Chapter 8, The Auspicious Appearance of the Celestial Animals Summary and Analysis

The largest expedition of the treasure fleet was ordered in 1412. Zhu Di was satisfied that the "four corners" of the sea were quiet, and now wanted to venture into the Persian Sea. Zheng He appointed Ma Huan, a young Muslim, as translator and chronicler of the voyage. Zhu Di was intrigued by the rich Arab port of Hormuz and eager to establish trade relations there. Zhu Di was in the process of relocating his capital back to his former fiefdom and the conventional wisdom was that he wanted to gather exotic items for his new palace.

On its way to the Persian Sea, the treasure fleet was ordered to intervene militarily in the internal strife existing in Sumatra, the empire on which China depended for its sulfur...