Ming Dynasty
In 1407 A.D. in the Ming Dynasty China the emperor Zhu Di began his unprecedented project of building a massive fleet of giant treasure ships and cannon armed naval escorts in order to induce tribute from neighboring countries and spread the image of his grand empire. These voyages of international relations and trade continued for another 27 years, when in 1430 under Zhu Di's grandson, the Treasure Fleet made its final trip to the west. What likely led to the fleet's extinction was its overall lack of funding and strain on the population and resources which in turn fueled the scholarly Confucian class who already had distaste for the emperor to actively oppose Zhu Di and his ocean based endeavors. In order to illustrate a general overview of the different reasons why the Confucians maintained their opposition of the fleet and why they actively helped to dismantle it I will first briefly review how the classic Confucian ideals were contrary to a merchant society and then examine the various other motives the Confucian men might have had against Zhu Di and his endeavors before and during the Treasure Fleet's expeditions. Confucianism became firmly imbedded in the Chinese elitist culture as far back as the Han Dynasty which began
The grand fleet also helped to establish China as a superior filial figure watching over the four seas and "encouraged mutual trade at the frontier barriers in order to supply the country's needs. " (Levathes, 34) Therefore Zhu Di knowingly launched his grand design to rule the oceans despite these sentiments against things that would draw the people away from the land, no doubt ruffling the feathers of Confucians who were land owners and profited from the labor of farmers who they wished to stay put and produce as much as possible. It would only be after the end of his short reign that Confucians would ultimately gain the upper hand by a issuing a series of actions taken to cripple sea commerce. elevated as the honored professions for virtuous men. and was eventually developed into the required lifestyle and practice of the upper-class and those in government positions. " (Levathes, 72) This likely invoked fear and hate in these men who previously wielded power but were now reduced to cautious critics outside the emperor's favor. This leads to the possibility that Confucian opposition was not only inspired by tradition but also by a dislike for Zhu Di and his design to draw funds and energy away from the Confucian pocket and towards international trade which inevitably excluded them from the hub of activity and wealth. To begin with, the Confucian advisers of his father Zhu Yuanzhang advised against giving the throne to Zhu Di, most likely because they sensed his unwillingness to be counseled by their authority. There are a number of other reasons why Zhu Di and his actions would be to the disliking of the Confucian class. Also the emperor and most likely all Chinese people would have been familiar with the Confucian hierarchy which honored government workers and farmers well above merchants who were believed to be corrupt: "government service and farming were. many Confucians who had served Zhu Yunwen were among them. This created a great stain on the population who were overly taxed and swindled often by greedy officials looking to make and extra fortune on the side. Poor individuals were likely required huge amounts of labor while wealthy families, likely Confucians, were ordered to produce large sums of lumber, textiles, and money in order to support Zhu Di's voyages. Zhu Di pushed his people even further when he ordered the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1416. Levathes estimates that one in fifty people in China, which then had a total population of about sixty million, worked on the Forbidden City.
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