Stanley F. Bronstein – Personal Development BlogPersonal Development Blog of the Founder of the Achievement IQ Movement and Creator of the Laws of Positioning

This is the second  post in a new category titled:  Learn Something New Everyday
I am embarking on a mission to learn at least one new thing everyday for the next year.  It is my goal to share that journey with you, so here goes.  Here is what I learned about today.
CHINA WAS ONCE THE WORLD’S GREATEST NAVAL POWER

In the late 1300′s and early 1400′s, China, under the leadership of the great admiral Zheng He, China was probably the world’s greatest naval power.

Zheng He rose to preeminence by winning several great naval battles.  Between 1405 and 1433, the emperor of that time (the Yongle Emperor) sent Zheng He out on a series of seven naval expeditions, all designed to control trade and impress other nations with the power of the Chinese fleet.

It is not entirely clear all the places where Zheng He visited, as the records of his last 2 naval expeditions were destroyed.  The successor emperor (the Hongxi Emperor) promptly cancelled Zheng He’s expeditions and proceeded to have much of the Chinese fleet burned / destroyed.

Thus ended China’s period as the world’s greatest naval power.  The interesting thing is that under the Hongxi Emperor and his son, the Xuande Emperor, many reforms were put in place that proved to be very popular amongst the people, all of which led to what is often referred to as one of China’s golden ages.

SO WHAT’S THE POINT ???

Where would China be now had they not “pulled back” from their maritime explorations and had they continued to spread their influence out amongst the world?

That’s not to take anything away from where China is at the moment, but it’s interesting to ponder whether or not things would have been different.

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