liu said. "It is my purpose to try to wake these (scholars) up."
A copy of a map that collector Liu Gang claims proves controversial theories that famed Chinese mariner Zheng He was the first person to discover America and circumnavigate the world.
This is going to tick of the Arab Muslims that claim they originally founded America lol.
Has Dan Rather accepted this documents authenticity?
Does this mean that Columbus is off the hook and the Chinese will be trashed for sullying the virgin land that was Pre-Columbian America?
1763. My short term memory isn't what it used ... what was I going to say?
We know for a fact that the Romans were here multiple times during the time of Christ/Augustus. And, obviously, the Vikings were here too. The point is not who got here first, it's who's "discovery" led to permenant settlement. After Zheng He, the Middle Empire basically sealed it's borders and went into decline until the opium wars. A worthy lesson for many on this website.
Just looking at that map, I'm a little skeptical. If that is supposed to be a copy of the map drawn by a Chinese sailor who crossed the Pacific, how did he get the east coast of Central America to be somewhat correct, not to mention the St. Lawrence? Are they claiming that he crossed the Americas overland, or sailed around Cape Horn?
This may be true but Americans discovered Chinese Take Out. So there.
notice how the california baja penninsula is indicated much like that of early maps drawn by european explorers. hmmmm.
Who cares who happened to tread on the place and when. I know who made something of it.
On the map of NA there's an indentation that would represent Hudson's Bay ... a little more to the north east an island that might represent Greenland. I can assure you no Chinese explorer ever mapped this area of NA ... this map is a geographers version of the Turin cloth depicting Christ ... a total fabrication.
what about this piece of wood i have...it shows a map of Newfoundland and i think part of the Yukon carved on it...signed L. Eriksson...
oh yeh...when did Columbus discover Ohio?
I am more interested in the fact that He (the Chinese guy, not God) supposedly has Antarctica on the map 300 years before Cook discovered it for Europeans.
How do you know the Shroud is a "total fabrication?" Athiest scientists who have spent their careers studying it are not able to say that.
Very good point indeed!
Menzies' theories are entertaining and well thought out. Unfortunately, with the lack of hard empirical evidence, Menzies is forced to stare too hard and everything he sees gets bent a little. The Chinese backing up his claims don't help him in any positive way.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.