Tracing China: Through history, dialogue between ancient and modern

Chapter 189 Friendship Begins A Thousand Years Ago

According to historical records, it was Zheng He's third voyage to the West, and the fleet went as far as a place in East Africa called "Malindi".

According to different translations, it should be "Malindi" in East Africa today.

It is said that Manbolu Village, 15 kilometers north of Malindi City, is an ancient fishing village by the sea.

On a cemetery overgrown with weeds, there are two cylindrical tombstones one person tall, on which 10 porcelain plates from Huaxia in East Africa were once inlaid. After thousands of years of wind and frost, only 4 remain.

Other than that,

About 5 kilometers south of Malindi City, there is also a mysterious ancient city site - Gedi city-state.

In the middle of the 16th century, the city-state of Gedi was suddenly abandoned, and the people living here seemed to disappear overnight.

In the two buildings here, Chinese coins and porcelain were unearthed respectively.

The Huaxia porcelain found in the ancient city of Gedi includes various bowls, plates, altars, and jars.

There is also a Huaxia copper coin unearthed from the ancient city of Gedi, which is written "Chunyou Yuanbao", which belongs to the Southern Song Dynasty according to the year number.

If someone has traveled to Malindi, they will see the trestle in the old port of Malindi that is much higher than the sea. It is said that the giraffe boarded Zheng He's fleet from here and was sent back to Eastern China.

Malindi was called "Malin State" in ancient times. In the books published in the Ming Dynasty, it is recorded that the envoys of "Malin State" came to China twice to pay tribute to "Kirin". At that time, the giraffe was mistaken for the mythical "Kirin".

of course.

This so-called "Malin Kingdom" is not considered a country, not even a small country.

At most, it is the larger indigenous tribes.

There is still no "city-state civilization" to be seen, and the place where the tribesmen live is still the oldest and simple thatched cottage.

Judging from their environment, they are much more backward than the Dayu period thousands of years ago in China.

After all, during Dayu's time, there was already writing, and he also used a series of tools for life and work, and he could burn paper and various beautiful porcelains, bronzes, etc.

It has to make people feel that this is the 14th century, and this ancient African continent is still so uncivilized.

at this time.

Zheng He and his party are visiting this indigenous tribe.

Most people stayed on the ship to guard, half of them disembarked, and brought porcelain from the Ming Dynasty and so on.

There are no tables and chairs, so you can only sit cross-legged on the spot.

The translators of the two sides were negotiating with each other at this time, yelling and gesticulating.

The translators of the Ming Dynasty did have a few brushes, and it didn't take long for them to communicate with them simply.

"My lord, according to the people of this tribe, they don't have enough food to entertain them. They are about to send three teams to go hunting. We hope that our warriors from the kingdom of heaven will also go to help."

An old man came back and reported the situation.

Zheng He asked, "Where is the hunting ground?"

Pointing to the distance, the old man explained, "There is a river in the east, where you can go fishing, the grassland in the north, where you can kill large herbivores, and the forest in the west, where you can pick a variety of fruits and wild vegetables..."

Zheng He frowned and said, "How can our huge team of more than 2 people have enough food?"

The old man interpreted helplessly, "My lord, the aliens here don't cultivate land, don't raise livestock, and don't store food. If we want to replenish the fleet, we have to get it ourselves."

After some exchanges, Zheng He sent a team of archers, led by the deputy general, to go hunting on the grassland.

In this way, in time and space 800 years ago, a large group of people went looking for food vigorously.

Zheng He and several leading figures wanted to stay in the camp, learn about the people and customs here, and look forward to exchanging some trade resources.

Lin Feng and Bailu didn't stay, and set off with a team of archers.

At this time, the East African prairie was not disturbed by human beings, and it had a large tract of land, thriving and thriving, with tens of thousands of species.

The targets of this hunt are mainly wildebeest and bison.

Carnivores such as lions and hyenas are naturally ignored. Zebras and antelopes run too fast and cannot catch up with their feet. There are not many giraffes.

It has to be said that in the time and space nearly a thousand years ago, there were too many grassland animals, too many.

With the powerful crossbow and arrows of the Ming Dynasty, it didn't take long to hunt down a large amount of meat.

The next step is slaughtering, cooking and other processes.

Even if tens of thousands of people are busy, it feels too slow.

Cutting meat, digging a stove, chopping firewood, washing vegetables, lighting a fire...

Hundreds of cooks from the Ming Dynasty also disembarked to help, and used the food they brought to create a rich feast for the tribesmen on this overseas land.
Two people of different civilizations are intertwined and busy. This picture looks strange and warm.

"I can't believe that in ancient times more than 800 years ago, the ancients in the East and the ancients in Africa had communicated, worked together, ate together, and enjoyed themselves."

"I just want to say, those fresh meats are mouth-watering!"

"Hey, this is truly pure, natural and pollution-free meat."

"Good meat, definitely good meat."

"I also want to travel back to that era. My ideal is not big. Just be a small crew member on the fleet led by Zheng He."

"Brother, your wish is too great. If you travel through time, you will be in the territory of the Ming Dynasty at most, and be an ordinary commoner."

"Hahaha, Ming Dynasty white-collar workers are also good."

"As you can see, the cooks of Daming are cooking food, not only roasting, but also stewing, steaming, braised, frying and so on. Really, just looking at it makes people drool!"

"I see, the host keeps swallowing saliva!"

"Speaking of this show, so many wild animals are going to be killed? Will they not be held accountable?"

"Good guy, this is the time and space 800 years ago. How can we investigate and let our official personnel also travel back?"

"Our fleet just ate a few wild animals. The later western navigators drank blood and were extremely evil. Every pore and every cell in their bodies was full of sin."

"Yeah, relatively speaking, we are definitely a real state of etiquette."

"Unexpectedly, our friendship with the African continent began thousands of years ago!"

"Do you know now? Why our company can gain a foothold in this African continent, because we, Huaxia, have always cooperated for mutual benefit and never bullied others, so we can naturally get help."

……

In the lens.

Zheng He also asked the same question, "Lin Feng, you are from a later age. In the era you lived in, China was still with the people on this land. Is there hope to come?"

"Have!"

Lin Feng replied, "In the era of the younger generation, many Chinese people came to this land to do business, and our officials have also established many friendships with countries on this land."

Zheng He asked again, "But apart from forest resources, there is not much value here?"

In Zheng He's eyes, what is here, our Eastern China also has, and what is not here, we also have.

People of later generations, there is no need to come here to do business at all, right?

Lin Feng said, "Of course it is valuable."

In later generations, with the implementation of China's "going out" strategy and the continuous deepening of China-Africa cooperation, more and more Chinese people live in Africa.

According to incomplete statistics, a few years ago, about 75 Chinese people went to Africa to settle down.

Currently, this number is still rising.

Today, Chinese people have traveled to almost every corner of Africa, including African countries that have no diplomatic relations with my country.

At the same time, the identities of Chinese people in Africa are increasingly diversified.

Among them are diplomats, journalists, students, peacekeepers, volunteers, entrepreneurs, farmers, businessmen, individual vendors, technical experts, construction workers and oil workers.

Their activities involve almost every field in the host country.

With their arrival, one Chinese shopping mall after another appeared in Africa, and one Chinese community after another emerged.

More importantly, they no longer become the "Chinese region" within Africa in isolation, but pay more attention to integrating into the local society than ever before: non-Chinese companies actively implement localization strategies, and non-Chinese people actively learn from local communities. Language and understanding of local customs.

The Chinese people in Africa, no matter what kind of occupation they are engaged in, no matter what field they are striving for, they all have a special affection for Africa and have a duty-bound responsibility to safeguard the friendship between China and Africa.

In order to maintain peace and stability in the African region, China's peacekeepers and soldiers stationed in Africa are loyal to their missions, fulfill their duties, and shed sweat and even blood.

Africa is the region where China sends the most peacekeepers overseas, and it is also the most dangerous region.

However, "not afraid of hardship, not afraid of tiredness, not afraid of danger" is the unanimous evaluation of Chinese officers and soldiers by comrades in other countries.

The Chinese workers who undertook various projects in Africa worked diligently and were not afraid of hardships, and made their own contributions to the development and improvement of local infrastructure.

Even in the hinterland of the Sahara Desert, there are still our workers. They usually have to endure high temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius. They not only need to wrap their heads in scarves to prevent sand, but also constantly water their bodies to cool down and resist dryness.

Some of them gave their young lives for the land.

In the history of more than 1000 years of exchanges, there has never been "slavery" and "plunder" between China and Africa.In the journey of fighting for national independence and building a modern country for more than a century, there has been no "aggression" and "colonization" in China and Africa.

In the tide of globalization in the new century, China and Africa support each other and walk hand in hand to continue to flourish.

hear these.

Zheng Chenggong said thoughtfully, "I didn't expect that after me, the land of Huaxia would have such a deep friendship with the foreigners in this land."

Lin Feng said, "Senior, you will stay in this land for more than two months in the future."

According to historical records, the fleet set off in November 1413 and sailed to Malindi, East Africa for the first time.

He returned to China on August 1415, [-].

Lin Feng's words also spread to the surrounding high-level officers of the fleet.

Words are conveyed layer by layer.

The Huaxia crew, who were a bit biased at first, began to let go of their prejudices, and everyone communicated in a friendly manner.

Some people even twisted and danced together with other people's vocal music.

(End of this chapter)