Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c14.37

v2.c14.37

Zheng He's voyages served to strengthen the contact with and knowledge of India. While returning from a voyage, Zheng He usually brought envoys from some states numbering from several to more than a dozen, including envoys from India. Meanwhile, there were three books offering valuable and truthful information about Indian states. The first was *Ying Ya Sheng Lan* (*General Survey of the Ocean Shores*) compiled by Ma Huan, who was fluent in Arabic and a translator for the fleet. He wrote a part of the book and preface in 1416, and then went abroad again. Supplementary contents were added. The book was not completed until the first year of Tian Shun Era of Emperor Yingzong (1457). The second was *Xing Cha Sheng Lan* (*Description of the Starry Raft*) written by Fei Xin who had accompanied Zheng He on four naval expeditions. His book was completed in the first year of Zheng Tong Era (1436). The third was *Xi Yang Fan Guo Zhi* (*Annals of Foreign Nations in the Western Ocean*) written by Gong Zhen who participated in the seventh voyage. This book was completed in the ninth year of Xuan De Era (1434). These three books verify and supplement each other, provide a thorough description of the then southeastern and southern Asian states, and are a valuable reference for study of the history of southern India and India-China relations.