摘要
在蒸气机发明之前的风帆时代,庞大的郑和船队必须依赖季风和洋流的帮助,才能顺利航行。郑和航线所经历的地区是世界上季风现象最显著的地区之一。盛行风的季节性变动,带来了洋流的季节性变化,为郑和航海提供了优越的条件。本文以郑和航海图为基础,结合海洋地理知识,根据郑和出使西洋过程中的航期、航线与航速,分析对季风洋流的认识和利用,并以此侧面反映15世纪中国领先于世界的高超航海水平。
Dispatched by the government of the Ming Dynasty, ZHENG He sailed across the 'West Ocean' seven times during 1405～1433 in command of a fleet. ZHENG He's fleet was very large and the ship aize also huge at that time. To ZHENG He's fleet the monsoon and the ocean current was of special importance for they was in the era when steam engine has not been invented. So the knowledge of monsoon and ocean current, which has been accumulated since 3B.C., is the base for him to sail across the ocean safely and successfully.ZHENG He's fleet started from the port Liujiakou, then it reached Taiping port in Fujian province, the last Chinese port he anchored in his sailing. When they went abroad they arrived the countries of Southeast Asia such as Viethnam, Thailand and Malaysia, then they passed across Bengal Gulf and Indian Ocean, the Arabian Ocean and the east coast of AfricaZHENG He's voyage is in the region of Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean, which is a salience region of monsoon in the earth. The monsoon of northern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, as well as the ocean current caused by the monsoon provided the indispensable navigable power for ZHENG He's voyages to and fro. He used the knowledge about the variations of the monsoon and ocean current skillfully. For example, ZHENG He's fleet always set off in wintertime to use north wind and went back with south wind in summertime.The utilization of monsoon and ocean current in Zheng He's sailing is discussed in the paper, integrating sailing route and geography knowledge according to his voyage schedule, routes and ship speeds. It is pointed that the utilization of monsoon and ocean current reflects Chinese sailing level in that time.
出处
《中国航海》
CSCD
北大核心
2005年第1期14-18,共5页
Navigation of China
