(upbeat music)
- Look, there!
What is that?
- I have no idea, but maybe it's a mirage.
That's impossible, it can't be.
- Boats, but there's dozens of them!
- We better warn all the others.
- All this happened about 600 hundred years ago.
It was the biggest fleet of boats the world had seen
and they were from a great sea power!
But who were they and from where had they come?
- The biggest flotilla, the English?
- It was French!
- The Americans, sure, the Americans!
- No, America was a wilderness.
- And it's not just a big joke,
there weren't any big ships until uh...
- Until the Portuguese.
- [Boy] No the Spanish!
- No there were some all right.
(upbeat music)
(drums beating)
- I suppose that's Malindi.
- Yes, Captain, I know that city.
- Keep well clear of the coasts, there are reefs.
Drop anchor and lower our lifeboats.
- Aye, aye Captain.
(shouting)
- Come and look!
Dozens of big ships, as big as a house, enormous, enormous!
- I never saw so many ships!
And such large ones!
You'll see, come on!
(pleasant music)
- There they are!
- Who are they, what do they want here?
- Right, the Chinese!
I should have thought of them.
- The Chinese, the Chinese.
Why is it always them?
- Their history has gone on for a long time,
10,000 years at least.
9,000 years before our era,
the Chinese reached Taiwan and then the Philippines
and Malaysia and finally the Fiji islands.
Some say they crossed the Pacific Ocean,
arriving in South America from the east
long before Christopher Columbus.
But their brilliant maritime adventure really began
with an important invention, the compass.
- Ah.
- [Narrator] It's a very special medal
that always points to the north,
that can be useful on a ship.
The caption would know his course at night
or in a fog, in any weather.
At the end of the 13th century,
the Venetian explorer Marco Polo even then admired
some of the excellent ships of the Chinese fleet.
- Wow, truly extraordinary.
Enormous ships, 60 cabins and a crew of 300 men.
Nobody has ever seen anything like it.
- [Narrator] The emperor Zhu Di has just succeeded
to the throne, and promptly eliminated his enemies.
He retained only a selection of his advisors.
- Majesty, you have dominated the Mongols
and eliminated our enemies and enlarged the middle kingdom.
Now your majesty, this time to explore the world around us,
your empire deserves the riches of the world,
the sea can carry us to unknown lands.
But we must have ships, sire.
- We will consider what you say, Zheng He.
You have always been an obedient servant,
wise in what you say.
(dramatic music)
(clears throat)
- Very well majesty, the middle kingdom's at your feet.
- My feet.
- The riches of our empire found in the land.
- In the land.
- Confucius has said "he who plows the fields
"brings prosperity and happiness to China.
"From exploration no great good will come."
- What, Confucius say all that?
- Some say so he said sir.
- We will consider your words.
- Oh sire.
(yawns)
- So our honorable revered first wife,
it is a pleasure to see you, why have you come?
- [First Wife] I have a word to put in your ear, master.
- Mm?
- It is in our interest to protect China
from foreign influence.
It is what Confucius says, my lord.
- And have you heard Confucius?
- I have heard talk of him.
- So venerated first wife, I shall meditate on it.
You may go.
My newer most recent wife, will you not sit down?
(giggles)
Right here.
Now my little lotus flower, what's on your mind?
Go on.
- My lord and master.
I humbly believe I mean,
you have heard that there are wondrous marvels
everywhere in the world they would
surely enhance your glory.
- Is it your pleasure to have them?
- Oh yes.
- Majesty.
- Zheng He, you will create our imperial navy,
the biggest one in the world.
I hereby appoint you commander.
And you will explore the whole world.
There are reports of animals that are strange.
There are even black men they say.
- [Narrator] Then Zheng He set
to work inventing the dry dock.
This let them lift even the largest ships
out of the water for inspection and repair.
- Scrape down the wood hull, and replace
the planks that are rotten, understand?
Then put on new coat of paint.
- Yes admiral.
(sawing, hammering)
- And every compartment must have a watertight door.
- [Narrator] That's another Chinese invention,
watertight compartments so that slight damage
to the hull doesn't sink the ship.
- [Man] They're gonna sail across whole oceans.
- They will go into foreign lands.
- It's against the words of Confucius.
- I have an idea.
Perfect, nobody around.
(dramatic music)
- Huh?
Those followers of Confucius, they did this.
- From now on, the locks are guarded night and day.
- Ow!
(laughing)
- Whoa.
(clanging)
(groaning)
(horse whinnies)
- Help!
- [Narrator] In just a few years,
despite the objections of the followers of Confucius
the emperor had indeed created the most powerful
fleet that the world had ever seen.
- 1,600 ships and big ships for carrying great treasure,
each with nine masts and crews of 600 men.
Junks with three or four masts that are easier to maneuver.
More ships with oars and reinforced bow for ramming,
and some with gunpowder to blow up enemy ships.
Falcons of the sea with flat bottoms.
And there are some that are secret.
- No be quiet, they're secret.
Come, it is our most precious guide our fate depends on it.
Weigh anchor.
- Weigh anchor!
(dramatic music)
Now measure our speed.
(dramatic music)
(singing)
- Ship speed eight knots, captain.
- Good, on course for the Strait of Sumatra.
- Land ahoy!
- That's Belawan, the largest port of Sumatra.
- And full of pirates.
Chen Su and his Malaysian pirates plunder ships
in the straits of Malacca.
- Listen, I'm going to take in the warships first.
You keep fleet back.
- Aye aye admiral.
(dramatic music)
- You see that?
The warships are going on reconnaissance.
We can get the treasure.
- Ow, yes sir chief Yata.
By the way, that hurt chief.
(dramatic music)
- Put that lantern out.
You want them to spot us or what?
(dramatic music)
(drumming)
(swords clanging)
- Filthy pirates board my ships?
- We'll see about that, cover my back!
- To your battle stations, to your posts at once!
- Reinforcements, quick we'll still win!
- Pinky did you see what I see?
- Is it some kind of magic or what?
No oars, no sails and they're bearing down on us!
(dramatic music)
- Fire.
- A stink bomb, ready?
Go!
(sniffing)
- Oh that really stinks.
I can't breathe!
- Archers, fire on that!
What do you call it?
Go on!
- Reverse power, full speed astern.
(booming)
(yelling)
- Road hogs, noble ruffians!
You lousy pirates.
- Eh say chief. - What?
- The lousy pirates is us. - I know.
- Get the message chief?
We ain't gonna build their kind of ship, same as theirs.
(dramatic music)
- Anyawapo, come here.
- You are welcome to the island of Buddha's birthplace.
You drank the sacred water, so now you can enter the temple.
I will be your guide.
(dramatic music)
- Do we?
- Master welcomes the distinguished
guests of the middle kingdom.
He says that a bandit has taken control
of the neighboring city of Kotte.
He asks if you will help us get rid of him,
so that we may live in peace.
- Say we'll try to get rid of him.
- And can I go with you on one of your ships sir?
- [Admiral] Yes of course, you will be our interpreter.
(dramatic music)
- These are the cabins for the guests of honor.
As big as the captain's.
I'm going to be a captain when I grow up, and you?
- Me?
What I really want to be is an elephant driver.
- Come on, we're already there.
(dramatic music)
- Zheng He, admiral commanding the imperial fleet
of the middle kingdom and captain Hong Bao salute you sir.
They bring many gifts for you.
(dramatic music)
(speaks foreign language)
- What'd he say?
- He says you are a miserable crawling worm,
not worthy to squirm under his foot.
Your emperor is a filthy bug that
he will squash under his thumb.
He has no intention of listening to your stupid gibberish.
He is going to take all the treasure you have
in your ships and deal with you as he likes.
- He said all that?
Yeah well you tell that stuffed cigar nose
that pompous fleabag, that puffed up
rag doll, that slimy snake, that flabby fish face,
you tell him that--
- That we will give great consideration
to his majesty's very generous proposition.
- What?
We'll give serious consideration to bashing his brains in!
- Shh. - What?
- [Captain] Later, I'll explain.
- [Boy] He has blocked the port entrance.
His whole army is there.
- There are too many of them.
- Yes, but if his whole army is there,
it means there can't be any here.
- Hey you're right, now's the time.
(yelling)
(yells)
(speaks foreign language)
So we're just miserable worms and filthy insects
that you'll crush under your thumb.
Well, some insects sting!
(speaks foreign language)
What?
Interpreter, I want you to be very sure
his majesty understands us.
He will bring all his troops back here at once, otherwise.
(speaks foreign language)
(dramatic music)
(speaks foreign language)
(flute music)
- Oh an elephant!
(dramatic music)
- Very interesting.
Tell me, who is in charge here?
- It is I, and what is it you have to offer?
- Come and see our ships are here.
- Very nice indeed, you are having how many?
- Well let's count them.
(murmuring)
Ah.
(murmuring)
Oh?
- [Man] 50 plates, 200 saucers, and as many cups.
100 dishes and 20 teapots, that is the total of all.
- [Men] Agree.
- Now will you take me back home, huh?
- We're going to go to Arabia, our next stop.
- Arabia?
I don't want to go to Arabia!
- Where is Arabia?
Nobody is too sure.
- Apparently it's that way, towards the setting sun.
- That's fine, fine, but why take me?
(foreign music)
(roaring)
(people chattering)
- What's that?
- Why it's a kili I'm sure of it.
It's a magic animal that brings good luck.
Let's go closer.
Ask him what exactly is this animal and is it for sale?
- [Boy] They call it a giraffe,
and there are many of them here.
- [Zheng] Now you promised to be a good king,
and you're not going to know your neighbors?
Then you can run along home.
- [Narrator] It was time to take the long journey home.
(dramatic music)
- Ah they're coming back.
Now we attack.
(yelling)
Blah, pests of the ocean, road hogs, dirty pirates!
- The thing is that we're--
- I know, I know, we're the dirty pirates.
(soothing music)
- Allow us, your majesty to present a kili,
a legendary animal that always brings happiness.
- Oh he's so cute.
I want one, I want him.
(soothing music)
- By the end of the 15th Century, China
was the greatest maritime power.
The emperor had a new capital built at Beijing, later Peking
in the north of the country, and in the center
of Beijing, a forbidden city.
Many palaces of 1,000 rooms each.
A million workers used to complete it.
Expeditions went on and our travelers
brought back all sorts of exotic
animals from around the world.
- Oh he's splendid, that heavenly horse.
- And the kili, it's said they bring luck.
- Longneck master terribly ugly, bah!
- Look at that horse with stripes, that's ridiculous
and that big bird can't even fly.
Is any animal more awkward?
Such a bird shouldn't exist.
(yells)
- Look there, what is it?
- [Narrator] Ah yes, the world was opening up
to adventures of the sea.
Meanwhile, back in Beijing.
- No prime minister, it's right here
within China's own borders that our
ancient faith will be strengthened.
All these expeditions, these diabolical animals,
they are useless, majesty.
- I mean yes, your majesty, that's true.
I mean I have seen signs in the sky.
If we don't stop all these expeditions
a great calamity will befall us, sire.
- Beware, if you are mistaken I'll punish you.
- You and your signs in the sky.
You had to say it, you had to say it.
If the catastrophe you predicted doesn't happen to China,
then what will happen to us?
(chuckles)
- Don't worry it will happen.
I guarantee it.
(flames crackling)
- As always, blocking progress is quite a powerful force.
People are easily frightened off.
The Chinese stopped all voyages of
discovery under penalty of death.
China withdrew behind the great wall.
It was the end of an extraordinary adventure.
Just think, the Chinese have sailed over so much
of the Earth's ocean when Henry the navigator
hadn't even reached the equator.
That you recall that.
- What if the Chinese had continued sailing,
and what if they'd met up?
- Imagine for a moment what,
if the Chinese junks of the middle kingdom
had met the Portuguese caravels?
What a turn in history that might
have taken, defies imagination.
- And what happened to our Chinese friends?
- [Narrator] Yeah who can say.
Zheng He probably died at sea in a storm.
And as for Hong Bao...
(gasps)
- Grandpa, Grandpa, did you ever see ships as big as that?
- Oh I sure did, my boy and some much bigger than that.
The big Chinese junks, red sails, but that was long ago.
- In our own time just off Kenya
there's an island called Pate
where distinctive people live.
A mixture of Africans and Chinese.
(dramatic music)